Tag Archives: religion

Unprogrammed Church

Posted on November 3, 2012 by Steve Simms

When a Christian meeting is controlled by Christ, without human programming and agendas, the Holy Spirit takes over and the glory of God is on display for all to see.  However, when a meeting is directed and run by a … Continue reading →

Posted in Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Christ, Christ followers, Christ-centered, Christian, Christian community, Christian organizations, church meetings, church program, church programs, church roles, church structure, comfort zone, Holy Spirit, spirit, Spirit-filled, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual awakening, spiritual growth | Tagged , , , , , , | 13 Comments

Aiming For Your Heart

Posted on October 19, 2012 by Steve Simms

Television and movies aim to reach your desire to be entertained.  Advertising aims to for your emotions.  Negative political advertisements aim to reach your fears.  Classes, seminars, and even sermons aim for your mind.  Love, however, aims to reach your … Continue reading →

Posted in advertising, alternative lifestyle, belief, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Bible reading, biblical, Biblical concept, burning heart, Christ followers, Christ-centered, Christian, Christian history, church, church history, curriculum, devotion, fire, fire of the Holy Spirit, inner peace, inner rivers, inspiration, intellect, intelligence, invisible, Jesus, Jesus Christ, John Wesley, joy, kingdom of God, lecture, Methodist class meeting, Methodist revivalists, Methodists, ministry, movement, Music City, Nashville, normal Christianity, relevation, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvationists, seminars, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual awakening, spiritual formation, testimonies, testimony, The Salvation Army | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Do We Need A More Effective Way Of Having Church?

Posted on October 16, 2012 by Steve Simms

In the West the church is not changing contemporary culture. Instead, church members are being swayed and swept along by society’s hedonism and the church appears to be powerless to prevent it.  We are a post Christian society. Perhaps we … Continue reading →

Posted in alternative lifestyle, American church, Bible, biblical, Biblical concept, Christian, church, church meetings, church roles, church structure, contemporary society, controversy, corrupt culture, denominations, house church | Tagged , , , , , | 5 Comments

What Saved My Infant Daughter’s Life?

Posted on October 7, 2012 by Steve Simms

I woke up very grateful this morning, remembering when my infant daughter was saved from my carelessness and absent-mindedness.  I lifted her and her car seat out of the back seat of our car and set her down on the … Continue reading →

Posted in absent-mindedness, angels watching over you, carelessness, Christ, Christ-centered, Christian, gratitude, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus is Lord, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual walk, thanksgiving, Thanksgiving Day | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Have You Ever Been To Church?

Posted on September 28, 2012 by Steve Simms

Church is more than a structured meeting. Church is spiritual life flowing through a room – Something you and everyone present can feel.   Church is electricity in the air, An inner tingling, A sense of awe. A keen awareness … Continue reading →

Posted in Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Christ followers, Christ-centered, Christian, Christian organizations, Christian values, church meetings, church programs, church roles, church structure, denominations, disciple making, disciples, electricity, faith, faith-based, fire of the Holy Spirit, followers of Christ, gifts of the Spirit, God experiment, God's authority, God's government, Holy Spirit, house church, hymn, improv, improvisation, interactive, Jesus, Jesus Christ, kingdom of God, ministry, non-church, non-church movement, non-traditional church, open church, participatory church, people of God, praise and worship, prayer, presence of Christ, presence of God, psalm, relational church, relevation, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Spirit-led, spiritual formation, spiritual growth, spiritual interaction, The Salvation Army, worship | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Evangeline Booth, The Salvation Army, & Spiritual Fire

Posted on September 25, 2012 by Steve Simms

Evangeline believed that The Salvation Army represented an aggressive style of Christianity.  However, over the years, some of the early Army boldness has been lost.  Perhaps it is time to bring it back.  Here’s one step you can take to … Continue reading →

Posted in alternative lifestyle, army, attitude, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Catherine Booth, challenges, Christ followers, Christ-centered, Christian, Christian community, Christian flag, Christian history, Christian organizations, Christian values, church history, church roles, courage, denominations, East Nashville, Evangeline Booth, fire, fire of the Holy Spirit, followers of Christ, God calling, hearing God, hearing Jesus, history, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Jesus Christ, lifestyle Christianity, lifestyles, missional, move of God, movement, Music City, organic church, quote, Quotes, salvation, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvationists, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual combat, spiritual formation, spiritual warfare, The Salvation Army, The Salvation Flag, William Booth | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

From Hinduism to Jesus Christ

Posted on September 20, 2012 by Steve Simms

I recently helped Tapan Saha write his testimony about finding Christ.  Tap is a soldier (member) of The Salvation Army Berry Street Worship Center in Nashville.  Here’s his story: I was born to a Hindu family in East Pakistan.  I … Continue reading →

Posted in Albany, alternative lifestyle, Amazing Grace, bell ringer, Bengali, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Bible, Christ, Christ followers, Christ-centered, Christian values, church, comfort, compassion, disciple making, East Pakistan, evangelism, faith-based, Greek Orthodox Church, Hindu, Hinduism, Jesus, Jesus Christ, lifestyles, makes change, ministry, move of God, Muslims, new birth, New York, salvation, Salvation Army Corps, selling books, share cropping, spiritual, spiritual formation, surrender to God, testimony, The Gideons International, The Southwestern Company, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | 7 Comments

There’s A You In You

Posted on September 18, 2012 by Steve Simms

There’s more to life than meets the eye.  There’s more to see than Instagram, Netflicks, YouTube, and TV. So open your eyes.  Take a look in your heart.  You’ll see that there’s more than Intel inside — more than integrated … Continue reading →

Posted in alternative lifestyle, brain, brain chemistry, brain research, chipsets, choice, circuits, clear conscience, conscience, consciousness, conviction, decision-making, depths, experiment, free spirit, free will, hearing God, human body, human life, human nature, information processors, insight, inspiration, integrated electronics, intellect, invisible, judge, judgment, judgments, life, lifestyles, listening, making decisions, materialism, materialistic evolution, meaning, microscope, mind, mysticism, non-material reality, purpose, real world, recovery, relevation, robotron, self-control, self-discipline, self-esteem, self-help, self-image, self-will, selfish desires, soul, soul food, spirit, spiritual, spiritual awakening, spiritual formation, spiritual growth, spiritual interaction, spiritual skills, spiritual walk, test tube, truth, TV, TV network, vision, voice activated, voice of God, voices | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Should We Settle For Sunday Morning Mediocrity?

Posted on September 10, 2012 by Steve Simms

For generations people in the Western world have settled for church as usual — Sunday morning mediocrity (SMM).  However, this has not always been the case. For the First Century believers, church was anything but mediocre.  Gathering with other followers … Continue reading →

Posted in Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Bible, biblical, Biblical concept, Christ, Christ followers, Christ-centered, Christian, Christian community, Christian history, Christian organizations, Christian values, church meetings, church programs, church roles, church structure, community, conviction of sin, East Nashville, ekklesia, evangelistic meetings, faith-based, filled with the Spirit, followers of Christ, gifts of the Spirit, house church, improv, improvisation, interactive, Jesus, Jesus Christ, joy, Nashville, non-church, normal Christianity, order of worship, participatory church, post-Christianity, religious ceremonies, service, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual formation, The Salvation Army | Tagged , , , , | 7 Comments

Have You Played The God Card (Or Is It Still In Your Hand)?

Posted on September 6, 2012 by Steve Simms

Some people have “made a decision for Christ” and they think that they have played the God card.   Others have repeated a prayer asking Jesus to come into their heart and now they believe that they have played the God … Continue reading →

Posted in altar call, Bible reading, cell phone, charger, Christ, Christ followers, Christian, church, church meetings, church programs, church roles, communion, Eucharist, evangelicals, evangelism, evangelistic meetings, evidence for God, God, God calling, God experiment, God-shaped vacuum, hearing God, Jesus, Jesus Christ, lifestyle Christianity, outreach ministry, recovery, rivers of living water, sacraments, spiritual, spiritual awakening, spiritual combat, spiritual formation, spiritual growth, spiritual walk, spiritual warfare, still small voice, Sunday school, the God card, the Lord's supper | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments