Tag Archives: religion

Muhammad Ali’s words show courage, conscience, & conviction.

Posted on June 5, 2016 by Steve Simms

Muhammad Ali, a man of courage, conscience, and conviction, left us. Here are some things he said: “My principles are more important than the money or my title.” “I didn’t want to submit to the army and then, on the … Continue reading →

Posted in belief, faith, God, good quotes, hate, inspiration, inspirational, Islam, love, Muslim, peace, quotation, Quotations, quote, Uncategorized, waging peace | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Should we go all the way with “born that way?”

Posted on May 2, 2016 by Steve Simms

I believe that human beings are born with a deep longing for God and that we never outgrow it (even though we sometimes redirect it).  Wherever you find people you find religion and ritual — some form of attempting to … Continue reading →

Posted in agnosticism, Alexander Maclaren, atheism, Augustine, books, born again, dissatisfaction, Ecclesiastes, God seeker, hate, longing for God, Pascal, Rick Warren, ritual, Tiffanie DeBartolo, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Does church have a gag rule on God?

Posted on April 3, 2016 by Steve Simms

God has no gag rule on Christ-followers! “Let the redeemed of the Lord say so!” Religion “commanded” the early Christ-followers “not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.” They replied: “We cannot help speaking about what … Continue reading →

Posted in Acts 4:13, Bible quotes, Bible verses, by the word of their testimony, chutzpah, evangelism, lay testimonies, Let the redeemed of the Lord, personal testimonies, Peter and John, salvation testimonies, testimonies in church, testimony, Uncategorized, We cannot help but speak | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Which formula rings true to you?

Posted on March 31, 2016 by Steve Simms

God + nothing = everything. G0d took nothing  (0) and made it everything! This formula makes so much more sense to my mind (and my heart) than the formula behind our contemporary secular society: Time + nothing = everything. Which … Continue reading →

Posted in apologetics, big bang, Big Bang Theory, creation, ethics, evolution, evolutionary process, integrity, materialistic evolution, origin, origin of life, origin of the universe, science, source of good, theory of evolution, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Why put Jesus in a box?

Posted on March 28, 2016 by Steve Simms

  Jesus is no Jack-in-the-box, alive one day and in the tomb the next. He’s not supposed to be preached about on Sunday and then shut up in a box for the rest of the week. Religion tries to turn … Continue reading →

Posted in 1 Corinthians 14:26, Berry Street, ekklesia, Friends, He is risen, Jesus, living stones, prophecy, resurrection, resurrection of Jesus, revival, risen, spiritual formation, spirituality, timeline, Uncategorized, unfriend | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Ekklesia let’s the risen Jesus take the wheel!

Posted on March 23, 2016 by Steve Simms

Who is most effective at steering a meeting of Christ-followers? A human leader? Or the living, risen Jesus?  If a pastor surrenders steering “Sunday services” to the Spirit, the living Jesus takes the wheel and ekklesia breaks out! http://amzn.to/1VDSxUR How … Continue reading →

Posted in Carrie Underwood, Christian embassy, Christmas music, ekklesia, God's embassy, Hebrews 11:12, Holy Spirit like wind, seeing Christ in people, seeing Jesus, seeing the invisible, song, the wind blows where it will, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Icons transport me beyond church

Posted on March 10, 2016 by Steve Simms

Icons in my favorite church building transport me beyond church. It’s an Orthodox church near Franklin, Tennessee. Icons are images dedicated, set apart, and anointed to reflect the glory of the living, resurrected Jesus Christ. Icons, unlike ordinary religious art, … Continue reading →

Posted in Christ the Head of the church, Christian history, church, church government, church in decline, Eastern Orthodox churches, ekklesia, Greek Orthodox Church, move of God, organic church, organized religion, Pentecost, revival, revival history, spiritual awakening, Tennessee, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

9 ways to recognize powerless religion

Posted on March 8, 2016 by Steve Simms

The Bible in 2 Timothy 3:5 tells Christ-followers to turn away from powerless religion. But how do we recognize it? Here are 8 ways: 1) Nothing out of the ordinary happens in the meetings. 2) Many of those who attend … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible verses, bored in church, church programming, denying the power, God's power, having a form of godliness but denying the power, keys to power, organic chruch, organized religion, power of God, Quench not the Spirit, Uncategorized, wonder working power, You shall receive power | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Race To Ekklesia . . .

Posted on March 2, 2016 by Steve Simms

Race to Ekklesia . . . Ekklesia goes beyond race, Loving with the eyes of grace, Finding the glory of God in each face, As ordinary people from “every kindred and every tribe” Are free to open up and share … Continue reading →

Posted in Amazing Grace, Berry Street, Beyond Church, black lives matter, book, ekklesia, grace, injustice, institutional racism, justice, movie, Nashville, Nashville churches, Salvation Army, Salvation Army church, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

It doesn’t take an Einstein to experience ekklesia

Posted on February 25, 2016 by Steve Simms

You don’t have to be an Einstein to experience ekklesia. Ekklesia is: Two or more Christ-followers meeting under Christ’s control! –E = MC2– [E (ekklesia) = M (meeting under) C (Christ’s control) 2 (two or more Christ-followers)] We 21st Century … Continue reading →

Posted in awe, awe in church, Berry Street, curiosity, ekklesia, Jesus Christ, John Wesley, Martin Luther, Martin Luther King, mystery, Nashville, organic church, Salvation Army, simple church, the Pilgrims, two or three in My name, Uncategorized, William Booth | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment