Tag Archives: revival

Years of studying church history have shown me that during times of great spiritual awakening, church meetings are more about experiencing and obeying a Presence, than about sitting and listening to a program.

Posted on March 22, 2014 by Steve Simms
Posted in Christ, Christ in you, Christ's presence, church, church program, church programs, God's presence, great awakening, history, move of God, movement, non-church, non-liturgical, normal Christianity, open church, open forum, open mic, open mike, open sharing, participatory church, simple church, spiritual awakening, spiritual church, spiritual experience, spiritual gifts, spiritual movement, spiritual transformation, spiritual worship, spirituality, When you come together | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Fire From God

Posted on June 4, 2013 by Steve Simms

Unless you hear it through the Spirit, the Bible will be boring. If the Word doesn’t burn in your heart your sins won’t depart! Without a Spirit-fire, you will drown in your own desire. So how do you start a … Continue reading →

Posted in church seating, flammable, God, hdden sin, heart-felt, heart-felt love, Holy Spirit, I set myself on fire, miraculous, mysticism, nature of God, passion, passionate, release of the Spirit, relevation, religion, religious innovation, spirit fire, Spirit's flow, Spirit-filled, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual awakening, spiritual church, spiritual fire, spiritual transformation | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

Passive Church or Participatory Church? (Rest or Revival?)

Posted on March 11, 2013 by Steve Simms

Passive or participatory church?  Rest or revival? Is church passive or is it participatory? Is it structured or is it Spirit-led? Is it forced or is it flowing? Is it lifeless or is it lively? Is it dull or is … Continue reading →

Posted in 1 Corinthians 14:26, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Bible, Christianity, church structure, Music City, religion, Spirit's flow, Spirit-led, Spirit-prompted, spiritual, TN | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Church shouldn’t bore those who come near it; church should soar in the Spirit!

Posted on February 2, 2013 by Steve Simms

Church should soar in the Spirit; not bore those who come near it! Church shouldn’t be the same thing over and over (like the movie Groundhog Day). Church should be alive, vibrant, and thrilling! (Paul of Tarsus said: “Having a form … Continue reading →

Posted in Christian, Christian organizations, Christianity, church, church meetings, church program, church structure, denying the power thereof, Groundhog Day, Holy Spirit, spirit, Spirit-filled, Spirit-led, Spirit-prompted, spiritual | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Worst Religious Advice I Was Ever Given

Posted on January 30, 2013 by Steve Simms

The worst religious advice I was ever given came when I was a student at Memphis Theological Seminary.  A professor in a preaching class said:  “You need to spend one hour of study for every minute you preach.” Since then … Continue reading →

Posted in academics, Bible study, burning heart, change, change agent, Christ followers, Christian, epidemic, expect change commercial, fire, fire of the Holy Spirit, glory days, God, how you catch the flu, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus Movement, kingdom of God, kingdom values, Memphis Theological Seminary, moral failure, moral foundations, morality, Music City, religious academics, religious innovation, religious tradition, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvationists, spiritual, spiritual awakening, spiritual formation, study one hour for every minute you preach | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Technology has brought about the paperless office. Spiritual awakening will bring about the agendaless church meeting. Go agendaless — let the Spirit lead!

Posted on January 10, 2013 by Steve Simms

“The Salvation Army was born in the superheated fires of revival, coming into being through obedience, dedication, and holy courage. . . Holy testimonies blistered our lips and knee drills (prayer meetings) were crowded with earnest, believing prayers. That sovereign, … Continue reading →

Posted in reformation, religion, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvationists, spiritual awakening, The Salvation Army, Uncategorized, USA | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

12/12/12 — 12 Out Of The Box Thoughts About Church

Posted on December 12, 2012 by Steve Simms

Here are 12 out-of-the-box thoughts about church on 12/12/12. 1)  Church is not God in a noose, but God on the loose! 2)  Church is not spectators sitting, but believers battling the forces of darkness! 3)  Church is not a … Continue reading →

Posted in agenda, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Christian community, church meetings, church program, church programs, creeds, denominations, do church, early church, followers of Christ, freedom, furnace, gifts of the Spirit, God on the loose, godly sorrow, guide, hype, ice maker, idealism, improv, improvisation, inner coach, lecture, message, miracles, moral failure, move of God, movement, non-church, people of God, power, powerhouse, preaching, Protestant, repent, repentance, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvationists, seduction, sermon, sermons, service, shocking statements, sin, soul food, speaking out, spectators, Spirit-led, spiritual fire, spiritual training, spiritual transformation, spiritual warfare, still small voice, submission, supernatural, surrender, surrender to God, testimonies, testimony, The Salvation Army, theology, thoughts, tradition, two or more, Western religion | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Church is a furnace — a gathering for igniting and spreading the contagion of spiritual fire; not an ice maker — a synchronized “service” dropping cool ideas on to cold hearts conformed to contemporary culture.

Posted on December 11, 2012 by Steve Simms

Daring deeds, not comfortable creeds!

Posted in church, church meetings, church program, church programs, church roles, church services, contagion, contemporary, corrupt culture, creeds, deeds, fire of the Holy Spirit, fire place, fire walk, furnace, ice maker, spirit, Spirit-filled, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual awakening, spiritual drunkenness | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Nashville & The Coming Move Of God

Posted on December 11, 2012 by Steve Simms

The public forums in America and the Western world have been all but swept clean of references to God, faith, and religion.  Many are ready to label America and the West as post-Christian.  But don’t play taps yet.  God is … Continue reading →

Posted in America, boomers, Christ, Christ followers, Christian, faith, fire, fire of the Holy Spirit, glory, God, God calling, religion, society, soul, Spirit-filled, Spirit-led, spiritual growth, spiritual warfare, Western religion, Western world, young adults, youth | Tagged , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Religion Is Ritual — Faith Is Fire (How John Wesley Caught On Fire For God))

Posted on December 9, 2012 by Steve Simms

Religion is routine ritual, faith is flaming fire.  “I set myself on fire, and people come to see me burn.”  –John Wesley The fire that burned in John Wesley sparked the Holiness Movement that changed nations and led to many … Continue reading →

Posted in alternative lifestyle, change, Christ, Christianity, conversion, convert, conviction, denominations, doubts, England, English, evil, faith, fire, fire of the Holy Spirit, fuel, God, godliness, having a form of godliness, hearing God, hearing Jesus, holy, I set myself on fire, inner peace, inner rivers, intimacy, Jesus, Jesus Christ, life, lifestyle Christianity, lifestyles, Methodist class meeting, Methodist revivalists, Methodists, Nazarene, pentecostals, recovery, red hot, relevation, religious ceremonies, religious tradition, repentance, salvation, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvationists, saved, spiritual, spiritual awakening, spiritual formation, testimonies, testimony, The Salvation Army | Tagged , , , , , | 8 Comments