Tag Archives: sermons

God’s voice is heard in humble, human hearts.

God’s voice is not heard through hype, hoopla, or hierarchy; it is heard in humble, human hearts.  In the Bible, church is not a preplanned program, but God’s powerful presence being poured out on people! (See Acts 2).  When believers … Continue reading

Posted in church format, church leader, church meetings, church program, church programs, church roles, God, God calling, God's voice, hearing Jesus, hearing the Holy Spirit, Holy Spirit, Music City, Nashville, Nashville adventure, Nashville church, Salvation Army church, sermon, sermon-free, sermon-hearing, Tennessee, The Salvation Army, The Voice, tradition, voice of God | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

Benjamin Franklin & Sermon Free Church

I think Benjamin Franklin would have loved sermon-free church because it gets people actively involved and transforms them from passive pew-sitters to spiritual go-getters! Ben said: “I wish it (Christianity) were more productive of good works. I mean real good … Continue reading

Posted in American history, American Literature, Ben Franklin, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, church format, church meetings, church roles, church services, church structure, Doing the most good, good sermon, good works, history, involve me and I learn, memory, Nashville, organic church, pew, prayer, praying, preacher, preaching, quote, Quotes, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, sermon, sermon-free, sermon-hearing, sermons, simple church, teach me and I, Tennessee, The Salvation Army | Tagged , , , , , | 7 Comments

What Is “Effective Preaching?”

Information:  A message prepared and delivered by a mind, reaches a mind. Inspiration:  The testimony of a burning heart reaches a heart. God is looking for a burning heart; not for doctrinal charts. “I would rather teach one man to … Continue reading

Posted in Charles Spurgeon, Come Join Our Army, Crest Books, doctrinal charts, early Salvation Army, exhortations, how to pray, how to preach, information, inspiration, inspirational, learning to pray, mind, prayer, preaching the Word, R.G. Moyles, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvationists, sermon series, testimonies, testimony, USA, William Booth | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Is The Church Trying To Teach People To Swim Without Letting Them Get Wet?

I heard a very good sermon today.  But while passively sitting and listening to the sermon, I began to think my own thoughts instead. I pondered to myself:  Which is more effective in changing lives —  studied and prepared sermons … Continue reading

Posted in attention holding, challenging, God, gripping, Holy Spirit, informative, inspirational, instructive, learning to swim, life transforming, living words, Quotations, quote, Quotes, relevation, religion, Spirit-prompted, spiritual, spirituality | Tagged , , , , , , | 12 Comments

Learning Bible Info vs. Releasing God’s Inner Flow

The contemporary church wants people to know Bible info. God wants people to grow by releasing His inner flow. Spiritual maturity will grow only from God’s inner flow.  It’s not produced by the Bible lessons you know. People aren’t changed … Continue reading

Posted in contemporary church, go with the flow, inner coach, inner rivers, innere flow, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual flow, spiritual formation, spiritual healing, spiritual innovation, spiritual leaders, spiritual movement, spiritual power, spiritual transformation | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Church — Spiritual Impartation Or Powerless Sermons?

Bible interpretation without spiritual impartation is a negation of Scripture.  Sermons,  without the active working of the living God, lack the life-transforming power they claim to proclaim. Our culture desperately needs the transforming impartation of spiritual power, not mere Bible … Continue reading

Posted in 21st Century, church meetings, church program, church programs, church roles, church services, church structure, organic church, relevation, religion, spirit, Spirit-filled, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual awakening, spiritual fire | Tagged , , , | 6 Comments

WDJSM? What Did Jesus Say Most?

What did Jesus say most (WDJSM)?  The phrase most frequently used by Jesus in the Bible seems to be:  “He who has ears, let him hear.”  Jesus  is quoted as saying those words 7 times in the Gospels (8 if … Continue reading

Posted in awe, Bible, Christ, Christian history, Christianity, church history, Gospels, hearing God, hearing Jesus, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Mary Magdalene, Matthew, miracles, Moses, mystery, mysticism, Peter, Quotations, Quotes, religion, revelation, saints, sermons, spiritual, spiritual disciplines, spiritual formation, spiritual growth, spiritual skills, spiritual warfare, television, TV ministers, Uncategorized, words | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

George Barna’s 9 Challenges For American Christians

George Barna, founder of the Barna Research Group, issued nine challenges for American Christianity in 2002.  Here is a paraphrase of his nine challenges along with how a church in Nashville, Tennessee, The Salvation Army Berry Street Worship Center, is attempting … Continue reading

Posted in Barna Research Group, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Bible, challenges, church, East Nashville, evangelicals, Gen Y, George Barna, Holy Spirit, house church, I Corinthians 14:26, Nashville, organic church, popular culture, race, racism, simple church, supernatural, The Salvation Army, Uncategorized, worship | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Talk (or TV Commercials) About Pain Medication Won’t Ease Your Pain

There is so much talk about medication nowadays, especially in TV commercials.  Paid actors and spokespersons boast of the results of the pill they’re promoting.  (Then the voice over announcer quietly sneaks in the side-effects, but that’s another story.) However, … Continue reading

Posted in drug commercials, drugs, God, Holy Spirit, house church, Jesus Christ, kingdom of God, life, lifestyles, mysticism, new birth, Oh my God, organic church, peace, prayer, Quotations, reading, recovery, religion, revelation, salvation, self-help, What is church? | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Church — Lab or Lecture? Intellect or Votech? Academic or Epidemic?

Should church be academic or epidemic?  Should it be based on the transfer of religious knowledge or on an ongoing contagion of spiritual life spreading like raging fire?  Here is a quotation from Paul of Tarsus, the church planter who established … Continue reading

Posted in apologists, Berry Street Worship Center, Bible, change, God, Holy Spirit, house church, lifestyles, mysticism, organic church, Quotations, Quotes, religion, simple church, The Salvation Army, Uncategorized, What is church? | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments