Steve Simms's Blog, page 286
August 15, 2017
August 14, 2017
August 13, 2017
Have we systematized Christ’s symphony?
Jesus wants to conduct His symphony through an orchestra of ordinary people that the Bible calls, the body of Christ. Church gives the risen Jesus more opportunities to be the Conductor when everybody present is free to speak as prompted by His Spirit.
Systematization is great for human productivity, but when applied to religion, it can easily hinder the Holy Spirit. God wants to revitalize what we’ve systematized. Will we let Him?
Solos are good. However, many people sharing & testifying as Christ’s symphony makes a fuller sound.
No one man can fully present God’s symphony. It takes an orchestra of Christ-followers, obeying the Spirit together, to play it. Every believer is an instrument in Christ’s symphony. Let’s meet together as His orchestra & let Him be the director!
I’ve been to several support groups recently. I love how they go beyond systematization and allow spontaneous, open sharing! To mobilize Christians to be bold for Christ in daily life, train them to speak out boldly in the safe environment of worship.
In the New Testament, there is no “call to conform” to a system. We are called to be transformed by the living, resurrected
Jesus Christ. The best way to learn to follow Jesus is to go beyond systems and just begin to follow Jesus.
In the body of Christ, leaders are called to train ordinary people to minister so the body of Christ can mature. (See Ephesians 4:11-13) To grow into the mature body of Christ, we (believers) need to learn to speak the truth in love. (See Ephesians 4:15) How can the body of Christ mature if the members are
kept passive & dependent on one special person to do all the ministry?
Being sincerely listened to by a group of people who genuinely care about you is life-changing! Sometimes a Christian just needs to talk & have others in the body of Christ listen with love. Support groups do it! Why not churches?
Sermon-centered church is almost universal, however, the Bible also allows open, Spirit-led sharing. (1 Corinthians 14:26) If it was a good thing to reform church 500 years ago, perhaps it is also a good thing to go beyond church as usual nowadays.
If people aren’t being deeply transformed by the way we do church, perhaps we could find more effective ways to do it. “God is decreeing to begin some new & great period in His church, even to the reforming of the Reformation itself.” -John Milton
Reformation searches for more effective ways to demonstrate the living Jesus & make Him known so ordinary people can follow Him. Is the Bible warning of, a form of godliness without power, still relevant? (2 Timothy 3:5)
If church isn’t as powerful in the 21st Century as it was in the 1st Century, perhaps we’re missing something. “What is a man born for but to be a reformer?” -Ralph Waldo Emerson
To truly celebrate the 500th anniversary of the Reformation (Oct. 31, 2017), we need to open up to present-day reform. Shall we?
August 12, 2017
August 11, 2017
August 10, 2017
Can a church service abound with preachers & teachers?
We can preach and teach or we can cultivate an atmosphere where preachers and teachers abound. Let’s make disciples and let church services overflow with preachers and teachers.
Jesus said it’s foolish to hear His words but not do them. (Matthew 7:26) To understand the Bible we need to experience it, not just learn things about it.
In all that we do, let’s cultivate connection and communication with Christ. Christian growth takes off when people are listened to and allowed to share insights in meetings.
Worship is to gaze at the risen Jesus & to engage in humble interaction with Him. When Christians experience that their active sharing is needed in a worship gathering, their perspective of church is transformed.
When Christians meet for worship, with open, cooperative communication; the Holy Spirit moves into the leadership role. It’s powerful when Christ-followers come together and make themselves vulnerable! Allowing the Holy Spirit to express Himself through anybody present, opens the door for miracles!
When worship reaches beyond the script & connects with the Spirit, awe moves in! It’s difficult to worship without awe! (“Everyone was filled with awe.” -Acts 2:43) To experience awe is to worship!
Watching a Jesus bug
Walking on water
I’m reminded that
God can do anything,
If we don’t quench
The Holy Spirit!
August 9, 2017
August 8, 2017
95 Theses 4 Reformation #3 (& other thoughts)
95 Theses 4 Reformation #3: Let people interrupt as led by the Spirit, according to 1 Corinthians 14:30-31.
Here are a few more thoughts to inspire reformation:
Open sharing in church can help reach people who want interactive community, mutual support, & participation. Since a lot of people are wiser & know more than any one person does, why don’t we let a lot of people share in church?
Has religious form & structure eclipsed (at least partially) the risen Jesus? Perhaps keeping a worship meeting under tight human control “protects” us from God’s unexpected. Don’t let Jesus be eclipsed in your life.
In the Gospels, religious people had a harder time with Jesus & His teaching than nonreligious people did. With about 34,000+ Christian denominations, I’ve only heard of one that meets for worship according to 1 Corinthians 14:26. (Quakers) Why?
What’s wrong with Christians meeting for worship, as equals, without always exalting one person above all the others? Is it logical to believe that one man in a church understands God better than everybody else?
As menorahs hold many candles, not just one; so when the body of Christ meets for worship, we can let many lights shine, not just one preacher. “I saw seven golden lampstands, and among the lampstands was someone like a son of man . . . The seven lampstands are the seven ekklesias.” (Revelation 1:12, 13, & 20) See http://amzn.to/2ugGh7j.
Support groups do it! So why don’t churches?
(Let everyday people share from the heart according to 1 Corinthians 14:26.) God says: “Let the redeemed of the Lord say so.” Not just preachers.
Some people don’t believe in miracles, unaware that they are surrounded by them.
