Steve Simms's Blog, page 306

Christ called audibles are transformational

An audible is when a quarterback in football calls out a change in the programmed play right before the ball is snapped. Perhaps churches should let the living, resurrected Jesus be our quarterback and call out audibles during worship meetings.

Letting Christ call audibles would transform church meetings. They would no longer be a predictable routine, following the exact same format week after week.

If a football team will allow its quarterback to change plays at the line of scrimmage, why won’t churches allow the living, resurrected Jesus to make last-second changes in the Sunday morning program? (I can’t think of any good reason not to allow Jesus to make audibles, can you?)

So how does the living Christ make audibles? He prompts someone present in the meeting to say or to do something that isn’t on the program. I believe this happens often, however, the traditional Sunday morning format that is controlled by one man in the front of the room, has trained Christ-followers to sit passively and to ignore the audibles (promptings) of the living, resurrected Jesus. The Bible calls this “quenching the Spirit” and commands us not to do it. (See 1 Thessalonians 5:19.)

Christ called audibles can chance church-as-usual into the dynamic New Testament concept of ekklesia. Perhaps we should begin to encourage Christ-followers to listen to and obey Christ’s audibles in church meetings. “”Do whatever He tells you.” –John 2:5

Salvation Army “War Cry” Review of “Beyond Church”

War Cry, the national magazine of The Salvation Army USA wrote:

Beyond Church Takes You Past Sunday Worship

Have you ever wanted something more in life? Something more than religion? More than ‘church as usual?”

In the Western world, traditional church is in decline, Salvationist author Envoy Steve Simms points out in his groundbreaking book, Beyond Church, Christians can now be divided into two groups of millions: “Dones” (those done with church) and “Nones” (those who have no church affiliation).

Perhpas it is time for more than church. The thesis for this book is found in the oft-forgotten biblical word, Ekklesia. Simms invites you to go “beyond church” and experience Ekklesia, defining it as “Heaven’s ‘City Council.'”

But Ekklesia is not just a theological concept, Simms says, it is also a practical and living reality. Modern English language Bibles quote Jesus as saying, “I will build My church.” But in earlier versions, Jesus says, “I will build My Ekklesia.”

Simms argues that for hundreds of years this biblical word-switch has affected how the body of Christ has come together for worship. So what does Ekklesia mean?

Ekklesia  was the name of the city council in ancient Greek city-states. It was a democratic, interactive, participatory body of equal citizens sharing their concerns and needs with one another.

With a foreword by Major Stephen Court (USA Western Territory), the book is a plea to move past politics and hot-button issues and to awaken to the vibrant life and possibilities of godly community.

Get a copy here.

How This Review Came About . . .

While the National Religious Broadcasters Association was meeting at Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center in Nashville, Tennessee, it came to me one afternoon to take a few copies of Beyond Church to the NRB convention and pass them out.

I wasn’t a registered delegate and didn’t really want to go pass out books. However, I obeyed the prompting and went. As I was walking around Gaylord Opryland I saw a man in a Salvation Army uniform. I started talking with him and found out that he was an editor at War Cry. I gave him a book and he thanked me. I said: “If  you like it will you review it in Way Cry.”

If the Gaylord Opryland donkey could talk

(Get your copy here.) If the donkey in Gaylord Opryland Resort in Nashville, Tennessee could talk he might say . . .

Spontaneous vs. Spiritaneous

To be spontaneous is be unconstrained by fear or tradition and to be willing to act on an inner impulse or inclination, without planning or external stimulus.

To be Spiritaneous is to be unconstrained by fear or tradition and to be willing to act on an inner prompting of the Holy Spirit, without planning or external stimulus.

To live Spiritaneously is to hear the inner voice of the Holy Spirit and obey His leadings. The New Testament puts it this way: “Those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.” –Romans 8:14

For centuries Christians have met together to passively sit and listen to a formal presentation of pious platitudes presented by one man. Perhaps it is time for Christ-followers to begin to meet together and be Spiritaneous according to the New Testament concept of ekklesia as described in 1 Corinthians 14:26.

Come on! Let’s be Spiritaneous. (Too much programming quenches the Holy Spirit.) Only by Spiritaneity can you be who God planned you to be.

Learn to be Spiritaneous with us @ The Salvation Army Berry Street in Nashville, Tennessee. We meet every Sunday morning @ 10:45 — 225 Berry St., 37207.

 

Church programs or ekklesia fire?

Question: What would happen if church meetings were built on people stepping out in faith and sharing from their heart — instead of being built on people passively watching a highly programmed presentation?

Answer: God’s fire would fall and His Spirit would take control of the meeting transforming lives.

The body of Christ is a “royal priesthood.” Every Christ-follower is a priest, called to serve God and to minister to people. There are no spectators (whose only job is to sit quietly and listen) in the body of Christ. Church as usual sets people up to be spectators, however, Christ wants to fire people up to be passionate participants who actively speak out in worship meetings and spiritual warriors who release God’s love and purity in their day to day lives.

If you see a church

Beginning to obey

1 Corinthians 14:26;

You will soon see

An ekklesia aflame for God! (What’s an ekklesia?)

It’s time to trade our programs for God’s fire!

“Send the fire, send the fire, send the fire!

To burn up every trace of sin,

To bring the light and glory in,

The revolution now begin,

Send the fire today!”

–William Booth

Experience ekklesia and God’s fire every Sunday morning at The Salvation Army Berry Street, 225 Berry St., Nashville 37207 on Sunday mornings at 10:45.

Does American religion deny the freedom of speech?

Does religion restrict the freedom of speech?

–The First Amendment to the American Constitution guarantees the freedom of religion and the freedom of speech.

–So given such freedom, why do American churches almost universally follow a form or religion that only allows one person the freedom to talk about religion during worship meetings and denies the freedom of speech to everyone else present in the meeting?

(This is an especially important question considering that the Bible, in 1 Corinthians 14:26, teaches that everyone present in a worship meeting has a right to speak out.)

Religion is a circuit breaker that shuts off the power of the living Christ and attempts to replace the dazzling spotlight of Jesus’ presence with a dim candle of church programs and a monologue of religious platitudes

Seeking self-satisfaction is an endless whirlpool of “me, my, and mine” — a downward spiral, swirling with discouragement, depression, and despair. The search for self-fulfillment is a misery making myth that sucks the life out of people, throwing them int

Letting church cruise on Christ-contol

Across the USA church is in decline. Perhaps it is time to set church on Christ-control and let Jesus freely cruise trough the meeting. There’s nothing like a Christ-led gathering when we put aside human agendas and control and simply let the living, resurrected Jesus lead us!

The New Testament calls church on Christ-control by the Greek word ekklesia. Ekklesia was the town meeting of ancient Greek city-states. It was an open forum where anyone could speak. Jesus adopted this idea when he said “I will build My ekklesia.” Paul instructed the early Christ-followers to gather based on the concept of ekklesia when he wrote: “When you come together, each one of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has another language, has an interpretation. Let all things be done to build each other up.” –1 Corinthians 14:26 in the World English Bible (Learn more about ekklesia @ this link.)

If you are in Nashville, come and see the Son shine in the ekklesia that meets @ The Salvation Army Berry Street every Sunday morning @ 10:45 — 225 Berry St., Nashville, TN 37207.

Sharing What The Spirit Says

Simple people sharing


What the Spirit says


Makes church ekklesia again —


A forum for Him;


A support group


For one another.


“Let the redeemed of the Lord say so.”


More @http://amzn.to/2bgu3SU.

Will religion let ekklesia out of the bag?

There’s no place like ekklesia.

Ekklesia lets the Son shine.

Ekklesia makes the heart grow fonder.

Ekklesia speaks louder than words.

Ekklesia is the spice of life.

In ekklesia there is strength.

The proof of ekklesia is in the sharing

You can’t experience ekklesia without breaking a few traditions.

Rockin’ with Matthew 16 in Jesus’ Town Meeting (Pebble vs. Foundational Rock)

Like a symphony conductor, Jesus wants to release the music of His presence and power in and through groups of people who gather in His name. He explained that to His disciples in Matthew 16. However, our understand of Jesus’ explanation has been influenced  by the way the King James Bible translators chose to use safe, religious language to bring the Greek into English and because most translators since then have used the King James as a model to guide their translation. However, here’s an alternative reading that can rock us out of the KJV “church” boat.

The King James version leads us to believe that Jesus built a structure or an organization. I woke up during the night thinking about the words that KJV uses; “I will build.” When I woke up the next morning, I looked up the Greek  word translated “I will build” and was amazed to see that it can mean either build as in “build a building” or build up as in “edify, train, or lead.” This alternative version causes us to think that Jesus is building up and training a group of people. What do you think Jesus had in mind? Here’s the alternate version:

“Jesus asked: ‘Who do you say that I am?’ Simon Pebble answered, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.'”

“Jesus replied, ‘Fortunate are you, Simon son of Jonah, for human nature and reasoning didn’t show that to you but my Father in Heaven. And I tell you that you are Pebble, and on this massive, foundational rock (of supernatural revelation) I will personally build up, train, and conduct My ekklesia (the town council of Greek city-states).”

To learn more about ekklesia go to this link.