Category Archives: normal Christianity

“I’ll Fight” — How To Be A Spiritual Soldier

A famous quotation by William Booth, founder of The Salvation Army, boldly repeats the words “I’ll fight!”  His wife, Catherine Booth, preached Aggressive Christianity. They challenged their followers to be spiritual soldiers, not passive spectators.  But how do you fight … Continue reading

Posted in alternative lifestyle, army, be transformed by the renewing of your mind, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Bible, Bible reading, Bible type revival, blog, blog readers, Blood and Fire, blood of Jesus, burning heart, choice, Christian, Christian values, Christianity, church, combat, courage, creativity, darkness, demons, denial, devils, ekklesia, faith-based, fight the good fight of faith, flag, guidance, guide, Holy Spirit, I'll fight!, inner coach, inner peace, kingdom of God, lifestyle Christianity, lifestyles, makes change, meaning, media, media circus, military, moral failures, moral restraints, morality, move of God, movement, Music City, Nashville, New Testament, normal Christianity, obedience, organic church, out of the closet, soldiers, spectators, spirit, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual awakening, spiritual combat, spiritual disciplines, spiritual growth, spiritual skills, temptation, testimonies, testimony, the offensive, The Salvation Army, The Salvation Flag, thoughts, tradition, training, training camp, trials, truth, values, worship | Tagged , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

What Would William Booth Say Today? (WWWBST?)

William Booth was the founder of The Salvation Army.  He was a man with a passionate love for God and a deep love for humanity.  He died 100 years ago this year.  What would William Booth say to us today … Continue reading

Posted in authority, Bible type revival, Biblical concept, Christ, Christ followers, Christ-centered, Christian, Christian flag, Christian history, Christian organizations, combat, deliverance, devotion, die to self, disciple making, disciples, discipline, discipling, England, faith, faith-based, fear, feelings, fight the good fight of faith, flag, followers, followers of Christ, freedom, glory, glory days, hearing God, hearing Jesus, heart-felt love, heroes, history, inner city, Jesus, Jesus Christ, kingdom of God, ministry, miracles, missional, modeling, moral failures, moral principles, move of God, movement, mysticism, normal Christianity, obedience, open airs, openairs, prayer, prayer walking, prayer without ceasing, praying, quote, Quotes, red hot, relevation, religion, right and wrong, right conduct, right living, righteousness, salvation, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvationists, seduction, self-control, self-denial, self-destruction, self-discipline, self-focus, sex, soul, spirit, Spirit-filled, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual awakening, spiritual combat, spiritual disciplines, spiritual formation, spiritual growth, spiritual walk, surrender, surrender to God, temptation, The Salvation Army, The Salvation Flag | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

What Will It Take For A Bible Type Revival To Happen In America?

At The Salvation Army Berry Street last Sunday we passed out paper and pens and had everybody who was willing to write out a question for God and then to listen to God for His answer to their question. Then … Continue reading

Posted in alternative lifestyle, American, American church, American history, Americans, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Bible type revival, Christ followers, Christian, Christian community, Christian organizations, Christian values, church, church meetings, church programs, conviction of sin, devotion, die to self, disaster, disasters, disciple making, disciples, discipline, guidance, guide, hearing God, hearing Jesus, heart care, inspiration, institution, lifestyle Christianity, lifestyles, meaning, meaninglessness, message, movement, mystery, mysticism, Nashville, normal Christianity, participatory church, praise and worship, relevation, religion, repent, repentance, revolution, rivers of living water, salvation, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvationists, society, spiritual, spiritual awakening, spiritual combat, spiritual formation, spiritual warfare, The Salvation Army | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Aiming For Your Heart

Television and movies aim to reach your desire to be entertained.  Advertising aims to for your emotions.  Negative political advertisements aim to reach your fears.  Classes, seminars, and even sermons aim for your mind.  Love, however, aims to reach your … Continue reading

Posted in advertising, alternative lifestyle, belief, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Bible reading, biblical, Biblical concept, burning heart, Christ followers, Christ-centered, Christian, Christian history, church, church history, curriculum, devotion, fire, fire of the Holy Spirit, inner peace, inner rivers, inspiration, intellect, intelligence, invisible, Jesus, Jesus Christ, John Wesley, joy, kingdom of God, lecture, Methodist class meeting, Methodist revivalists, Methodists, ministry, movement, Music City, Nashville, normal Christianity, relevation, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvationists, seminars, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual awakening, spiritual formation, testimonies, testimony, The Salvation Army | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Unconditional Will Wow You!

Unconditional, a new movie staring Lynn Collins and Michael Ealy, is based on events in the life of Joe Bradford, affectionately known as Papa Joe by the people whose lives he has changed in the projects of Nashville, Tennessee.  It is a … Continue reading

Posted in African Americans, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, blacks, Christian values, Christianity, confession, conviction of sin, courage, die to self, East Nashville, equality, faith-based, godly sorrow, gratitude, guidance, guilt, guts and glory, healing, heart-felt love, history, human life, ideal, idealism, inner city, Judeo-Christian, kingdom of God, life, lifestyle Christianity, lifestyles, love, Lynn Collins, media, Michael Ealy, middle class, ministry, miracles, misery, missional, motivation, motivational speaker, movie, multi-racial, music, Music City, Nashville projects, non-church, normal Christianity, obedience, poor, positive thinking, poverty, prayer, race, racism, recovery, repentance, revelation, salvation, spiritual, spiritual awakening, spiritual combat, spiritual growth, spiritual warfare, suicide, The Salvation Army, training, urban, whites | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Should We Settle For Sunday Morning Mediocrity?

For generations people in the Western world have settled for church as usual — Sunday morning mediocrity (SMM).  However, this has not always been the case. For the First Century believers, church was anything but mediocre.  Gathering with other followers … Continue reading

Posted in Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Bible, biblical, Biblical concept, Christ, Christ followers, Christ-centered, Christian, Christian community, Christian history, Christian organizations, Christian values, church meetings, church programs, church roles, church structure, community, conviction of sin, East Nashville, ekklesia, evangelistic meetings, faith-based, filled with the Spirit, followers of Christ, gifts of the Spirit, house church, improv, improvisation, interactive, Jesus, Jesus Christ, joy, Nashville, non-church, normal Christianity, order of worship, participatory church, post-Christianity, religious ceremonies, service, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual formation, The Salvation Army | Tagged , , , , | 7 Comments

Watching Your “Old Man” Die

Three quotes from Paul of Tarsus:  “You have put off the old man with his deeds.”  Colossians 3:9  And, “I die daily.”  1 Corinthians 15:31  And, “I am crucified with Christ.”  Galatians 2:20 Believers are called to die to self … Continue reading

Posted in afflict the comfortable, Apostle Paul, Bible, biblical, Christ followers, Christ-centered, Christian, Christian values, Colossians, crucify yourself, denial, die to self, Galatians, hearing God, hearing Jesus, I am crucified with Christ, life, lifestyle Christianity, live to please God, normal Christianity, Paul of Tarsus, put off the old man, religion, repent, repentance, self-denial, Spirit-led, spiritual, spiritual athletes, spiritual combat, spiritual disciplines, spiritual growth, spiritual walk, spiritual warfare, surrender, surrender to God, true Christian life, trust | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

The Next Time Someone Says “C.I.B.” Check This Out . . .

The next time someone says; “Church is boring,” bring them to 225 Berry Street in Nashville, 37207.  They will change their mind. *  There’s no sermon to fall asleep in . . . Instead people excitedly and spontaneously show and … Continue reading

Posted in alternative lifestyle, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, bulletin, change, change management, Christ, Christ-centered, Christian community, Christian history, Christian organizations, Christian values, church meetings, church programs, church roles, church structure, disciples, discipling, East Nashville, faith, faith-based, free will, freedom, gifts of the Spirit, giving, guidance, hearing God, hearing Jesus, Holy Spirit, improvisation, Jesus, Jesus Christ, joy, lifestyle Christianity, move of God, movement, mystery, mysticism, non-church, normal Christianity, offering, organic church, participatory church, podium, praise and worship, prayer, presence of Christ, presence of God, priesthood of the believer, pulpit, religion, religious ceremonies, simple church, supernatural | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Everyday Olympics — The Call To Glory For Regular People

Missy Franklin, Gabby Douglas, Michael Phelps — these are a few of the names of the athletes basking in Olympic glory at the 2012 London Summer Olympics.  But there is also a call to glory for everyday people like you … Continue reading

Posted in ascetics, call to preach, champions, Christian, Christian history, church history, current events, discipline, discipling, glory, God, God calling, hearing God, hearing Jesus, history, inner peace, Jesus, Jesus Christ, John the Baptist, lifestyle Christianity, lifestyles, meaning, monks, mysticism, normal Christianity, Olympic athletes, Olympic challenge, Olympic glory, Olympic heroes, Olympic medals, repent, repentance, right conduct, right living, saints, salvation, self-control, self-denial, self-discipline, spiritual athletes, spiritual awakening, spiritual combat, spiritual formation, spiritual growth, spiritual walk, spiritual warfare, still small voice, The Voice | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

The Judgment To Come / What Goes Around Comes Around

Here’s a shocking truth:  The full story of faith in Christ involves human accountability (also known as: what goes around comes around, reaping what you sow, payday someday, and the judgment to come). Let’s step back into history and listen … Continue reading

Posted in Acts 24, alternative lifestyle, American, answer to God, Apostle Paul, authority, Bible, Biblical concept, choice, Christ, Christian, Christian history, church history, clear conscience, conscience, conviction, conviction of sin, corrupt culture, cravings, criticism, deciision making, deny yourself, discipline, Felix, God's authority, God's government, Gospel, grace, guilt, harmful habit, harmful thinking, hate speech, having a form of godliness, hearing God, hearing Jesus, heart care, history, Holy Spirit, inward change, Jesus, Jesus Christ, judgment, judgments, justice, kingdom of God, lifestyle Christianity, lifestyles, moral principles, moral restraints, morality, morals, normal Christianity, Oh Sinner Man, payday someday, phobic, political correctness, pride, reaping what you sow, repent, repentance, right and wrong, right conduct, right living, righteousness, Roman governor, Savior, self-control, sin, soul, spiritual disciplines, spiritual formation, the Gospel, voice of God, wages of sin, what goes around comes around | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments