Category Archives: Quotations

Sermon-Free Church Rocked The Early Methodists

Posted on May 12, 2013 by

The early Methodists practiced a type of sermon-free church known as class meetings.  These were weekly, participatory meetings where every person present was given the opportunity to talk about their life with God.  The first Methodist class meeting was started … Continue reading →

Posted in Nashville, Quotations, The Salvation Army, John Wesley, simple church, Christianity, church, spiritual growth, John Berry McFerrin, quote, Methodist revivalists, Spirit-led, revival, Methodists, spiritual awakening, Salvation Army Corps, Salvation Army church, spiritual movement, Christian experience, spiritual life, Nashville charity, Nashville adventure, John Bate, Frederick William Briggs, Kevin Watson, Methodism, bear one another's burdens, renewal | Tagged , , , | 6 Comments

A Good God? A Good Government?

Posted on April 28, 2013 by

People sometimes ask: “How can a good God judge and punish people? That’s like asking: “How can a good country have law enforcement, judges, and prisons?” George Scott Railton, an early leader of The Salvation Army, wrote:  “A soul not … Continue reading →

Posted in demons, destructive actions, devil, devils, evil, evil entities, evil spirits, juddgment, judge, judges, judging, judgment, judgments, justice, law enforcement, popular culture, popular opinion, prisons, punishment, Quotations, quote, Quotes | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

The Wilberforce Force — Undying Passion To Make A Difference For Righetousness

Posted on March 2, 2013 by

Yesterday I watched a movie about William Wilberforce, the man who in the early 1800 spent many years trying to get a bill to end the slave trade through the British Parliament.  The force of Wilberforce’s example and lifestyle moved … Continue reading →

Posted in history, biography, Quotations, Quotes, abolitionists, social justice, English, Christianity, alternative lifestyle, morality, movement, Amazing Grace, British Parliament, slavery, quote, facebook, social media, moral principles, compassion, Christian, search for significance, burning heart, searching for significance, England, giving, movie, charity, societal, abolitionism, philanthropy, moral failure, movie review, passionate, racial reconciliation, abolitionist movement, radical obedience, radical, moral foundations, moral laws, slaves, moral, Facebook-style, altruism, volunteerism, Making a difference, volunteers, purpose of life, serving others, purpose driven, radical Christianity, Real Christianity, calling, passion, changing society, transformation movements, do gooders, British history, slave trade, middle passage, abolishing the slave trade, Atlantic slave trade, burning desire, crusader, agitator, advocate, reformer, social reformer, moral reformer, MP, Christendom, may the force be with you, causes, reason for living | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Dr. Seuss Put The Juice To Unloose & Produce Innovation

Posted on March 1, 2013 by

A thought on Dr. Seuss’ birthday:  Perhaps Christ-followers should be as creative in presenting the living, resurrected Jesus Christ as Dr. Seuss was in his books.  (Or as William Booth and the first members of The Salvation Army were.) I … Continue reading →

Posted in 21st Century, Dr. Seuss' birthday, innovators, organic church, out of the box, outside the lines, Quotations, quote, Quotes, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvationists, Tennessee, The Salvation Army, The Ten Faces of Innovation, Tom Kelley, verbs, William Booth | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Holy Spirit Surfing–A Fresh Wave Of Churching

Posted on February 17, 2013 by

Holy Spirit surfing is a fresh, creative way of doing church — an innovative style of churching.  However, it’s not new — it was written about in the New Testament (see 1 Corinthians 14:26) and was the common practice of … Continue reading →

Posted in 1 Corinthians 14:26, church format, church meetings, church program, church roles, church structure, churching, contemporary churches, flow, flow of the Spirit, flowing of the Holy Spirit, hearing God, hearing Jesus, liturgical churches, morphed, move of God, movement, Music City, Nashville, new wave, non-liturgical, participatory church, praise and worship, presence of Christ, presence of God, prompted by the Spirit, prompting of the Spirit, Protestant, Quotations, quote, Quotes, religion, religious innovation, Spirit surfing, Spirit's flow, Spirit-filled, Spirit-led, Spirit-prompted, spiritual, spiritual waves, The Salvation Army, wave of the Spirit | Tagged , , , , , | 8 Comments

Reader’s Digest Acknowledges Participatory Style Of First Century Christian Worship

Posted on February 2, 2013 by

Contemporary society is moving toward more participation in management and meetings.  This can be seen in business management styles, the Oprah Show, and even Facebook.  However, the contemporary church seems stuck on sermons — non-participatory, one-person, lectures. However, early Christian … Continue reading →

Posted in Nashville, Quotations, Quotes, The Salvation Army, church history, simple church, Music City, church, Paul of Tarsus, quote, testimonies, surrender to God, participatory church, Spirit-led, Roman, speaking in tongues, church roles, Salvationists, spiritual awakening, testimony, 1 Corinthians 14:26, church meetings, spiritual interaction, Salvation Army Corps, Salvation Army church, hymn, church program, First Century Church, spiritual innovation, Roman Empire, Spirit-prompted, After Jesus, triumph of Christianity, edification, tongues, first century, Corinth, slaves, freedmen, aristocrats, hymns | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

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

Posted on January 29, 2013 by

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 , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Christmas Eve Eve — The Night Before The Day Before The Fiscal Cliff

Posted on December 23, 2012 by

“‘Twas the night before Christmas . . .”  — those are famous words, but what about the night before the day before Christmas?  Christmas Eve eve is seldom mentioned or thought about.  It’s just another holiday shopping day. However, on … Continue reading →

Posted in 'Twas the night before Christmas, Christ, Christ in you, Christian history, Christianity, Christmas Eve, Christmas gifts, Christmas shopping, Christmas shopping season, Christmas traditions, Christmas travel, church history, contemplation, God with us, holiday, holidays, little town of Bethlehem, Nazareth, new birth, Paul of Tarsus, presence of Christ, presence of God, Quotations, quote, Quotes, religion, self-denial, self-destruction, shopping, spiritual formation, submission, surrender, surrender to God, tradition, travel, virgin birth, virgin Mary | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

A Steve Jobs Of Religion? — Come On Church, Innovate!

Posted on December 18, 2012 by

An Eric Weiner quotation from the Op-Ed page of The New York Times, December, 2011: “We need a Steve Jobs of religion. Someone (or ones) who can invent not a new religion but, rather, a new way of being religious. … Continue reading →

Posted in 1 Corinthians 14:26, Apple Computer, being religious, Berry Street, Berry Street Worship Center, Bible, biblical, Biblical concept, Catherine Booth, Christ, Christ-centered, Christian, Christian community, Christian organizations, church, church meetings, church programs, church roles, church services, church structure, creativity, East Nashville, environment, freedom, Holy Spirit, humility, improv, improvisation, insight, interactive, intuitive, Mr. Job's, Music City, non-church, open church, operating system, organic church, participatory church, questions, Quotations, quote, Quotes, religious innovation, Salvation Army church, Salvation Army Corps, Salvationists, simple church, speak the truth in love, spiritual innovation, straight forward, support group, unencumbered, William Booth | Tagged , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Views of Violence

Posted on December 18, 2012 by

If certain foreign nations and their leaders can be called evil (Axis of Evil, Evil Empire, etc.) and foreign terrorists and/or suicide bombers can be called evil, why aren’t America’s home-grown terrorists and mass murderers called evil? Why aren’t all … Continue reading →

Posted in Axis of Evil, Evil Empire, foreign terrorists, home grown, Jesus, Jesus Christ, love your enemies, medicine, persecution, pre-natal, prenatal, prenatal medicine, Quotations, quote, Quotes | Tagged , , , , , , | 6 Comments