Life on the West Side

"A disciple is not above his teacher, " said our master; "but everyone when he is fully trained will be LIKE his teacher" (Luke 6:40). In the past, we were predestined to be conformed to the image of Christ (Rom 8:29). In the present, we are being changed into His likeness by the Spirit (2 Cor 3:18). In the future, we know that when He appears, we shall be like Him in a fullnes...

In the book of Genesis, there are few things more powerful than the spoken blessing handed down from fathers to their sons . Offering a blessing became integral to life in Israel, and it continues to play an important role in equipping the next generation. Through giving our blessing, we confirm our commitment to raise our children in Christ, and clarify their own relationship to the Lord. The ser...

Every family tree has some nuts and squirrels up in there. Maybe, for whatever reason, you blush when you think about your family tree. Jesus certainly could have. The list given in Matthew 1 is not the guest list you would have imagined. And yet…each lived story became part of a tapestry leading to Christ. The sermon today is titled "Blessing Up." Originally preached on Mother's Da...

What are some reasons to be filled with hope? Let the book of 1 John answer this. The sermon today is titled "Hope From 1 John." The Scripture reading is from 1 John 5:13 (ESV). Originally preached at the West Side Church of Christ (Searcy, AR) on May 4, 2025. All lessons fit under one of 6 broad categories: Begin, Instill, Discover, Grow, Learn, and Serve. This sermon is filed under BEG...

We rise from a grave in our baptism . When we rise, what do we leave behind? Let the Easter story speak into this. The sermon today is titled "Resurrection Sunday." The Scripture reading is from Romans 6:1-11 (MSG). Originally preached at the West Side Church of Christ (Searcy, AR) on April 20, 2025. All lessons fit under one of 6 broad categories: Begin, Instill, Discover, Grow, Learn,...

How can we live out the prayer of Jesus for unity in John 17? The sermon today is titled "Let Them Be One." Originally preached as a guest sermon at the Pleasant Valley Church of Christ (Little Rock, AR) on December 1, 2024. All lessons fit under one of 6 broad categories: Begin, Instill, Discover, Grow, Learn, and Serve. This sermon is filed under DISCOVER: A New Community . Click here...

What made the early church so compelling? What were the practical ethics of early Christian practice? What would it look like to restore our radical witness? The lecture today is titled "Ethics, Human Dignity, and Christian Orthodoxy." Originally given at the Remission Connect Conference at Pleasant Valley Church of Christ (Little Rock, AR) on February 10, 2025. All lessons fit under one...

What we do is what we become . Christians replace cultural habits we've imbibed with spiritual habits we intentionally embrace. What if we thought of our spiritual community as a spiritual habit? The sermon today is titled "The Habit of Silence." It is the eleventh installment in our series " Follow Me ", and the third in the sub-series " Spiritual Habits ." The...

What we do is what we become . Christians replace cultural habits we've imbibed with spiritual habits we intentionally embrace. What if we thought of our spiritual community as a spiritual habit? The sermon today is titled "The Habit of Scripture." It is the tenth installment in our series " Follow Me ", and the second in the sub-series " Spiritual Habits ." The...

What we do is what we become . Christians replace cultural habits we've imbibed with spiritual habits we intentionally embrace. What if we thought of our spiritual community as a spiritual habit? The sermon today is titled "The Habit of Community." It is the ninth installment in our series " Follow Me ", and the first in the sub-series " Spiritual Habits ." The S...

Dallas Willard challenges us to "ruthlessly eliminate hurry from your life." John Mark Comer was so moved by this line, he titled his book "The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry." We wonder why we can't hear the voice of God, or find his presence in the busy-ness of life. Perhaps the still, small voice still speaks in those inner rooms and deserted places Jesus chose to freque...

What if the reward for following Jesus...is Jesus? What if gazing upon the beauty of the Lord was its own reward? Welcome to the power of contemplative prayer. The sermon today is titled "The Reward For Being With Jesus." It is the seventh installment in our series " Follow Me ", and the third in the sub-series " Be With Jesus ." The Scripture reading is from Psalm 63...

How can we practice the presence of God? By abiding in the vine. The sermon today is titled "The Habit of Abiding in God." It is the sixth installment in our series " Follow Me ", and the second in the sub-series " Be With Jesus ." The Scripture reading is from John 15:1-11 (ESV). Originally preached at the West Side Church of Christ (Searcy, AR) on March 9, 2025. All...

We are good at working for or being for others. But maybe we need to learn how to “be with.” The sermon today is titled "Being With." It is the fifth installment in our series " Follow Me ", and the first in the sub-series " Be With Jesus ." The Scripture reading is from Mark 3:13-15 (ESV). Originally preached at the West Side Church of Christ (Searcy, AR) on March 2,...

We tend to think of our baptism as our day of choosing . But today...and every day...will we choose Christ or ourselves? The sermon today is titled "A Time For Choosing." It is the fourth installment in our series " Follow Me ." The Scripture reading is from Joshua 24:15 (ESV). Originally preached at the West Side Church of Christ (Searcy, AR) on February 23, 2025. All lessons...

Recognize what God has done through Christ--the only source of power. Respond with love to become all that he called us to become through His power. And seek to imitate, so that we might bring up "little Christs." The sermon today is titled "Making Little Christs." It is the third installment in our series " Follow Me ." The Scripture reading is from Deuteronomy 6:20-...

Be with your rabbi. Become like him. Do what he did. This is discipleship. The sermon today is titled "Apprentices To Jesus." It is the second installment in our series " Follow Me ." The Scripture reading is from Mark 3:13-15 (ESV). Originally preached at the West Side Church of Christ (Searcy, AR) on February 9, 2025. All lessons fit under one of 6 broad categories: Begin, In...

Everyone follows someone . The question is: who is your rabbi? And how can anyone tell? The sermon today is titled "Covered In The Dust of Your Rabbi." It is the first installment in our series " Follow Me ." The Scripture reading is from Mark 1:16-20 (ESV). Originally preached at the West Side Church of Christ (Searcy, AR) on February 2, 2025. All lessons fit under one of 6 br...

The prayer our Lord taught us to pray . The sermon today is titled "Power and Glory." It is the ninth and final installment in our series " Our Father ." The Scripture reading is from Matthew 6:9-13 ESV). Originally preached at the West Side Church of Christ (Searcy, AR) on December 1, 2024. All lessons fit under one of 6 broad categories: Begin, Instill, Discover, Grow, Learn,...

The prayer our Lord taught us to pray . The sermon today is titled "Deliver Us." It is the eighth installment in our series " Our Father ." The Scripture reading is from Matthew 6:9-13 ESV). Originally preached at the West Side Church of Christ (Searcy, AR) on November 24, 2024. All lessons fit under one of 6 broad categories: Begin, Instill, Discover, Grow, Learn, and Serve. T...

The prayer our Lord taught us to pray . The sermon today is titled "Forgive Us." It is the seventh installment in our series " Our Father ." The Scripture reading is from Matthew 6:9-13 ESV). Originally preached at the West Side Church of Christ (Searcy, AR) on November 17, 2024. All lessons fit under one of 6 broad categories: Begin, Instill, Discover, Grow, Learn, and Serve....

The prayer our Lord taught us to pray . The sermon today is titled "Give Us." It is the sixth installment in our series " Our Father ." The Scripture reading is from Matthew 6:9-13 ESV). Originally preached at the West Side Church of Christ (Searcy, AR) on November 10, 2024. All lessons fit under one of 6 broad categories: Begin, Instill, Discover, Grow, Learn, and Serve. This...

The prayer our Lord taught us to pray . The sermon today is titled "Your Will Be Done." It is the fifth installment in our series " Our Father ." The Scripture reading is from Matthew 6:9-13 ESV). Originally preached at the West Side Church of Christ (Searcy, AR) on November 3, 2024. All lessons fit under one of 6 broad categories: Begin, Instill, Discover, Grow, Learn, and Ser...

The prayer our Lord taught us to pray . The sermon today is titled "Your Kingdom Come." It is the fourth installment in our series " Our Father ." The Scripture reading is from Matthew 6:9-13 ESV). Originally preached at the West Side Church of Christ (Searcy, AR) on October 27, 2024. All lessons fit under one of 6 broad categories: Begin, Instill, Discover, Grow, Learn, and Se...

The prayer our Lord taught us to pray . The sermon today is titled "Holy Is Your Name." It is the third installment in our series " Our Father ." The Scripture reading is from Matthew 6:9-13 ESV). Originally preached at the West Side Church of Christ (Searcy, AR) on October 20, 2024. All lessons fit under one of 6 broad categories: Begin, Instill, Discover, Grow, Learn, and Ser...