Life on the West Side

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 of 6 broad categories: Begin, Insti...

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 Scripture reading is from 1 Kings 19:1-18...

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 Scripture reading is from Psalm 19 (ESV)....

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 Scripture reading is from Hebrews 10:24-25...

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 frequent throughout his life. Could it be...

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 63:1-8 (ESV). Originally preached at the W...

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 lessons fit under one of 6 broad catego...

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, 2025. All lessons fit under one of 6 br...

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 fit under one of 6 broad categories: Be...

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 6:20-25 (ESV). Originally preached at the W...

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, Instill, Discover, Grow, Learn, and Serv...

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 broad categories: Begin, Instill, Discove...

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, and Serve. This sermon is filed under ...

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. This sermon is filed under INSTILL: Core...

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. This sermon is filed under INSTILL: Cor...

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 sermon is filed under INSTILL: Core Tex...

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 Serve. This sermon is filed under INSTILL:...

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 Serve. This sermon is filed under INSTILL...

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 Serve. This sermon is filed under INSTILL:...