Life on the West Side

Unity. It was the prayer of Jesus. It is the sign of our identity. It is the proof of our Savior's presence. All will know we are Christ's disciples by how we treat one another. For we are one in Christ Jesus. In this three-part series, we explore the blessings, basis, and barriers to maintaining the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

The sermon today is titled "The Basis For Unity." This sermon is the second installment in our series "One In Christ." The Scripture reading is from Galatians 3:2-28 (NIV) and Ephesians 4:1-6 (ESV). Originally preached at the West Side Church of Christ (Searcy, AR) on October 5, 2025. All lessons fit under one of 6 broad categories: Begin, Instill, Discover, Grow, Learn, and Serve. This sermon is filed under SERVE: Announcing The Kingdom.

Click here if you would like to watch the sermon or read a transcript.

Podcast Notes (resources used or referenced):

• Aaron Earls, "Most Americans Want Their Church to Share Their Politics," Christianity Today (Nov 1, 2022).
• Kevin Brown, "The Call to John 17 Unity." Mere Orthodoxy (Oct 4, 2023).
• 1974 article "How Sound Are You?" Referenced by Mark Henderson, "People Need The Unity-Committed Church," ACU Lectureship 1996.

I'd love to connect with you!

• Watch sermons and find transcripts at nathanguy.com.
• Follow along each Sunday through YouTube livestream and find a study guide on the sermon notes page.
• Follow me @nathanpguy (facebook/instagram/twitter)
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Unity. It was the prayer of Jesus. It is the sign of our identity. It is the proof of our Savior's presence. All will know we are Christ's disciples by how we treat one another. For we are one in Christ Jesus. In this three-part series, we explore the blessings, basis, and barriers to maintaining the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

The sermon today is titled "The Blessings Of Unity." This sermon is the first installment in our series "One In Christ." The Scripture reading is from Galatians 3:2-28 (NIV). Originally preached at the West Side Church of Christ (Searcy, AR) on September 28, 2025. All lessons fit under one of 6 broad categories: Begin, Instill, Discover, Grow, Learn, and Serve. This sermon is filed under SERVE: Announcing The Kingdom.

Click here if you would like to watch the sermon or read a transcript.

Podcast Notes (resources used or referenced):

• Two Coal Piles. Taken from Ken Weilander, "Oneness," Fishers Church of Christ webpage. Oct 31, 2021.
• Two words for Peace. Taken from Sam Wells, "He Is Our Peace." Sermon at Duke University Chapel, July 19, 2009.
• Practical atheist. See Ken Weilander, "Are you a practical atheist?" The Preachers Word. Sep 29, 2019.
• It takes preachers to keep us apart. See Marvin Phillips, "Continuing Jesus' Prayer for Unity." Tulsa Soul Winning Workshop, 2000.
• Barton W. Stone, "Remarks," Christian Messenger, August 1835, p.180.
• Unity creates belief. See Rick Ezell, "Sermon: Unified in Purpose--Acts 4."
• God's presence, Christ's practice, Spirit's priority. Taken from Jeff Walling, "Let's Accept One Another." Tulsa Soul Winning Workshop, 1998.
• Thomas Campbell, Declaration and Address [1809]
• God won't have an aisle in heaven. See John Duncum, "The Creed of Unity: John 17." Pepperdine University Bible Lectureship, 1996.
• I drew a circle that took him in. Edwin Markham (1852-1940), "Outwitted."

I'd love to connect with you!

• Watch sermons and find transcripts at nathanguy.com.
• Follow along each Sunday through YouTube livestream and find a study guide on the sermon notes page.
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Then a kingdom of love will be set up, and someone from David’s family will rule with fairness. He will do what is right and quickly bring justice” (Isaiah 16:5 CEV).

The final lesson in our series of discipleship is the final word on what it means to apprentice under a cross-carrying Messiah. This is how all will know that we are His disciples. Doing rightly, acting justly, and living as ambassadors of the kingdom of love.

The sermon today is titled "A Kingdom of Love." This sermon is the twenty-sixth installment in our series "Follow Me." The Scripture reading is from Isaiah 16:5 and John 13:34-35 (CEV). Originally preached at the West Side Church of Christ (Searcy, AR) on September 21, 2025. All lessons fit under one of 6 broad categories: Begin, Instill, Discover, Grow, Learn, and Serve. This sermon is filed under GROW: Spiritual Formation.

Click here if you would like to watch the sermon or read a transcript.

Podcast Notes (resources used or referenced):

• For the call to worship, I am grateful for the reflections of John N. Oswalt, Isaiah, The NIV Application Commentary on Isaiah 16.
• For the first half of this lesson, I am indebted to Sam Wells, “Love Your Enemies,” Sermon at Duke University Chapel, November 4, 2007.
• For the second half of this lesson, I am indebted to Martin Luther King, Jr. “Loving Your Enemies,” Sermon delivered at Dexter Avenue Baptist Church, Nov 17, 1957.
• On peacemakers, not peacekeepers, see Wes McAdams, “The Peacemakers,” Sermon, Edmond Church of Christ, July 30, 2025. https://www.youtube.com/live/n48kfDI7wjk?t=981s
• On our first instinct to destroy the destroyers, see Helen Prejean, “Loving Enemies: Is It Possible for Ordinary People?,” Sermon delivered at Duke University Chapel on Dec 4, 2011 
• For the line "if your king isn't about love and goodness, your life needs another king," I got this from Ben Hayes, minister at Highland Park Church of Christ in Muscle Shoals, Alabama.

I'd love to connect with you!

• Watch sermons and find transcripts at nathanguy.com.
• Follow along each Sunday through YouTube livestream and find a study guide on the sermon notes page.
• Follow me @nathanpguy (facebook/instagram/twitter)
• Subscribe to my email newsletter on substack.

What is the call of Christ to one who wants nothing more than to faithfully follow the scorned Savior who loves the whole world? What does it mean to exchange my will for His...and at what cost?

The sermon today is titled "Surrender." This sermon is the twenty-fifth installment in our series "Follow Me." The Scripture reading is from Luke 9:23 (ESV). Originally preached at the West Side Church of Christ (Searcy, AR) on September 14, 2025. All lessons fit under one of 6 broad categories: Begin, Instill, Discover, Grow, Learn, and Serve. This sermon is filed under GROW: Spiritual Formation.

Click here if you would like to watch the sermon or read a transcript.

Podcast Notes (resources used or referenced):

• John Mark Comer, Practicing The Way.
• Dr. Evertt Huffard quote from "Leader Loop," p.27.

I'd love to connect with you!

• Watch sermons and find transcripts at nathanguy.com.
• Follow along each Sunday through YouTube livestream and find a study guide on the sermon notes page.
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What good is faith, if it has not works? What are words without deeds to match? What would it look like to live what we say we believe?

The sermon today is titled "Live Out The Gospel." This sermon is the twenty-fourth installment in our series "Follow Me." The Scripture reading is from Luke 24:19 (ESV). Originally preached at the West Side Church of Christ (Searcy, AR) on September 7, 2025. All lessons fit under one of 6 broad categories: Begin, Instill, Discover, Grow, Learn, and Serve. This sermon is filed under GROW: Spiritual Formation.

Click here if you would like to watch the sermon or read a transcript.

Podcast Notes (resources used or referenced):

• John Mark Comer, Practicing The Way.
• Stories from 9/11 and its aftermath gathered from internet sources.

I'd love to connect with you!

• Watch sermons and find transcripts at nathanguy.com.
• Follow along each Sunday through YouTube livestream and find a study guide on the sermon notes page.
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How might we approach evangelism? Come, walk with me. Share my life. And learn of Christ.

The sermon today is titled "Come Walk With Me." This sermon is the twenty-third installment in our series "Follow Me." The Scripture reading is from John 1:35-39 (NIV). Originally preached at the West Side Church of Christ (Searcy, AR) on August 31, 2025 (PM). All lessons fit under one of 6 broad categories: Begin, Instill, Discover, Grow, Learn, and Serve. This sermon is filed under GROW: Spiritual Formation.

Click here if you would like to watch the sermon or read a transcript.

Podcast Notes (resources used or referenced):

• I am indebted to Randy Harris' sermon "3 approaches to evangelism" from decades ago.
• Meagan Phelps-Roper, "I grew up in the Westboro Baptist Church: here's why I left." Ted Talk.

I'd love to connect with you!

• Watch sermons and find transcripts at nathanguy.com.
• Follow along each Sunday through YouTube livestream and find a study guide on the sermon notes page.
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Jesus came…preaching (Mark 1:14). Just words? Tell that to creation (Gen 1:3). Just words? Words have conquered kingdoms and forged new worlds. And when it’s the word of the cross, the message of God’s glorious kingdom, the sword wielded by the Spirit to dispel the darkness and secure the faithful, it’s something greater still. Yes, we believe in the foolishness of preaching, for we know what appears so small, weak, and insignificant can rise from obscurity and be used by God to enlighten the nations and save the world.

The sermon today is titled "Boldly Preach The Gospel." This sermon is the twenty-second installment in our series "Follow Me." The Scripture reading is from Mark 1:14 (KJV) & 1 Corinthians 1:18-24 (ESV). Originally preached at the West Side Church of Christ (Searcy, AR) on August 31, 2025. All lessons fit under one of 6 broad categories: Begin, Instill, Discover, Grow, Learn, and Serve. This sermon is filed under GROW: Spiritual Formation.

Click here if you would like to watch the sermon or read a transcript.

Podcast Notes (resources used or referenced):

• John Mark Comer, Practicing The Way.
• Inspired by a Jim McGuiggan sermon from 1978.

I'd love to connect with you!

• Watch sermons and find transcripts at nathanguy.com.
• Follow along each Sunday through YouTube livestream and find a study guide on the sermon notes page.
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Jesus loved tables. The Son of Man came to seek and save the lost. And the Son of Man came…eating and drinking. Perhaps we can learn something about evangelism: who doesn’t love a table?

The sermon today is titled "Making Room For Jesus." This sermon is the twenty-first installment in our series "Follow Me." The Scripture reading is from Hebrews 13:1-2 (NIV). Originally preached at the West Side Church of Christ (Searcy, AR) on August 24, 2025. All lessons fit under one of 6 broad categories: Begin, Instill, Discover, Grow, Learn, and Serve. This sermon is filed under GROW: Spiritual Formation.

Click here if you would like to watch the sermon or read a transcript.

Podcast Notes (resources used or referenced):

• John Mark Comer, Practicing The Way.
• David Lipscomb, “Can We Too Rigidly Follow God’s Law,” Gospel Advocate 53 (9 March 1911) 303 
• Darryl Tippens, Pilgrim Heart.

I'd love to connect with you!

• Watch sermons and find transcripts at nathanguy.com.
• Follow along each Sunday through YouTube livestream and find a study guide on the sermon notes page.
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What is the goal of an apprentice? We have learned to be with Jesus and to become like Jesus. All of this is so that we can do as Jesus did…and does.

The sermon today is titled "Do As He Did." This sermon is the twentieth installment in our series "Follow Me." The Scripture reading is from 1 John 2:5-6 (NIV). Originally preached at the West Side Church of Christ (Searcy, AR) on August 17, 2025. All lessons fit under one of 6 broad categories: Begin, Instill, Discover, Grow, Learn, and Serve. This sermon is filed under GROW: Spiritual Formation.

Click here if you would like to watch the sermon or read a transcript.

Podcast Notes (resources used or referenced):

• John Mark Comer, Practicing The Way.
• David E. Garland, Mark (Zondervan Bible Background Commentary).
• Mishnah, Tractate Aboth ("The Fathers") 1:1

I'd love to connect with you!

• Watch sermons and find transcripts at nathanguy.com.
• Follow along each Sunday through YouTube livestream and find a study guide on the sermon notes page.
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Back To School. What are some helpful aims for beginning a new season of life? Just in time for a new season of Life on the West Side!

The sermon today is titled "Back To School." The Scripture reading is from Ephesians 5:15-16 (NIV). Originally preached at the West Side Church of Christ (Searcy, AR) on August 3, 2025. All lessons fit under one of 6 broad categories: Begin, Instill, Discover, Grow, Learn, and Serve. This sermon is filed under GROW: Spiritual Formation.

Click here if you would like to watch the sermon or read a transcript.

Podcast Notes (resources used or referenced):

• For my second point ["Notice Someone], I am indebted to Matt Pineda of Mount Pleasant Christian Church in his sermon "A Personal Mission: Back To School 2024."

I'd love to connect with you!

• Watch sermons and find transcripts at nathanguy.com.
• Follow along each Sunday through YouTube livestream and find a study guide on the sermon notes page.
• Follow me @nathanpguy (facebook/instagram/twitter)
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