West Church Peabody

This week we will consider The Holy Spirit And...the Old Testament. Have you ever heard anyone say that they like the God of the New Testament better than the God of the Old Testament? Sometimes He seems so different. Did the Holy Spirit just kind of pop up as someone new in the New Testament. When we take a closer look, however, we see the Holy Spirit very much at work in Israel in ways that are similar to and anticipate the way the New Testament says that he works today. One thing is certain through the sweep of both the Old and New Testaments, we need the Holy Spirit to work in us more and more. Please pray that the Spirit would move among us Sunday and that each of us would experience his presence.

This Sunday we begin an all-new series that will take us up to Advent and even into next year: "The Holy Spirit And..." This will be a deep dive into the person, the work and the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Sometimes the Spirit seems a bit more mysterious and more in the background. Yet as God continues to reveal himself to us in the history of redemption, his ministry to us comes more and more into focus. We will consider his person and the Christian doctrine of the Trinity. We will consider how the Spirit was revealed in the Old Testament. We will think about Jesus and the Holy Spirit, the Spirit and the Bible, the Spirit and our worship. Then when Advent arrives, we'll focus on the Holy Spirit and the coming of Jesus. As 2027 begins, we'll move more into how the Holy Spirit works in our personal lives: faith, transformation, ministry, witness and dealing with sin. As you prepare for Sunday, I encourage you to pray with special focus, that the Holy Spirit would be at work in a noticeable and very special way during this series.

Join West Church for the closing service of our Missions Conference as guest speaker Dave Jones shares “On Mission with Jesus” from Mark 3:13–19. As we explore Jesus’ calling of the twelve apostles, we’ll reflect on His invitation to be with Him and to be sent out to share His message. This passage reminds us that mission begins with a relationship with Jesus and leads us outward to serve others. Join us as we consider how we can take part in His mission—in our communities and around the world.

This morning, we continue our series of "Practical Living for Jesus Followers." We explore the purpose and the power of prayer.

What is patience good for? If you want to learn something, if you want to develop a skill, if you want to mature, if you want to succeed, if you want to build healthy relationships, you're going to need it. We're nearing the completion of our series "Practical Living for Jesus Followers." James encourages Christians to have patient endurance. There were clear reasons they needed it. He really encourages them to develop patience. It is a character trait that we can truly benefit from. We really need it and God, in His compassion really wants us to have it. Perhaps you need it too.

Do you enjoy thinking about the future? Do you like to imagine what is possible, to make plans and to accomplish something that you imagined? Some people are really good at it. It's fun to watch them succeed. Where does God fit into our plans, or how do we fit into His? James takes us there this week as we continue in our series "Practical Living for Jesus Followers." He has some strong words for people who leave God out of their plans and some important advice on how to change that. I hope you will "plan" to be here.

One of the objections that people frequently have about church is that people are hard to deal with. True. But James lays down a challenge for us as we continue our series, "Practical Living for Jesus Followers." He suggests that when people are hard to deal with, that is when we most need and can most experience our God. Each of the relationship challenges that James mentions comes with a way we can better experience God. If you struggle sometimes with people in church, come this Sunday and learn how God wants to help you and work in your life.

This week, we’re taking a closer look at what wisdom really is. All of us are searching for wisdom—guidance that helps us navigate life with intention and purpose. But is wisdom just information we need to learn, or some secret waiting to be uncovered? James shows us something deeper: wisdom is both a gift God gives and a way of life we actively practice.

In this message from James 3:1-12, Pastor Bill explores one of the most powerful and dangerous parts of the human body: the tongue. While our culture celebrates the freedom to say whatever we want, James challenges believers to consider whether every thought should actually be spoken. Using vivid illustrations of bits, rudders, wildfires, and untamable animals, this sermon reveals how our words can guide lives, cause deep wounds, and expose the true condition of our hearts. Drawing from personal stories and practical examples, Pastor Bill explains why careless speech is never a small matter and why Jesus followers must allow God to transform the way they speak.

More than a message about controlling our language, this sermon is a call to spiritual honesty and restoration. James teaches that our words have the power to either bless or curse, heal or destroy, build up or tear down. When we recognize the harm our tongues have caused, we are invited not to despair but to return to Christ in confession, repentance, and reconciliation. Discover how God can tame the untamable, help us represent His kingdom with our speech, and use our words to encourage, strengthen, and bless the people around us.

In this message from James 2:14-26, we explore a challenging question: How do you know if your faith is real? James contrasts a faith that is merely a profession of words with a living faith that transforms the whole person and produces a life of obedience. Through the examples of Abraham and Rahab, we see that genuine faith is not proven by what we say, but by the way our trust in God shapes our actions. Join us as we continue our Practical Living for Jesus Followers series and discover why saving faith is never alone.