We are starting a new series today on the book of James. Over the next few months, our plan is to walk verse by verse through this short and straightforward, but sometimes controversial New Testament book. In the first episode of our series on the book of James, the guys unpack James 1:1-8. James, the half-brother of Jesus wrote to Jewish Christians scattered across the Roman Empire to instruct them how to handle the trials that they were facing. Although many of their trials are different than the ones we face, the way to approach trials remains the same. We are to count them all joy because God is using them to make us like Christ.