Erie Evangelical Free Church (Erie, IL)

1 Peter 4:1-16 - Dead to Self; Alive in Christ

Guest preacher Aaron Thede brings a special message to our church family. As we follow Jesus we will all endure various trials and suffering. It's an unavoidable condition of the human experience. Much of our response to such difficulty comes down to the foundation of our trust in these times. Will we trust in the flesh (our own nature, wisdom, strength)? Or will we trust in the eternal truths of Jesus?

Matthew 16:21-28 - Seeking Second Place

Pastor Jonathan Eckberg continues to lead us through our study in the Gospel of Matthew. Do we ever call 2nd place the "winner"? Of course not. It might be a very good result, but it's not the winner - at least not by the world's standards. In Matthew 16:21-28, we find an interaction between Jesus and Peter that shows how, in God's kingdom, we only win when we come in second.

Matthew 16:13-20 - The Power for Purpose

Pastor Jonathan Eckberg leads us through the next message in our study of the gospel of Matthew. It's great to know who we are and what we are supposed to do. What's difficult is maintaining the motivation and courage to act on what we know. But God calls us to action for a purpose and He gives us everything we need to keep going. In Matthew 16:13-20 he shows us the source of that power.

Matthew 16:1-12 - Fighting for Fidelity

Pastor Jonathan Eckberg continues to lead us through our study in the book of Matthew. While we (should) want to live faithfully in response to God's salvation, when we're honest, we all too often find ourselves wandering or drifting from the way of Jesus. What is it that pulls on our faithfulness and how can we get back on track? We find our answers in Matthew 16:1-12.

From Here to There - Philippians 3:12-14

Pastor Ron Eckberg teaches a special message from Philippians 3. Among the Apostle Paul’s many great character strengths was the ability to understand the balances of life. He could be content in his circumstances but never content in his spiritual journey. He was always seeking to “press on toward the goal” (Philippians 3:14). Can we say the same? Here we examine Paul’s example of persistent commitment to spiritual growth.

Matthew 15:21-39 - Mission on Display

Pastor Jonathan Eckberg leads us through the next message in our series, "The Spark". We can easily lose ourselves in the day-to-day routine of life. We can work so hard to accomplish the next task, make the next appointment, or take the next step that we forget the reason we do what we do. In this week's passage Jesus reminds us of the purpose of His mission and the magnitude of the kingdom we are called to serve.

Matthew 15:1-20 - Beyond Hollow Effort

Pastor Jonathan Eckberg continues to teach through our series in the gospel of Matthew. Nobody likes to waste their time. We want the things we do to be valuable and worth our effort. After Jesus called his disciples to action (14:13-36), He showed them the dangers of going through the motions. In this lesson we see the deception of pointless activity and how we can move forward in our divinely appointed purpose.

Matthew 14:13-36 - A Crash Course

Pastor Jonathan Eckberg continues our study in the Gospel of Matthew. It is great to be able to take our time and really prepare for a new challenge. But sometimes we get thrust into a position of sink-or-swim. But how do we maintain our focus and discover the most we can when we are not sure what to do next? We find three good answers to this question in Matthew 14:13-36.