Erie Evangelical Free Church (Erie, IL)

Pastor Jonathan Eckberg concludes our study in Lamentations. As we close this book, we are presented with a poem that sums up the entire book. As one final lament is offered, we see how prayers of lament are crucial to our own experience of suffering. Lamentations 5 lays out the hope, peace, and rest that can be found in our surrender to the sovereign and loving will of our God.

Pastor Jonathan Eckberg teaches the 4th week of our current series in the book of Lamentations, "How?!" While the poems in the book of Lamentation are dark and painful, we saw last week how they hinge on the hope of the goodness of our God. But our hope can take a hit in our suffering. So how do we develop and rest in a hope that will sustain us even in our trials and difficult experiences? Lament...

Pastor Jonathan Eckberg leads into the third week of our study in the book of Lamentations. Lamentations 1 and 2 are dark chapters of pain and suffering. But the third chapter rejoices that, even in the midst of deep struggles, there is hope that rests in the goodness of God. This poem reminds us of three important lessons to help maintain our focus on God's goodness in every situation we encounte...

Pastor Jonathan Eckberg continues our study in the book of Lamentations. Lamentations 1 presented the foundational realities that we must accept in regards to our suffering in this life. In chapter 2 Jeremiah expands on the trials of the people in Jerusalem, but we begin to see the glimmers of hope in how God deals with His people. In this we see for ourselves the joy of the promise of God's work...

Pastor Jonathan Eckberg leads us into a new series called, "How?!" as we study the book of lamentations. We know God is in control of all things. But, sometimes, we look around and we struggle to feel it. How can we faithfully follow Jesus when we are struggling to see through the difficulty of the circumstances of our lives? The answer is in the lost art of lament. The book of Lamentations teache...

Pastor Ron Eckberg concludes a mini-series on church membership. Being a member of a church means far more than waiving a membership card or pledging our allegiance to a flag. It means living a life of sacrifice and service for the purpose of furthering the Kingdom of God and His church.  “The Kingdom of God”, Paul wrote to the Corinthians, “Is not a matter of talk but of power”. Are we demonstrat...

Pastor Ron Eckberg begins begins a 2-week mini-series on our role as members of the body of Christ. As followers of Christ (and therefore members of the universal church ) we are called to submit to the authority of a local church. With that membership comes a calling to sacrifice and service. But if we come with the right understanding of the church’s mission and attitude about it’s importance, t...

Pastor Jonathan Eckberg finishes our series in the current section of the gospel of Matthew with a message titled, "The King is Coming!" In Matthew 24 Jesus called on his followers to be wise about his return but to not be deceived by the evil that exists in the meantime. He concluded this lesson by telling us to be prepared. But what does preparation for the coming of our King look like? Jesus gi...

Pastor Jonathan Eckberg teaches from Matthew 23 in our current series, "All Hail the King." The more regular a task becomes, the easier it is to do it without thought or intention. As we live out our faith, we ought never to practice thoughtless religion. But how do we protect our minds and hearts? We find the answer in Jesus' confrontation of the religious leaders in Matthew 23.

Pastor Jonathan Eckberg continues to lead us through the book of Matthew in our series, "All Hail the King." Most of us would, in at least one situation in life, to know the future. But we never really know what's going to happen next. In Matthew 24 Jesus reminds us of a long-term promise, but gives us some short-term instructions in how to live in the midst of the unknown. 

Pastor Jonathan Eckberg teaches the next lesson in our study through the Gospel of Matthew. When a powerful force collides with something of greater strength, which one wins? In Matthew 22:23-46 we find another round of Jesus interacting with the religious leaders of Israel. Here Jesus shows His sovereignty over their self-centered interpretations of the law. In doing so, He explains three reasons...

Pastor Jonathan Eckberg brings us back into our study through the Gospel of Matthew. The appearance and existence of power are often two different things. What appears to be strong may, in fact, lack any power at all. In Matthew 22:15-22, Jesus shows us the nature of true power as He rejects the appearance of the religious leaders' authority.

EEFC Elder, Jon Brands, brings our weekly message. For the past few weeks we've talked about living faithfully in the face of lifes trials and struggles. We do by seeking to live righteously before the Lord. But what, exactly, does that look like. In Psalm 1 we get a beautiful picture of the life of the righteous person and instructions on how to live such a life.

Pastor Jonathan Eckberg guides us in the second week of our Back-to-School series, "Detention." Life is full of struggles and trials. Sometimes these are the results of God's discipline, other times they come through the difficulty of a sin-filled world. Fortunately, for those who trust in Jesus, God's Word is clear that the trials of life do not defeat us. This week we discuss the great fruit tha...

Pastor Jonathan Eckberg begins our 2025 Back-to-School series in which we discuss living the Christian life in the midst of trials. Many Christians find themselves perplexed at the struggles of life. If we follow Jesus in righteousness, should we be able to avoid suffering? But the reality is that we face suffering for different reasons and for differing purposes. There is great peace to be found...

Pastor Jonathan Eckberg continues to take us through the gospel of Matthew in our series, "All Hail the King." Jesus entered into the darkness of humanity not to make us happy in the dark, but to call us out of darkness and into His light. In Matthew 22:1-14 Jesus' explains how, through His authority, we are welcomed into the joy and blessing of Kingdom living. The question is: will we accept the...

Pastor Jonathan Eckberg leads us in the next message in our study through the gospel of Matthew. In Matthew 21:18-46, we find Jesus' divinely appointed authority, once again, brought into question. Through this confrontation we see the true and glorious power of His sovereign reign not just over situations and circumstances, but over our entire lives.

Pastor Jonathan Eckberg leads us back into our study of the Gospel of Matthew. Most of us want to grow and mature in our faith. But we all know that that task is easier said than done. While our rebellious hearts create barriers between us and the Lord we are blessed to remember how Jesus' victory conquers every hindrance that wars against the faithful heart.

Pastor Ron Eckberg brings a special Father's Day message. No father is perfect. Try as one might, every earthly father falls short. Rather than see this as a picture of failure, we see it as a revelation of God's grace. And as fathers, mothers, leaders, and every other position the Lord puts us in, we see that we can always grow more faithful in living out that grace.

Pastor Jonathan Eckberg preaches the next message in our study in the Gospel of Matthew. Throughout Jesus' earthly ministry we see him addressing the physical needs of those who come to him. But in every situation He points them to a greater healing. This is the same healing needed in our world today. But how do we know what kind of healing we need to address in our own lives? Matthew 20:29-34 giv...

Pastor Jonathan Eckberg brings us back into our study through the Gospel of Matthew. One of the common themes in the New Testament is the call to endurance and strength in the face of suffering. Why is this so common and how do we maintain a faithful pursuit of righteousness in the face of such trials? Jesus' interactions with his disciples in Matthew 20:17-28 gives us critical insight into this q...

Pastor Ron Eckberg offers a special message entitled, "On-target Worship". Every person worships something or someone—but who or what is it? In Psalm 63, even during a tough time in his life, David’s devotion to the one true God remains strong. This Memorial Day Sunday, we’ll reflect on the first four verses of this psalm and examine the focus of our own worship.

A special message from EEFC Elder, Ron Huisman. Knowing what to do and actually acting on that knowledge can be two wildly different things. But in the book of James we are urged to go beyond merely hearing God’s Word and commanded to do what it says.

Pastor Jonathan Eckberg continues our series in the Gospel of Matthew. We often operate as if we have certainties about life. But what happens when we encounter the unexpected? In Matthew 20:1-16, Jesus teaches us how to live in the peace of God's promises even when things do not work out according to our plans.

Pastor Jonathan Eckberg teaches the next message in our series, "All Hail the King." To live in faithful obedience to Jesus Christ is a difficult charge. Part of the difficulty is that we are all drawn to things that compete for our spiritual affections. In Matthew 19:13-29, we learn how to recognize and reject that competition as we cling to Jesus.