Hillside Evangelical Free Church

In this message, we step back into the beloved story of Ruth and discover why it was written and why it still matters so deeply today. Set in a time of national chaos, personal loss, and spiritual darkness, Ruth reminds us that God is quietly at work even when circumstances feel overwhelming. Through Naomi’s grief, Ruth’s faithful love, and God’s provision through Boaz, we see a powerful testimony...

This Advent sermon reflects on Galatians 4:4–5 to carefully explain what God has done in the sending of His Son and why it matters for us and for the world. Using the image of a simple Christmas card, the message highlights how these short verses clearly summarize the biblical meaning of Christmas: at the fullness of time, God sent His Son, born of woman and born under the law. The sermon walks th...

In this Advent sermon from Isaiah 11, we are invited to see hope rising in the midst of devastation. Isaiah first shows us a forest cut down by God’s just judgment—dark, burned, and seemingly lifeless. Yet out of that stump comes a surprising promise: a shoot from the line of Jesse, a promised King who brings life where there was only death. This message gently points us to Jesus Christ, the fulfi...

In this Advent sermon from Isaiah 7, we are invited to consider one of life’s most important questions: Who do you trust? Walking through the story of King Ahaz, we see a man facing real fear, real danger, and a real choice—whether to trust in political power or in the promises of God. Through the prophet Isaiah, God offers Ahaz a sign of His faithfulness: a child named Emmanuel , “God with us.” W...

As we step into the Advent season, this message from Isaiah 40 invites us to slow down and prepare our hearts for Jesus. In a time filled with holiday busyness—meals, travel, gifts, and endless planning—we’re reminded that the most important preparation is spiritual. Isaiah’s call to “prepare the way of the Lord,” fulfilled in John the Baptist, points us to the first step of true readiness: repent...

In this message, we walk through Psalm 136 and discover what the psalmist reveals about God’s character, God’s history, and God’s steadfast love. Just like a résumé highlights someone’s past to give confidence in their future, this psalm reminds us of all that God has done so we can trust Him today. From creation, to the Exodus, to God’s faithfulness through every season of Israel’s story—and even...

In this week’s message from Romans 13, we reflect on what it truly means to live as people transformed by the grace of Jesus Christ. Paul reminds us that the Christian life is shaped by two beautiful callings: to love our neighbor and to walk in the light of Christ. Love, he says, is the one debt we never finish paying—a lifelong commitment that fulfills God’s law and reflects His heart. We’re als...

In this heartfelt message, Pastor Highland Goodman reflects on five decades of ministry shaped by walking with families through loss, love, and the hope we have in Christ. From his very first funeral as a young pastor to the many sacred moments spent beside grieving families, he reminds us that death is never easy—but we do not face it alone. Through the story of Abraham and Sarah in Genesis 23, w...

In this message from Romans 13, we’re reminded of a truth that often challenges us deeply — that God calls us to honor and submit to the governing authorities He has placed over us. Pastor Jim Schultz gently walks us through Paul’s teaching to the church in Rome, written during the cruel reign of Nero, and helps us see that obedience to this command is not about blind loyalty to human rulers, but...

In this message from Romans 12:17-21, we continue exploring how God calls us to respond to sin and evil in the world. Beloved, we are reminded not to repay evil with evil but to live honorably and peaceably with all, trusting in God’s perfect justice. Through real-life stories, biblical examples, and timeless wisdom, we learn that responding to evil with good protects our hearts from corruption an...

In this message from Romans 12:9–16 , Pastor Jim Schultz unpacks what it truly means to live as a “living sacrifice” for God—showing the world a different way to love and to live. These verses, full of short yet powerful commands, paint a picture of genuine love, patient endurance, and humble service. We’re reminded that the Christian life isn’t just about knowing God’s Word, but doing it—loving s...

In this message from Romans 12:3–8, Pastor Jim Schultz reminds us that following Christ means offering our lives as living sacrifices—humble, grateful, and ready to serve. True humility isn’t thinking less of ourselves, but seeing ourselves truthfully, as God sees us—unique members of one body, each equipped with gifts of grace. Whether your gift is teaching, serving, leading, giving, or showing m...

Romans 12:1–2 calls us to live in response to God’s mercy — to offer our lives as living sacrifices , holy and pleasing to Him. In this message, we reflect on what it means to worship God not just with our voices on Sunday, but through the daily choices that shape our lives. When we truly grasp the depth of God’s mercy, it transforms how we think, act, and love. The gospel doesn’t just save us; it...

In this message from Romans 11, we are invited to pause and marvel at the immensity of God’s mercy. Just as breathtaking sights like the mountains or the Grand Canyon can overwhelm us with awe, Paul reminds us that God’s plan of salvation is even more astonishing. Through Christ, both Jew and Gentile are brought into God’s family, not because of works, but because of His faithful promises and unsh...

In this message from Romans 11, we explore Paul’s powerful image of branches being grafted into an olive tree—a picture of how God’s grace brings both Jews and Gentiles into His family through faith in Jesus Christ. Paul reminds us that salvation is not earned by status, heritage, or works, but is a gift of God’s kindness received only through faith. As we walk through this passage, we see both th...

In this message from Romans 11:1–10, we explore Paul’s heartfelt question: Has God rejected His people? The answer is clear—absolutely not. From Elijah’s day to Paul’s time, and even now, God has always preserved a faithful remnant by His grace. When we feel discouraged, surrounded by unbelief, or tempted to think God has abandoned His people, this passage reminds us of His unshakable faithfulness...

In this message from Psalm 84 , we are reminded of the deep joy and blessing found in the presence of the Lord. The psalmist declares, “Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere” —a truth that calls us to delight in worship and long for fellowship with God and His people. Together, we explore how the temple in Israel symbolized God’s presence, and how today we experience that same...

In this message from Psalm 83 , we are reminded that even when God’s people feel surrounded and outnumbered, the battle has always belonged to the Lord. Drawing connections to the stories of Gideon, Deborah, and Barak in Judges, we see that God often allows His people to face overwhelming odds so that His victory is unmistakably His. The psalmist cries out for God’s justice, recognizing that the e...

In this message from Psalm 82 , we are reminded that God alone is the true and just Judge, ruling over all the earth with righteousness. The psalm pictures a cosmic courtroom where the Lord pronounces judgment, not only against false gods and idols, but also against every form of injustice in our world. As His people, we are called to reflect His heart—defending the weak, caring for the fatherless...

Have you ever experienced a “God sighting”—a moment when the Lord makes His will so clear that you can’t help but say, “God arranged that” ? In this message, we walk through Acts 13, where the Apostle Paul’s only recorded sermon invites us to remember God’s faithfulness, receive the good news of Jesus Christ, and check the soil of our own hearts. As Paul reminded his listeners, God has been at wor...

In this sermon on Psalm 81, we’re reminded that God calls His people not only to hear His Word, but to truly listen —responding with faith and obedience. The psalm begins with a call to joyful worship, remembering God’s deliverance from Egypt and His steadfast care. Yet the history of Israel warns us: when God’s people refused to listen, they turned to idols and followed their own stubborn hearts,...

What does it mean to be restored by God? Psalm 80 gives voice to a people who are weary, hurting, and in need—not just of relief, but of reconciliation with the Lord. In this message, we explore how true restoration begins with recognizing our brokenness, turning to God in humble repentance, and trusting in His power to redeem and renew. This Psalm reminds us that God is both our caring Shepherd a...

In Psalm 79, we encounter a difficult but necessary truth: sometimes, God uses even the wicked to discipline His people. This psalm doesn’t shy away from pain or injustice—it brings it honestly before the Lord. And yet, within its lament, we find a deep trust in God's justice, mercy, and compassion. In this message, we walk through the psalm together, alongside Isaiah 10, to understand how God...

Psalm 78 is a powerful call to remember the past so we can live faithfully in the present and teach future generations. As a didactic or teaching psalm, it reflects on Israel’s repeated cycle of rebellion, God’s faithfulness, and His gracious acts—from the Exodus to the wilderness journey. Despite their failures, God showed compassion, disciplined with justice, and ultimately pointed toward hope i...

Is your view of the way the world works accurate? For Jesus' disciples they had much to learn for how God designed the world to function. Join us as we look at Mark 10:32-45 and discover some surprising things about God's plan for how we should be living in this world.