The spiritual health of America is in rapid decline, especially among younger Americans, based on research done by George Barna, Lifeway, and others.  Can we do anything about it?  Absolutely.  Jude has the answers for us in his wonderful letter.

Standing in the Storm

2021-07-18_Faith Worth Fighting For--Jude 3-7

This is the message given by Rev. Steven Hjelle from the memorial service conducted in honor of Alice Bair (Steven's mother-in-law).  The service was conducted at Crossroads Church (EFC) in Turlock, California on October 23, 2021. The title of the message is, "Hope in the Pits."

2021-10-23_Alice Bair Funeral Message

Why is the world such a violent place?  Why do people kill others seemingly at random?  The reason is deep-seated evil, residing in the human heart.  But there is hope--Hosea 9-10 describes the hope we can have when we seek God and allow Him to change our hearts.  This is the only hope for the world.

The Healing Power of Unfailing Love

2022-06-05_Heart Surgery_Hosea 9 & 10

What is the role of confession of sin supposed to look like in the life of a Christian?  Does it matter?  What happens if we ignore sin in our lives?  John answers these critically-important questions in 1 John 1:5-10.  Our closeness with God can be restored--that is the good news.  We never have to be afraid to come to God, even after we have had a major failure.

Rock Solid

2022-07-31_The Costly Cover-Up_1 John 1:5-10

How can we discern between false teachers and those who teach the truth?  The Apostle Peter gives us three keys to evaluating those who teach the Word of God.

2014-04-06_Bad to the Bone_2 Peter 2:10b-16

1. Jesus' resurrection gives us hope in spite of death.
2. Jesus' resurrection makes our own resurrection possible.
3. Jesus' resurrection frees us from the presence of sin.

The Crucial Cross

2023-04-09_What Jesus Resurrection Means to Us

1. God is calling you to be His friend.
2. We must respond to God's call with trust and faith.
3. God has plans for you beyond your wildest dreams.

Heroic Faith

2023-05-21_Being a Friend with God--Genesis 15

Most people probably don't like to have doubts about important matters.  But when it comes to the Christian faith, doubt can be a blessing if it motivates you to pursue truth.  The Christian faith can stand up to any honest inquiry.  Having doubt can bring a person closer to God, if we respond to it by seeking the truth.  Don't run from your doubts--embrace them and allow them to lead you to the truth.

Help My Unbelief

2024-03-03_Delighting_in_Doubt--John 20:19-29

Are you always in a hurry?  Typically a "day late and a dollar short?"  Feeling tired, stressed, and frazzled?  Disconnected from the most important people in your life?  If so, you probably have a margin problem--specifically, a lack of margin in your daily life.  Margin is the space between your personal limits and the demands of your daily life.  Having margin is a magnificent way to live.  Psalm 46 teaches us how and why we can all find more margin.

How We Grow

2024-09-22_The Magnificence of Margin_Psalm 46

Does being a "complete church" have anything to do with the number of ministry programs, the size of the congregation or sanctuary, whether the church has a gymnasium or a food court, a bookstore, etc.?  Nothing.  Paul teaches Timothy about what it takes to be a complete church in this essential passage from 2 Timothy.  Scholars believe this was the last letter Paul wrote before his execution, so we should regard these words as extremely important to Paul, for Timothy, and for us today.

2024-11-10_The_Complete_Church_2 Timothy 3:10-17

At Christmas, many people think about returning home for the holidays.  That is wonderful when it is possible, but for many people, it's not even possible.  People die or move away.  Relationships become broken or strained.  For many reasons, going "home for the holidays" is no longer possible.  How can we cope with that?  Christmas gives us the answer.

Journey to Bethlehem Christmas Program

2024-12-22_Journey to Bethlehem--Finally Home

What does it mean to find our identity in Christ?  How exactly does a person do that?  Jesus explains just how this is possible as he converses with a lawyer who was trying to trip him up.  His response to the lawyer's questions is to share the story of the Good Samaritan.  This explains what it looks like in the real world, when a person has rooted their personal identity in Christ--it impacts how they live every day.

2025-01-12_Seeing_Through_Jesus_Eyes

Are you hopeless?  Have people told you that?  Don't believe it.  There is hope for everyone who will honestly seek God.  God can transform anyone to be more like His Son, Jesus.  Exodus 33 and 34 reveal God's plan for transforming people who have really blown it--people like you, perhaps.

2025-01-19_The_Transformation_Transaction

Discerning what really matters can have a crucial impact on how we live life and how we do church.  Discerning what really matters is vitally important, and this passage explains how.

Start Small series

2025-01-26_What Really Matters_Zechariah 4:1-14

Do we know what God's Word really says?  Many people have adopted false ideas about what God said in the Bible because they don't know the Bible.  It is critically important that we know God's Word because Satan is trying to desceive and destroy us.  This passage exposes Satan's tactics and points us to ways we can become strong in our faith.

Did God Really Say

2025-02-02_The Confidence of the Critical Mind_Genesis 3_1-13

Hebrews 7:25 says Jesus is interceding for believers constantly.  But do you know what He is actually praying to the Father about you?  This passage gives us an incredible glimpse into Jesus' prayer for His followers, and it will probably amaze you.

2025-02-09_The Inspired Intersection--John 17:9-19

Not every hardship Christians experience is persecution because of their faith--sometimes hardships come because of our own bad behavior.  We need to learn how to discern the difference.  Also, persecution can be a powerful way to proclaim the gospel.  This passage explains how that can be.

2025-02-16_The Power of Persecution--John 15:18-16:4

Every Christian can find true success by being a revolutionary for Jesus.

2025-02-23_How_to_Find_True_Success--Matthew 5:3-16

The way to God is open to anyone who will take His Word seriously.

2025-03-02_The_Way_to_God--2 Kings 22

Every Christian can experience the blessing of God if they really want it.

2025-03-09_The_Key_to_Blessing--Nehemiah 1

As I was cleaning out my study in preparation for my retirement in April, 2025, I came across an audio cassette tape of the worship service in which Debbi and I officially responded to the call by The Evangelical Free Church of Des Plaines to be their Sr. Pastor.  This was in late April or early May, 1991.

1991-May_Steven_and_Debbi_Hjelle_Response_to_EFCDP_Call

2025-03-16_The_Power_of_Real_Repentance

Pursuing true spirituality is the way to have real revival.

2025-03-23_True_Spirituality--Acts 2:1-21, 41-47

Even the best leaders can be wrong sometimes--horribly wrong.  And sometimes, their mistakes can result in terrible consequences on the people they lead.  Every time we give in to temptation we are playing with fire, and we have no idea who might be impacted by our sin.  But having said that, 2 Samuel 24 gives us encouragement by showing us that even when we might fall terribly, God can still bring great blessing out of our worst failures.

New Heart--New Life

2017-03-19_Playing with Fire_2 Samuel 24

Are you a genius?  If you are a true Christ-follower, then the Bible teaches you are more of a genius than the most intelligent unbeliever.  How can this be?  When someone trusts in Christ alone for salvation, they are indwelt by the Holy Spirit, who communicates the wisdom of God directly to believers.  This is what Paul teaches the Corinthians when he compares temporary human wisdom/philosophy with the wisdom that comes from God through the Holy Spirit.

God's GPS

2017-11-12_True_Genius

Throughout our lives, God intentionally brings us to dead ends--places where it seems all is lost and hope comes to a screeching halt.  He does this so we will find His on-ramps to victory.  We would never understand God's power to deliver us if we were not in positions where our only hope is God.  Our problem is not the problem itself, but how we view the problem.  It sounds like a cliche', but our problems are God's possibilities.  Exodus 14 provides wonderful principles that can help us view our dead ends as on-ramps to great victories with God's help.

Gods Plan for Changing You

2019-03-17_From Dead End to On Ramp--Exodus 14

What is the correct view of marriage?  Is it possible to be divorced and still honor God with your life?  Under what circumstances is divorce acceptable before God?  How can a person recover from divorce?  These are hotly debated issues these days--God's Word has the answers.

Good News for Hard Times

2019-09-29_God's Plan for Marriage

As our culture and our world are moving further away from the values of the Bible, it is becoming more difficult to stand for the truth of God's Word.  How can we find the strength and courage to stand while others kneel before the gods of pleasure, materialism, and pagan values?  This passage has the answer.

Joy for the Journey

2020-07-26_Standing in the Storm--Philippians 3:17-4:1

Steven is Senior Pastor of The Evangelical Free Church in Des Plaines, Illinois USA.  A graduate of Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois.

Steven Hjelle

Popular tracks