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Recent and Upcoming Messages |
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Look here for the message audio and supporting documents (like outlines or activation questions). Every attempt is made to have the messages available by the Tuesday following the service.
For each message, there are 2 links, one to a "stream" of the message, where it will start playing immediately. There is also a link to download the entire mp3 file, in case you want to listen to it offline, or have a slow internet connection.
The past 6 months or so are kept on this page. For older message, check out the message archive.
Click here for message archive
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June 1 - July 6: Joshua - Courage, Crossing, Consecration
Life is a journey. All along the way we reach points where we have to decide if we’re going to step out in faith and let God take our lives to a different place, or if we’re going to let fear and insecurity paralyze us and keep us from crossing over. Making a crossing always calls for uncommon courage, faith, and obedience.
As God’s leader, Joshua demonstrated unwavering determination in winning the land God has promised to his people, and in getting all the tribes of Israel and their families settled in the new land. In this series, we’ll take a look at Joshua and the nearly two million Israelites as they cross the Jordan River to a new place – a better place, a place unimaginable based on where they stood before they crossed.
The only way to get to the other side of life’s challenges and changes is to step out in faith and cross over – just as Joshua and the Israelites did. Like any crossing, it’s going to take strength and courage. Are you ready?
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July 6, 2008
'Crossing' - Pastor Verlan Van Ee |
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June 29, 2008
'Crossing: Consecration and Consequences' - Pastor Verlan Van Ee |
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June 22, 2008
'Crossing: Overcoming Obstacles' - Pastor Verlan Van Ee |
What is something in your life that you have conquered with some degree of satisfaction?
 Message Activation Questions (46KB)
Scripture: Joshua 5:13-15, 6:1-27 |
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June 15, 2008
'Crossing: Preparation and Provision' - Pastor Verlan Van Ee |
What monuments or memorials do you have in your life to remind you of God’s blessings in your life?
Message Activation Questions (47KB)
Scripture: Joshua 3:1-11, 4:1-7 |
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June 8, 2008
'Courage to Cross Over in a Crisis' - Pastor Verlan Van Ee |
Life's adventures sometimes leave us feeling as though we need to Instant Message God, saying, "Help! Now!"
Message Activation Questions (47KB)
Scripture: Joshua 2:1-24 |
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June 1, 2008
'Courage to Embrace Change' - Pastor Verlan Van Ee |
When have you had to embrace change? While change in and of itself is neither good nor bad, it can often be difficult.
Message Activation Questions (35KB)
Scripture: Joshua 1:1-18 |
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May 11 - May 25: Miscellaneous topics
Note - there was no sermon on May 18 due to the HUGS puppet ministry.
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May 25, 2008
'By Courageous Faith They Still Speak' - Pastor Verlan Van Ee |
Scripture: Hebrews 11:1-16, 12:1-3 |
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May 11, 2008
'Global God, Global Task' - Pastor Verlan Van Ee |
The Global Power of the Holy Spirit has been poured out to ALL people. ALL authority on heaven and earth has been given to Jesus Christ.
Scripture: Joel 2:28-32, Matthew 24:14, Matthew 28:16-20 |
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April 13 - May 4: Just Walk Across the Room
What if twenty steps across a room could change your friend's forever?
In his newest book, Just Walk Across the Room, Pastor Bill Hybels describes how taking a few steps and an interest in someone standing across the room can wind up impacting eternity.
Join us for a four-week church experience that will refresh your appreciation for the Holy Spirit's mysterious ways, rekindle your passion for people, and revive your belief that the single greatest gift you can give to your friends and family member is an introduction to the God who: created them, loves the, and has a purpose for their lives.
Over the next four weekends, you'll learn to: Develop friendships with people far from God, Discover the stories behind their life's journey, and Discern what "next steps" will help point them to faith. Pointing people to faith is something all of us can do--and it shows up on the heels of a simple walk across the room.
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May 4, 2008
'Grander Vision Living' - Pastor Verlan Van Ee |
What is Grander Vision Living? It's allowing other pursuits to fall away in order to focus on the priority that is nearest to the heart of God: people. When you choose to pursue the Grander Vision, you will be partnering with God in the most magnificent mission imaginable: finding what's lost, restoring what's broken, and reclaiming what's His.
Scripture: Mark 2:13-17, Colossians 4:5-6 |
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April 27, 2008
'The Power of Story' - Pastor Verlan Van Ee |
Regardless if they are formally "gifted" in evangelism or not, all Christ-followers can be prepared to engage people in spiritual conversations and do what they can to point people toward faith in God. When conversations do take a spiritual turn, it is critical to know how to convey two stories with humility, clarity, and brevity: your own story, and God's Good News story.
Scripture: 1 Peter 3:15-16, Luke 19:1-10 |
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April 20, 2008
'Living in 3D' - Pastor Verlan Van Ee |
Effective, relationally based evangelism can only happen when Christ-followers are truly engaged in the lives of people around them. This means they choose to Develop friendships, Discover life stories, and Discern appropriate next steps on the Holy Spirit's promptings--in other words, living in "3D"
Handout (102KB)
Scripture: John 1:35-42, Mark 3:1-12 |
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April 13, 2008
'The Single Greatest Gift' - Pastor Verlan Van Ee |
The single greatest gift Christ-followers can give to the people in their lives is an introduction to the God who created them, who loves them, and who has a purpose for their days. This is what evangelism is: seizing opportunities to have eternal impact in someones life--opportunities that originate with a simple walk across the room
Scripture: Matthew 5:13-16, Philippians 2:5-11 |
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April 6: Is God Dead?
We welcome guest pastor Dave Cupery as he brings us the message today
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April 6, 2008
'Is God Dead?' - Pastor Dave Cupery |
Scripture: Luke 24:13-35 |
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February 24 - March 30: Seven Deadly Sins...And Seven Lively Alternatives
This is a series looking at each of the seven deadly sins of Pride, Envy, Anger, Sloth, Greed, Gluttony, and Lust. With each sin, we will look at its effect on our lives, and how we can deal with them.
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March 30, 2008
'Envy - Envy That Kills and Kindness That Builds' - Pastor Verlan Van Ee |
Have you ever been Green with envy, wanting to do and experience and enjoy everything that everyone else is? We can have victory over our envious desires through the power of the blood of Christ. God's great act ov kindness can empower us to express kindness as the holy alternative to envy.
Message Activation Questions (56KB)
Scripture: Genesis 4:1-12, James 1:27 |
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March 23, 2008
'Lust - Dying to Lust and Rising to Holiness' - Pastor Verlan Van Ee |
Lust is an excessive love for that which God created to be good. It is not a sin of the flesh so much as a sin against it. Lust is always in pursuit and ends as empty-handed as it began. Let Holiness be what we long for.
Message Activation Questions (57KB)
Scripture: 1 Corinthians 6:12-20, 1 Peter 1:13-16 |
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March 21, 2008
'Gluttony - Crossing Out Gluttony to Gain the Glory of Contentment' - Pastor Verlan Van Ee |
Our appetites, desires, longing for fulfillment are answered at the cross. All of our bodily urges and things that seek to master us need to be "Crossed" out, need to be brought under the control of Christ, our Lord and Savior.
Message Activation Questions (70KB)
Scripture: Phillipians 3:12-4:1, 4:12-13 |
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March 16, 2008
'Greed - Greedy Grouches and Generous Givers' - Pastor Verlan Van Ee |
Yellow, the color of gold, reminds us of the desire for material wealth. Greed today does not seem to be shut away. Rather, our love of possessing is often flaunted in others faces. Lord, help us to make an honest assessment of our heart. may we make an honest re-commitment to generosity, the holy alternative to greed.
Message Activation Questions (59KB)
Scripture: Ecclesiastes 5:10-15, 2 Timothy 6:17-19 |
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March 9, 2008
'Sloth - Slothful Spectators & Diligent Doers' - Pastor Verlan Van Ee |
The color blue is the color of slothfulness. When we say, "I'm blue" it is often an excuse to do nothing. But God calls us to the alternative - diligence - a trait that should more and more consume the Christian.
Message Activation Questions (58KB)
Scripture: Proverbs 26:13-16, Hebrews 6:9-12 |
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March 2, 2008
'Anger - Getting Angry; Practicing Patience' - Pastor Wick Hubers |
The color red is the color of anger. When we burn with anger we "see red." Anger as a deadly sin is a disorderly outburst of emotion connected with the unrestrained desire for revenge either in regard to the object on which it is vented, or in the degree in which it is expressed. The color red also reminds us of the blood of the Lamb that cleanses us from all our sins.
Handout (49KB)
Scripture: Numbers 22:21-35 |
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February 24
'Pride - The Pitfall of Pride / The Hollow of Humility' |
The color purple is the color of royalty. Our pride makes us want to be king of our own lives. Pride is the excessive belief in our own abilities, that interferes with our recognition of the grace of God. Pride is a sin of selfishness, self-centeredness, self-satisfaction, and self-exaltation.
Message Activation Questions (59KB)
Scripture: Genesis 3:1-7, James 4:6-10 |
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January 13 - February 3 - Micellaneous topics
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February 3
"Faith Matters: Four Foundational Questions" - Pastor Verlan VanEe |
Scripture: Hebrews 11:1-2, 23-28 |
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January 27, 2008
"No Greater Love" - Pastor Verlan VanEe |
Scripture: John 15:9-17 |
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January 20, 2008
"A Surprise Judgement." - Pastor Wick Hubers |
Scripture: Matthew 25:31-46 |
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January 13, 2008
"The Freedom of a Faith Based Finance Plan" - Pastor Verlan VanEe |
Scripture: Luke 12:13-21, 32-34; 1 Timothy 6:6-10 |
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Storyline of a Christian
We welcome guest Pastor Marv Beelan as he brings us the message. Marv is a retired pastor from Grand Rapids Michigan. Pastor Marv was very instrumental in helping LHC begin and develop, and has continued to be very supportive
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December 30, 2007
"A Storyline of a Christian" - Pastor Marv Beelan |
Scripture: Psalm 90 |
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From Humbug to Hallelujah: Learning Lessons from A Christmas Carol
With all the home decorating, frenzied shopping, and festive gatherings to attend, how much attention do you really give Jesus at Christmastime? As you head into December, your calendar is probably filling up with a million things to do before Christmas. Do you plan to highlight Jesus, the one whose birthday we celebrate? Learn how to prepare for a Christmas you'll never regret as you join us for our Season Advent celebration.
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January 6, 2008
"Honoring Christmas in Your Heart All Year Long." - Pastor Verlan VanEe |
Scripture: Matthew 2:1-12 |
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December 24, 2007
'Celebrating a Christmas of miracle transformations' - Pastor Verlan Van Ee |
The marvelous annual retelling of stories like Charles Dicken's A Christmas Carol should not be limited to fiction. Let us share openly with one another how God has transformed our humbug attitudes into hallelujah dispositions and rejoice in contemporary Christmas miracles.
Scripture: Luke 1:26-38; 2 Corinthians 5:17
Since services on December 23 were cancelled, this sermon also contains topics originally slated for that sermon:
"Writing a good ending to your Christmas Carol"
Like Scrooge, each of us is given both the opportunity and the ability to write a good ending to our Christmas story. It is never too late to change who we are and what we do because we can collaborate with God, our coauthor. His experience and expertise miraculously can change all our humbugs to hallelujahs.
Scripture: Matthew 2:1-18 |
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December 16, 2007
'Valuing relationships especially at Christmas' - Pastor Verlan Van Ee |
When we prayerfully examine the relationships that shove us into humbug experiences, we can expect God to give us remarkable ideas for reconnecting with those sometimes difficult personalities. These divine insights will help us celebrate others and give Tiny Tim-like blessings far beyond our human abilities to grant.
Scripture: Matthew 1:18-25 |
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December 9, 2007
'Reawakening the joy inherent in Christmas' - Pastor Verlan Van Ee |
Ordinary holiday practices, which often focus on secular expectations, tend to leave us disappointed and depleted. Like Scrooge, we need to revisit the times when we experienced holy, festive moments. Then, to be transformed, we should start building memories that will reawaken Christmas joy, not only for this season, but for many years to come.
Scripture: Luke 1:39-55 |
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December 2, 2007
"Breaking Christmas chains forged in life" - Pastor Verlan Van Ee |
In Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, Ebenezer Scrooge needs special intervention to confront the negative choices he has made that imprison his heart, mind, and soul. Likewise, each of us must face the Christmas chains we have forged and ask for God's help to break them, so we too can be free to celebrate Advent with a hallelujah spirit.
Scripture: Luke 1:67-79; Isaiah 53:4-6 |
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November 25, 2007
"Preparing for a Christmas you'll never regret." - Pastor Verlan Van Ee |
The Christmas season, with all its added pressures, can tempt us to use Ebenezer Scrooge's expression: "Bah! Humbug." But with careful planning, these next five weeks can be a glorious "hallelujah" time, as we learn to rejoice in God's great gift of his Son to the world.
Scripture: Luke 2:1-7, Ephesians 5:15-20 |
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