Shows
Erie Evangelical Free Church (Erie, IL)The Effective Father - John 15:9-15Pastor 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.
2025-06-1932 min
The Ordinary Heroes PodcastThe Ordinary Heroes Story of Gordon LarsenA small-town teenager leaves high school to join the Marines and soon finds himself in the brutal island-hopping campaign of the Pacific during World War II. He returns home physically unharmed. The scars of war, however, run much deeper.In this episode of the Ordinary Heroes Podcast we hear the story of one of the million of soldiers who lived through the war then fought another to return to a normal life after coming home.Join Ron Eckberg, host of the ORDINARY HEROES PODCAST, in episode 8, the ORDINARY HEROES story of Gordon Larsen. 2025-06-1908 minErie Evangelical Free Church (Erie, IL)On-target Worship - Psalm 63:1-3Pastor 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.
2025-06-1234 min
The Ordinary Heroes PodcastOne Less Hero: The Story of Clifford CoatesD-Day, June 6, 1944, was a pivotal day in World War II and in World History, period. On that day 156,000 men took part in the largest amphibious invasion every attempted. In episode 7 of the Ordinary Heroes Podcast we will hear the story of one of those men, the battle he fought, and the path down which the war--and life--took him beyond that June day. 2025-06-0609 min
The Ordinary Heroes PodcastWhere Heroes WalkedIt is easy to read even the most detailed of accounts of history’s great events and still never grasp the significance of them. The only way to really do that is to see them first hand. In episode 6 of the Ordinary Heroes Podcast, Ron Eckberg shares an overview of Normandy, France and the D-Day beaches as he saw them during his two visits when he walked “Where Heroes Walked”.2025-04-1213 min
The Ordinary Heroes PodcastA Reporter at War: Walter Cronkite16 million Americans served in uniform during World War II. What they did was dangerous and essential, to be sure, but they were not the only ones who served our nation in such a way. Today we focus on one of the many--and certainly one of the best known--war correspondents who traveled with our forces to the front lines on the ground, on the seas, and in the air. He went on to a stellar career in radio, print, and television. He was so good, so honest at what he did that he was named "America's Most Trusted Man" by...2025-03-1409 minErie Evangelical Free Church (Erie, IL)From Here to There - Philippians 3:12-14Pastor 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.
2025-02-1629 min
The Ordinary Heroes PodcastIndestructible: The Incredible Story of Jackie LucasThe story of Jackie Lucas is one of patriotism, persistence, courage, sacrifice and resilience. It is a story with more than a few surprising twists and turns along the way. Most of all it is about a very ordinary young man who did an extraordinary thing in a moment of crisis and against all odds lived to tell about it. Join host Ron Eckberg for episode four of the Ordinary Heroes Project Podcast titled, Indestructible: The Incredible Story of Jackie Lucas.2025-01-1110 minErie Evangelical Free Church (Erie, IL)Christmas and the New Testament (Sunday, December 8th, 2024)Pastor Ron Eckberg leads us through the second week of our Christmas series, "Christmas Parties." Last week we discussed how the coming of the Messiah is a celebration for the faith of the Old Testament. This week we move forward to see how the birth of Jesus was the perfect act to bring hope and celebration to the faith of the New Testament believers.
2024-12-0900 minErie Evangelical Free Church (Erie, IL)Gratitude - Week 2 (Sunday, November 17th, 2024)Pastor Ron Eckberg teaches the second week in our 3-week series on gratitude. Last week we built a foundation for gratitude. It develops when we never forget the beauty of our salvation. This week we'll see how the grateful heart that rejoices in the salvation of Jesus continues to live in celebration and with great joy because of God's restoration that is granted to the one who trusts in Him.
2024-11-2536 min
The Ordinary Heroes PodcastThe Last Soldier"No war is truly over until the last veteran has died", one veteran of World War II declared. That is certainly true. Or is it? Listen as writer / speaker / musician / and "lay" historian Ron Eckberg explains why that "end" of the war may come at different times and in different ways for every different soldier. Please Like / Subscribe / Review or contact Ron Eckberg at ordinaryheroes/roneckberg.com or visit his website, roneckberg.com/heroes .2024-11-0208 minErie Evangelical Free Church (Erie, IL)The Incredible Blessing of CaringAssociate Pastor Ron Eckberg brings a special message to EEFC on Sunday, October 6th. It is far too easy to turn a blind eye to catastrophe—especially if it doesn’t directly affect us—but in doing so we miss out on something very special. But Matthew 9 shows us the blessings of giving our hearts to the opportunities God puts before us.
2024-10-1428 min
The Ordinary Heroes PodcastNight of Nights"There is a defining moment in every man's life”, an anonymous writer has penned, "within that moment everything that person is shines the brightest.”There were many such moments for thousands upon thousands of combat soldiers in World War II. Join host Ron Eckberg for Episode 2 of the Ordinary Heroes Podcast and the story of one such night for one such soldier.2024-10-0410 minThe Ordinary Heroes PodcastThe Story of Hershel G. HortonIt is too easy to reduce the cost of war to dollars and statistics. War--as necessary as it may be--is not fought by statistics but by real life flesh and blood human beings that bleed, suffer, and die. Such is the case of the story of Hershel G. Horton. His story is one of suffering, loneliness, hope and despair. Through his own words we get a taste of the horror--the real story--of war.2024-09-1010 minErie Evangelical Free Church (Erie, IL)A Simple Faith - Micah 6:8Pastor Ron Eckberg brings us a special message from Micah 6:8. It’s amazing how hard we humans work at turning the simple into something complicated. For example, “Love your neighbor” means “Love your neighbor”, right? In the Old Testament we find God giving us a simple formula to fulfill what he requires of us.
2024-08-2638 minErie Evangelical Free Church (Erie, IL)1 Peter 2:9-10 - Breathing Life into a Dying WorldPastor Ron Eckberg brings a special message from 1 Peter 2:9-10.
2024-07-2329 minErie Evangelical Free Church (Erie, IL)The Vintner, the Vine, and the Branches - John 15:1-5Pastor Ron Eckberg brings a special message from the Gospel of John. Wine is mentioned well over 200 times in the Bible and its usage reveals several aspects of God’s revelation to us and his calling upon us. No passage is more profound on both counts than Jesus words recorded in John 15.
2024-06-1627 minErie Evangelical Free Church (Erie, IL)Matthew 9:9-34 - Boundless LifePastor Ron Eckberg teaches the next message in our current series in Matthew 8-10. Good. Better. Best. We want to enjoy the “good” life but that will never be enough so we move on up the ladder. Sadly, we fail to realize that the best life has to offer will still never be enough. What we really need is “new” life, the life Jesus offers. This week we examine how Jesus gave this new life to different people through different avenues.
2024-06-0134 minErie Evangelical Free Church (Erie, IL)Fans or Followers - John 6Pastor Ron Eckberg brings a special Palm Sunday message to EEFC. We celebrate as Palm Sunday when Jesus entered Jerusalem and was met by a multitude of adoring fans. A few days later he faced the cross—mostly alone, abandoned, and denied. Will we be those adoring, fickle fans that run when the story doesn’t go our way or will we be faithful followers that follow in Jesus’ steps no matter where they take us?
2024-03-3033 minErie Evangelical Free Church (Erie, IL)Matthew 4:1-11 - Temptation and TrialsPastor Ron Eckberg concludes our current series in the opening chapters of the Gospel of Matthew. Have you ever been tempted? Of course you have. Have you ever given in to temptation? A double “of course you have”. Fighting the battle with the myriad of temptations that come our way is the most common of our human experiences. Even Jesus was tempted. Really. Join us Sunday as we examine the story of the temptation of Christ and some powerful lessons we can learn from it.
2024-02-2434 minErie Evangelical Free Church (Erie, IL)Simple Christmas #2 - From Shopping to ServingPastor Ron Eckberg teaches the second week of our 2023 Christmas series, "Simple Christmas". With Jesus as our central focus of our season we have peace in the busyness of the weeks ahead. But, how does this help us move from walking through mere tradition or mindless activities to a purposeful service to the Kingdom and to those around us? We discuss this in the second week of our Christmas series.
2023-12-1125 minErie Evangelical Free Church (Erie, IL)The Journey of Praise - Psalm 134Pastor Ron Eckberg preaches a special Thanksgiving message. Thanksgiving is a day we set apart to express our gratitude for all we have been blessed with. But why should we need to be reminded? Why must we set aside a day to encourage us to give thanks, especially when we have so much to be thankful for? This week we see how God calls us to a life of thanksgiving and an eternity of praise.
2023-11-2625 minErie Evangelical Free Church (Erie, IL)Responding to ”What if...?” - Philippians 4:4-7In a break from our current series, Pastor Ron Eckberg teaches a special message on responding to the unknowns in our lives. Everywhere we turn we face the "what ifs" of life. Some will come to pass, most will not. So how should God's people respond to the continued negativity of our world and, sometimes, our own minds? The Apostle Paul gives us a clear course of action through his example in Philippians 4:4-7.
2023-10-1226 minErie Evangelical Free Church (Erie, IL)No Greater Love - John 15:9-17Pastor Ron Eckberg delivers a special Memorial Day message at EEFC. Memorial Day should be a somber day of remembering those who paid the ultimate price defending freedoms we enjoy. For Christians, however, there is a greater “Memorial Day” called “Every Day” – for every day, hour, and minute should be a reminder of the price Christ paid for our freedom.
2023-06-0427 minErie Evangelical Free Church (Erie, IL)When We Gather - Hebrews 10:19-25Pastor Ron Eckberg brings a special message to our morning service called, "When We Gather". Every believer understands that gathering to worship with the body of Christ is important. But why? Whey can't we just engage in online Bible studies and virtual services? What happens when we gather that makes that time so vital to our spiritual growth and maturity? We find these answers as we look at Hebrews 10:19-25.
2023-04-3035 minErie Evangelical Free Church (Erie, IL)Genesis 29:31-30:24 - Finding PeacePastor Ron Eckberg teaches the next message in our series through Genesis. In John 14 Jesus promised to give us peace yet that peace seems to continually elude us. We are restless, peace-less, dissatisfied and always wanting more. This Sunday, as we continue our study of the Genesis story, we learn how to find the peace that Jesus spoke of as we look at the lives of three people who failed in the pursuit.
2023-03-2531 minErie Evangelical Free Church (Erie, IL)Our God Reigns - Psalm 46Pastor Ron Eckberg preaches a special message from Psalm 46 entitled, "Our God Reigns".
2023-03-0534 minErie Evangelical Free Church (Erie, IL)Genesis 26:34-28:9 - Fighting Against DesirePastor Ron Eckberg teaches the next message in our series, "Passing the Torch". In the well known story of Jacob stealing Isaac's blessing (from Genesis 26:34-38:9), we see how the deep-seeded issues in God's chosen family lead to dire consequences and struggle. In doing so we see the dangers of conflict and are encouraged to see how faith overwhelms our shortfalls.
2023-02-1631 minErie Evangelical Free Church (Erie, IL)Just Another Day? - Psalm 118:24Pastor Ron Eckberg brings a special New Year's Day message from Psalm 118:24. Together we discuss the importance of grateful hearts and praising lips when we think on the incredible blessings God has given us as we look to the year ahead.
2023-01-0321 minErie Evangelical Free Church (Erie, IL)Christmas from the Chaos - Genesis 1:2aPastor Ron Eckberg teaches the second week of our Christmas series, "Let There Be Light." Last week we discussed the perfection of God's creation and how the birth of Jesus is a continuation and restoration of that perfection. But what about when life isn't perfect? How does the Christmas story reflect God's work of overwhelming the chaos that is all around us? We find the answer in the first half of Genesis 1:2.
2022-12-0526 minErie Evangelical Free Church (Erie, IL)How the Mighty Fall - 1 Samuel 17Pastor Ron Eckberg brings a special messages to EEFC. Most of us are familiar with the story of David and Goliath, but how well do we really understand the significance of this great confrontation? Join us Sunday as we open to first Samuel 17 and revisit the story of David and Goliath in a study titled, How the Mighty Fall.
2022-10-2937 minErie Evangelical Free Church (Erie, IL)In Jars of Clay - 2 Corinthians 4:7-18Pastor Ron Eckberg preaches a special message for our church. Far too many Christians feel as though they have no ministry calling because they are so “ordinary”. Nothing could be further from the truth. Ordinary people, those of us the Apostle Paul refers to as “jars of clay”, are the ones God most often chooses to accomplish his purposes. Join us Sunday as we dive into II Corinthians 4:7-8 in a message titled, “In Jars of Clay”.
2022-09-1131 minErie Evangelical Free Church (Erie, IL)Married For Life - John 13Pastor Ron Eckberg shares a special message from John 13. For better or worse. For richer or poor. In sickness and in health. Those phrases—so often heard in wedding ceremonies—define the depth a marriage relationship. But how many of us apply those same characteristics to all our relationships? We examine this topic through the lens of God’s Word in a message titled, “Married for Life”.
2022-08-2028 minErie Evangelical Free Church (Erie, IL)Free At Last - Galatians 5:1 (July 3rd, 2022)Pastor Ron Eckberg brings a special message entitled, "Free at Last!" We look together at true freedom in Christ from Galatians 5:1.
2022-07-1230 minErie Evangelical Free Church (Erie, IL)Lessons from the Diamond (June 26th, 2022)Pastor Ron Eckberg brings a special message on the teamwork of the Christian faith from Romans 12.
2022-07-1227 minErie Evangelical Free Church (Erie, IL)A Mother for the Times - Exodus 1:15-2:10, Isaiah 49:15Pastor Ron Eckberg preaches a special Mother's Day message. No human being on earth can come closer to understanding the heart and the hurts of God as does a Godly mother. As a mother weeps over her children, so does God; As a mother rejoices over her children, so does God. And those bonds will never change. Join us for our Mother's Day worship service as we look to Exodus 2:1-10 as we peer into the heart of A Mother for the Times.
2022-05-1228 minErie Evangelical Free Church (Erie, IL)The Road to Worship - Luke 19:28-44Pastor Ron Eckberg teaches a special Palm Sunday message. To experience God is to worship God but what exactly does that mean? How do we truly worship God? Join us Sunday as we begin our Easter week of services with a look at three aspects of worship found in Luke 19 and the story of Jesus entrance into Jerusalem.
2022-04-1630 minErie Evangelical Free Church (Erie, IL)The Comeback Kids - Psalm 126Pastor Ron Eckberg preaches a special message from Psalm 126. Most of us love a good comback story. We appreciate watching someone who has fallen from the pinnacle of their life or profession and have experienced the deep darkness of the valley, show the dogged determination to claw their way back to the top.
2022-03-0135 minErie Evangelical Free Church (Erie, IL)Where Do You Live?Pastor Ron Eckberg leads our final service of 2021 by asking the question, "Where do you live?" Here we examine where we set our feet to find our purpose, meaning, and stability for the upcoming year. In doing so we are challenged to examine our selves and see that we are pursing Christ and His purpose as we move forward.
2021-12-3030 min
UnstructuredJohn Eckberg claims that OJ didn't commit the actual actsJohn Eckberg, a former reporter at The Cincinnati Enquirer co-wrote the book "O.J. Simpson & Glen Rogers: The Juice, Road Dog, & Murder on Bundy Drive." He believes that Nicole Simpson and Ron Goldman were not killed buy OJ himself.
John's links
The Book: https://www.amazon.com/J-Simpson-Glen-Rogers-Murder-ebook/dp/B07DP29YBY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1546548461&sr=8-1&keywords=John+eckberg
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/661587.John_Eckberg
Twitter: https://twitter.com/johneckberg
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