Hillcrest Covenant Church DeKalb

Walking the 12 Steps with Jesus: Steps 1-3

Fall Lineup: Kindness

Fall Lineup: Perseverance

In a culture that constantly tells us to give up when things get uncomfortable or difficult, we have a God who created us to persevere. What does perseverance look like in this life? How do I grow a faith that perseveres? 

Fall Lineup: Integrity

When you say you're going to do something, do you follow through? Have you ever exaggerated a story to make yourself look better? Do you work just as hard when your boss is looking over your shoulder as when she's out of town? What does it mean to live a life of integrity and why does integrity matter to God? 

Comfort Food (part 2)

Have you ever struggled with bitterness? Ever felt like God had given up on you and so you gave up on God? This morning we introduce you to Naomi--someone who allowed her bitterness to overtake her. But God didn't let bitterness win. As God often does, he brought Naomi his comfort through an incredibly loving person in her life. Listen in...

Comfort Food (part 1)

Peter was a devoted disciple of Christ, but when things got hard, he walked away. But God wasn't finished with him yet. Maybe you've wondered if God could still love you after what you've done or said? Check out Peter's story; we're praying it brings you comfort this morning! 

What Now?

Our country has never been more divided...and neither has the Church. Regardless of who you voted for in this week's election, we have some work to do. When we're this far apart from each other, where do we begin...?

The Struggle is Real: I Give Up

How many times this year have you wanted to just throw in the towel? It's all been so much to handle and there are days when we just feel like giving up. Is God really here to help us through those days? 

Altar Ego: I am Trapped ---> I am Free

Have you ever felt like the awful things that have happened to you or the poor decisions you've made end up defining your life? Do you ever feel like you're being held hostage by your past? Listen up to what God has to say about the lies you've been telling yourself!

Altar Ego: I am who I am ---> I am a New Creation

If I'm being honest, when there's something about me that I don't want to change, I just say: "well, I am who I am." Did you know THAT is one of the greatest lies that we tell ourselves? Listen in to find out what I mean!

Altar Ego: I am Inadequate ---> I am Enough

Has anyone ever made you feel as if you're "less than," or as if you're not good enough? Maybe you struggle with your own broken record of thoughts telling you that you're not a good enough parent, sibling, spouse or friend? So many of us feel like we're not enough. It's all a lie. 

The Struggle is Real: I am Angry

I know that this season of life has been incredibly difficult on all of us. We have all lost so many things and faced so much grief and for many of us, that quickly turns into anger. How do we handle all of this anger? 

Altar Ego: I Don't Belong ---> I am Chosen

Have you ever felt left out or like you just didn't belong anywhere? Maybe you feel like you don't even fit in with your own family?  If that's you, God has something to say to about it. Listen in...

The Struggle is Real: I Am Weary

Could this year get any worse (I probably shouldn't say that)?? We are all weary from all that this year has brought. The question is: what do we do about this weariness and how can we recover our lives? 

Red Letters: That All May Be One

God calls us to radical unity...but is it even possible in this broken, polarized world?

Peace and Freedom: True Freedom

As we celebrate freedom as a country, there is a greater freedom that we each long for. Where do we find it? How do we get it and how will it impact our lives? 

Peace and Freedom: Perfect Peace

Is perfect peace even possible? Especially in the world as we know it now? God used the prophet Isaiah to bring a message of peace that can STILL change our lives today. 

Beyond Measure: God is Sovereign

Do you always need to hold the remote? Does your opinion always have to be counted? Is giving up control a struggle for you? In light of our human nature to control our environment, what does it mean to have a Sovereign God?!

Beyond Measure: God is Immutable

Everyday we face this tension between a constantly changing world and the fact that WE don't like change. What does it mean to have a God who never changes and is that a good thing for my life? Does it matter at all? 

Beyond Measure: God is Immutable

Everyday we face this tension between a constantly changing world and the fact that WE don't like change. What does it mean to have a God who never changes and is that a good thing for my life? Does it matter at all? 

Beyond Measure: God is Self-Sufficient

"God is needed by all and needful of nothing." How/why is God's self-sufficiency good news to us and how do we handle our own neediness in the face of a God who needs nothing?

Beyond Measure: God is Self-Sufficient

"God is needed by all and needful of nothing." How/why is God's self-sufficiency good news to us and how do we handle our own neediness in the face of a God who needs nothing?

Beyond Measure: God is Incomprehensible

Join us for week one of our new series on the attributes of God that we don't spend a lot of time talking about. Today we're going to dive into the reality that while God can be known (and desires to be known), God cannot be known FULLY. What does that mean for us?? We'll use the story of Job to help us understand this concept a little better. 

Beyond Measure: God is Incomprehensible

Join us for week one of our new series on the attributes of God that we don't spend a lot of time talking about. Today we're going to dive into the reality that while God can be known (and desires to be known), God cannot be known FULLY. What does that mean for us?? We'll use the story of Job to help us understand this concept a little better. 

Easter 2020

YOU WERE NOT MADE FOR DEATH...not even if the crisis of a pandemic tells you otherwise! 

Lesson from the Desert: New Beginnings

Desert experiences, difficult and painful as they may be, will not and do not last forever. We also know that desert experiences change us. BUT, we the choices we make now can impact whether they change us for the good or not. Today is a new day! 

Lesson from the Desert: New Beginnings

Desert experiences, difficult and painful as they may be, will not and do not last forever. We also know that desert experiences change us. BUT, we the choices we make now can impact whether they change us for the good or not. Today is a new day! 

Lessons from the Desert: Receiving Comfort

No one could have imagined the situation that we have found ourselves in this week. Now more than ever, we need to lean on God for our comfort--to choose comfort over chaos.

Lessons from the Desert: Receiving Comfort

No one could have imagined the situation that we have found ourselves in this week. Now more than ever, we need to lean on God for our comfort--to choose comfort over chaos.

Lessons from the Desert: Dealing with Doubt

This topic was chosen months ago, but seems particularly fitting given what's happening in the world around us. How do we handle life and faith when we are doubting it all? 

Lessons from the Desert: Learning Dependence

Raise your hand if you're a control freak?! Same. Especially in our do-it-yourself culture, learning to give up control to God is a challenging thing for many of us. Is it even possible? Let's find out...

Lessons from the Desert: Learning Dependence

Raise your hand if you're a control freak?! Same. Especially in our do-it-yourself culture, learning to give up control to God is a challenging thing for many of us. Is it even possible? Let's find out...

Lessons from the Desert: Temptation

Many of you have experienced 'desert' seasons in your life. Time when God seemed silent, you struggled, you felt lost. As we begin this new series for Lent 2020, we're taking a look at some of the things that we can GAIN from time spent in the desert. First up: Facing Temptation. 

Lessons from the Desert: Temptation

Many of you have experienced 'desert' seasons in your life. Time when God seemed silent, you struggled, you felt lost. As we begin this new series for Lent 2020, we're taking a look at some of the things that we can GAIN from time spent in the desert. First up: Facing Temptation. 

Ash Wednesday: Prone to Wander

We are a people prone to wander...away from God, away from our faith, away from God's best for us. On Ash Wednesday, as we begin Lent, God calls to our wandering hearts.

Rhythms: Rest

Is there a difference between a nap and rest? Between rest and Sabbath? Sabbath is a commandment, but is it really THAT big of a deal? 

Rhythms: Work

We were created to live life in rhythms of work, rest and worship.  Why do we work hard and for whom do we work?

Jesus is Empty

Hot dogs, trash cans and what we’re to do with all that Jesus did for us. A message by Sam Utterback. 

Shut Your Mouth: Gossiping

It’s destructive and damaging and we all participate in it. Is it really THAT big of a deal?

Shut Your Mouth: Gossiping

It’s destructive and damaging and we all participate in it. Is it really THAT big of a deal?

Shut Your Mouth: Lying

Lies of omission, exaggerating, little white lies...we do it all. Is lying really that big of a deal? What about when we lie to ourselves? 

Shut Your Mouth: Criticizing

Are your words powerful enough to take a life? To save a life?  How will YOU use your words this week?

Shut Your Mouth: Criticizing

Are your words powerful enough to take a life? To save a life?  How will YOU use your words this week?

Shut Your Mouth: Complaining

Complaining comes so naturally to us, doesn't it? But how does complaining negatively impact our lives and what does it say about the condition of our hearts?

Till He Appeared and the Soul Felt its Worth

Where do you find your worth in this life??

His Law is Love and His Gospel is Peace

Do your family Christmas dinners have to end in chaos and arguing or is it possible to find both love AND peace with your family this Christmas?

The Weary World Rejoices

Feeling weighed down by all that life throws at you? How do you manage the weight of all these burdens, and what reason have we to rejoice in the midst of all?

A Thrill of Hope

When was the last time you were surprised by hope? In who or what do you put your hope?

Long Lay the World in Sin and Error Pining

The world is not as it was supposed to be and we FEEL it, don't we? How long, O Lord?

Come to the Table: Giving Thanks

How do we give thanks when we just don't want to?