Vanguard Tri-Lakes

One of the great questions that all of humanity is asking on some level or another is this one: What is God doing?What's He up to? How does He fill up His time? What keeps Him busy? f it's true that you can measure a person's values by how they spend their time, then, paying attention to what God does is a great way to get to know His heart.

Paul was a master at cultural contextualization, and even from a prison cell, he was able to identify 3 crucial questions for the Christ-follower to consider as we attempt to share the Gospel in our world. Jeff Rudder is one of our Strategic Leaders at VTL. He's been on staff at Young Life for years, and we're so blessed to have him as a part of our teaching team. You'll want to stick around after the bumper for Jeremiah's one-of-a-kind Fike-inspired Lead-Shepping. You're welcome.

Life if filled with ways complet the phrase: I am _________. As we launch into this Ephesians series together, the Apostle Paul is going to give us 7 questions to steer us towards the right answer.

We've covered lots of unusual characters from the pages of our Bible in this UNUSUAL SUSPECTS sermon series. Perhaps none is more unusual than this week's highlight.When Jesus had a mountainside's attention, and the opportunity to announce what would distinguish his leadership, he chose to speak about this week's Unusual Suspect.Spoiler Alert… You are intimately acquainted.

Who would imagine that one of the greatest enemies of the early church could become one of its greatest advocates? In the words of DJ Khaled... GOD DID!

King David was not anyone's first pick for King of Israel. Maybe the fact that he was an unusual suspect himself made him all the more collaborative in his leadership.One of David's great collaboraters was a Levite named Asaph. He was really quite something...

It's hard, sometimes, to put ourselves in the sandals of the human beings that walked alongside of Jesus in His day... to make sense of the cultural, political, and social landscape that they were traversing. But, Jesus wasn't living in obeyance to any of the cultural norms of His day. And, it freaked a lot of people out. Maybe none moreso than "the woman at the well", this week's Unusual Suspect.

We're blessed to have Jeff Rudder continue in our UNUSUAL SUSPECTS series… filled with characters most of us would never have chosen to play such significant roles in the narrative of the Bible. Jeff's eyes were drawn to the guys Jesus chose to be His disciples. What did He see in them? Why did He call them in, up and out? What does that have to do with you?

Anyone Jesus pays attention to... we should pay attention to.Anyone Jesus shines light on... we should shine light on.Even if they are an unusual suspect. This week, we'll talk about how Jesus made a meal of a moment when a person who shouldn't have any faith in Him at all exhibits the most faith Jesus has ever seen... and we'll have to ask ourselves if we have faith like the Roman Centurion.

Most of us know the story of Judas Iscariot, the traitor who traded His relationship with Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. We know what Judas was... but, have we ever stopped to consider what he wasn't? In this UNUSUAL SUSPECTS series, we're taking hard looks at some of the ordinary people that did some extraordinary things. Judas fits that description perfectly.

The God of the Bible is not enamored with the same kinds of people that the people of the world are. He seems much more fascinated by the people just below the surface. The people none of us would have selected to have played major roles in the telling of the Gospel story. Unusual Suspects... One of those such people happened to be hanging right next to Jesus on the hill of Calvary. This week, in our UNUSUAL SUSPECTS series, we'll talk about "A Thief on A Cross", and how his experience with Jesus has shaped our perspective on salvation and life.

We asked you to tell us what you wanted to hear a sermon about, and we ended up with 4 terrific topics… the last of which is an examination of what makes a Christian Marriage a Christian Marriage. In a world where marriage is expendable and cheap, what could be more important than that Christian Marriages stand out as the actual high ground God always intended for it to be? You asked for it! Here it is…

We asked you to tell us what you wanted to hear sermons about. So far, we've covered "the Bible" and "sexuality". This week... Parenting. There's no question that raising a child in 2023 is a nuanced, complicated, and sometimes frustrating experience. But, what would it look like if Mom & Dad had a battle plan? Find out in today's sermon from Pastor Richie Fike, a self-admitted imperfect parent himself.

We asked you to tell us what you wanted to hear sermons about. One of the top answers was “sexuality” and “homosexuality”.What does God have to say about this issue?What does God have to say about your issue?What should Christians have to say to those who disagree with us? You asked for it… so here it is!

We asked you to tell us what you wanted to hear a sermon about, and we ended up with 4 terrific topics… the first of which is an examination of the weight, the worth and the wielding of the Word of God.The Bible… YOU ASKED FOR IT.

As we close the door on our months-long Ezekiel series, we have come to one of the most beautiful, pivotal, hopeful moments in the entire book. Ezekiel 47 is the picture of what happens when God's people take what happens in the holiest of holy places into the world with them. Our Pastor, Richie Fike, took this opportunity to give us a bit of a state-of-the-union address, replete with a brand new song, “We are the River”, included on this podcast. We pray you share this particular message with anyone you think might want to participate with us in being a church that says to its community: “God is for you… and so are we.”Verse1: There is a river, it flows from the sanctuary Everything it touches turns to good There is a people, growing in love and sharing Everything the father gives to us Chorus:And the further we get The deeper it flows And the more that we give The more we grow And with every step, The more we behold This is the river of the grace of God Verse 2:There is a reason we did not fly to Heaven At the very moment we believed As long as we're breathing, we'll give you every breath and Offer up our hearts, our hands, our feet Bridge:Oh let us be a people of your presence Lord let them see a God who's not against us Let mercy and peace flow through us from Heaven We are the river, Lord make us the river…

As we near the end of this sprawling Ezekiel series, we arrive at the most famous passage from the book… the Dry Bones. God is revealing to Ezekiel a problem, a prognosis, a process and a promised product through the analogy of the Dry bones. That's great and all, but, what do these dry bones have to do with you and with me? What is the analogy God is speaking to us today?

One of the most important jobs on the planet is the job of a parent. To lead, to love, to guide, to protect, and to teach young souls how to discern the difference between the truth and a lie. But, in order to do that, parents have to first distinguish the difference between the lies they're told in regards to parenting. Melissa Janish's sermon aims to do that. To juxtapose worldly lies against Scriptural truth. Happy Mother's Day!

We were blessed to have the first lady of Vanguard Church with us at VTL to speak to us about something we all want, we all need, and only God can provide... SANCTUARY.

There are 3 major sections in the book of Ezekiel. The first one is all about Israel's past, and why God did what He did. The third one is all about Israel's future, and what God is preparing. This middle one, which we cover in one sermon, (so you should do yourself a favor and go read it all comprehensively... ch. 25-32) is all about: “God's Animus for Our Enemies”.

One thing God is really good at is pushing past the fluff and getting right to the heart of the matter. In one of the strangest passages in the book of Ezekiel, God does just that. He utilizes the death of Ezekiel's wife to make a point about what matters most to Him.Jeff Rudder is our guest communicator this week, but, he's far from a “guest”. A VTL'er himself, Jeff brought to this passage a passionate and inquisitive spirit that yields for us SIX QUESTIONS that Ezekiel had to wrestle with, God's people had to wrestle with, and YOU need to wrestle with.This is a powerful message.

Do you believe in Generational Curses? Do you believe that the sins of the father flow through his bloodline, like it or not? What does God have to say about it? What if it's not at all about Generational Curses… What if the truth is that it's always only ever about Personal Choices?

He is Risen!Now what? The Resurrection, while incredibly distinctive in the identity of a Christ-Follower, is not how any of the Gospel writers end their telling of the Gospel story. What some might consider the Epilogue of each Gospel narrative may actually be the point of the story.

As we walk the road to Easter Sunday together, it's important that we take note of how the Lord Jesus interacted with and invited the worst treatment any innocent man has ever gotten. Yes, Jesus made enemies with darkness. And, yes, this week, Jesus is sentenced to death. How does He respond? And how does His response set the example for His followers?

One thing we keep running up against in our study through the book of Ezekiel is the theme of falseness. There was more than one reason God chose to send His chosen people into Babylonian exile. We'll cover three components of the Christian life that must be true and not false, and we'll have some fun along the way!

You can tell a lot about a person by the questions they ask. This sermon series through the book of Ezekiel prompts all sorts of questions for the Christ-follower. The same things that irked God in the time of Ezekiel irks Him now. And, He's got a few questions for you to wrestle with today…

God is angry. Ezekiel is available. The message is clear. Human Idolatry demands Holy Wrath. So, what does that mean for us, today?

The book of Ezekiel is a one-of-a-kind fantastical ride through sprawling prophecy and spurning elocution. We're going to take this ride together and try to find ourselves, both in the objects of God's frustration, and in the vehicle for His communication. This week, we'll ask ourselves a crucial question: How do you hear from God for yourself?

We certainly haven't covered this topic comprehensively, which is to say that there are, of course, other reasons why people are “out” on church, but, in this final sermon from out “In & Out Churchers” series, we're going to do our best to give you one last good reason to be “in”.

One of the loudest skepticisms about “church” is the issue of money. Financial malfeasance, irresponsibility and lack of transparency have all made us skeptical and suspicious of organized religion. (Fair). And yet, the topic of generosity in your Bible populates discussion over 10x more than prayer, and 3x more than love. God loves a cheerful giver. Is that you?

One of the reasons most commonly offered for why “godward” people are less than enthused about participating in CHURCH is, well, God's people. People are a problem. But, that's not how it was ever supposed to be. What would it take for God's People to reclaim the High Ground?

Why are so many people "in" on God and "out" on Church?We're diving into this question for the next 4 weeks with a way to take the high ground on this deep issue. There is simply no Biblical model for independent Christianity. God's plan for each "me" is to find a "we" that's built on "HE".

We're starting our year off talking about “resiliency in '23”. Towards the end of the sermon, Pastor Fike shared a new poem with us. Here it is: 2023 The dawn of days march ceaselessly, So Often without ponder.As one more year increases we Do stop to think of squander. What have I done? Who've I become? Our minds give space to thought. And, should we choose to silence these, Our questions are for nought. In, '23, dear '23, let fullness fill this soul Let love and life and family and faith affix me whole When morning breaks a year from now, I pray I've no regretsIn ‘23, resiliently it was my best year yet.

What do New Testament Christ-Followers have in common with Old Covenant Judaic believers? Hope in Messiah. They were waiting for Him to come, and we're waiting for Him to come back. But, is “waiting” the right word for the posture of the Bride?

What do you do when you don't like what you've been waiting for once you get it? What if it's not what you wanted, after all? Almost 1800 years after the promise of MESSIAH was made, it was kept. But, what could be so objectionable about Jesus? 
Find out today in week 3 of our WORTH THE WAIT series.

We human beings are a people prone to pronouncement. We love an entrance. We love pomp. We love a show. But, the King of kings and the Lord of lords didn't arrive with a parade or a fireworks display. He came on a silent night from the throneroom of Heaven to the stench of the earth. What does “The Process” of the birth of Jesus tell us about what the Lord is doing in our lives? With a little help from the Chicago Bulls and Steve Harvey, we continue our WORTH THE WAIT series with “The Process”.

What do New Covenant Christians have in common with Old Covenant believers? Waiting. Every Christmas, we purpose to remember the miraculous story of the fulfillment of the most important promise ever made… Jesus. But, that promise almost never got out of the gates. In this series, we'll cover the Promise, the Process, the Prophecies and the Preparation.

Have you ever wondered why Christians, upon making a profession of faith, aren't teleported into Heaven immediately?Have you ever wrestled with the exist-ential questions of life? Why are we here? What is our purpose?Jim Carrey has. Maybe you should too…

The average human being makes:A) 15 bad decisions a dayB) 35,000 decisions each dayC) two good decisions for every knuckle-headed oneD) 122 Informed decisions per dayFind out which is the right answer in this POWERFUL (get it?) message, “The Power of Decision”. Pastor Fike is going to spell out 5 decisions that, at the least, every human being should make once, and at best every believer should make on a daily basis. There is incredible power in ‘decision'. **Stick Around Past the Bumper to hear a special moment with Chuck McKenzie**

Find out how simply being NICE can make an eternal impact on the world around you. Sound too sweet? Too easy? Too simplistic? A vertically challenged tax collector would beg to differ.

In America this year, there has risen to the surface a renewed interest in the debate between “life” and “choice”. Our church's name, “Vanguard” is a military term that signifies the fact that our job as believers in and follower of Jesus Christ is to take the field of battle with vigor and passion, knowing full-well that we do not fight against flesh and blood, but powers and principalities. Rich Bennett is a true Vanguardian. He is on the very bleeding edge of the front-lines of the battle between life and death; literally. You'll learn a lot and garner a greater perspective listening to the stories of a man who loves people well and fights for life every day of his own.

Sometimes, the best advice can come across as the most trite and insincere. When you're walking through a tough season of life, and some well-meaning believer encourages you to “Trust Jesus”, though the advice is sound, the path may remain unclear. How? What does it really mean? What does it require? What does it look like to trust Jesus? We were joined by Mr. THOMAS THOMPSON today hear one perspective on this age-old question.

(Forgive our static this week)There is a huge difference between Good Advice and Good News. Find out what it is as we study the most famous verse from the book of Micah, 6:8. It turns out that that verse isn't exactly what we think it is.

In Part 2 of our Micah series, the minor prophet speaks a major declaration to the leaders of Israel. "Corruption of the Best is the Worst." Find out just how relevant this passage is to 2022 Christianity.

As we enter into this 3-week Sermon Series from the Book of Micah, we will hear 3 clarion calls from the Prophet himself. NOW HEAR THIS… The first message that Micah communicates to God's people is that God is faithful to discipline the ones He loves. Are you willing to invite your Father to bring Holy discipline into your life? Buckle up, Butter-cup… it's coming either way.

As we conclude this series in the Book of Joel, we will be confronted with “The Valley of Decision”, an apocalyptic final-boss-battle for the souls of mankind. As Joel prophecies the details of what happens in the “VOD”, we are, all of us, face-to-face with the decisions we must make to be ready for what will happen on that fateful occasion. Are you ready for the Valley of Decision?

834 years after Joel spoke his prophecy, the Apostle Peter name-checked and quoted him verbatim in order to help to make sense of the birth of the Church and the falling of the Holy Spirit. This is just a small window into how the God of the Bible LOVES to communicate... through Prophecies Spoken and Fulfilled. What does that have to do with you? What does that have to do with today? Could it be that God's not done speaking? (And, what does DJ Khaled have to do with any of this?)

Joel is a book about returning to Right Relationship with God. Choosing not to worship God when things are hard is not ok.Choosing not to give God glory when things are great is not ok. Joel's message to God's people is simple… Turn back to God. Astute listeners to the 9.11.22 podcast might notice that the first 7-8 minutes of today's sermon sound awfully different than the last 30. That's because we had a “board crash”, and Pastor Fike had to re-record the intro. Ah, technology. One more thing… a message to Lucas Laney. Please, oh, please take Pastor Fike up on his offer, and reach out. Our whole church is praying that you choose to let Jesus pay your debt.

The book of Joel is a cautionary, (and gruesome), tale of outright devastation and the lessons that can be learned from it. In Chapter One, as Joel lays out the picture of what's left after the locusts swept through Judah, He is also asking us 3 Crucial Questions we'd do well to pay to attention to.

In the final sermon from the Series, “Creed”, we'll talk about the most dangerous phrase in “The Sending”. God himself could have chosen to be known as majestic, powerful, intimidating, and removed. He could have instructed us to call Him, “Great Majestic Leader”, or “Grand Pub”, or some other such title. Instead, through the life of Jesus, we see clearly that we are to understand Him through the lens of FATHER. That's dangerous, especially since so many of us have a distorted definition of what that word means.

So far, in this Sending Series, we've dealt with issues of identity. But, as we make the turn to home base, it's important that we talk about our part in the Sending, and the 5 hardest words in the entire poem: "I give you my all". ALL is a big number, and one worth examining on a daily basis.