Service Guide

Sunday, May 17, 2026

Welcome & Call to Worship

Psalm 85:10-13 (NIV)

Leader: Welcome to Evanston Bible Fellowship! If you’re new, we invite you to scan the QR code in front of you and fill out the connection card to let us know you’re here. Please stand for our call to worship from Psalm 89, reading the words in bold.

10 Love and faithfulness meet together;
righteousness and peace kiss each other.
11 Faithfulness springs forth from the earth,
and righteousness looks down from heaven.
12 The Lord will indeed give what is good,
and our land will yield its harvest.
13 Righteousness goes before him
and prepares the way for his steps.

Leader: Let’s lift up our hearts and voices in worship!

God Is For Us

Verse 1
We won't fear the battle
We won't fear the night
We will walk the Valley with You by our side
You will go before us
You will lead the way
We have found a refuge only You can save

Chorus
Sing with joy now our God is for us
The Father's love is a strong and mighty fortress
Raise your voice now no love is greater
Who can stand against us if our God is for us

Verse 2
Even when I stumble
Even when I fall
Even when I turn back still Your love is sure
You will not abandon
You will not forsake
You will cheer me onward with never ending grace

Bridge
Neither height nor depth can separate us
Hell and death will not defeat us
He who gave His Son to free us
Holds me in His love

James Ferguson, James Tealy, Jesse Reeves, Jonny Robinson, Michael Farren, Rich Thompson, Tiarne Tranter
CCLI Song #7121853
© 2018 BEC Worship; WriterWrong Music; CityAlight Music; Farren Love And War Publishing; Integrity's Alleluia! Music; My Eleiht Songs
For use solely with the SongSelect® Terms of Use. All rights reserved. www.ccli.com
CCLI License #195574

How Vast The Love

Verse 1
Come gaze upon your Savior
Behold your great High Priest
Draw near in awe and wonder
His cross has spoken peace

Verse 2
Come rest from sin and striving
Find endless stores of grace
The heart that turns to Jesus
Is cleansed from every stain

Chorus
Oh how deep how wide how long
Oh how vast the love of Jesus
Oh how sure how sweet how strong
Oh how vast His love for us

Verse 3
So lift your eyes to Jesus
Arise from doubt and shame
His blood cries it is finished
Our life is in His name

Chorus
Oh how deep how wide how long
Oh how vast the love of Jesus
Oh how sure how sweet how strong
Oh how vast His love for us

Verse 4
What now can separate us
Can death or pain or fear
We have this strong assurance
In Christ we've been brought near

Verse 5
And in His strength we'll labor
His promises our hope
Thus far His love has led us
His love will lead us home

Chorus
Oh how deep how wide how long
Oh how vast the love of Jesus
Oh how sure how sweet how strong
Oh how vast His love for us

Joel Sczebel, Lacy Hudson, Marc Willerton
CCLI Song #7138111
© Sovereign Grace Praise; Sovereign Grace Worship
For use solely with the SongSelect® Terms of Use. All rights reserved. www.ccli.com
CCLI License #195574

Holy Forever

Verse 1
A thousand generations falling down in worship
To sing the song of ages to the Lamb
And all who've gone before us
And all who will believe
Will sing the song of ages to the Lamb

Pre-Chorus
(Jesus) Your name is the highest
Your name is the greatest
Your name stands above them all
All thrones and dominions
All powers and positions
Your name stands above them all

Chorus 1
And the angels cry Holy
All creation cries Holy
You are lifted high Holy
Holy forever

Verse 2
If you've been forgiven and if you've been redeemed
Sing the song forever to the Lamb
If you walk in freedom and if you bear His name
Sing the song forever to the Lamb
We'll sing the song forever and amen

Chorus 2
Hear Your people sing Holy
To the King of Kings Holy
You will always be Holy
Holy forever

Tag
You will always be Holy
Holy forever

Brian Johnson, Chris Tomlin, Jason Ingram, Jenn Johnson, Phil Wickham
CCLI Song #7201044
© 2022 Brian and Jenn Publishing; Capitol CMG Paragon; S. D. G. Publishing; Be Essential Songs; My Magnolia Music; Phil Wickham Music; Simply Global Songs; Bethel Music Publishing
For use solely with the SongSelect® Terms of Use. All rights reserved. www.ccli.com
CCLI License #195574

Confession & Assurance

Leader: Please join us in this prayer of confession, reading the words in bold:

Eternal God, we confess our sin to you:we have not done your will;we have broken your law; we have rebelled against your love; we have not loved our neighbors; we have not heard the cry of the needy. Forgive us, we pray. Free us for joyful obedience. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Leader: Hear the good news from Psalm 32:1-2:

1 Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. 2 Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord does not count against them and in whose spirit is no deceit.

Leader: (Pray for the kids, dismiss them, and invite people to greet one another.)

Scripture Reading: 2 John 1-13 (NIV)

Leader: Please return and remain standing (as you are able) for today’s Scripture reading from 2 John 1-13. After the reading, the response will be, “Thanks be to God.

1 The elder,
To the lady chosen by God and to her children, whom I love in the truth—and not I only, but also all who know the truth—2 because of the truth, which lives in us and will be with us forever:
3 Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Father’s Son, will be with us in truth and love.
4 It has given me great joy to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as the Father commanded us. 5 And now, dear lady, I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning. I ask that we love one another. 6 And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love.
7 I say this because many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist. 8 Watch out that you do not lose what we have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully. 9 Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take them into your house or welcome them. 11 Anyone who welcomes them shares in their wicked work.
12 I have much to write to you, but I do not want to use paper and ink. Instead, I hope to visit you and talk with you face to face, so that our joy may be complete.
13 The children of your sister, who is chosen by God, send their greetings.

Leader: The Word of the Lord.

All: Thanks be to God!

Leader: You may be seated.

Message: Pastor Tim Allen

“That You May Know” (1 John 5:13-21)

Know that God has given us eternal life (v. 13).
Know that God hears and answers our prayers (vv. 14-17).
Know that God protects his children (vv. 18-19).
Know that God is the only true God (vv. 20-21).

Ethos Questions:

Read the text. Then read it again in another version. Then summarize the text as best you can.
What stands out to you from the text? What questions does it raise?
What does this text reveal to us about God?
What does this text reveal to us about ourselves and how we should respond to God?
How does this text in particular drive these truths home?
If this text did not exist, what would we be missing?
What problem or question is the text solving or answering? What issue is it addressing?
What solution or answer does the text offer to the primary issue it is addressing?
How does the text connect with the gospel?
How will you commit to obey the text this week?
With whom can you share what you have learned from the text?

Build My Life

Verse 1
Worthy of ev'ry song we could ever sing
Worthy of all the praise we could ever bring
Worthy of ev'ry breath we could ever breathe
We live for You

Verse 2
Jesus the name above ev'ry other name
Jesus the only one who could ever save
Worthy of ev'ry breath we could ever breathe
We live for You
We live for You

Chorus
Holy there is no one like You
There is none beside You
Open up my eyes in wonder and show me who You are
And fill me with Your heart
And lead me in Your love to those around me

Bridge
I will build my life upon Your love
It is a firm foundation
I will put my trust in You alone
And I will not be shaken

Brett Younker, Karl Martin, Kirby Kaple, Matt Redman, Pat Barrett
CCLI Song #7070345
© 2016 Kaple Music; Capitol CMG Genesis; Housefires Sounds; Said And Done Music; sixsteps Music; Thankyou Music; Vamos Publishing; worshiptogether.com songs; Martin, Karl Andrew; Bethel Music Publishing
For use solely with the SongSelect® Terms of Use. All rights reserved. www.ccli.com
CCLI License #195574

Communion & Prayers of the People

Living Hope

Verse 1
How great the chasm that lay between us
How high the mountain I could not climb
In desperation I turned to heaven
And spoke Your name into the night
Then through the darkness Your loving-kindness
Tore through the shadows of my soul
The work is finished the end is written
Jesus Christ my living hope

Verse 2
Who could imagine so great a mercy
What heart could fathom such boundless grace
The God of ages stepped down from glory
To wear my sin and bear my shame
The cross has spoken I am forgiven
The King of kings calls me His own
Beautiful Savior I’m Yours forever
Jesus Christ my living hope

Chorus
Hallelujah praise the One who set me free
Hallelujah death has lost its grip on me
You have broken every chain
There’s salvation in Your name
Jesus Christ my living hope

Verse 3
Then came the morning that sealed the promise
Your buried body began to breathe
Out of the silence the Roaring Lion
Declared the grave has no claim on me
(REPEAT)
Jesus Yours is the victory whoa

Ending
Jesus Christ my living hope
Oh God You are my living hope

Brian Johnson, Phil Wickham
CCLI Song #7106807
© 2017 Phil Wickham Music; Simply Global Songs; Sing My Songs; Bethel Music Publishing
For use solely with the SongSelect® Terms of Use. All rights reserved. www.ccli.com
CCLI License #195574