In this week’s message, Pastor Bret Avlakeotes shares why we’re not meant to do life alone — and how true spiritual growth happens in community. Drawing from Ecclesiastes and the teachings of Paul, he reminds us that we are stronger, wiser, and more resilient when we walk alongside others.

In a culture that values independence, this message challenges us to lean into connection — to bear one another’s burdens, celebrate each other’s victories, and reflect Christ’s love in every relationship.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why biblical community is essential for spiritual health.

• How to strengthen your relationships through encouragement and grace.

• What it means to reflect God’s love by putting others before yourself.

In this week’s message, Pastor Bret Avlakeotes continues through Philippians 4, showing how Paul discovered the secret to lasting contentment. While the world tells us contentment comes from comfort or control, Paul reveals it’s found in Christ alone. Drawing from verses 10–13, Pastor Bret breaks down the “secret” Paul learned—rejoicing in every circumstance, relying on God’s faithfulness, and resting in Christ’s presence.

If you’ve ever felt like peace and satisfaction were just out of reach, this message will challenge and encourage you to find true contentment—not in what you have or don’t have, but in the One who gives you strength.

How do you know if you’re really growing in your faith? In this week’s message from Philippians 3, Pastor Bret Avlakeotes challenges us to look at what progress in our walk with Jesus actually looks like. It’s not about perfection or performance—but about direction, focus, and what we’re chasing after.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• What it means to truly make progress in your relationship with Jesus.

• Why spiritual maturity isn’t about “having arrived,” but about continually pressing forward.

• How fixing your eyes on Christ changes the way you see your past, your goals, and your daily life.

When conflict flares—at home, at work, even at church—Scripture shows a better way. Working from Philippians 2, Pastor Bret Avlakeotes explains why conflicts happen and how unity grows through humility, listening, prayer, and choosing the mindset of Jesus—laying down our “rights” to serve others. Jesus showed us the example of humility by giving up His own rights to serve others, even to the cross. When we follow His example, God promises to lift us up in His perfect timing.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• The real reason conflicts happen—and how selfishness keeps them going.

• Simple ways to bring peace: listen first, speak less, and pray instead of pushing your own way.

• How to put others before yourself in everyday life and relationships.

• Why Jesus’ humility is the key to unity and how God lifts up those who choose it.

Kicking off our new series in Philippians, Pastor Bret Avlakeotes talks about the difference between short-term happiness and lasting, Spirit-given joy. From Paul’s house arrest in Rome, we see how the gospel advanced—even into Caesar’s household—and why real joy can thrive in hard circumstances. You’ll be invited to make Paul’s line your own: “For me, to live is Christ,” and to anchor your joy in God’s presence, promises, and purpose.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• How biblical joy differs from happiness (source, duration, focus, and result).

• Why Paul had joy in prison and how God used his chains to spread the gospel.

• A practical lens for your own circumstances: joy as trusting God’s sovereign work right where you are.

• What “to live is Christ, and to die is gain” means for everyday hope and courage.

When life says “be strong and stay in control,” God turns it upside down—His power shows up best when we admit our weakness. In 2 Corinthians 12, Pastor Bret Avlakeotes shares Paul’s story about a “thorn in the flesh” and what it teaches us about God’s strength, grace, and purpose in our struggles. You’ll be reminded that the things we wish God would take away are often the very things He uses to draw us closer to Him.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why God sometimes allows weakness to keep us humble and dependent on Him.

• What it means when God says, “My grace is sufficient for you.”

• How to find real strength by relying on God instead of yourself.

When the world tells us to avoid pain and chase comfort, God calls us to something different—strength in weakness, hope in trials, and a perspective that looks beyond this life. In 2 Corinthians 4, Pastor Bret Avlakeotes shows how even though our bodies wear out, God is renewing us daily on the inside. Hardships may feel heavy, but compared to the eternal glory waiting for us, they are light and temporary.

In this episode you’ll learn:

How to find strength in weakness.

How to view hardships through the lens of eternity.

How to stay encouraged when life feels overwhelming.

In week one of Upside Down, Pastor Bret Avlakeotes uncovers how God’s way often flips the world’s values on their head. True confidence isn’t built on self-promotion but on the Spirit of God working through us. The good life isn’t about striving harder—it’s about trusting deeper and letting Christ’s power be enough.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why the values of God’s kingdom turn the world’s wisdom upside down.

• How real confidence doesn’t come from self but from the Spirit’s work within us.

• What it looks like to move from trusting in yourself to fully depending on God.