Hills Church Podcast

Hills Church
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Welcome to the Hills Church Podcast. Every week we share the latest message from Hills Church in Everton Hills, Queensland. Our teaching is centred on God’s Word and focused on helping people know Jesus, grow in their faith, and live it out every day. Whether you’re part of our church family or listening from somewhere else in the world, we’re glad you’re here. New episodes are released weekly. Learn more at hillschurch.org.au.

  1. Aug 2

    Making Disciples, Planting Churches | Øivind Augland from M4

    2 August 2026This week, we welcomed guest speaker Øivind Augland from M4, who shared a message from 1 John 2 about spiritual maturity. Using John's picture of children, young people, and fathers, Øivind challenged us to keep growing in Christ, live from God's grace and strength, and embrace our role in making disciples across every generation.Notes:Speaking from 1 John 2:12-14, Øivind explores the journey of spiritual growth and reminds us that following Jesus is not meant to remain at the same stage. God calls every believer to mature, becoming people who know His love, live by His power, and help others follow Christ.Spiritual maturity begins as children of GodEvery follower of Jesus begins with the same foundation.John reminds us that our sins are forgiven because of Christ and that we know the Father.Øivind explains that spiritual childhood is built on three essential experiences:• Encountering God personally.• Placing our faith in Jesus.• Committing ourselves to God's family, the Church.Just as we know honey is sweet because we have tasted it, Christianity is not merely about information. We are invited to experience the goodness of God for ourselves.Reflecting on his own life, Øivind shared how burnout at the age of 24 led him into a deeper understanding of God's grace, forgiveness, and unconditional love. He discovered that God's grace is the deepest place of rest, where we no longer need to perform or pretend.Growing into spiritual maturityJohn next addresses the "young men", those who are growing in spiritual strength.This stage is marked by three characteristics:• We are strong because Christ lives in us through the Holy Spirit.• God's Word shapes our thinking, decisions, and priorities.• We overcome the evil one, not through our own strength, but through Christ's victory.True maturity comes as our confidence shifts from ourselves to Jesus.His strength becomes our strength.His grace sustains us in weakness.His victory becomes the place from which we live.God's mission includes every believerØivind shared the story of church planting in his home city in Norway and the work of M4 across Europe.He reminded us that every Christian is invited into God's mission of making disciples and planting healthy churches.The Great Commission is centred on Christ, empowered by His presence, and fuelled by His power.Mission is not reserved for a few people.Every believer has a role in reaching others with the gospel.Every generation has a purposeUsing the picture of an arrow, Øivind described how every generation has a unique role within God's Kingdom.Young people are often the prophetic generation, called to courageously reach their own generation for Christ.Those in the middle years provide stability, wisdom, mentoring, and safe places where younger believers can grow.Older believers are spiritual fathers and mothers whose wisdom, prayer, encouragement, and investment help strengthen the whole Church.Healthy churches intentionally invest in every generation while continually raising up the next one.Becoming spiritual fathers and mothersThe goal of discipleship is not simply personal growth.It is becoming people who help others follow Jesus.Spiritual fathers and mothers open their homes, invest in people, encourage younger believers, and create environments where faith can flourish.Even those carrying personal pain or disappointment are still called and able to invest in others.God continues to use willing hearts.Key Scriptures1 John 2:12-141 Peter 2:2-52 Corinthians 12:9Psalm 34:8Matthew 28:18-20Key ThoughtSpiritual maturity is a lifelong journey of knowing God's love, living in His strength, growing through His Word, and investing in the next generation so others can follow Christ.

  2. Jul 26

    Ephesians: Holy Temple | Rev. Nathan Bell

    In this message, Pastor Nathan concludes Ephesians chapter 2 by exploring the Church as God's family and His holy temple. Rather than being defined by buildings or programmes, the Church is a people who have been brought together through Christ, shaped by His character, and filled with His Spirit to fulfil His purposes in the world.Notes:Continuing through Ephesians 2:19-22, Pastor Nathan reminds us of last week's message that Jesus brings outsiders into God's family through grace. What matters most is not our religious background, knowledge, or traditions, but whether our hearts have been transformed by Christ.Every believer is welcomed into God's family through faith.Paul tells the Gentile believers they are no longer strangers or foreigners. Instead, they are citizens of God's Kingdom and members of His family. This is more than an illustration. Through Christ we have been spiritually adopted as sons and daughters of God.The Church is a family.Jesus Himself described those who follow Him as His brothers and sisters. Our identity is no longer based on nationality, culture, denomination, or background. We belong to one spiritual family with God as our Father and Christ as the head of the Church.The Church is a together family.Pastor Nathan challenges the modern mindset of individualism and consumerism that can shape the way we think about church. Church is not something we simply attend or consume. It is a family we belong to.Like any healthy family, every member has a role to play. Together we carry responsibility for welcoming others, serving one another, and contributing to the health and mission of God's Church.We are not attenders at God's house.Together, we are His house.The Church is God's holy temple.Paul describes believers as being carefully joined together to become a holy temple where God dwells by His Spirit.While church buildings are valuable, God's dwelling place is no longer a physical building. Wherever God's people gather in Christ, filled with the Holy Spirit, His presence is there.Holiness has two important aspects:• Separation from sin and the values of the world.• Consecration to God's purposes.Followers of Jesus are called to turn away from selfishness, greed, hatred, prejudice, division, and every form of sin. At the same time, we dedicate our lives, our gifts, our families, and everything we have to serving Christ and His Kingdom.The Church is founded and shaped by Christ.Paul describes Jesus as the cornerstone upon which the entire Church is built.Just as every stone in a building is aligned to the cornerstone, every believer is being shaped to reflect Christ.Our attitudes, humility, forgiveness, love, service, and obedience are all formed by the example of Jesus.The Church only fulfils its purpose when Christ remains its foundation and every believer aligns their life with Him.Pastor Nathan finishes by encouraging the Church to ask two important questions:• Am I embracing God's plan for me within His family?• When people encounter us, do they simply see a church building, or do they experience the love, grace, and life of Jesus through His people?As God's family and His holy temple, we are called to reflect Christ together so the world encounters Him through us.Key Scriptures:Ephesians 2:19-22Galatians 6:15Matthew 12:48-50John 1:12-13Key Thought:The Church is God's family and His holy temple, built on Christ, shaped by His character, and filled with His Spirit to reveal Jesus to the world.Find out more about Jesus⁠https://hillschurch.org.au/Jesus⁠Find the answers to life's biggest questions. Try Alpha.⁠https://hillschurch.org.au/alpha⁠Can we pray for you? Request prayer.⁠https://hillschurch.org.au/⁠ and click 'Prayer Request' Button.#hillschurch #thegospelofjohn #evertonhills #brisbanechurch #brisbane #wesleyanmethodistchurch #hillschurchsermon

  3. Jul 19

    Ephesians: Barriers | Rev. Nathan Bell

    19 July 2026In this message, Pastor Nathan continues our Ephesians series by exploring how Jesus breaks down barriers and brings outsiders into the family of God. Ephesians 2 reminds us that the Church is called to be a place of peace, unity, grace, and welcome, where people from every background can draw near to God through Christ.Notes:In this message, Pastor Nathan continues our Ephesians series by looking at Ephesians 2:11-18 and God’s vision for a united Church.Paul reminds the Gentile believers that they were once outsiders. They lived apart from Christ, separated from God’s promises and without hope. But through the blood of Jesus, those who were once far away have been brought near.Jesus brings outsiders in.Pastor Nathan explains that the early Church faced deep divisions between Jewish and Gentile believers. Some Jewish Christians placed barriers in front of Gentiles by expecting them to follow Jewish laws, customs, and traditions before they could fully belong.Paul strongly rejects this idea. Our way to God is through Christ alone.There is no hierarchy of believers under Jesus. It does not matter whether someone is male or female, rich or poor, Jewish or Gentile. We are brought together through one cross, one Spirit, and one body.Christ brings peace to our differences.Through His death on the cross, Jesus broke down the wall of hostility between people. He did not simply bring two divided groups into the same room. He created one new people from them.The Church should therefore be a place where people with significant differences can find peace and unity under Christ.Pastor Nathan challenges the Church to consider the barriers we may unintentionally place in front of others. These barriers may relate to:• Social or economic background• Culture or ethnicity• Political views• Age or generation• Disability or ability• Lifestyle, addiction, or past mistakes• Harsh attitudes, judgement, shame, or unhealthy leadershipThe Church must never become a place where people feel they need to clean themselves up before they are welcome.Pastor Nathan uses the image of a shower outside a swimming pool. Sometimes Christians can unintentionally communicate that people must become clean before entering the Church. But the Church is where people come to encounter Jesus, and it is Jesus who cleans, saves, and transforms.We do not clean people. The blood of Jesus does.This does not mean watering down the truth of Scripture or ignoring holiness. The Holy Spirit transforms people and calls us into a new life. But people must first be welcomed close enough to experience the love, grace, truth, and transforming power of Christ.Pastor Nathan also distinguishes between healthy boundaries and harmful barriers. Healthy churches need boundaries, but we should never create barriers that Jesus would not create.The challenge is to look honestly at our own attitudes and actions.Do people experience the love of Jesus when they encounter us?Do our words and behaviour draw people towards Christ, or make it harder for them to come near?The Church is precious to God. As His body, we are called to reflect His heart, welcome outsiders, embrace people who are different from us, and become a place where hostility is replaced by peace.Key Scriptures:Ephesians 2:11-18Galatians 2Galatians 3:28John 2:13-17Key Thought:Jesus breaks down barriers and brings outsiders in. The Church should be a place where people from every background can draw near to God through Christ.#hillschurch #beencouraged #nathanbell #evertonhills #brisbanechurch #brisbane #wesleyanmethodistchurch #hillschurchsermon

  4. Jul 12

    Ephesians: Alive | Rev. Nathan Bell

    In this message, Pastor Nathan continues our Ephesians series by moving into Ephesians chapter 2.Paul begins with a clear description of humanity’s spiritual condition. Without Christ, we were spiritually dead because of sin, shaped by the world, influenced by the enemy, and driven by our sinful desires.This is not written to condemn us. It reminds us where we have come from and helps us understand the depth of what God has done.Then Paul introduces two of the most important words in Scripture:“But God.”God intervened.He did not act because we earned it or achieved something that forced Him to respond. He acted because He is rich in mercy and because He loved us so deeply.Pastor Nathan highlights several things God has done for us:1. He gave us lifeThough we were spiritually dead, God made us alive with Christ.A dead person cannot bring themselves back to life. Our rescue is entirely God’s work.2. He raised us with ChristThrough our union with Jesus, we have been brought into a new spiritual reality.We are no longer defined by death, sin, or our past. We are alive in Christ.3. He made us examples of His graceFollowers of Jesus are living examples of God’s mercy, kindness, and grace.Our transformed lives show others what God can do.4. He created us as His masterpieceEphesians 2:10 describes us as God’s workmanship or masterpiece.We are not finished products. God is still shaping, refining, restoring, and transforming us into something beautiful.5. He gave us a purposeSalvation is not the end of the journey. It is the beginning.God has prepared good works for us to do. There is a person He is forming us to become and a purpose He has prepared for us to fulfil.Pastor Nathan uses the illustration of hiking the Larapinta Trail to describe life with Jesus.The trail can be steep, difficult, tiring, and uncertain. There are mountains, valleys, dry stretches, and moments when giving up feels tempting.But the trail has been prepared.There are markers that keep us moving in the right direction. There are moments of rest, refreshment, growth, and breathtaking beauty. Over time, we build wisdom, endurance, trust, and resilience.Walking with Jesus is similar.There are mountains to climb, including addiction, anger, controlling behaviour, unhealthy patterns, or the difficult work of forgiveness.There are also valleys of grief, trauma, mental health struggles, broken relationships, and health concerns.Even through those valleys, Jesus has prepared a path. He walks with us, strengthens us, guides us, carries us, and reminds us not to give up.The Christian life is not always easy or comfortable. Being alive in Christ does not mean everything suddenly becomes simple.It means we no longer walk alone.Pastor Nathan closes with this challenge:Are you fully embracing the new life Christ has given you?It is time to stop creating our own path and trust the trail Jesus has prepared.Key Scriptures:Ephesians 2:1-10Romans 6:12-13Galatians 5:16John 10:10Key Thought:You were spiritually dead, but God made you alive in Christ. You are His masterpiece, created with purpose and called to follow the path He has prepared for you.

  5. Jul 5

    Ephesians: Paul's Prayer For Us | Rev. Nathan Bell

    5 July 2026In this message, Pastor Nathan continues our Ephesians series by looking at Paul’s prayer for the church in Ephesians 1. This passage reminds us that the Church is the body of Christ, called to know God deeply, have hearts filled with His light, and live through the same power that raised Jesus from the dead.Notes:In this message, Pastor Nathan continues our series in Ephesians by looking at the second half of chapter 1.Paul writes this part of the letter as a prayer for the church. His prayer shows what matters deeply to him and what he longs to see formed in God’s people.Pastor Nathan begins by reminding us that Paul describes the Church as the body of Christ. Christ is the head, and the Church is His living presence in the world. We are not a monument, museum, club, or society. We are the people through whom Christ acts, speaks, serves, and loves.As the body of Christ, the Church is called to bring the presence of Jesus into the world, share the gospel, care for those in need, show sacrificial love, and reflect His transformed character.Pastor Nathan highlights three key parts of Paul’s prayer:1. Know God through spiritual wisdomPaul prays that the church would receive spiritual wisdom and insight so they may grow in their knowledge of God.This is not just about knowing information about Jesus. It is about knowing Him personally. Like any relationship, knowing Jesus grows through time, attention, love, prayer, worship, Scripture, silence, and listening.As we know Jesus more deeply, we grow in wisdom, insight, character, and obedience.2. Have hearts flooded with lightPaul prays that their hearts would be filled with light so they can understand the confident hope God has given them.Pastor Nathan explains that the heart is where our character, desires, hopes, and attitudes are formed. We need the light of Christ to shine there, even into the places we may prefer to keep hidden.As Jesus shines His light in our hearts, He brings truth, grace, freedom, peace, and hope.3. Know God’s power for usPaul prays that believers would understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for those who believe.This is the same power that raised Christ from the dead. It is not a small leftover power. It is resurrection power.Pastor Nathan reminds us that this power is not only for signs and wonders. It is also the power to live a transformed life. It is the power to defeat sinful patterns, overcome addictions, move from pride to humility, grow in patience, love sacrificially, and become more like Jesus.The message closes with the challenge to not only know about God’s power, but to experience it personally.Paul’s prayer is still a prayer for the Church today: that we would be spiritually wise, truly know Jesus, have enlightened hearts, and live through the power of the Holy Spirit.Key Scriptures:Ephesians 1:15-23John 17:3Romans 6:5-6Key Thought:The Church is the body of Christ, called to know Jesus deeply, live with hearts full of His light, and be changed by His resurrection power.Find out more about Jesus⁠https://hillschurch.org.au/Jesus⁠Find the answers to life's biggest questions. Try Alpha.⁠https://hillschurch.org.au/alpha⁠Can we pray for you? Request prayer.⁠https://hillschurch.org.au/⁠ and click 'Prayer Request' Button.To give/tithe to the work of Hills Church, follow the link below⁠https://hillschurch.org.au/give⁠#hillschurch #thegospelofjohn #evertonhills #brisbanechurch #brisbane #wesleyanmethodistchurch #hillschurchsermon

  6. Jun 28

    Ephesians: Amazing Grace | Rev. Nathan Bell

    28 June 2026In this message, Pastor Nathan begins our new series in Ephesians by introducing Paul’s letter and the big themes that will shape the weeks ahead. Ephesians points us to God’s grace, our unity in Christ, the assurance of our salvation, and the new life we are called to live through the power of the Holy Spirit.Notes:In this message, Pastor Nathan begins our new series in Ephesians by helping us understand where this letter fits within the bigger story of the Bible.Pastor Nathan explains that the Bible is a collection of books, written in different genres, but all beautifully woven together into one grand story. From creation, to humanity’s fall, to God’s plan of redemption, the whole Bible points us to Jesus Christ.Ephesians sits within the New Testament letters. It was written by the Apostle Paul to the church in Ephesus, a mostly Gentile church in a major city of the Roman Empire. Paul had spent significant time with this church, and this letter was written to encourage believers in their faith.Pastor Nathan highlights three major themes in Ephesians:1. Understanding God’s grace and the assurance of our salvation.2. Embracing our unity and oneness in Christ.3. Learning how Christians live differently because of what Christ has done.Looking at Ephesians 1:1-14, Pastor Nathan reminds us of the incredible blessings God has given us in Christ. We are loved, chosen, adopted into God’s family, forgiven, set free, and given an inheritance. The Holy Spirit is God’s guarantee that we belong to Him.All of this flows from God’s glorious grace. Grace means receiving God’s free and undeserved favour and kindness. We did not earn it, and we do not deserve it, but God gives it freely through Jesus.Pastor Nathan also reminds us that grace does not stop at salvation. God’s grace draws us, convicts us, pardons us, keeps us, strengthens us, and changes us. Grace is not just a holding place. It is God’s power at work in us.The message closes with an invitation to receive God’s grace again, whether for the first time or as a fresh reminder. Pastor Nathan points to the assurance we can have in Christ, even in the face of death, because Jesus has saved us, loves us, and has made us His own.Key Scriptures:Ephesians 1:1-14Romans 10:9-10Key Thought:God’s grace saves us, keeps us, strengthens us, and changes us. In Christ, we are loved, chosen, forgiven, free, and secure in God’s family.Find out more about Jesus⁠https://hillschurch.org.au/Jesus⁠Find the answers to life's biggest questions. Try Alpha.⁠https://hillschurch.org.au/alpha⁠Can we pray for you? Request prayer.⁠https://hillschurch.org.au/⁠ and click 'Prayer Request' Button.To give/tithe to the work of Hills Church, follow the link below⁠https://hillschurch.org.au/give⁠#hillschurch #beencouraged #nathanbell #evertonhills #brisbanechurch #brisbane #wesleyanmethodistchurch #hillschurchsermon

  7. Jun 21

    Jesus + Anything Ruins Everything | Kate Southward

    21 June 2026In this message, Kate takes a look at Paul’s letter to the Galatians and the simple but powerful truth of the gospel: salvation comes by grace alone, through faith alone, in Jesus alone. This message challenges us to recognise the ways we may add human effort, religious performance, or feelings of unworthiness to the finished work of Christ.Notes: In this message, we look at Galatians and the danger of drifting from the gospel of grace into a faith built on performance.The message begins with the story of Martin Luther and the Protestant Reformation. Luther lived in a time when many people believed they had to work throughout their lives to remain acceptable to God. Through his study of Scripture, especially Galatians, he rediscovered the central truth of the Christian faith: we are made right with God by grace alone, through faith alone, in Jesus alone.Paul wrote Galatians to churches that were facing a similar problem. They had received the gospel of grace, but new teachers were telling them they needed to add obedience to the Old Testament law, including circumcision, to truly belong to God’s family.Paul responds strongly because this was not a small issue. A gospel of “Jesus plus” is not the gospel at all. If we add anything to the finished work of Jesus, we strip the cross of its power.The message reminds us that good works matter, but they do not save us. Baptism, prayer, Bible reading, generosity, serving, and spiritual growth are good responses to God’s grace. They are not ways to earn His grace.The danger comes when we start to believe, even quietly, that we need to perform for God to be accepted by Him. This can show up as legalism, self-righteousness, religious activity, judging others, or a transactional faith where we think, “If I do this, God will do that.”It can also show up in a more hidden way: feeling unworthy, never good enough, exhausted from striving, or unable to truly believe we are forgiven and loved by God.The message invites us to ask the Holy Spirit to reveal the shadows we may have brought into our faith journey. These hidden beliefs and experiences can shape how we see God, ourselves, and grace.The good news is that Jesus has already done everything needed for our salvation. We do not need to strive for a place in God’s family. In Christ, we are already loved, accepted, forgiven, and free.The challenge is not only to receive the gospel of Jesus alone for ourselves, but to make sure our words, actions, and attitudes do not communicate “Jesus plus” to others.When people encounter us, do they experience the burden of religious performance or the freedom of Jesus alone?Key Scriptures:Galatians 1:6-10Galatians 2:16Galatians 2:21Galatians 3:21-26Galatians 5:1Ephesians 2:8-9James 2Matthew 11:28-30Key Thought:Jesus plus anything else ruins everything. Salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Jesus alone.______________________________Find out more about Jesus⁠https://hillschurch.org.au/Jesus⁠Find the answers to life's biggest questions. Try Alpha.⁠https://hillschurch.org.au/alpha⁠Can we pray for you? Request prayer.⁠https://hillschurch.org.au/⁠ and click 'Prayer Request' Button.To give/tithe to the work of Hills Church, follow the link below⁠https://hillschurch.org.au/give⁠#hillschurch #beencouraged #katesouthward #evertonhills #brisbanechurch #brisbane #wesleyanmethodistchurch #hillschurchsermon

  8. Jun 14

    Compassion Australia | Simon Ward

    14 June 2026 Find out more about Jesus⁠ https://hillschurch.org.au/Jesus⁠ Find the answers to life's biggest questions. Try Alpha.⁠ https://hillschurch.org.au/alpha⁠ Can we pray for you? Request prayer.⁠ https://hillschurch.org.au/⁠ and click 'Prayer Request' Button. To give/tithe to the work of Hills Church, follow the link below⁠ https://hillschurch.org.au/give⁠ Sermon Notes: What happens when the storms of life hit? In this message, Simon Ward from Compassion Australia challenges us to consider whether we live “outside in” or “inside out”. Looking at Jesus calming the storm in Luke 8, Simon suggests that perhaps the greatest miracle was not that Jesus calmed the storm, but that He could sleep through it. Jesus carried such peace within Him that the chaos around Him did not control Him. As followers of Christ, we have the Holy Spirit living within us. The question is not what is happening around us, but what is coming out of us. Are we allowing the pressures, fears, and struggles of life to shape us from the outside in? Or are we allowing God’s peace, joy, and presence to flow from the inside out? Drawing on his work with Compassion Australia, Simon reminds us that poverty, hardship, and suffering do not have to define a person’s identity. His powerful challenge is this: “You may be in poverty, but poverty doesn’t have to be in you.” No matter what storm you are facing today, Jesus promises not a trouble-free life, but His presence in the midst of it. In Him we find an unknowable love, an inexpressible joy, and a peace that surpasses understanding. Key Scriptures: Luke 8:22-25 Ephesians 1-3 Acts 27 Key Thought: Don’t let the storm around you determine what happens within you. Let the peace of Christ flow from the inside out. #hillschurch #beencouraged #nathanbell #evertonhills #brisbanechurch #brisbane #wesleyanmethodistchurch #hillschurchsermon #compassion #compassionaustralia #simonward

    Compassion Australia | Simon Ward
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About

Welcome to the Hills Church Podcast. Every week we share the latest message from Hills Church in Everton Hills, Queensland. Our teaching is centred on God’s Word and focused on helping people know Jesus, grow in their faith, and live it out every day. Whether you’re part of our church family or listening from somewhere else in the world, we’re glad you’re here. New episodes are released weekly. Learn more at hillschurch.org.au.

Information

  • Creator
    Hills Church
  • Years Active
    2010 - 2026
  • Episodes
    390
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Hills Church
  • Show Website
    Hills Church Podcast