Freed, Forgiven, Loved.
Photos by Marie Dufour
Face down on the floor of a prison cell, emotions welling in his chest, Brent Springer was officially done. There was not a lot more that he could lose in that moment. He was done—done living for himself and following his rules, done pursuing his selfish desires, done with the addiction that led to him to prison. He was done. This was not the doneness of the man one month prior, the suicidal intentions that led to him injuring another person, but the doneness that ended in surrender.
Surrender. His ways of living, surrendered to God’s ways. His wants and needs, surrendered to God’s greater plan for his life. This is Brent’s story.
Brent was adopted as a baby by Norm and Joyce Springer. He was raised in a loving, supportive family and was pretty happy growing up. But as he entered his teens, Brent began to experience some deep, negative emotions. At age 13, he was diagnosed with depression and was subsequently put on antidepressants. He discovered that alcohol helped numb the pain and provided escape from what he was feeling. Physical fights with other students in high school was a frequent occurrence for Brent. Hoping that a change in environment would help, Brent’s parents enrolled him in a private Christian school in Omaha during his freshman year. However, an external change wasn’t enough to keep him from returning to his old habits and friends. After two semesters there, he switched to a different school, once again hoping that this time it would be different. He finished high school at Lewis Central and made plans to attend a small Christian college in rural Iowa. After starting his freshman year at the college, he quickly determined the school wasn’t a good fit and returned to Council Bluffs. He started attending Iowa Western and studied criminal justice, but just felt lost and purposeless. Something was missing in his life.
At nineteen, Brent met a recruiter for the United States Marine Corps (USMC). After talking with the recruiter for several weeks, Brent decided to enlist. He spent his twentieth birthday at boot camp in San Diego, was transferred to South Carolina, and then spent two years in Okinawa, Japan. Though he had left the situations that he felt pulled him down, addiction followed him wherever he went. Brent eventually got married while serving in the USMC. After five years of military service, he was honorably discharged, and he and his wife moved to Omaha. Neither Brent nor his wife were really trying in their marriage, and one evening after a particularly bad fight, she packed her things and left. Brent turned to his familiar comfort and began drinking. Two of his friends showed up and drank with him in solidarity.
Brent found himself in a situation he had never envisioned—behind bars.
In that moment, life shifted. Angry and hurting, Brent reached for his gun, ready to end his life. The weight of depression, alcoholism, and his marriage falling apart was too much to carry. In a valiant attempt to save Brent’s life, his friends attempted to take the gun from him. In the struggle, Brent shot and injured his coworker and shot at the other man who was unharmed. Brent found himself in a situation he had never envisioned—being arrested and placed behind bars.
His family was heartbroken. His sister called CCC and asked that Lead Minister Mark Ashton to visit Brent in jail. Mark visited Brent and then shared his story with CCC’s Director of Counseling, Marc Montanye, who began to visit Brent regularly.
Brent returned to his roots and requested a Bible, which he began to read voraciously. During the month of September, he realized the weight of his sin and his desperate need for God’s forgiveness. He lay prostrate in his cell, crying out to God for the forgiveness of his sins. “Lord, I’ve seen where my way leads me, and I don’t wanna be here. I want you to change me. I’m going to do it your way now.” His heartfelt prayer on the prison cell floor led to a soul transformation. When others said offensive things to him, it no longer bothered him. Things that would have led to a physical fight in previous years didn’t affect him. He recognized that his identity was not based in what others thought of him, whether good or bad, but was based in Jesus Christ. A deep love of Scripture was planted in his heart and he read through the Bible three times within several months. Montanye began discipling Brent and a friendship flourished between them. As his faith continued to grow, Brent shared his love for the Bible by leading Bible studies for other men in prison. As his heart was transformed, he desired to ask the man he injured for forgiveness. Brent and Marc began praying that forgiveness would happen one day.
At his sentencing in 2015, Brent received ten to twenty years to be served in the Nebraska State Penitentiary. He would be eligible for parole in five years. Though the weight of the sentencing was heavy, Brent did not despair. God continued to mold Brent as a disciple through mentoring relationships and an educational program through the Christian and Missionary Alliance. Brent started the Ministerial Study Program through the C&MA’s Church Leadership Academy. While prison is not an ideal place to complete a degree, Brent persevered in his studies. Every night before he went to sleep, he asked God to wake him up at 3 AM so that he could complete his homework without disturbing other people in his cell block.
Nearing the end of the five years, in March 2019, Brent was transferred to the Community Corrections Center in Omaha, which allowed him to begin attending Christ Community Church. He was paroled on August 28, 2019, and was able to begin working. The profound healing that Brent has experienced has led him to helping others heal from their traumas. He helps lead a CCC Renewal Group for those who deal with drug and alcohol addictions. He has nearly completed his undergraduate degree and looks forward to beginning a master’s degree in counseling, which he hopes to use to use in the future.
Brent is overwhelmingly grateful for what he’s been through. Though it has been a difficult road, one that he never expected, he wouldn’t change anything because it has led him to knowing God truly. Relationships with family and mentors have been essential to his continued spiritual growth. Studying Scripture and sharing what he believes with others have been key to remaining faithful to God.
Editor’s note: As my interview with Brent came to a close, something unexpected happened. The man Brent shot and injured happened to be at Christ Community Church attending a small group, not knowing that Brent was part of the same group or even that Brent attended CCC. There was a momentary awkwardness as they recognized each other. The man walked up to Brent, hugged him, and told Brent that he was forgiven. It was an overwhelming picture of God’s grace and mercy poured out on Brent’s life. A man sentenced to prison has been redeemed so that he can pour out his life for others. A life that was far from God has been drawn close.
Rachel Bebee is the Project Coordinator for the Communications Team at Christ Community Church.