The Spring Hills Podcast

Problem Solved | Week 3

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.

Problem Solved | Week 2

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.

 

 

 

Problem Solved | Week 1

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.

Upside Down | Week 4

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.

Upside Down | Week 3

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.

Upside Down | Week 1

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.

The Book of Job | Week 4

In this week’s message, Guest Speaker, John Barrett, walks us through God’s response to Job. Instead of giving Job answers, God reveals His character—showing His power, wisdom, and love. Job moves from asking “Why?” to humbly trusting the Lord, and we’re invited to do the same when we face suffering.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why God answered Job with questions instead of explanations

• How suffering can deepen our understanding of God’s character

• The shift from hearing about God to truly knowing Him (Job 42:5)

• Three ways to respond to hardship: trust God, walk in humility, and surrender fully

The Book of Job | Week 3

In this message, Guest Speaker, Sean Wainerdi, continues our study through Job by looking at the painful question: Why does God allow suffering? Through Job’s story, his friends’ misguided answers, and real-life examples, we’re reminded that God’s wisdom and perspective are far greater than ours—and He is always at work for good, even when we can’t see it.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why Job’s friends’ explanations for suffering fell short

• The importance of presence over easy answers when comforting others

• How God’s perspective is higher and His wisdom broader than ours

• How Joseph’s story and the Cross reveal God’s power to bring good out of suffering

The Book of Job | Week 2

In this message, guest speaker Pastor Brad Franklin dives into the book of Job, exploring one of life’s hardest questions: How do we make sense of senseless pain? Brad unpacks the tension between suffering and God’s goodness, showing how Job’s ancient declaration—“I know that my Redeemer lives”—points us to Christ as our ultimate hope. Whether you’re in the middle of heartache, still carrying the memory of it, or walking with someone through it, this message will remind you that God is trustworthy in every season.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

• The deeper meaning behind Job’s words: “I know that my Redeemer lives.”

• Why having a “reason” for pain isn’t enough—and what actually sustains us through suffering.

• Real-life stories of faith, forgiveness, and hope in the face of unimaginable loss.

The Book of Job | Week 1

Why does God allow suffering—and what if He never tells us why? In this kickoff to the Book of Job, Pastor Bret Avlakeotes explores what happens when life falls apart and the answers don’t come.

Job loses everything, yet his faith holds—not because he gets an explanation, but because he encounters God in a deeper way.

In this episode, you’ll learn:
1. Why seeing God is better than understanding everything
2. How trials expose where our faith truly lies
3. What it looks like to worship through pain

This message will challenge your perspective on suffering—and encourage you to trust God, even when you don’t understand.