The Spring Hills Podcast

In this message from our Still Becoming series, Pastor Bret Avlakeotes walks through Paul’s relationship with Timothy and how God uses mentorship to keep us from isolation. Drawing from Acts and the letters to Timothy, we see how God uses community, mentorship, and Scripture to shape us even through fear, weakness, and seasons of doubt. This sermon is a reminder that following Jesus is not about a...

In this message from our Still Becoming series, Pastor Bret Avlakeotes walks us through Philippians 3 and Paul’s reminder that Jesus's work in us is ongoing. This sermon invites us to examine where we place our confidence and challenges us to keep growing, even when it means letting go of what once defined us. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why religious credentials and good works can never replac...

What is God’s will for my life? It’s a question many of us wrestle with, especially when the path ahead feels unclear. In this message, Pastor John Barrett walks through Proverbs 3:5–6 and shows how God’s will is something we learn as we trust Him. Rather than leaning on our own understanding, we’re invited to fully rely on God, acknowledge Him in every area of our lives, and surrender control. As...

In this special Christmas Eve message, Pastor Bret Avlakeotes reminds us that the story of Jesus’ birth is more than a familiar tradition, it’s a powerful declaration that God is at work in history and deeply involved in our lives. Walking through Luke 2, we see how God orchestrated every detail, fulfilled His promises, and entered the world in humility to bring hope and salvation. Christmas is go...

In this message from our God With Us series, Pastor Bret Avlakeotes focuses on Joseph and the quiet, faithful obedience that helped bring God’s plan to life. Through Joseph’s story in Matthew 1, we see what it looks like to trust God when the situation doesn’t make sense and the cost feels personal. This message highlights how God works through faith-filled obedience—even when no one else sees it....

In this message from our God With Us series, Pastor Bret Avlakeotes looks at the story of Mary in Luke 1 to show how God often works in unexpected ways through unlikely people. Mary’s response to God’s call reveals a faith rooted in trust, humility, and obedience, even when the path ahead feels unclear. This message reminds us that God’s presence changes everything when we surrender our yes to Him...

In this message from our God With Us series, Pastor Bret walks through John 3 and the conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus to show what it really means that God came near. This passage reveals that faith isn’t about knowledge, status, or effort—but about being made new through belief in Jesus. At the heart of it all is a simple but life-changing truth: God’s love moved Him toward us. In this e...

Today we kicked off our Christmas series, God With Us, by looking at who Jesus truly is. John 1 shows that Jesus is fully God and fully human, the eternal Word who stepped into our world so we could know the Father. Because He understands our weakness, we can draw near to Him with confidence. In this episode, you’ll learn:     •    How Jesus can be both fully God and fully man     •    What it mea...

In our final sermon of the Only God series, Pastor Bret Avlakeotes takes us into one of Jesus’ most familiar parables- The Lost Sheep. Luke 15 reveals God’s heart for people who feel far from Him. Instead of frustration or judgment, Jesus shows us a God who moves toward the lost with compassion, urgency, and joy. You’ll hear what this parable tells us about God’s character, why Jesus welcomed sinn...

In this weeks message of our Only God series, Pastor Bret Avlakeotes walks us through Romans 12 and what it really means to live a transformed life in Christ. Instead of settling for the patterns of the world, God invites us into something deeper. You’ll hear why presenting your life to God matters, how transformation actually happens, and what it looks like to discern God’s will in a noisy, distr...

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 anot...

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 res...

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 Je...

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...

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...

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...

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 t...

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 wi...

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 suf...

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...

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...

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 ev...

As we wrap up our Unleashed series through the book of Acts, Pastor Bret walks us through Acts 20—Paul’s final words to the Ephesian elders before heading to Jerusalem. In what feels like a farewell speech, Paul reminds us what it looks like to live a life fully surrendered to Christ: humble, honest, bold, and eternal-minded. It’s a sobering but inspiring call to examine where our loyalties lie—ar...

In this message from Acts 17, Pastor Bret Avlakeotes walks us through Paul’s visit to Athens—a city overflowing with idols, philosophies, and spiritual confusion. Rather than debating or blending in, Paul boldly shares the truth of who God really is: the Creator, the Sustainer, and the One who calls all people to repentance. Through this encounter, we see how the same spiritual hunger that filled...

In this episode, Pastor Bret Avlakeotes walks us through Acts 16, where the gospel first crosses into Europe—and nothing goes according to plan. From a detour directed by the Holy Spirit to a divine encounter by the riverbank, we witness how God uses unexpected people and painful trials to build His church in Philippi. Whether it’s Lydia, a successful businesswoman, a demon-possessed slave girl, o...