This bite-sized discussion is where we get to sit down with our communicators and ask a few follow up questions connected to the weekend message, unpack it on a deeper level, and explore how it all relates to our journey of following Jesus more fully.

God doesn’t build his kingdom only through experts, professionals, or people who feel completely prepared. He builds through ordinary people who are willing to trust him and participate.

In this episode of The After Sermon, Michele and Eric explore why we so often disqualify ourselves, how busyness can keep us focused on building our own smaller kingdoms, and what becomes possible when we simply make ourselves available to God. The conversation also turns personal as Michele reflects on the unexpected breaking and rebuilding God has used to shape her own life.

Following Jesus may cost us comfort, but a life invested in God’s bigger story is never wasted.

This conversation is also available on our YouTube channel along with the full sermon that this discussion is based on.

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@plumcreekchurch

You can learn more about Plum Creek Church by visiting our website as well.

Website: https://plumcreek.church/

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If you're using this teaching for a Home Groups setting, we've included discussion prompts to help guide your conversation:

1. Michele said people can be physically free and still live like captives. Where do you see an old mindset keeping you from fully living in the freedom God has given you?

2. Read Nehemiah 1:1–11 and discuss what Nehemiah’s first response to brokenness teaches us about praying before acting.

3. Consider the difference between building God’s kingdom and asking God to support your own plans. Where does that tension appear in your life?

4. The people rebuilding Jerusalem did not feel fully equipped, but they made themselves available. Where might God be asking you to choose willingness over expertise?

5. Think about Dave’s simple invitation to Michele’s father and the impact it had across generations. Who is the broken wall in front of you, and what faithful step could you take this week?

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Wondering what Plum Creek Church is all about? Watch this video.

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Links

Home: https://www.plumcreek.church/

Next Steps: https://www.plumcreek.church/next

Ministries: https://www.plumcreek.church/ministries

Give: https://www.plumcreek.church/give

This bite-sized discussion is where we get to sit down with our communicators and ask a few follow up questions connected to the weekend message, unpack it on a deeper level, and explore how it all relates to our journey of following Jesus more fully.

What is God doing when nothing seems to be happening?

Eric sits down with Doug to continue the Flannelgraph series and explore the story of Joseph. Together, they talk about the thread of God’s presence through the pit, Potiphar’s house, and prison—and why difficult circumstances are not necessarily evidence that God has abandoned us.

They also discuss the “crucible” of transformation, our cultural obsession with comfort, and how God may use painful seasons to shape us into people who are capable of humility, forgiveness, and faithfulness.

Joseph could only see one moment at a time. God was writing a much larger story.

This conversation is also available on our YouTube channel along with the full sermon that this discussion is based on.

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@plumcreekchurch

You can learn more about Plum Creek Church by visiting our website as well.

Website: https://plumcreek.church/

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If you're using this teaching for a Home Groups setting, we've included discussion prompts to help guide your conversation:

1. When faithfulness does not produce the results you hoped for, what helps you continue trusting that God is still at work?

2. Describe a season that felt like a waiting room and consider how God may have been forming you through it.

3. Joseph kept doing the next faithful thing even when his circumstances became worse, so what would the next faithful thing look like in your life right now?

4. Look up Genesis 39:21 to 23 and discuss what Joseph’s experience reveals about the difference between God’s presence and comfortable circumstances.

5. Reflect on the teaching’s reminder that hardship can turn us inward, and identify one practical way you can notice and serve someone else while you are still waiting.

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Wondering what Plum Creek Church is all about? Watch this video.

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Links

Home: https://www.plumcreek.church/

Next Steps: https://www.plumcreek.church/next

Ministries: https://www.plumcreek.church/ministries

Give: https://www.plumcreek.church/give

This bite-sized discussion is where we get to sit down with our communicators and ask a few follow up questions connected to the weekend message, unpack it on a deeper level, and explore how it all relates to our journey of following Jesus more fully.

Jacob’s life was filled with deception, conflict, uncertainty, and long seasons when God could have seemed absent. But underneath every twist in his story was a God who never stopped pursuing him.

In this episode of The After Sermon, Daniel sits down with Doug to explore the parts of Jacob’s story that did not make it into the message. They talk about God’s unmistakable faithfulness through Jacob’s years with Laban, the slow nature of spiritual formation, and the collection of moments that transformed the God of Jacob’s ancestors into the God Jacob knew for himself.

Sometimes we want God to change our circumstances. But what if God is using those circumstances to shape us into who he has always intended us to become?

This conversation is also available on our YouTube channel along with the full sermon that this discussion is based on.

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@plumcreekchurch

You can learn more about Plum Creek Church by visiting our website as well.

Website: https://plumcreek.church/

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If you're using this teaching for a Home Groups setting, we've included discussion prompts to help guide your conversation:

1. Where might God be shaping you right now, even though your circumstances have not changed?

2. Reflect on a season that felt wasted at the time but later revealed God’s faithfulness or growth in your life.

3. Doug described Jacob moving from chasing God’s blessings to wanting God himself. What would that shift look like in your own faith?

4. Read Genesis 28:10 to 22 and consider why God pursued Jacob before Jacob had fully committed himself to God.

5. Who are you tempted to give up praying for, and how does Jacob’s story challenge you to trust that God may still be working?

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Wondering what Plum Creek Church is all about? Watch this video.

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Links

Home: https://www.plumcreek.church/

Next Steps: https://www.plumcreek.church/next

Ministries: https://www.plumcreek.church/ministries

Give: https://www.plumcreek.church/give

This bite-sized discussion is where we get to sit down with our communicators and ask a few follow up questions connected to the weekend message, unpack it on a deeper level, and explore how it all relates to our journey of following Jesus more fully.

The story of David and Goliath is often remembered as an underdog story. But what if that's not the point?

In this episode of The After Sermon, Eric Parks unpacks why David's greatest advantage wasn't his sling—it was his identity. Long before he stepped into the valley, God had been shaping him in quiet, hidden places no one else noticed.

Together we explore why God often does his deepest work in seasons of obscurity, why he never wastes our past, and how the hidden moments of today may be preparing us for tomorrow.

If you've ever wondered whether your current season matters, this conversation is for you.

This conversation is also available on our YouTube channel along with the full sermon that this discussion is based on.

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@plumcreekchurch

You can learn more about Plum Creek Church by visiting our website as well.

Website: https://plumcreek.church/

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If you're using this teaching for a Home Groups setting, we've included discussion prompts to help guide your conversation:

1. What “giant” in your life has become so large that it is keeping you frozen instead of moving forward in trust?

2. Reflect on a time when God prepared you through ordinary or overlooked experiences before you understood their purpose.

3. Which voices have shaped how you see yourself, and how might God’s view of you be different?

4. Look up 1 Samuel 17:34–47 and discuss what David remembered about God that gave him courage to enter the valley.

5. Consider what is already in your hand right now (a skill, relationship, experience, opportunity, or resource) and how you could surrender it to God.

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Wondering what Plum Creek Church is all about? Watch this video.

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Links

Home: https://www.plumcreek.church/

Next Steps: https://www.plumcreek.church/next

Ministries: https://www.plumcreek.church/ministries

Give: https://www.plumcreek.church/give

This bite-sized discussion is where we get to sit down with our communicators and ask a few follow up questions connected to the weekend message, unpack it on a deeper level, and explore how it all relates to our journey of following Jesus more fully.

What if the biggest challenges in your life aren’t actually the battle?

In this episode of The After Sermon, Tomy sits down with Eric Parks to unpack one of the most misunderstood passages in Ephesians. Together they explore what it means to “wrestle not against flesh and blood,” why most of us naturally rely on our own strength, and how shifting our focus from the enemy to Jesus changes everything.

Whether you’re navigating stress, conflict, grief, or uncertainty, this conversation is a reminder that we’re invited to stand in a victory that’s already been won.

This conversation is also available on our YouTube channel along with the full sermon that this discussion is based on.

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@plumcreekchurch

You can learn more about Plum Creek Church by visiting our website as well.

Website: https://plumcreek.church/

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If you're using this teaching for a Home Groups setting, we've included discussion prompts to help guide your conversation:

1. Eric described Paul’s conflict in Ephesus as “the visible edge of an invisible war.” Where are you most tempted to see people as the enemy instead of recognizing a deeper spiritual battle?

2. Look up Ephesians chapter 6, verses 10 through 18, and talk about which piece of the armor of God feels most needed in your current season.

3. The teaching said some of us believe in God on paper but schedule our lives as if he is not a factor. What part of your life most exposes that tension?

4. Think about the “trinkets” people cling to for comfort, like money, image, control, substances, or distraction. What do people today often hold onto instead of trusting Jesus as Lord?

5. Eric said, “Don’t give authority to your limitations.” What limitation in your life has started sounding louder than God’s strength?

6. The church in Ephesus could not outshout the mob, but they could stand. What would it look like for you to stand faithfully this week without trying to control the outcome?

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Wondering what Plum Creek Church is all about? Watch this video.

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Links

Home: https://www.plumcreek.church/

Next Steps: https://www.plumcreek.church/next

Ministries: https://www.plumcreek.church/ministries

Give: https://www.plumcreek.church/give

This bite-sized discussion is where we get to sit down with our communicators and ask a few follow up questions connected to the weekend message, unpack it on a deeper level, and explore how it all relates to our journey of following Jesus more fully.

Does following Jesus simply make us behave differently—or does it actually make Jesus more visible?

In this episode of After Sermon, Eric sits down with Doug Miller to continue the conversation from Ephesians 5. They explore why Paul wasn’t simply giving Christians a list of rules to follow, but inviting them into a way of life that helps the world see Jesus more clearly.

The conversation explores why true transformation begins with our desires, why behavior modification can never replace spiritual formation, and how everyday practices shape us into people who increasingly reflect the heart of Christ.

If Jesus really changes lives, what should people notice when they encounter ours?

This conversation is also available on our YouTube channel along with the full sermon that this discussion is based on.

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@plumcreekchurch

You can learn more about Plum Creek Church by visiting our website as well.

Website: https://plumcreek.church/

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If you're using this teaching for a Home Groups setting, we've included discussion prompts to help guide your conversation:

1. As you reflect on this message, what one principle or insight stands out as being particularly helpful or insightful?

2. Is there anything that stood out from this message that was challenging?

3. What did this message teach us about God?

4. What did this message teach us about ourselves?

5. If these verses were applied to our culture today, what would the implications be?

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Wondering what Plum Creek Church is all about? Watch this video.

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Links

Home: https://www.plumcreek.church/

Next Steps: https://www.plumcreek.church/next

Ministries: https://www.plumcreek.church/ministries

Give: https://www.plumcreek.church/give

This bite-sized discussion is where we get to sit down with our communicators and ask a few follow up questions connected to the weekend message, unpack it on a deeper level, and explore how it all relates to our journey of following Jesus more fully.

Why do we keep trying to earn something God has already given?

In this episode of The After Sermon, Daniel sits down with Eric Parks to unpack one of the biggest turning points in Ephesians. Together they explore why the word “therefore” changes everything, how grace reshapes our motivation, and why following Jesus is about transformation—not simply behavior modification.

If you’ve ever struggled to believe God could really extend grace on your worst day, this conversation is for you.

This conversation is also available on our YouTube channel along with the full sermon that this discussion is based on.

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@plumcreekchurch

You can learn more about Plum Creek Church by visiting our website as well.

Website: https://plumcreek.church/

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If you're using this teaching for a Home Groups setting, we've included discussion prompts to help guide your conversation:

1. Where are you most tempted to perform instead of simply receiving God's grace?

2. What voice do you hear when you think about God's expectations of you?

3. Which is harder for you to believe: that God loves you on your best day or on your worst day?

4. How has God's grace changed the way you see yourself?

5. What "speech" do you find yourself wanting to give God before coming to Him?

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Wondering what Plum Creek Church is all about? Watch this video.

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Links

Home: https://www.plumcreek.church/

Next Steps: https://www.plumcreek.church/next

Ministries: https://www.plumcreek.church/ministries

Give: https://www.plumcreek.church/give

This bite-sized discussion is where we get to sit down with our communicators and ask a few follow up questions connected to the weekend message, unpack it on a deeper level, and explore how it all relates to our journey of following Jesus more fully.

What if Christian unity isn't about thinking the same—but moving in the same direction?

In this episode of The After Sermon, David sits down with Tomy to continue the conversation from Ephesians. 

Together they explore Paul's vision of a diverse family brought together in Christ, what it means to be united without becoming uniform, and why the church is called to be known more for what it's for than what it's against. 

The conversation touches on everything from theological differences to cultural divisions, offering a compelling picture of how followers of Jesus can live as one household built on the foundation of Christ. 

Along the way, Tomy challenges us to imagine what might happen if the church became a visible display of heaven's unity breaking into the world around us.

This conversation is also available on our YouTube channel along with the full sermon that this discussion is based on.

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@plumcreekchurch

You can learn more about Plum Creek Church by visiting our website as well.

Website: https://plumcreek.church/

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If you're using this teaching for a Home Groups setting, we've included discussion prompts to help guide your conversation:

1. Where do you notice yourself treating difficult people more like outsiders than family, and what would change if you remembered that Jesus has brought strangers, foreigners, and enemies into one household?

2. Tomy described how quickly sibling conflict can turn into bickering and backbiting, so what does that reveal about the way adults can act when disagreement gets personal?

3. Think about a person or group you strongly disagree with, and consider what it would look like to keep Jesus as the cornerstone instead of making your own convictions the foundation.

4. Read Ephesians 2:19 through 22 and discuss what it means that God is not just stacking separate stones, but carefully building his people together into one dwelling place.

5. When hostility shows up in your conversations, your church, or your online reactions, what would it mean to let that hostility stay dead on the cross instead of resurrecting it?

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Wondering what Plum Creek Church is all about? Watch this video.

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Links

Home: https://www.plumcreek.church/

Next Steps: https://www.plumcreek.church/next

Ministries: https://www.plumcreek.church/ministries

Give: https://www.plumcreek.church/give

This bite-sized discussion is where we get to sit down with our communicators and ask a few follow up questions connected to the weekend message, unpack it on a deeper level, and explore how it all relates to our journey of following Jesus more fully.

What happens when faith stops being just about “me” and starts becoming “we”?

In this episode of The After Sermon, Daniel sits down with Doug Miller to unpack Ephesians 2 and explore one of Paul’s biggest themes: God didn’t just save us from something—he saved us into something.

Together they discuss the power of the phrase “but God,” why gratitude fuels transformation, and how the church becomes a compelling witness when people from different stories, backgrounds, and experiences learn to live as one family.

If you’ve ever wondered where you belong, or why community matters so much in following Jesus, this conversation is for you.

This conversation is also available on our YouTube channel along with the full sermon that this discussion is based on.

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@plumcreekchurch

You can learn more about Plum Creek Church by visiting our website as well.

Website: https://plumcreek.church/

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If you're using this teaching for a Home Groups setting, we've included discussion prompts to help guide your conversation:

1. What does your own "But God" moment look like, and where have you seen God step into a story that seemed stuck, hopeless, or over?

2. How does it change the way you see grace when salvation is described as a gift from God rather than a reward for good behavior?

3. Where do you most need to move from a me mindset to a we mindset in the family of God?

4. Think about the Miller family story. What does it reveal about belonging, acceptance, and the way God welcomes people into his family?

5. Read Ephesians 2 this week and notice every place Paul describes what we were before Christ and what we are now in Christ. 

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Wondering what Plum Creek Church is all about? Watch this video.

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Links

Home: https://www.plumcreek.church/

Next Steps: https://www.plumcreek.church/next

Ministries: https://www.plumcreek.church/ministries

Give: https://www.plumcreek.church/give

This bite-sized discussion is where we get to sit down with our communicators and ask a few follow up questions connected to the weekend message, unpack it on a deeper level, and explore how it all relates to our journey of following Jesus more fully.

What if spiritual growth isn’t primarily about trying harder—but remembering what’s already true?

In this episode of The After Sermon, Daniel sits down with Tomy to unpack the opening chapter of Ephesians and the big vision behind Plum Creek’s new series, Heaven & Earth. Together they explore Paul’s repeated reminders that followers of Jesus are chosen, adopted, free, and marked by the Spirit. The conversation centers on why identity must come before mission, how God’s future reality shapes the way we live today, and what it means for the church to be a glimpse of the new creation Jesus is bringing. Along the way, Tomy connects Ephesians to the heart of Follow, reminding us that following Jesus isn’t about becoming someone else—it’s about rearranging our lives around what is already true because of him.

This conversation is also available on our YouTube channel along with the full message that this discussion is based on.

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@plumcreekchurch

You can learn more about Plum Creek Church by visiting our website as well.

Website: https://plumcreek.church/

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If you're using this teaching for a Home Groups setting, we've included discussion prompts to help guide your conversation:

1. What would change in your daily life if you treated being chosen by God as a calling to serve others, not just a comfort for yourself?

2. Consider the image of the church as a small working model of new creation. Where do people around you currently see a glimpse of heaven in your life?

3. How do shame, past failure, or other people’s labels compete with the truth that you are marked by Christ?

4. Look up Ephesians 1:19–23. What does it mean that the same power that raised Jesus from the dead is already at work in those who follow him?

5. Where are you most tempted to build your own little Kingdom instead of showing up on mission for God’s Kingdom?

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Wondering what Plum Creek Church is all about? Watch this video.

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Links

Home: https://www.plumcreek.church/

Next Steps: https://www.plumcreek.church/next

Ministries: https://www.plumcreek.church/ministries

Give: https://www.plumcreek.church/give

This bite-sized discussion is where we get to sit down with our communicators and ask a few follow up questions connected to the weekend message, unpack it on a deeper level, and explore how it all relates to our journey of following Jesus more fully.

In this episode of The After Sermon, Eric sits down with Steve Carter right after the weekend message to explore the deeper reasons behind the things we do, say, and react to. Together they unpack the idea that beneath every outburst, escape pattern, or recurring struggle is often a wound, story, or formation process shaping us in ways we don’t always recognize.

Steve shares how triggers can become invitations for healing instead of shame, why spiritual formation matters more than most people realize, and how practices with Jesus slowly reshape us over time. The conversation moves through topics like generational trauma, rehearsing new ways of living, emotional health, and what it actually looks like to become more like Jesus—not instantly, but intentionally.

If you’ve ever found yourself asking, “Why did I react like that?” this conversation offers hope that transformation is possible, healing is available, and it’s never too late to begin becoming someone new.

This conversation is also available on our YouTube channel along with the full message that this discussion is based on.

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@plumcreekchurch

You can learn more about Plum Creek Church by visiting our website as well.

Website: https://plumcreek.church/

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If you're using this teaching for a Home Groups setting, we've included discussion prompts to help guide your conversation:

1. What triggered you this past week, and what might that reaction reveal about the thing beneath the thing?

2. Think about a time when you ran to a hideout instead of bringing pain to God in prayer. What were you trying to soothe?

3. Where do you see a pothole in your life that could become a sinkhole if you keep ignoring it?

4. Look up Romans 7:15 and discuss where you relate to Paul’s struggle of doing what you do not want to do.

5. Consider the idea that triggers can be invitations instead of permission to escape. How would that change the way you respond next time?

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Wondering what Plum Creek Church is all about? Watch this video.

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Links

Home: https://www.plumcreek.church/

Next Steps: https://www.plumcreek.church/next

Ministries: https://www.plumcreek.church/ministries

Give: https://www.plumcreek.church/give

This bite-sized discussion is where we get to sit down with our communicators and ask a few follow up questions connected to the weekend message, unpack it on a deeper level, and explore how it all relates to our journey of following Jesus more fully.

In this episode of The After Sermon, Daniel sits down with Doug to continue the conversation around prayer and petition. Together, they unpack why prayer so often becomes a last resort instead of a first response, and how Jesus’ model of prayer was always meant to shape something deeper than our circumstances.

Doug reflects on how practicing adoration, confession, lament, and thanksgiving has been reshaping his own relationship with God throughout this series—and why petition flows differently when it comes from a dependent soul instead of a controlling one. The conversation explores surrender, disappointment, unanswered prayer, and the tension of learning to release outcomes we desperately want to hold onto.

More than anything, this episode centers on one powerful idea: prayer isn’t ultimately about outcome management—it’s about relationship development.

This conversation is also available on our YouTube channel along with the full message that this discussion is based on.

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@plumcreekchurch

You can learn more about Plum Creek Church by visiting our website as well.

Website: https://plumcreek.church/

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If you're using this teaching for a Home Groups setting, we've included discussion prompts to help guide your conversation:

1. Where do you tend to carry fear, pressure, or uncertainty by yourself instead of bringing it to God in prayer?
2. Think about a burden that keeps showing up in your thoughts this week, and discuss what it would look like to turn that burden into an alarm to pray.
3. Look up Philippians 4:6 to 7, and talk about why God’s peace is promised before the circumstances are necessarily changed.
4. Consider the teaching that petition comes after alignment, and discuss how your requests might change if you first prayed, “Father, align my heart with yours.”
5. What is one thing you cannot control right now, and what would it practically look like to release it to God rather than obsess over the outcome?

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Wondering what Plum Creek Church is all about? Watch this video.

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Links

Home: https://www.plumcreek.church/

Next Steps: https://www.plumcreek.church/next

Ministries: https://www.plumcreek.church/ministries

Give: https://www.plumcreek.church/give

This bite-sized discussion is where we get to sit down with our communicators and ask a few follow up questions connected to the weekend message, unpack it on a deeper level, and explore how it all relates to our journey of following Jesus more fully.

In this episode of The After Sermon, Eric sits down with Michele Cushatt to continue the conversation from her message on prayers of thanksgiving. Together, they unpack the important difference between being thankful for every circumstance and being thankful in every circumstance.

Michele reflects on why gratitude is not about denying pain or pretending suffering is good, but about anchoring ourselves to a reality bigger than what we can see right now. Through her own experience with cancer, loss, and permanent physical limitations, she shares how the hope of resurrection changes the way we face the brokenness of the present. Eric and Michele also talk about why remembering God’s past faithfulness matters so much, how easily we forget what God has already done, and how practices like storytelling, prayer, and reflection help tether us again to what is true.

This conversation is also available on our YouTube channel along with the full message that this discussion is based on.

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@plumcreekchurch

You can learn more about Plum Creek Church by visiting our website as well.

Website: https://plumcreek.church/

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If you're using this teaching for a Home Groups setting, we've included discussion prompts to help guide your conversation:

1. Where do you notice your gratitude rising and falling with your circumstances, and what would it look like for Thanksgiving to become more steady in your life?

2. Read 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 and discuss the difference between giving thanks in all circumstances and giving thanks for all circumstances.

3. Think back over a hard season you have already survived. What evidence of God’s faithfulness can you see now that may have been hard to notice at the time? 

4. The teaching invited people to remember, celebrate, and anticipate. Which of those three practices feels most needed in your prayer life right now, and why?

5. How might seeing communion as a Thanksgiving table change the way you remember Jesus, celebrate his presence, and anticipate his return? 

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Wondering what Plum Creek Church is all about? Watch this video.

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Links

Home: https://www.plumcreek.church/

Next Steps: https://www.plumcreek.church/next

Ministries: https://www.plumcreek.church/ministries

Give: https://www.plumcreek.church/give

This bite-sized discussion is where we get to sit down with our communicators and ask a few follow up questions connected to the weekend message, unpack it on a deeper level, and explore how it all relates to our journey of following Jesus more fully.

In this episode of The After Sermon, Daniel sits down with Eric to keep talking about the prayer of lament and why it matters for anyone trying to follow Jesus through real pain.

Together, they unpack the difference between simply getting through pain and learning to honestly bring it to God. Eric shares why lament is not wallowing, weakness, or a pointless spiritual exercise, but a structured prayer that helps us address God, name what hurts, ask boldly, and trust him with what we cannot fix on our own.

The conversation also explores why many of us struggle to believe God can handle our frustration, questions, or grief. From Hannah’s story to Psalm 22 to the wilderness imagery of Scripture, Daniel and Eric reflect on how lament gives us a way to be with God in the desert, not just rush toward the promised land. They also talk about what it means to sit with others in their pain without rushing to fix it, explain it, or cover it with spiritual platitudes.

Lament does not pretend everything is resolved. It gives us language for honesty, a path toward healing, and a way to trust that God is present with us in the middle of what still hurts.

This conversation is also available on our YouTube channel along with the full message that this discussion is based on.

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@plumcreekchurch

You can learn more about Plum Creek Church by visiting our website as well.

Website: https://plumcreek.church/

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If you're using this teaching for a Home Groups setting, we've included discussion prompts to help guide your conversation:

1. Think about the ways you tend to cope with pain (bury it, numb it, stay busy, blame, or spiritualize it) and discuss which one shows up most in your life and why. 

2. How might your relationship with God change if you practiced bringing raw, honest emotions to Him instead of filtering or avoiding them?

3. Reflect on a time when you avoided dealing with pain and consider what healing might have looked like if you had addressed God, named it, asked for help, and chosen to trust Him. 

4. Look up Psalm 22 and discuss how the movement from honest questioning to asking and trusting can shape the way you pray during difficult seasons.

5. In what ways could learning to lament actually deepen your worship and trust in God rather than weaken your faith?

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Wondering what Plum Creek Church is all about? Watch this video.

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Links

Home: https://www.plumcreek.church/

Next Steps: https://www.plumcreek.church/next

Ministries: https://www.plumcreek.church/ministries

Give: https://www.plumcreek.church/give

This bite-sized discussion is where we get to sit down with our communicators and ask a few follow up questions connected to the weekend message, unpack it on a deeper level, and explore how it all relates to our journey of following Jesus more fully.

In this episode of The After Sermon, Daniel sits down with Doug to continue the conversation around prayer, confession, and the freedom that comes when we bring the real us before God.

Building from last week’s focus on adoration, Doug shares how remembering who God is helps us come honestly before him with the places we have fallen short. Together, Daniel and Doug talk about Psalm 51, David’s honest prayers, the way unconfessed sin can quietly block us from rearranging our lives around Jesus, and why confession is not about shame or performance but relationship.

This conversation is a reminder that God does not ask us to come to him already fixed. He invites us to come honestly, trusting that his mercy is greater than what we carry.

This conversation is also available on our YouTube channel along with the full message that this discussion is based on.

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@plumcreekchurch

You can learn more about Plum Creek Church by visiting our website as well.

Website: https://plumcreek.church/

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If you're using this teaching for a Home Groups setting, we've included discussion prompts to help guide your conversation:

1. Doug said he wanted the relief of confession without the honesty of confession; where do you see that same instinct show up in your own life?

2. What hidden thing, unresolved thing, or normalized pattern might God be inviting you to bring into the light instead of carrying it alone?

3. Look up Psalm 51:10 through 12 and notice that David asks God to create, renew, and restore. Which of those words feels most needed in your life right now?

4. How does it change your view of confession to hear that God does not call us to confession to shame us, but to free us?

5. Where might you be managing the image of being okay instead of letting God deal with the real you?

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Wondering what Plum Creek Church is all about? Watch this video.

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Links

Home: https://www.plumcreek.church/

Next Steps: https://www.plumcreek.church/next

Ministries: https://www.plumcreek.church/ministries

Give: https://www.plumcreek.church/give

This bite-sized discussion is where we get to sit down with our communicators and ask a few follow up questions connected to the weekend message, unpack it on a deeper level, and explore how it all relates to our journey of following Jesus more fully.

In this episode, Daniel sits down with Doug to unpack a simple shift that can reshape how we experience prayer.

Doug reflects on why the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray—and how that same tension still exists for many of us today. From there, the conversation moves into why this season isn’t meant to be a just a weekend series, but something we actually practice and grow into over time.

They explore how easy it is to treat prayer like a reaction to pressure, and why Jesus intentionally begins with adoration instead. Not as a rule to follow, but as a way to re-center our attention, reconnect our hearts, and remember what’s true before we bring what we need.

If you’ve ever felt unsure where to start in prayer—or found yourself defaulting to quick, reactive prayers—this conversation offers a simple, practical next step to begin again.

This conversation is also available on our YouTube channel along with the full message that this discussion is based on.

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@plumcreekchurch

You can learn more about Plum Creek Church by visiting our website as well.

Website: https://plumcreek.church/

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If you're using this teaching for a Home Groups setting, we've included discussion prompts to help guide your conversation:

1. What would change in your prayer life if you began with adoration before bringing God your needs?

2. Think about the idea that many of us treat prayer like a spiritual 911 call. Where do you see that pattern in your own life?

3. Look up Matthew 6:9 to 10 and notice the order Jesus gives. Why do you think He starts with the Father’s name, Kingdom, and will before daily needs?

4. When your soul starts spiraling toward worry, resentment, or fear, what would it practically look like to pray, “Father, lift my eyes”?

5. Consider the phrase, “healthy prayer doesn’t just ask for God’s activity. It yields to God’s authority.” What is one area where you may be asking for help while still white-knuckling control? 

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Wondering what Plum Creek Church is all about? Watch this video.

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Links

Home: https://www.plumcreek.church/

Next Steps: https://www.plumcreek.church/next

Ministries: https://www.plumcreek.church/ministries

Give: https://www.plumcreek.church/give

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If you're using this teaching for a Home Groups setting, we've included discussion prompts to help guide your conversation:

1. In what ways might you be treating your relationship with God like a checklist instead of a genuine connection, and what would it look like to shift toward real communion?
2. Think about your current season of busyness. How is it shaping your spiritual life, and is it pushing you toward God or quietly pulling you away?
3. The teaching from Tomy challenged the idea of doing the bare minimum with God. Where in your life are you settling for just enough instead of pursuing deeper relationship?
4. When life becomes chaotic or stressful, what is your natural response, and how might it change if prayer became your first reaction instead of a last resort?
5. Consider the idea that prayer is about aligning your will with God’s rather than getting what you want. Where do you feel tension between your desires and what God may be asking of you?
6. Look up Mark 1:35 and reflect on Jesus choosing solitude with the Father. What practical changes could help you build a similar rhythm into your daily life?

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Wondering what Plum Creek Church is all about? Watch this video.

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Links

Home: https://www.plumcreek.church/

Next Steps: https://www.plumcreek.church/next

Ministries: https://www.plumcreek.church/ministries

Give: https://www.plumcreek.church/give

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If you're using this teaching for a Home Groups setting, we've included discussion prompts to help guide your conversation:

1. Picture yourself in the centurion’s place at the foot of the cross and talk through what would have stood out to you enough to shift your perspective about Jesus.

2. As Doug pointed out, what are some ways people build up “armor” like the centurion did, and what does it actually look like for Jesus to break through that in real life?

3. Reflect on the idea that Jesus did not die like a victim but surrendered with purpose and discuss how that changes the way you view both the cross and your own struggles.

4. Look up Luke 23:34 or Luke 23:46 and talk about what Jesus’ words in that moment reveal about His heart and authority.

5. If a changed life is still the clearest proof that Jesus is alive, share where you have seen that personally or where you are hoping to see it in your own story.

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Wondering what Plum Creek Church is all about? Watch this video.

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Links

Home: https://www.plumcreek.church/

Next Steps: https://www.plumcreek.church/next

Ministries: https://www.plumcreek.church/ministries

Give: https://www.plumcreek.church/give

This bite-sized discussion is where we get to sit down with our communicators and ask a few follow up questions connected to the weekend message, unpack it on a deeper level, and explore how it all relates to our journey of following Jesus more fully.

In this episode of The After Sermon, Eric sits down with Keith Norman to unpack a powerful and unique message from John 8. Keith reflects on why he chose to embody the story of the woman caught in adultery and what it revealed about both her experience and the posture of the Pharisees. The conversation explores the tension between religious performance and the unearned nature of grace, highlighting how easy it is to see ourselves as “better” than others while missing our own need for Jesus.

Together, they discuss how Jesus doesn’t just forgive—he re-centers the overlooked, extending love that isn’t earned but freely given. Keith shares personal stories of wrestling with pride and self-righteousness, offering a candid look at how even well-intentioned faith can drift into performance. The episode closes with a practical and deeply personal invitation: to stop striving and instead learn to receive grace, allowing everything we do to flow from what Jesus has already done.

This conversation is also available on our YouTube channel along with the full message that this discussion is based on.

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@plumcreekchurch

You can learn more about Plum Creek Church by visiting our website as well.

Website: https://plumcreek.church/

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If you're using this teaching for a Home Groups setting, we've included discussion prompts to help guide your conversation:

1. How does Keith’s emphasis on Jesus not rushing to condemn challenge the way you typically respond to your own sin or the sin of others?

2. Consider the idea that people can become so focused on exposing sin that they lose sight of a person’s soul... where do you see this playing out in your own life or culture?

3. Look up John 8:1–11 and reflect on why the accusers left one by one. What does that reveal about self-awareness and humility before God?

4. In what ways might you be tempted to walk away from Jesus like the Pharisees instead of staying with Him in your guilt and brokenness, as Keith highlighted?

5. The teaching emphasizes being “caught but covered” How does that reshape your understanding of grace, especially when you feel undeserving or have not even asked for it?

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Wondering what Plum Creek Church is all about? Watch this video.

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Links

Home: https://www.plumcreek.church/

Next Steps: https://www.plumcreek.church/next

Ministries: https://www.plumcreek.church/ministries

Give: https://www.plumcreek.church/give

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If you're using this teaching for a Home Groups setting, we've included discussion prompts to help guide your conversation:

1. What stood out to you about the teaching that the blind man was not being punished for sin but was instead part of a bigger story where God’s work would be revealed?

2. Reflect on a “mental loop” you may be stuck in and consider how it has shaped your thoughts or actions more than you realized.

3. Pastor Eric talked about how Jesus addressed the man’s mindset before the miracle happened, so how does that shift the way you think about change and healing in your own life?

4. Look up John 9 and consider what it reveals about how Jesus sees and responds to people who feel overlooked or misunderstood.

5. In what ways might you be living as if you are still stuck, even though freedom or healing has already been made available to you? 

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Wondering what Plum Creek Church is all about? Watch this video.

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Links

Home: https://www.plumcreek.church/

Next Steps: https://www.plumcreek.church/next

Ministries: https://www.plumcreek.church/ministries

Give: https://www.plumcreek.church/give

This bite-sized discussion is where we get to sit down with our communicators and ask a few follow up questions connected to the weekend message, unpack it on a deeper level, and explore how it all relates to our journey of following Jesus more fully.

In this episode of The After Sermon, Daniel sits down with Michele to unpack the powerful encounter in Luke 7:36–50 where Jesus is invited to dinner at Simon the Pharisee’s house. What begins as a normal meal quickly becomes an unforgettable moment when a woman with a scandalous reputation enters the room, falls at Jesus’ feet, and expresses extravagant gratitude.

Daniel and Michele explore the contrast between Simon and the woman—two people who are both close to Jesus but respond in completely different ways. Michele reflects on the subtlety of Simon’s pride and how religious activity can sometimes mask a heart that doesn’t actually recognize its need for grace. At the same time, the woman’s vulnerability and bold worship reveal what happens when someone fully understands their need and receives forgiveness.

Their conversation also dives into a central idea from the message: “broke is broke.” Whether someone appears morally respectable or openly broken, both stand equally in need of the forgiveness Jesus offers. Daniel and Michele discuss how overconfidence in our goodness and obsession with our failures can both keep us from truly encountering Jesus.

They also talk about the connection between forgiveness and worship, the danger of staying spiritually curious without surrender, and how an ancient Japanese art form—kintsugi—beautifully illustrates how Jesus restores our broken lives with grace.

This conversation is also available on our YouTube channel along with the full message that this discussion is based on.

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@plumcreekchurch

You can learn more about Plum Creek Church by visiting our website as well.

Website: https://plumcreek.church/

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If you're using this teaching for a Home Groups setting, we've included discussion prompts to help guide your conversation:

1. Michele pointed out that overconfidence in our own goodness can keep us from having a real encounter with Jesus, so where might pride or self righteousness quietly show up in your own life?

2. The teaching emphasized that “broke is broke” when describing the two debtors who could not repay their debts, so how does that idea challenge the way we often compare our sins or assume our need for forgiveness is smaller than someone else’s?

3. In Luke 7:36 to 50, what differences do you notice between Simon’s response to Jesus and the woman’s response, and what might those contrasts reveal about humility and gratitude?

4. Think about the moment when Simon was unmoved by the woman’s tears while she was overwhelmed with gratitude; what might that reveal about how pride can shape the way we view people whose lives look messy?

5. Reflect on the idea that worship flows from focusing on forgiveness rather than failure; how might your relationship with Jesus change if your attention shifted more toward what he has forgiven rather than what you have done wrong?

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Wondering what Plum Creek Church is all about? Watch this video.

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Links

Home: https://www.plumcreek.church/

Next Steps: https://www.plumcreek.church/next

Ministries: https://www.plumcreek.church/ministries

Give: https://www.plumcreek.church/give

This bite-sized discussion is where we get to sit down with our communicators and ask a few follow up questions connected to the weekend message, unpack it on a deeper level, and explore how it all relates to our journey of following Jesus more fully.

In this episode, Eric sits down with Doug to talk about the opening message in the new Encounter series, centered on a powerful moment in Luke 7. As Jesus enters a city, he crosses paths with a funeral procession leaving it—a grieving widow burying her only son. In the middle of two crowds moving in opposite directions, Jesus stops, sees her, and responds with compassion.

In this conversation, Eric and Doug explore why this particular encounter felt so important to begin the series. They talk about the quiet reality that many people today walk through life feeling unseen—even in a world more connected than ever. Doug reflects on how this moment reveals the heart of God: a Savior who notices individuals in the middle of the crowd.

The discussion also turns outward. If followers of Jesus are called to live the Jesus way, what does it look like to notice the people around us? Eric and Doug wrestle with the tension between a culture that tells us to center life around ourselves and the invitation to live with eyes open to the pain and needs of others. Along the way, they talk about isolation, the courage it takes to pursue community during hard seasons, and how God often meets people through the presence of others.

Ultimately, the conversation circles around a simple but challenging prayer: what would happen if we asked Jesus to give us his eyes—and then stepped into our day ready to see people the way he does?

This conversation is also available on our YouTube channel along with the full message that this discussion is based on.

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@plumcreekchurch

You can learn more about Plum Creek Church by visiting our website as well.

Website: https://plumcreek.church/

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If you're using this teaching for a Home Groups setting, we've included discussion prompts to help guide your conversation:

1. Doug shared the idea that an encounter with Jesus interrupts our normal path and forces a response; when have you experienced a moment that unexpectedly changed the direction of your life?

2. In the story from Luke 7, Jesus notices one grieving widow in the middle of a crowd; what does this moment teach us about how Jesus sees individuals even when they feel invisible?

3. Look up Luke 7:11–17 and consider the moment when Jesus is moved with compassion before he speaks; what does this reveal about the heart of Jesus toward people who are suffering?

4. The teaching emphasized that followers of Jesus should move toward people who are hurting instead of avoiding uncomfortable situations; what practical ways could you show up for someone who is grieving or struggling right now?

5. Reflect on the idea that avoiding or suppressing grief can keep us from encountering Jesus in it; what might it look like to honestly bring your pain or fears to God this week?

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Wondering what Plum Creek Church is all about? Watch this video.

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Links

Home: https://www.plumcreek.church/

Next Steps: https://www.plumcreek.church/next

Ministries: https://www.plumcreek.church/ministries

Give: https://www.plumcreek.church/give

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If you're using this teaching for a Home Groups setting, we've included discussion prompts to help guide your conversation:

1. Pastor Doug said private obedience precedes breakthrough, so what is one specific step of obedience you sense God asking for right now, especially if it feels uncomfortable or hidden?

2. When you hear the phrase next is now (not when it is easier), what is one area of your life where you keep postponing growth, and what would it look like to act this week instead?

3. Doug described God creating impossible math so no one misses who gets the victory, so where are you relying on your own strength or image, and what would it look like to let God get the credit instead?

4. Look up Judges 6 and identify the altar or idol Gideon was told to tear down, then talk honestly about what a modern version of that kind of worship might look like in your own home or routines.

5. The message emphasized that we bring the yes and God wins the battle, so what would a wholehearted yes look like for you in how you steward your money, your gifts, or your time for Kingdom impact?

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Wondering what Plum Creek Church is all about? Watch this video.

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Links

Home: https://www.plumcreek.church/

Next Steps: https://www.plumcreek.church/next

Ministries: https://www.plumcreek.church/ministries

Give: https://www.plumcreek.church/give

This bite-sized discussion is where we get to sit down with our communicators and ask a few follow up questions connected to the weekend message, unpack it on a deeper level, and explore how it all relates to our journey of following Jesus more fully.

Daniel sits down with Doug to unpack the continued vision behind Next Is Now and the powerful story of Gideon. At the center of the conversation is a reminder that God doesn’t call the qualified—he calls the willing. Gideon’s journey from fear to faith shows what can happen when an ordinary person says yes to an extraordinary invitation.

Together, Daniel and Doug explore what it looks like to navigate doubt when God’s voice feels clear but circumstances feel conflicting, how subtle idols can slowly take first place in our lives, and why discernment is more about relationship than formula. Doug shares personally about the tension of stepping out in faith during the early days of church planting and why learning to hear God’s voice is not meant to be strange or mystical—but daily and relational. In a season where our church is asking, “What is God calling us to next?”, this conversation invites all of us to listen, trust, and take a faithful step forward.

This conversation is also available on our YouTube channel along with the full message that this discussion is based on.

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@plumcreekchurch

You can learn more about Plum Creek Church by visiting our website as well.

Website: https://plumcreek.church/

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If you're using this teaching for a Home Groups setting, we've included discussion prompts to help guide your conversation:

1. What is one choice you are making right now that could create a lasting impact for people in your community years from today?

2. Consider Gideon’s response in Judges 6 and discuss what it reveals about how God works through people who feel unqualified.

3. Doug challenged the church not to coast but to step forward in faith; where do you sense God inviting you to move instead of staying comfortable?

4. Look up Hebrews 11:1 and reflect on how the definition of faith as movement (not certainty) changes the way you approach decisions that feel risky.

5. Think about the idea that private idols must be torn down before public victory happens; what might God be asking you to realign in your own heart right now?

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Wondering what Plum Creek Church is all about? Watch this video.

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Links

Home: https://www.plumcreek.church/

Next Steps: https://www.plumcreek.church/next

Ministries: https://www.plumcreek.church/ministries

Give: https://www.plumcreek.church/give

In this episode Daniel sits down with Eric Parks to unpack a message centered on one foundational question: what’s in first place in your life? Drawing from Luke 10 and the story of Mary and Martha, Eric reframes a familiar passage—not as a conversation about busyness, but about priority. What sits on the gold medal platform of your life? Whatever everything else bends toward may already have first place.

In a cultural moment shaped by financial security, achievement, and inherited assumptions about success, this episode explores Jesus’ invitation to intentional reordering. Eric shares how discipleship begins with recognizing that we are already arranged around something—and following Jesus requires a conscious rearrangement. Together, Daniel and Eric talk about generosity, the way of Jesus, and why putting him first is not about adding another activity to your week, but about re-centering your entire life.

This conversation is also available on our YouTube channel along with the full message that this discussion is based on.

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@plumcreekchurch

You can learn more about Plum Creek Church by visiting our website as well.

Website: https://plumcreek.church/

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If you're using this teaching for a Home Groups setting, we've included discussion prompts to help guide your conversation:

1. In the story of Mary and Martha (Luke 10:38-42), what does it reveal about your own life when you consider what currently sits in first place and organizes your schedule, decisions, and anxieties?

2. The teaching suggested that security can become a “terrible savior and a cruel master,” so where might you be structuring your life primarily around feeling safe rather than around trusting Jesus?

3. Reflect on a time when obedience to God required a step of faith before you felt ready, and discuss how that experience shaped your trust and understanding of what it means to live by faith.

4. Consider the idea that when Jesus is first, life bends outward instead of inward; what practical rearrangements in your time, resources, or priorities would demonstrate that shift in your current season?

5. Look up Matthew 6:21 and Luke 12 (the parable of the rich fool) and talk about how Jesus’ words challenge the way our culture defines success, security, and what it means to truly have peace.

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Wondering what Plum Creek Church is all about? Watch this video.

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Links

Home: https://www.plumcreek.church/

Next Steps: https://www.plumcreek.church/next

Ministries: https://www.plumcreek.church/ministries

Give: https://www.plumcreek.church/give

This bite-sized discussion is where we get to sit down with our communicators and ask a few follow up questions connected to the weekend message, unpack it on a deeper level, and explore how it all relates to our journey of following Jesus more fully.

In this episode, Eric and Daniel reflect on Hebrews 11 and the tension at the heart of real faith. So often, we treat faith like a formula: do the right thing and God will deliver the right result. But the “hall of fame of faith” tells a different story. Many of those heroes trusted God deeply—and still didn’t see the full promise fulfilled in their lifetime.

Eric shares about the subtle myths we practice, the human craving for certainty, and the challenge of trusting God’s timeline when it doesn’t match our own. Through stories of Abraham, Moses, and others, the conversation reminds us that faith is less about controlling outcomes and more about remaining faithful to a God who is always faithful.

We also explore generosity as a spiritual practice—not as a financial strategy, but as a way to break the grip of false security and realign our trust. Just like fasting reshapes our relationship with appetite, generosity reshapes our relationship with money.

If Jesus was right about God, life, and the soul, what would it look like to rearrange your life around what he says is true?

This conversation is also available on our YouTube channel along with the full message that this discussion is based on.

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@plumcreekchurch

You can learn more about Plum Creek Church by visiting our website as well.

Website: https://plumcreek.church/

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If you're using this teaching for a Home Groups setting, we've included discussion prompts to help guide your conversation:

1. The teaching emphasized that faith trusts God before outcomes are clear, so where in your life are you tempted to wait for certainty before obeying and what might it look like to trust God in that situation right now?

2. Reflect on the story of Sarah and consider a time when you felt limited by your capacity or season of life (finances, energy, time, or ability) and discuss how focusing on God’s faithfulness could shift your perspective.

3. Look up Hebrews 11:1 and Hebrews 11:7 and talk about how Noah’s obedience without visible confirmation challenges common cultural ideas about planning, control, and risk.

4. The message described faith as choosing relationship with God over guaranteed results, so share an experience where obedience to God did not lead to the outcome you hoped for but still shaped your faith or character.

5. The church is being invited into a season described as Next is Now, so discuss what it means personally and collectively to hold resources, time, and opportunities with open hands while trusting God to multiply what is surrendered. 

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Wondering what Plum Creek Church is all about? Watch this video.

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Links

Home: https://www.plumcreek.church/

Next Steps: https://www.plumcreek.church/next

Ministries: https://www.plumcreek.church/ministries

Give: https://www.plumcreek.church/give

This bite-sized discussion is where we get to sit down with our communicators and ask a few follow up questions connected to the weekend message, unpack it on a deeper level, and explore how it all relates to our journey of following Jesus more fully.

In this episode of The After Sermon, Doug and Eric reflect on Plum Creek’s 20-year journey and the launch of the new series, Next Is Now. Using the metaphor of running a race, the conversation highlights what it means to stay faithful, keep moving forward, and carry the legacy of faith that’s been passed down to us.

Doug looks back with gratitude at the people who said yes along the way and shares his excitement for what’s ahead. This next season isn’t about buildings—it’s about making space for people to hear the gospel and experience life change. As the church looks forward, the encouragement is simple and clear: don’t coast, don’t sit it out—run your part of the race with expectation, knowing every story matters and every story needs Jesus.

This conversation is also available on our YouTube channel along with the full message that this discussion is based on.

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@plumcreekchurch

You can learn more about Plum Creek Church by visiting our website as well.

Website: https://plumcreek.church/

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If you're using this teaching for a Home Groups setting, we've included discussion prompts to help guide your conversation:

1. When the teaching describes faith as a relay where others ran before us and handed us the baton, what responsibility does that place on how you are living your faith right now for those who will come after you?

2. Look up Hebrews 12:1–2 and talk about what weights or distractions might be slowing your own race, not just obvious sin but good things that are keeping you from running with endurance.

3. The message pushes back on comparing your race to everyone else’s and calls you to focus on your own leg, so where do you notice comparison stealing energy or clarity from how you follow Jesus?

4. Think about the stories from Hebrews 11 that were mentioned, like Abraham, Moses, Gideon, or Rahab, and discuss which testimony most encourages you that faith can work even when fear, uncertainty, or a messy past are present.

5. As the church steps into this Next Is Now moment, how do you personally sense God inviting you to say yes in this season, and what might obedience look like even if the outcome is not guaranteed yet? 

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Wondering what Plum Creek Church is all about? Watch this video.

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Links

Home: https://www.plumcreek.church/

Next Steps: https://www.plumcreek.church/next

Ministries: https://www.plumcreek.church/ministries

Give: https://www.plumcreek.church/give

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If you're using this teaching for a Home Groups setting, we've included discussion prompts to help guide your conversation:

1. How does the Fosbury Flop illustration challenge the way you usually approach faith, and where might you be tempted to keep doing things the old way even after Jesus changed the game?

2. Look up John 16:7 and discuss why Jesus says it is better that he goes away, then talk about how that idea affects the way you think about the Holy Spirit’s role in your daily life.

3. When the teaching described small promptings like choosing Scripture over doom scrolling, what are some subtle moments in your own routine where obedience could shape your character over time?

4. The story about praying for a stranger at the airport ended without a visible success, so how do you personally measure faithfulness when outcomes are unclear and obedience feels awkward or risky?

5. Look up Romans 8:6 and 8:12–14 and reflect on what it means to let the Spirit lead instead of relying on willpower, then share an area where you feel stuck and might need to ask what is blocking growth.

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Wondering what Plum Creek Church is all about? Watch this video.

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Links

Home: https://www.plumcreek.church/

Next Steps: https://www.plumcreek.church/next

Ministries: https://www.plumcreek.church/ministries

Give: https://www.plumcreek.church/give

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If you're using this teaching for a Home Groups setting, we've included discussion prompts to help guide your conversation:

1. When the word obey brings up resistance for you, what do you think that resistance is really protecting?

2. Michele reframed obey as “keep, guard, hold fast, carefully preserve.” Which teaching of Jesus do you sense you need to guard more intentionally right now, and what would that look like this week in real life?

3. In the three step cycle Michele shared (choose your ruler, remain in relationship, rearrange your life), which step are you most likely to skip, and what is one specific change you could make to practice it this week?

4. Look up Joshua 24:14 to 15. What “ruler” or functional authority competes for your trust and loyalty, and how do you see that show up in your choices, schedule, or reactions?

5. Thinking about the line “no choice is neutral,” what is one small prompting from the Holy Spirit you recently ignored or delayed, and how might you respond differently next time?

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Wondering what Plum Creek Church is all about? Watch this video.

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Links

Home: https://www.plumcreek.church/

Next Steps: https://www.plumcreek.church/next

Ministries: https://www.plumcreek.church/ministries

Give: https://www.plumcreek.church/give

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If you're using this teaching for a Home Groups setting, we've included discussion prompts to help guide your conversation: 

1. According to the sermon, identity is the story you believe about who you are. What story do you think has been shaping you most lately, and how do you see it showing up in your reactions or habits?

2. Pastor Eric described baptism as initiation, not graduation, and about direction, not perfection. Where might you be waiting to feel ready instead of stepping forward in trust?

3. Look at Matthew 28:19 and notice that baptism comes early in the disciple making process. Why do you think Jesus connects belonging to Him with baptism before long term behavior change?

4. Shifting the center of life from yourself to Jesus was a big theme in the message. What is one area where you still feel the pressure to carry everything on your own?

5. Look at Titus 3:5 and reflect on the idea that renewal is something God does in us, not just something we work harder at. How does that reshape the way you think about growth right now?

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Wondering what Plum Creek Church is all about? Watch this video.

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Links

Home: https://www.plumcreek.church/

Next Steps: https://www.plumcreek.church/next

Ministries: https://www.plumcreek.church/ministries

Give: https://www.plumcreek.church/give

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If you're using this teaching for a Home Groups setting, we've included discussion prompts to help guide your conversation:

1. The sermon says following Jesus was meant to turn our lives outward. Where do you notice your faith turning inward instead, and what would it practically look like to reorient it outward this year?

2. The message acknowledges that sharing faith often feels uncomfortable even though it is no longer dangerous. What do you think actually causes that discomfort for you personally, fear of awkwardness, fear of rejection, lack of confidence, or something else?

3. Read Mark 1:16–17 and reflect on Jesus’ invitation to fish for people. Why do you think Jesus made this the starting point of his ministry rather than teaching, miracles, or spiritual disciplines?

4. The message framed discipleship as invest and invite, not argue or perform. Who is one real person in your life you could invest in relationally this year, and what is one small, realistic step that would not feel forced or fake?

5. Read Matthew 28:18–20 and discuss the idea that the church does not have a mission but the mission has a church. How does that challenge the way you think about church attendance, programs, and your role as a follower of Jesus?

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Wondering what Plum Creek Church is all about? Watch this video.

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Links

Home: https://www.plumcreek.church/

Next Steps: https://www.plumcreek.church/next

Ministries: https://www.plumcreek.church/ministries

Give: https://www.plumcreek.church/give

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Try a SOAP Study on a key verse from this message. SOAP is just another way of reading your Bible and applying what you read in a practical way.

SOAP stands for: 

Scripture – Read a passage of scripture and write down a verse or two that jumps out to you.

Observation – What are your personal observations that you note from this scripture?

Application – How does it now apply to your everyday life? What can you do to apply this in your life today?

Prayer – Write a personal prayer based on your observation and application.

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Wondering what Plum Creek Church is all about? Watch this video.

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Links

Home: https://www.plumcreek.church/

Next Steps: https://www.plumcreek.church/next

Ministries: https://www.plumcreek.church/ministries

Give: https://www.plumcreek.church/give

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If you're using this teaching for a Home Groups setting, we've included discussion prompts to help guide your conversation:

1. The sermon describes life seasons that feel like silence or waiting. Where in your life does hope feel thin right now, and how does the idea of an “and then one day” moment challenge or encourage you?

2. Mary and Joseph both faced fear when God interrupted their ordinary plans. What fears tend to guide your decisions more than you would like, and what might it look like to choose trust over fear in one small area this week?

3. Look at Luke 1:26–31. What stands out to you about how quietly and unexpectedly God enters Mary’s story, and how does that shape the way you think about God working in your own everyday life?

4. The sermon says Christmas is not about pretending everything is okay, but about holding onto hope. What is one thing you may need to release or entrust to God in order to make room for hope again?

5. Look at Isaiah 9:2 or Isaiah 9:6. How do these verses connect to the idea that light enters darkness in small, easily missed ways, and where might God be inviting you to notice His nearness right now?

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Wondering what Plum Creek Church is all about? Watch this video.

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Links

Home: https://www.plumcreek.church/

Next Steps: https://www.plumcreek.church/next

Ministries: https://www.plumcreek.church/ministries

Give: https://www.plumcreek.church/give

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If you're using this teaching for a Home Groups setting, we've included discussion prompts to help guide your conversation:

1. The sermon named specific kinds of captivity like fear, shame, addiction, and cycles that will not break. Which one do you most easily minimize in yourself, and what does that reveal about how you define freedom?

2. Imagine someone comes to Christmas Eve at Plum Creek and feels bound but invisible. Based on the sermon, what would extending freedom to them actually look like without fixing, preaching, or avoiding them?

3. Look at Luke 4:18–21 and pay attention to the word today. Why do you think Jesus anchored freedom in the present moment instead of pointing people toward future change?

4. The message said freedom is not just escape but restoration to who you were meant to be. What part of you feels most distant from that original design right now?

5. The sermon framed One Day as a simple yes that becomes action. If you said yes this week, what would realistically change in how you give, pray, or pay attention to others?

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Wondering what Plum Creek Church is all about? Watch this video.

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Links

Home: https://www.plumcreek.church/

Next Steps: https://www.plumcreek.church/next

Ministries: https://www.plumcreek.church/ministries

Give: https://www.plumcreek.church/give

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If you're using this teaching for a Home Groups setting, we've included discussion prompts to help guide your conversation:

1. When have you felt the loss of a future you imagined, and how did that interruption shape your view of joy?

2. Think about a closed door or setback in your past. What good can you now see that you could not see inside the interruption?

3. Look at Jeremiah 29:11. What stands out when you read it the way Israel first heard it (before anything in their situation improved)?

4. How can you practice reframing your internal story this week using the sermon’s idea of a truer truth instead of fear-driven assumptions?

5. Read Genesis 12:2 to 3. How does Israel’s original calling help you rethink God’s purpose in your own unexpected seasons?

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Wondering what Plum Creek Church is all about? Watch this video.

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Links

Home: https://www.plumcreek.church/

Next Steps: https://www.plumcreek.church/next

Ministries: https://www.plumcreek.church/ministries

Give: https://www.plumcreek.church/give

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If you're using this teaching for a Home Groups setting, we've included discussion prompts to help guide your conversation:

1. Look at Micah 5:4 to 5. What does it mean to you that Jesus is described as the source of peace instead of simply a messenger of peace?

2. When have you mistaken escape, distraction, or numbing for peace and how can you tell the difference?

3. Read John 14:27. Which part of the gift Jesus describes (peace of mind or peace of heart) feels harder for you to receive right now?

4. When you hit a hard week, what does your mind naturally fix itself on and how does that compare to Isaiah 26:3?

5. Which part of shalom (wholeness, restoration, healing, completeness) feels most relevant to your life today?

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Wondering what Plum Creek Church is all about? Watch this video.

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Links

Home: https://www.plumcreek.church/

Next Steps: https://www.plumcreek.church/next

Ministries: https://www.plumcreek.church/ministries

Give: https://www.plumcreek.church/give

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If you're using this teaching for a Home Groups setting, we've included discussion prompts to help guide your conversation:

1. Where in your life right now do you need to trust that the God who kept His word for centuries will keep His word to you today?

2. The sermon says Christmas is evidence that God finishes what He starts. What part of your story feels unfinished and how might God already be working in the quiet places you do not see yet?

3. Look at Luke 4:18 to 21. How does Jesus declaring a prophecy fulfilled on that very day shape the way you view His authority and reliability?

4. The season was described as a time when hearts are softened and conversations become possible. Who has God placed in your path that you might need to invite or simply be kind toward in a more intentional way?

5. Look at Isaiah 7:14 alongside Matthew 1:22 to 23. How does seeing a detailed prophecy fulfilled exactly as written affect your sense of wonder during Christmas? 

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Wondering what Plum Creek Church is all about? Watch this video.

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Links

Home: https://www.plumcreek.church/

Next Steps: https://www.plumcreek.church/next

Ministries: https://www.plumcreek.church/ministries

Give: https://www.plumcreek.church/give

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If you're using this teaching for a Home Groups setting, we've included discussion prompts to help guide your conversation:

1. Paul says he considers everything a loss compared to the surpassing worth of knowing Christ. What would it actually look like for you to make that same math in your own life this week?

2. Paul talks about forgetting what is behind. What is one specific thing from your past week or season that you need to stop looking back at so you can run your race?

3. Look at Philippians 3:12 to 14. Where do you sense God asking you to press on or take hold of something rather than coast?

4. Michelle said you do not grow through avoidance, you grow through endurance. Where do you see God forming you right now in the middle of something you wish would just go away?

5. Read Hebrews 12:1 to 2. What is the heaviest thing entangling you as you try to keep your eye on the prize?

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Wondering what Plum Creek Church is all about? Watch this video.

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Links

Home: https://www.plumcreek.church/

Next Steps: https://www.plumcreek.church/next

Ministries: https://www.plumcreek.church/ministries

Give: https://www.plumcreek.church/give

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If you're using this teaching for a Home Groups setting, we've included discussion prompts to help guide your conversation:

1. Where are you still trying to prove your worth to people who are not even thinking about you?

2. What part of your life are you working hardest to protect, and how might Jesus be inviting you to open your hands instead of gripping tighter?

3. Look at Matthew 16:24. What does denying yourself actually look like in your daily routines, not just in theory?

4. What hidden wound or secret are you afraid to bring into the light, and what do you fear would happen if you did?

5. Psalm 32:1-5 says: “Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight. Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of guilt, whose lives are lived in complete honesty. When I refused to confess my sin, my body wasted away and I groaned all day long. Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me. My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat. Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt. I said to myself, ‘I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.’ And you forgave me. All my guilt is gone."

What does this invite you to do today?

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Wondering what Plum Creek Church is all about? Watch this video.

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Links

Home: https://www.plumcreek.church/

Next Steps: https://www.plumcreek.church/next

Ministries: https://www.plumcreek.church/ministries

Give: https://www.plumcreek.church/give

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If you're using this teaching for a Home Groups setting, we've included discussion prompts to help guide your conversation:

1. What does abiding look like for you in real life, not in theory? Where specifically are you getting distracted or pulled away from staying close to Jesus?

2. Where do you sense God asking you to surrender something right now? What is the actual cost of holding on?

3. Look at John 13:34. How would it change your interactions this week if you took Jesus’ command to love as seriously as any moral or theological command?

4. Who is a real person in your life that would experience something different from you if you chose to love first rather than wait to be loved?

5. Jesus washed the feet of someone who would betray him. What is one act of service this week that would require humility from you rather than comfort?

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Wondering what Plum Creek Church is all about? Watch this video.

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Links

Home: https://www.plumcreek.church/

Next Steps: https://www.plumcreek.church/next

Ministries: https://www.plumcreek.church/ministries

Give: https://www.plumcreek.church/give

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If you're using this teaching for a Home Groups setting, we've included discussion prompts to help guide your conversation:

1. When Pastor Eric described the “try-harder loop,” what parts of your own faith journey felt similar, and how might you begin shifting from trying harder to training intentionally?

2. Dallas Willard said, “Faith has failed to transform the character of most people because it is usually unaccompanied by a way of life like Christ himself practiced.” What specific rhythms or habits could help align your daily life more with Jesus’ example?

3. Read Romans 12:2. What would it look like for your mind to be truly renewed in the areas that most shape your thoughts or emotions this week?

4. Pastor Eric said that formation happens over time and through hard seasons. How can you view your current challenges as part of the Spirit’s slow work of transformation?

5. Look at James 1:2-4. How does this passage reshape your view of difficulty when compared with the idea that “the desert is the classroom where our faith grows”?

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Wondering what Plum Creek Church is all about? Watch this video.

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Links

Home: https://www.plumcreek.church/

Next Steps: https://www.plumcreek.church/next

Ministries: https://www.plumcreek.church/ministries

Give: https://www.plumcreek.church/give

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If you're using this teaching for a Home Groups setting, we've included discussion prompts to help guide your conversation:

1. What distractions or habits have been quietly pulling you out of range from truly seeing and hearing Jesus?

2. Look at Luke 5:1–11. Which of Peter’s small yeses (Borrow, Beyond, Because, Belong) do you relate to most right now, and why?

3. When was the last time you sensed Jesus asking to “borrow your boat” (to step into your ordinary life)? How did you respond?

4. What practical step could you take this week to choose proximity over perfection in your walk with Jesus?

5. Read Psalm 46:10. What would it actually look like for you to “be still” in a world that rewards hurry and noise?

6. When have you mistaken doing things for Jesus with actually being with Him, and how can you realign your focus toward proximity instead of productivity?

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Wondering what Plum Creek Church is all about? Watch this video.

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Links

Home: https://www.plumcreek.church/

Next Steps: https://www.plumcreek.church/next

Ministries: https://www.plumcreek.church/ministries

Give: https://www.plumcreek.church/give

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If you're using this teaching for a Home Groups setting, we've included discussion prompts to help guide your conversation:

1. What does it actually mean to follow Jesus instead of just being a fan?

2. How does Jesus’ humility and compassion redefine what greatness looks like in your life?

3. Look at Matthew 5. How does Jesus’ teaching on the Beatitudes challenge the way our culture defines success?

4. In what ways might your daily habits and conversations be shaping you more than you realize?

5. Read John 20:27. How do you personally respond to Thomas’ moment of doubt and belief?

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Wondering what Plum Creek Church is all about? Watch this video.

///

Links

Home: https://www.plumcreek.church/

Next Steps: https://www.plumcreek.church/next

Ministries: https://www.plumcreek.church/ministries

Give: https://www.plumcreek.church/give

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If you're using this teaching for a Home Groups setting, we've included discussion prompts to help guide your conversation:

1. What are some of the main things shaping your life right now, and how can you tell?

2. How would your daily habits change if you truly believed every part of your life is spiritual?

3. Look at Romans 12:2. What does it mean to be transformed by the renewing of your mind instead of being conformed to the world?

4. Which part of God’s five act story (creation, fall, redemption, church, or new creation) feels most real to you today, and why?

5. How can you be more intentional this week about letting God form you into the likeness of Jesus? 

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Wondering what Plum Creek Church is all about? Watch this video.

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Links

Home: https://www.plumcreek.church/

Next Steps: https://www.plumcreek.church/next

Ministries: https://www.plumcreek.church/ministries

Give: https://www.plumcreek.church/give

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If you're using this teaching for a Home Groups setting, we've included discussion prompts to help guide your conversation:

1. What does it practically look like in your life to move from being a fan of Jesus to being a true follower?

2. Think about the difference Doug described between adding a little bit of Jesus to your life versus putting your whole life into Jesus. Which side do you lean toward right now and why?

3. Look at Luke 9:23. What might it mean for you personally to take up your cross daily and follow Him?

4. How can we help the next generation understand that following Jesus is more than a label or a habit?

5. In what areas of your life have you compartmentalized faith instead of letting Jesus shape everything you do?

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Wondering what Plum Creek Church is all about? Watch this video.

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Links

Home: https://www.plumcreek.church/

Next Steps: https://www.plumcreek.church/next

Ministries: https://www.plumcreek.church/ministries

Give: https://www.plumcreek.church/give

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If you're using this teaching for a Home Groups setting, we've included discussion prompts to help guide your conversation:

1. Have you noticed times when your posture in conversations looked more like culture than Christ? What did that reveal about your heart?

2. Think about someone you usually avoid or disagree with. What would it look like to set a table with them instead of trying to win an argument?

3. Look at Matthew 5:43-48. How do Jesus’ words about loving enemies challenge the way you normally respond to people who oppose you?

4. When you feel “bumped” in life and something spills out, what usually comes out of your mug? What does that say about what is filling you?

5. Read 1 Corinthians 13:1-3. How do these verses expose the danger of doing the right things without love?

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Wondering what Plum Creek Church is all about? Watch this video.

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Links

Home: https://www.plumcreek.church/

Next Steps: https://www.plumcreek.church/next

Ministries: https://www.plumcreek.church/ministries

Give: https://www.plumcreek.church/give

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If you're using this teaching for a Home Groups setting, we've included discussion prompts to help guide your conversation:

1. What does Psalm 1 teach us about the difference between following the ways of the world and meditating on God’s Word?

2. How might a social media fast impact your heart, focus, and prayer life?

3. When was the last time generosity felt like a true step of faith for you?

4. Look at Matthew 6:21. What does your use of resources reveal about where your heart is?

5. How can you practice hearing God’s voice this week in small but intentional ways?

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Wondering what Plum Creek Church is all about? Watch this video.

///

Links

Home: https://www.plumcreek.church/

Next Steps: https://www.plumcreek.church/next

Ministries: https://www.plumcreek.church/ministries

Give: https://www.plumcreek.church/give

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If you're using this teaching for a Home Groups setting, we've included discussion prompts to help guide your conversation:

1. Where do you typically turn for help when life feels overwhelming, and how does that compare with Psalm 121:1-2?

2. How does the idea of living “right side up” challenge the way you approach money, time, and success?

3. What does it mean to wear love as the “uniform” of a disciple, and how would people know that about you?

4. Look at Luke 6:27-28. How do Jesus’ words about loving enemies stretch your understanding of what love requires?

5. What step of “irrational generosity” could you take this week that would feel inconvenient but reflect the Kingdom of God?

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Wondering what Plum Creek Church is all about? Watch this video.

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Links

Home: https://www.plumcreek.church/

Next Steps: https://www.plumcreek.church/next

Ministries: https://www.plumcreek.church/ministries

Give: https://www.plumcreek.church/give

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If you're using this teaching for a Home Groups setting, we've included discussion prompts to help guide your conversation:

1. What does it look like for you to stop making life about yourself and begin genuinely looking out for the interests of others?

2. Think of a relationship in your life. How could wholehearted love and authentic humility change the way you approach it?

3. Look at Philippians 2:1-4. What stands out to you about Paul’s vision for how believers should treat one another?

4. When have you experienced unshakable grace from someone else, and how did it impact your relationship with them?

5. How might God be inviting you to pursue deeper, spiritually formed friendships instead of settling for surface-level connections?

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Wondering what Plum Creek Church is all about? Watch this video.

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Links

Home: https://www.plumcreek.church/

Next Steps: https://www.plumcreek.church/next

Ministries: https://www.plumcreek.church/ministries

Give: https://www.plumcreek.church/give

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If you're using this teaching for a Home Groups setting, we've included discussion prompts to help guide your conversation:

1. As you reflect on this message, what one principle or insight stands out as being particularly helpful or insightful?

2. Is there anything that stood out from this message that was challenging?

3. What did this message teach us about God?

4. What did this message teach us about ourselves?

5. If these verses were applied to our culture today, what would the implications be?

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Wondering what Plum Creek Church is all about? Watch this video.

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Links

Home: https://www.plumcreek.church/

Next Steps: https://www.plumcreek.church/next

Ministries: https://www.plumcreek.church/ministries

Give: https://www.plumcreek.church/give

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If you're using this teaching for a Home Groups setting, we've included discussion prompts to help guide your conversation:

1. How have you seen God use community to strengthen your faith when life felt heavy?

2. Look at Hebrews 10:24-25. What does it look like for you personally to stir others toward love and good works?

3. When have you experienced the presence of God most powerfully in a group setting?

4. What keeps people today from committing to gathering regularly, and how can we overcome that?

5. Who in your life could you invite this week, and what might keep you from asking them?

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Wondering what Plum Creek Church is all about? Watch this video.

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Links

Home: https://www.plumcreek.church/

Next Steps: https://www.plumcreek.church/next

Ministries: https://www.plumcreek.church/ministries

Give: https://www.plumcreek.church/give

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 If you're using this teaching for a Home Groups setting, we've included discussion prompts to help guide your conversation:

1. What do you think Jesus meant when he said that whoever wants to be great must become a servant?

2. How have you seen God multiply a small act of service into something much bigger?

3. Look at Matthew 20:25-28. How does Jesus redefine leadership compared to what our culture values?

4. When have you discovered a gift or strength only after stepping off the sidelines and serving?

5. What might it look like for you this week to gear up, show up, and team up in God’s Kingdom work?

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Wondering what Plum Creek Church is all about? Watch this video.

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Links

Home: https://www.plumcreek.church/

Next Steps: https://www.plumcreek.church/next

Ministries: https://www.plumcreek.church/ministries

Give: https://www.plumcreek.church/give

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If you're using this teaching for a Home Groups setting, we've included discussion prompts to help guide your conversation:

1. Where in your life have you been more of a consumer than a contributor, and what would it look like to change that starting this week?

2. Think of a time when you experienced God’s grace in a life-changing way. How could you share that experience to impact someone else’s story?

3. Read John 20:21. How does Jesus’ sending of His disciples apply to you personally today?

4. What lies or excuses from the enemy have you believed that might be holding you back from serving or stepping into your calling?

5. Read 1 Peter 4:10. How are you currently using your gifts, and what new ways could you use them to multiply the impact in your community?

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Wondering what Plum Creek Church is all about? Watch this video.

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Links

Home: https://www.plumcreek.church/

Next Steps: https://www.plumcreek.church/next

Ministries: https://www.plumcreek.church/ministries

Give: https://www.plumcreek.church/give

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If you're using this teaching for a Home Groups setting, we've included discussion prompts to help guide your conversation:

1. What race are you running in life—and is it the one God has called you to?

2. How does your life currently reflect consuming more than contributing?

3. What would it look like for you to rearrange your life around Jesus this week?

4. Which area of your life (time, talent, treasure, testimony, thinking) do you struggle most to give away?

5. How can you begin to shift from measuring your net worth to measuring your net given?

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Wondering what Plum Creek Church is all about? Watch this video.

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Links

Home: https://www.plumcreek.church/

Next Steps: https://www.plumcreek.church/next

Ministries: https://www.plumcreek.church/ministries

Give: https://www.plumcreek.church/give

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If you're using this teaching for a Home Groups setting, we've included discussion prompts to help guide your conversation:

1. What would it practically look like for you to *rearrange your life* around the idea that Jesus is right... not just about eternity, but about things like money, fear, or forgiveness?

2. Read John 14:1-6. How do you relate to Thomas’ honesty when he says, “Lord, we don’t know where you’re going, so how can we know the way”? Where in your life do you feel like you need clearer direction from Jesus?

3. The sermon drew a sharp line between believing in Jesus and actually following Him. What’s one area of your life where you’ve believed, but not yet followed?

4. The sermon emphasized that following Jesus is not about acting like him but becoming like him. What’s the difference between the two in your experience?

5. Look at Matthew 11:28-30. How would your schedule, relationships, or attitude change if you genuinely took on the yoke of Jesus as your way of life instead of just believing certain truths about him?

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Wondering what Plum Creek Church is all about? Watch this video.

///

Links

Home: https://www.plumcreek.church/

Next Steps: https://www.plumcreek.church/next

Ministries: https://www.plumcreek.church/ministries

Give: https://www.plumcreek.church/give

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If you're using this teaching for a Home Groups setting, we've included discussion prompts to help guide your conversation:

1. Who are the “Ninevites” in your life, the people you struggle to believe deserve mercy, and how do you typically respond to them?

2. When was a time you received mercy you did not deserve, and how did that experience shape your view of God?

3. Read Jonah chapter 4.

What stands out to you about Jonah’s reaction to God's mercy, and how does it challenge your own heart?

4. What does it look like to offer mercy when everything in you wants to be offended instead?

5. Look at Luke 18:9-14. How does Jesus contrast the two men, and what can you learn from their posture before God?

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Wondering what Plum Creek Church is all about? Watch this video.

///

Links

Home: https://www.plumcreek.church/

Next Steps: https://www.plumcreek.church/next

Ministries: https://www.plumcreek.church/ministries

Give: https://www.plumcreek.church/give

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If you're using this teaching for a Home Groups setting, we've included discussion prompts to help guide your conversation:

1. Look at Jonah 3:1. What does it show you about how God responds when we’ve failed or run from Him?

2. What part of Jonah’s story felt most like a mirror for you personally? Why?

3. How does the idea that “obedience is the bridge to breakthrough” challenge the way you’ve been responding to God lately?

4. Have you ever written yourself off when God hadn’t? What helped you realize He was still pursuing you?

5. Look at Romans 8:1. What does this verse reveal about how God sees you, even in the middle of your mess?

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Wondering what Plum Creek Church is all about? Watch this video.

///

Links

Home: https://www.plumcreek.church/

Next Steps: https://www.plumcreek.church/next

Ministries: https://www.plumcreek.church/ministries

Give: https://www.plumcreek.church/give

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If you're using this teaching for a Home Groups setting, we've included discussion prompts to help guide your conversation:

1. When life doesn’t go how you expected even though you were trying to follow God how do you respond?

2. Jonah didn’t run because he misunderstood God but because he knew God was merciful. What does that reveal about Jonah’s heart and maybe ours too?

3. Look at Jonah 2 verse 8. What might you be holding onto that’s actually keeping you from experiencing more of God’s love?

4. The sermon suggested that suffering might be the place where God does His best work. Do you agree? Why or why not?

5. Has there ever been a time when something you thought was ruining your life ended up saving it? What did that teach you about God?

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Wondering what Plum Creek Church is all about? Watch this video.

///

Links

Home: https://www.plumcreek.church/

Next Steps: https://www.plumcreek.church/next

Ministries: https://www.plumcreek.church/ministries

Give: https://www.plumcreek.church/give

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If you're using this teaching for a Home Groups setting, we've included discussion prompts to help guide your conversation:

1. What storm in your life has made you question where God is?

2. Where are you most tempted to numb out instead of surrendering?

3. What does secure love from God mean to you right now?

4. When have you seen surrender lead to deeper security in your life?

5. What might God be trying to awaken you to in your current season?

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Wondering what Plum Creek Church is all about? Watch this video.

///

Links

Home: https://www.plumcreek.church/

Next Steps: https://www.plumcreek.church/next

Ministries: https://www.plumcreek.church/ministries

Give: https://www.plumcreek.church/give

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If you're using this teaching for a Home Groups setting, we've included discussion prompts to help guide your conversation:

1. What’s one area of your life where you feel tempted to run from God’s prompting?

2. How do you usually respond when God asks you to do something uncomfortable?

3. What distractions or excuses keep you from fully tuning in to God’s voice?

4. Have you ever justified disobedience by convincing yourself it wasn’t really your responsibility?

5. What would it look like for you to stop running and say “yes” to God this week?

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Wondering what Plum Creek Church is all about? Watch this video.

///

Links

Home: https://www.plumcreek.church/

Next Steps: https://www.plumcreek.church/next

Ministries: https://www.plumcreek.church/ministries

Give: https://www.plumcreek.church/give

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If you're using this teaching for a Home Groups setting, we've included discussion prompts to help guide your conversation:

1. What’s one way you’ve seen God show up in the middle of a difficult or waiting season?

2. Where in your life do you feel pressure to have all the answers—and how do you respond to that pressure?

3. Who has been a steady and safe presence for you, and how has that shaped your life?

4. What relationship in your life might need healing, and what step could you take toward making it right?

5. How are you intentionally investing in the spiritual legacy you’re leaving behind?

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Wondering what Plum Creek Church is all about? Watch this video.

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Links

Home: https://www.plumcreek.church/

Next Steps: https://www.plumcreek.church/next

Ministries: https://www.plumcreek.church/ministries

Give: https://www.plumcreek.church/give

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If you're using this teaching for a Home Groups setting, we've included discussion prompts to help guide your conversation:

1. Are you a help or a hindrance to people coming to Jesus? (Mark 10:13-14)

2. What are some ways we unintentionally add to Jesus and make him harder for others to see?

3. How does childlike dependence on God practically show up in your daily life? (Mark 10:15)

4. Have you ever treated someone’s messiness as a reason to push them away instead of drawing them closer to Christ?

5. What barriers might exist in our church that keep people—especially kids or outsiders—from truly encountering Jesus?

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Wondering what Plum Creek Church is all about? Watch this video.

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Links

Home: https://www.plumcreek.church/

Next Steps: https://www.plumcreek.church/next

Ministries: https://www.plumcreek.church/ministries

Give: https://www.plumcreek.church/give

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If you're using this teaching for a Home Groups setting, we've included discussion prompts to help guide your conversation:

1. What does it mean to let Jesus wash your feet, even after you've already been "bathed"? (John 13:10)

2. How does John 13 challenge our ideas of greatness and leadership in today’s world?

3. Are there areas in your life where you're close to Jesus, like Judas, but still resisting transformation?

4. How does the image of Jesus kneeling with a towel shift your view of God’s character?

5. What would it look like for you to let the Word of God “wash” you daily this week? (John 17:17)

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Wondering what Plum Creek Church is all about? Watch this video.

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Links

Home: https://www.plumcreek.church/

Next Steps: https://www.plumcreek.church/next

Ministries: https://www.plumcreek.church/ministries

Give: https://www.plumcreek.church/give

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If you're using this teaching for a Home Groups setting, we've included discussion prompts to help guide your conversation:

1. What do you think it means to “practice the presence of the Holy Spirit,” and how have you seen that impact your life or someone else’s?

2. Galatians 5:22–23 lists the fruit of the Spirit. Which of these do you most long to see grow in your life right now, and why?

3. The sermon described “plastic fruit” as counterfeit spirituality. Can you think of examples where you’ve tried to produce fruit through performance instead of real transformation?

4. What spiritual practices (like prayer, silence, solitude, etc.) do you feel drawn to, and how might those help create space for the Spirit to move?

5. The sermon said the Holy Spirit is your “unfair advantage.” What does that mean to you, and how could that change the way you approach your daily life or struggles?

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Wondering what Plum Creek Church is all about? Watch this video.

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Links

Home: https://www.plumcreek.church/

Next Steps: https://www.plumcreek.church/next

Ministries: https://www.plumcreek.church/ministries

Give: https://www.plumcreek.church/give

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If you're using this teaching for a Home Groups setting, we've included discussion prompts to help guide your conversation:

1. How can we tell the difference between conviction from the Holy Spirit and condemnation from the enemy, and why is it so important not to confuse the two? 

2. In John 16:8, Jesus says the Holy Spirit will "convict the world of its sin." What does this conviction look like in our lives, and how can we respond to it in a way that leads to growth and freedom?

3. Have you ever felt a "nudge in your spirit" that you later realized was the Holy Spirit guiding you? How did you respond, and what impact did it have?

4. Why do you think God cares more about our relationship with Him than just our behavior, as discussed in the message?

5. Romans 8:1 says, "There is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus." How can we remind ourselves of this truth when we feel the weight of shame or past mistakes?

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Wondering what Plum Creek Church is all about? Watch this video.

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Links

Home: https://www.plumcreek.church/

Next Steps: https://www.plumcreek.church/next

Ministries: https://www.plumcreek.church/ministries

Give: https://www.plumcreek.church/give

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If you're using this teaching for a Home Groups setting, we've included discussion prompts to help guide your conversation:

1. What does it mean to tune into the Holy Spirit in a world full of distractions? How do you intentionally stay tuned in?

2. In Luke 11:13, Jesus says, "How much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him." Have you asked God to fill you with His Spirit lately? What might that look like in your life?

3. Are there areas where you’ve selectively obeyed God, like Saul in 1 Samuel 15? How can you fully align your heart with God’s guidance?

4. How can you tell the difference between a good idea and a God idea in your life? How can you better discern His voice?

5. What are some practical ways to 'predecide' to obey God, even when it’s hard? How might this change the way you hear from Him?

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Wondering what Plum Creek Church is all about? Watch this video.

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Links

Home: https://www.plumcreek.church/

Next Steps: https://www.plumcreek.church/next

Ministries: https://www.plumcreek.church/ministries

Give: https://www.plumcreek.church/give

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If you're using this teaching for a Home Groups setting, we've included discussion prompts to help guide your conversation:

1. What does it practically look like to “live by the Spirit” instead of relying on self-effort, as described in Galatians 5 and Romans 8?

2. How does starting from a place of “no condemnation” (Romans 8:1) change the way we approach spiritual growth?

3. Share a time when trying harder in your faith left you exhausted... how might dependence on the Holy Spirit have changed that experience?

4. In what ways have you seen fear shape your behavior more than love or identity in Christ?

5. What might it mean in your life right now to “become who you already are” as a child of God? 

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Wondering what Plum Creek Church is all about? Watch this video.

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Links

Home: https://www.plumcreek.church/

Next Steps: https://www.plumcreek.church/next

Ministries: https://www.plumcreek.church/ministries

Give: https://www.plumcreek.church/give

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If you're using this teaching for a Home Groups setting, we've included discussion prompts to help guide your conversation:

1. What do you think it looks like to live with "untapped potential" through the Holy Spirit, as described in Acts?

2. How have you experienced trying to follow Jesus in your own strength instead of relying on the Holy Spirit?

3. John 14:26 says the Holy Spirit will teach and remind us of everything Jesus taught—how have you seen this happen in your life or others' lives?

4. In what ways might we be unintentionally pushing the Holy Spirit to the margins of our lives?

5. What would change if you began each day with a simple prayer inviting the Holy Spirit to lead you?

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Wondering what Plum Creek Church is all about? Watch this video.

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Links

Home: https://www.plumcreek.church/

Next Steps: https://www.plumcreek.church/next

Ministries: https://www.plumcreek.church/ministries

Give: https://www.plumcreek.church/give