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PREPARING FOR WHAT’S NEXT
Desert, Community, Project | Part 4
Senior Pastor Keith Stewart
June 21, 2026

Have you ever had a dream that seemed to slip through your fingers?

Maybe it was a calling, a relationship, a ministry, a career, or simply the life you thought you would have by now. What do you do when the dream is delayed? When the road is filled with detours, disappointments, opposition, and unanswered questions?

This Sunday, we'll look at the life of Joseph and discover how God prepares us for what comes next. What if the setbacks you're experiencing aren't obstacles to God's plan—but part of God's preparation for it?

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. Pastor Keith said, "The greatest reward for our service is not what I get from it but what I become by it." What do you think he means by that? Have you ever experienced service changing you as much as it helped someone else?

2. The dream of Springcreek Church began when Pastor Keith realized his Venezuelan friends felt more welcomed by him than by the church he attended. Have you ever had an experience that changed the way you saw people, church, or ministry?

3. Joseph received a dream from God when he was young, but he was not yet ready for it. Why do you think God often gives us a vision of the future before He fully prepares us for it?

4. Which of the six "enemies that stalk our dreams" resonated most with you?
• Our own immaturity or lack of wisdom
• Opposition from others
• Unexpected detours
• Attractive counterfeits
• Entanglement with other people's dreams
• Getting ahead of God
Why did that particular enemy stand out to you?

5. The message emphasized that "God doesn't remove the dream; He refines the dreamer." Looking back over your life, can you identify ways God used delays, disappointments, or setbacks to shape your character?

6. Have you ever experienced what seemed like a detour in life that later turned out to be part of God's preparation? Share your story.

7. Joseph's life reminds us that God is often doing something in us before He does something through us. How does that challenge the way we usually think about success and achievement?

8. Pastor Keith said, "A large church can be built around charisma. A successful church can be built around strategy. But a transformational church has to be built around formation." What do you think distinguishes a transformational church from a merely successful church?

9. Joseph eventually realized that his dream was never really about him—it was about "the saving of many lives." How can we tell when our dreams have become more about ourselves than about God's purposes?

10. The message ended by highlighting ways God has used Springcreek to impact people locally and globally. What examples have you personally seen of God working through this church to transform lives?

11. As we prepare for next week's message, what do you believe God may want to do in and through Springcreek in the years ahead? What role might God be calling you to play in that future?

12. Joseph never let go of God, even when he didn't understand what God was doing. Is there an area of your life right now where you need to trust God's process rather than demand immediate answers? How can the group pray for you?

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WHEN GOD CALLS YOU BEYOND YOURSELF
Desert, Community, Project | Part 3
Senior Pastor Keith Stewart
June 14, 2026

What do you do when God asks you to do something that feels impossible? The disciples faced a hungry crowd of thousands with only five loaves and two fish. Their first response was the same as ours: "We don't have enough." But what if the greatest obstacle isn't a lack of resources? What if it's forgetting who we're with? This Sunday, we'll explore one of Jesus' most famous miracles and discover a life-changing truth: God never intended for us to be the source—only the distributors of what He places in our hands.

Join us for Part 3 of our series, Desert. Community. Project.
"WHEN GOD CALLS YOU BEYOND YOURSELF"

In-person and online at Springcreek Church.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Icebreaker

Tell about a time when you were asked to do something that felt completely beyond your ability, resources, or experience. How did you respond?

Digging Into the Message

Read Mark 6:30-44. Why do you think Jesus first called His disciples to a solitary place before involving them in ministry to the crowd?

Pastor Keith described the desert as a place of: Separation | Preparation | Revelation
Which of those purposes resonates most with your current season of life? Why?

Henri Nouwen suggests that solitude reveals things we've been avoiding. What are some common distractions people use to avoid facing themselves or God?

Jesus looked at a crowd of hungry people and felt compassion. What is the difference between sympathy, pity, and genuine compassion?

The disciples saw a problem. Jesus saw an opportunity. When you face a challenge, are you more likely to focus on what you don't have or on what God might do through what you
do have?

Top-Down or Bottom-Up? The message contrasted "bottom-up" thinking with "top-down" thinking. What is the difference? Can you think of an example from your own life where you've approached a situation from each perspective? Why do you think it is so easy to forget what God has done in the past when we encounter a new challenge?

What "five loaves and two fish" has God already placed in your hands that you may
be overlooking?

Living the Sacred Rhythm

One of the key ideas from the message was:
"The disciples were never the source."
How does that truth challenge the pressure many Christians feel to produce results?

The miracle happened as the disciples kept returning to Jesus for more. What does daily dependence on Christ look like in practical terms?

Which part of the rhythm needs the most attention in your life right now?

Desert (being with God)
Community (walking with others)
Project (serving others)

What is one concrete step you can take this week?

Closing Reflection

Read this statement aloud:
"Their responsibility was not to manufacture the miracle. Their responsibility was to stay close to the One who could."

Spend a few moments discussing:
Where do you feel pressure to "manufacture" results?
What would it look like to trust Jesus deeply in that area?

Prayer

Pray for one another, asking God to: Draw you deeper into the desert place of communion
with Him.

Strengthen your relationships in Christian community.
Show you where He is calling you to participate in His work.
Give you faith to trust Him with the impossible.

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LEARNING TO SERVE LIKE CHRIST
Desert, Community, Project | Part 2
Senior Pastor Keith Stewart
June 7, 2026

Most of us want our lives to matter. We want to make a difference. We want to leave a mark on the world. But what if the path to significance isn't found in becoming more important? What if it's found in becoming less? In Part 2 of our series, Desert, Community, Project, we'll explore one of the most counter-cultural truths Jesus ever taught: greatness is found in service. Through the lives of John the Baptist, Jesus, and others who learned to put God's purposes ahead of their own, we'll discover why true service transforms not only the world around us—it transforms us as well.

Join us this Sunday as we learn what it means to pray:
"More of You. Less of me."

Icebreaker

What is one daily habit or rhythm in your life that has had a significant impact on who you are today?

Digging Into the Message

Pastor Keith defined spiritual transformation as: "God lovingly changing our thoughts, feelings, and actions to resemble
Jesus, in community, for the good of the world." Which part of that definition stands out most to you and why?
The message emphasized that spiritual transformation affects the whole person—mind, heart, and will. Which of those areas do you think God is most actively working on in your life right now?

Have you ever known someone who was strong in biblical knowledge, spiritual experiences, or religious activity, but lacked balance in the other areas? What can we learn from that?

Romans 8 describes Jesus as the pattern for our lives. When you think about becoming more like Jesus, what characteristic of His life do you most want to see developed in yourself?

Desert (Love God)

Jesus regularly withdrew to spend time alone with the Father. What currently helps you connect with God? What tends to distract you?

The message challenged us to practice "digital discipline." What role does technology play in helping or hindering your relationship with God?

Which spiritual discipline (prayer, solitude, fasting, worship, Scripture reading, etc.) would most strengthen your walk with God if practiced more consistently?

Community (Love One Another)

Why do you think God designed spiritual growth to happen in community rather than isolation?

The message contrasted the Communion Table with the coffee bar. In what ways can we sometimes approach church more like consumers than participants?

How has someone in the church helped shape your spiritual growth?

What would it look like for our group to become a more diverse, welcoming, and gospel-centered community?

Project (Love Your Neighbor)

Pastor Keith said, "Love is not love until it is given away." Where do you currently have opportunities to demonstrate Christ's love through service?

Who is someone in your life right now who may need to experience God's love through your words, encouragement, or practical help?

Tony Campolo's story reminds us that small acts of love matter. What is one simple act of kindness or service you could offer this week?


Application

Of the three rhythms—Desert, Community, or Project—which is strongest in your life right now? Which needs the most attention?

What is one specific step you will take this week to better align your life with the rhythm of Jesus?

Closing Prayer

Pray that God would make each member of the group more like Christ through time with God, authentic community, and loving service to others. Ask God to help you become "His suit of clothes" in the world this week.