Praying with Jesus | When We Feel Exhausted | Psalm 127

Praying with Jesus | When We Feel Exhausted | Psalm 127
Reece Woodruff
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Discussion Questions

  • Where are you most tempted toward “anxious toil” right now? What makes that particular area hard for you to entrust to God?

  • The sermon identifies two roots of anxious toil: believing everything depends on us and looking to our work to give us a name. Which is the greater temptation for you, and how does it show up?

  • “Your job is faithfulness; the fruit belongs to God.” What would change about the way you approach your work, parenting, ministry, or responsibilities if you really believed that?

  • Solomon could rest when he remembered his name: “beloved of the Lord.” Where are you most tempted to build a name for yourself rather than receive your identity from God?

  • The sermon ends with two invitations: “Remember who gives the fruit. Remember your name. And go to sleep.” What is one concrete way you could practice that this week?

Prayer Points

  • Thank God for the gift of work.

  • Surrender the fruit of your work to God.

  • Thank God for the name you’ve already received in Christ

Praying with Jesus | When We Feel Doubtful | Psalm 73

Praying with Jesus | When We Feel Doubtful | Psalm 73
Myeong Hong
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Discussion Questions

  • What does Psalm 73 teach us about God when it comes to our doubts?

  • What’s significant about Asaph saying,"It is good to be near God"in verse 28?

  • How can our church become a place where people feel safe bringing questions and doubts?

  • How can our own experiences of doubt help us share Jesus to others?

Prayer Points

  • Praise God for His patience and invitation to bring our doubts to Him in prayer.

  • Pray that God would become our greatest treasure rather than the temporary things of this world.

  • Pray that our church would grow in compassion for those who are struggling with doubt.

Praying with Jesus | When We Feel Abandoned | Psalm 88

Praying with Jesus | When We Feel Abandoned | Psalm 88
John Fox
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Discussion Questions

  • What is the combination of crying out the psalmist uses to begin the psalm? Why do we need both things?

  • What would it look like for you to pour out your deepest sorrows? Have you done that with the Lord before?

  • What biblical precedent do we have for making an appeal for our good based off of God’s glory? How might you pray with this motive in mind?

  • How did Jesus experience darkness for his people? How is our experience different from ours?

Prayer Points

  • Pray for grace to honestly deal with our deepest sorrows with the Lord’s strength.

  • Pray our church would be known for engaging with others in their darkness because Jesus has done that for us.

Reach One

As we continue to grow as Thoughtful Witnesses, we’re inviting everyone to “reach one” person that’s far from God by praying for them by name daily and engaging them in some way monthly (see the page below for ideas). To help encourage one another in this season, we’re asking each Community Group to discuss the following questions at least monthly.

How can we pray for your “one”? How are you hoping to engage your “one” this month?

Praying with Jesus | When We Feel Guilty | Psalm 51

Praying with Jesus | When We Feel Guilty | Psalm 51
Tim Smith | July 26, 2026

Praying with Jesus | When We Feel Guilty
Tim Smith
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Praying with Jesus | When We Feel Grateful | Psalm 40

Praying with Jesus | When We Feel Grateful | Psalm 40
Reece Woodruff
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Discussion Questions

  • How has God shown his goodness towards you recently? 

  • Which of the three responses to God's goodness—declaring His goodness, delighting in His will, or depending on Him again—comes most naturally to you? Which is most difficult?

  • Why do you think it's often easier to focus on what's wrong than to celebrate what God is doing?

  • How does remembering what Jesus has done for us give us hope even when life feels uncertain or difficult?

  • What is one practical way you can become someone who highlights God's goodness this week?

Prayer Points

  • Pray that God would help us notice and celebrate His goodness with grateful hearts.

  • Pray for the courage to share stories of God's faithfulness with our families, friends, and church.

Reach One

As we continue to grow as Thoughtful Witnesses, we’re inviting everyone to “reach one” person that’s far from God by praying for them by name daily and engaging them in some way monthly (see the page below for ideas). To help encourage one another in this season, we’re asking each Community Group to discuss the following questions at least monthly.

How can we pray for your “one”? How are you hoping to engage your “one” this month?

Praying with Jesus | When We Feel Afraid | Psalm 27

Praying with Jesus | When We Feel Afraid | Psalm 27
Reece Woodruff
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Discussion Questions

  • When anxiety or fear takes hold, how does it tend to change you?

  • David faced uncertainty about his safety, his calling, and even his closest relationships (Psalm 27). Which area of uncertainty is hardest for you to trust God with right now?

  • The sermon described three responses to fear: remembering God's past faithfulness, staying on God's path, and seeking God's presence. Which of those comes most naturally to you? Which is the biggest challenge? Why?

  • David's greatest request wasn't that God would remove his problems, but that he could dwell in God's presence and behold His beauty (Psalm 27:4). Has there ever been a time when the greatest desire of your heart was to behold the beauty of God? Explain.

  • Verse 14 ends with, "Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage." What does waiting on the Lord look like in a practical way this week?

Prayer Points

  • Thank God for specific ways He has proven faithful in your life, and ask Him to help you remember His faithfulness when fear begins to take over.

  • Ask God for courage to remain on His path, even in areas where you're tempted to take control or act out of anxiety.

  • Pray that the Holy Spirit would deepen your desire for Christ's presence, so that your confidence would rest more in Him than in your circumstances.

Reach One

As we continue to grow as Thoughtful Witnesses, we’re inviting everyone to “reach one” person that’s far from God by praying for them by name daily and engaging them in some way monthly (see the page below for ideas). To help encourage one another in this season, we’re asking each Community Group to discuss the following questions at least monthly.

How can we pray for your “one”? How are you hoping to engage your “one” this month?

Praying with Jesus | An Invitation to Silence | Psalm 62

Praying with Jesus | An Invitation to Silence | Psalm 62
Reece Woodruff
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Discussion Questions

  • What "waves" are you facing in this season of life, and how have you been responding to them?

  • What are some of the biggest sources of noise and distraction that make it difficult for you to hear God's voice?

  • David says that people are "a breath" but that power and steadfast love belong to God. How does remembering those truths change the way we face anxiety, fear, or discouragement?

  • What's one practical step you could take this week to build a rhythm of silence and stillness before God?

Prayer Points

  • Pray for discipline to regularly make space for silence in God's presence.

  • Pray that God would remind us of our weakness and deepen our confidence in his power and steadfast love.

Reach One

As we continue to grow as Thoughtful Witnesses, we’re inviting everyone to “reach one” person that’s far from God by praying for them by name daily and engaging them in some way monthly (see the page below for ideas). To help encourage one another in this season, we’re asking each Community Group to discuss the following questions at least monthly.

How can we pray for your “one”? How are you hoping to engage your “one” this month?

Why Church? | The Priesthood | 1 Peter 2:4-12

Why Church? | The Priesthood | 1 Peter 2:4-123:16-17
Myeong Hong
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Discussion Questions

  • What does it mean to you that Jesus has “bridged the gap” between you and God?

  • Where do you most often look for identity besides Jesus (success, relationships, performance, etc.)?

  • Do you tend to view church more as something you receive from, or something you participate in as a priesthood with others?

  • Where in your everyday life (work, school, neighborhood, family) do you see a “gap” in people’s lives that God might be calling you to step into?

Prayer Points

  • Praise Jesus, our High Priest, who bridged a way for us to God.

  • Pray that the Holy Spirit helps us notice the people around us who are hurting or searching.

  • Pray that Sound City would be known for people who pray, serve others, and live on mission in everyday life.

Why Church? | The Temple | 1 Corinthians 3:16-17

Why Church? | The Temple | 1 Corinthians 3:16-17
John Fox
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Discussion Questions

  • What was the biblical progression of temple worship? How do we see this theme run through the Scriptures?

  • From the Bible’s perspective, why do people continue to seek out forms of worship? How does this relate to SBNR people?

  • What was going on in the church of Corinth that Paul would need to use a rhetorical question to rebuke them over?

  • Temples involved sacrifice or atonement. How does Jesus’ atonement relate to making our local church God’s temple?

Prayer Points

  • Pray we would have a growing awareness of God’s indwelling Holy Spirit and a receptivity to His leading.

  • Pray divisions would not creep into our church but we would have an increased sense of unity and holiness that is appropriate for God’s temple. 

Reach One

As we continue to grow as Thoughtful Witnesses, we’re inviting everyone to “reach one” person that’s far from God by praying for them by name daily and engaging them in some way monthly (see the page below for ideas). To help encourage one another in this season, we’re asking each Community Group to discuss the following questions at least monthly.

How can we pray for your “one”? How are you hoping to engage your “one” this month?

Why Church? | The Family | Ephesians 2:11-22

Why Church? | The Family | Ephesians 2:11-22
Reece Woodruff
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Discussion Questions

  • When have you personally experienced feeling like an outsider? How does that shape the way you view others who feel disconnected today?

  • Paul tells believers to "remember who you were." Why is remembering our past alienation important for maintaining humility and unity in the present?

  • What kinds of visible or invisible walls tend to divide people in our culture, our community, or even our church?

  • The cross both humbles us and welcomes us. Which of those truths do you need to remember most right now, and why?

  • What is one practical way our Community Group can help someone experience the church as a place that feels more like "home" this week?

Prayer Points

  • Ask God to reveal any pride, prejudice, or barriers in your heart that keep you from loving others as brothers and sisters.

  • Pray that Sound City would be a church where outsiders are welcomed, walls come down, and people from different backgrounds experience the unity of Christ.

Reach One

As we continue to grow as Thoughtful Witnesses, we’re inviting everyone to “reach one” person that’s far from God by praying for them by name daily and engaging them in some way monthly (see the page below for ideas). To help encourage one another in this season, we’re asking each Community Group to discuss the following questions at least monthly.

How can we pray for your “one”? How are you hoping to engage your “one” this month?

Why Church? | Why Bother with Church? | Matthew 16:13-23

Why Church? | Why Bother with Church? | Matthew 16:13-23
Reece Woodruff
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Discussion Questions

  • What comes to mind when you hear the word "church," and why?

  • Why do you think Jesus chose to build his kingdom through a people rather than individuals alone?

  • Which of the three reasons to live committed to the church stood out most to you: it is beloved, it holds the keys, or it is indestructible?

  • In what ways are you tempted to keep "one foot in and one foot out" of Christian community?

  • What is one practical step you can take to invest more deeply in the people of God this summer?

Prayer Points

  • Thank Jesus for calling you out of darkness and into his people, and ask him to deepen your love for the church.

  • Ask God to help you invest your life in what will last forever and to use you to help others find the hope of his Kingdom.

Reach One

As we continue to grow as Thoughtful Witnesses, we’re inviting everyone to “reach one” person that’s far from God by praying for them by name daily and engaging them in some way monthly (see the page below for ideas). To help encourage one another in this season, we’re asking each Community Group to discuss the following questions at least monthly.

How can we pray for your “one”? How are you hoping to engage your “one” this month?

WITNESS | Finishing Well: Essentials for Lifelong Gospel Labor | Acts 28

WITNESS | Finishing Well: Essentials for Lifelong Gospel Labor | Acts 28
Jason Smith
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Discussion Questions

  • Describe how you experience God’s call to gospel labor.

  • What is something that you are passionate about, and how does that impact your life?

  • Who is someone you admire who has passion for the gospel?

  • How do partners make a difference in serving the Lord?

  • Why is perseverance important in gospel labor?

Prayer Points

  • Pray for increased gospel passion in your life and in our church.

  • Ask God to highlight the gospel partners in your life.

  • Pray that God will grant perseverance to continue serving him when times are challenging.

WITNESS | Navigating Life’s Storms | Acts 27

WITNESS | Navigating Life’s Storms | Acts 27
Reece Woodruff
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Discussion Questions

  • Paul’s storm came while he was obeying God, not running from him. How does that challenge the way we normally think about suffering and hardship?

  • Which of the four points from the sermon do you most need right now: expect storms, trust the plan, act in wisdom, or remember who’s with you? Why?

  • Joseph, Job, and Paul all experienced storms without fully understanding what God was doing. Can you think of a season in your life where you had to trust God without clear answers?

  • The sermon said, “God only allows the storms into your life that you would allow if you knew everything he knew.” What emotions or questions does that statement raise for you?

  • When storms hit, do you tend to become passive (“God will handle it”) or overly controlling (“Everything depends on me”)? What would it look like to trust God’s sovereignty while also acting wisely?

Prayer Points

  • Pray for the storms that others in your group are facing

  • Ask God for an increased sense of his presence through whatever you’re facing

Reach One

As we continue to grow as Thoughtful Witnesses, we’re inviting everyone to “reach one” person that’s far from God by praying for them by name daily and engaging them in some way monthly (see the page below for ideas). To help encourage one another in this season, we’re asking each Community Group to discuss the following questions at least monthly.

How can we pray for your “one”? How are you hoping to engage your “one” this month?

WITNESS | Paul Before the King | Acts 26

WITNESS | Paul Before the King | Acts 26
Myeong Hong
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Discussion Questions

  • Share someone who relationally invested in you and how it impacted your faith.

  • How can difficult or unexpected situations become opportunities to witness?

  • Do your conversations with unbelievers feel more like debates or relationships?

  • How does the gospel speak to both the heart and mind?

  • How does trusting God with the outcome change the way we witness?

  • Share one person God may be putting on your heart to intentionally love and witness to this summer.

Prayer Points

  • Pray that God would help us love people instead of seeing them as projects or debates to win.

  • Pray for the Spirit to help us recognize unexpected opportunities to witness.

  • Pray that the people of Sound City would speak with grace and truth, so that our words reflect Jesus and draw others to Him.

WITNESS | The Courage of Paul | Acts 21

WITNESS | The Courage of Paul | Acts 21
Reece Woodruff
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Discussion Questions

  • Where do you most feel fear or pressure right now? How are you responding to it?

  • What stands out to you about Paul’s courage in Acts 21–23? What made it unique?

  • Why do you think self-confidence alone eventually falls short as a source of courage?

  • How does looking to Jesus (his forgiveness, purpose, and hope) reshape the way we face fear?

  • What is one practical step you can take this week to act courageously in obedience to God?

Prayer Points

  • Ask the Lord to lift our eyes from ourselves to his exalted Son

  • Ask the Lord to make us people of courage

Reach One

As we continue to grow as Thoughtful Witnesses, we’re inviting everyone to “reach one” person that’s far from God by praying for them by name daily and engaging them in some way monthly (see the page below for ideas). To help encourage one another in this season, we’re asking each Community Group to discuss the following questions at least monthly. How can we pray for your “one”? How are you hoping to engage your “one”this month?

WITNESS | The Church That Flourishes | Acts 20:17-38

WITNESS | The Church That Flourishes | Acts 20:17-38
Reece Woodruff
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Discussion Questions

  • Where do you find it hardest to speak the truth with both boldness and love?

  • Why do you think truth is often resisted in our culture today?

  • What does it look like practically to “live with people” in Christian community?

  • How have you experienced both joy and tears in relationships at church?

  • What helps you keep going when loving others feels costly or exhausting?

Prayer Points

  • Pray that our church would stay committed to truth, tears, and toil during this season of transition

  • Thank God for give the blood of his own Son to make the church possible

WITNESS | A City Full of Idols | Acts 19

WITNESS | A City Full of Idols | Acts 19
Reece Woodruff
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Discussion Questions

  • Where do you see “repentance without belief” in our culture or even in your own life?

  • Do you tend to lean more toward truth or experience in your faith? How might God be inviting you to grow in the other area?

  • What does it look like in real life to treat Jesus as an “accessory” instead of Lord?
    Where is that temptation strongest for you?

  • What “rival love” competes most for your heart right now? How can you actively replace it with a deeper love for Jesus this week?

Prayer Points

  • Ask God that give us heart that are fully devoted to him

  • Ask the Lord to spread his Kingdom through our church as we surrender all of our lives to him

Reach One

As we continue to grow as Thoughtful Witnesses, we’re inviting everyone to “reach one” person that’s far from God by praying for them by name daily and engaging them in some way monthly (see the page below for ideas). To help encourage one another in this season, we’re asking each Community Group to discuss the following questions at least monthly.

How can we pray for your “one”? How are you hoping to engage your “one” this month?

WITNESS | The Gospel to the Philosopher | Acts 17:16-33

WITNESS | The Gospel to the Philosopher | Acts 17:16-33
Reece Woodruff
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Discussion Questions

  • Where do you tend to keep your faith separate from the rest of your life?

  • What are some “idols” people in our culture look to for meaning or security?

  • Why do you think Paul starts by affirming before challenging the philosophers?

  • How does the resurrection change whether Christianity is true or not?

  • What would it look like for you to respond to God not just intellectually, but relationally?

Prayer Points

  • Ask the Lord to provide opportunities to share the gospel with others in our life

  • Repent of the ways you keep your faith separate from certain areas of your life and ask God to show you how to integrate it more fully

Reach One

As we continue to grow as Thoughtful Witnesses, we’re inviting everyone to “reach one” person that’s far from God by praying for them by name daily and engaging them in some way monthly (see the page below for ideas). To help encourage one another in this season, we’re asking each Community Group to discuss the following questions at least monthly.

How can we pray for your “one”? How are you hoping to engage your “one” this month?