Week 6: Self-Denial

The Gospel confronts the cultural message of self-fulfillment with Jesus’ call to self-denial, challenging the idea that following your heart leads to true life. Instead, Jesus teaches how dying to self through obedience to Him is the only path to freedom, identity, and lasting transformation.

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Reading: Matthew 16

Discussion Questions:

  1. Can you think of times in your life when “being true to yourself” conflicted with following Jesus? What did you do?

  2. What do you think it means to “deny yourself” in practical, daily terms? How is this different from simply avoiding sin?

  3. Everyone is going to have to die—either chasing desires or following Jesus. What desires or habits in your life might be asking to "stay alive" even though Jesus is calling them to die?

  4. How do you typically respond to God’s discipline or commands that challenge what you want? How can seeing Him as a loving Coach or Father change your response?

  5. In what area of your life is God calling you to obedience—even when it’s hard or goes against what you feel? How can your small group help support you as you walk the narrow road of self-denial?

Week 5: Hypocrisy

We all carry the tension of being both good and evil—of saying we believe one thing and living another. This message confronts the predator of hypocrisy, not just in others, but in ourselves, and invites us into a life of continual repentance and grace.

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Reading: Matthew 16

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you think of the idea that “good and evil exist in all of us”? Can you think of a time when you acted hypocritically despite good intentions?

  2. Have you ever been deeply hurt by a Christian’s hypocrisy? How did you respond? What helped or hindered your ability to heal and move forward?

  3. Peter’s journey included denial and repeated repentance. What does genuine repentance look like in your life right now? How do you experience God’s grace in the cycle of failure and returning?

  4. How has Christian community helped shape your faith despite its imperfections? What do you need most from your church community in this season?

Week 4: Politicized Faith

When followers of Jesus' kingdom surrender their allegiance to God to an earthly kingdom, it hurts our witness to the world. How can we make sure that we do not allow our politics to affect our faith?

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Reading: Romans 13

Discussion Questions:

  1. How have you seen politics affect your witness to other people in your life?

  2. Read Romans 13:1-7. What sticks out to you about these passages?

  3. “No politician or political party fully encapsulates God’s vision for justice and goodness.” Do you agree or disagree? Why is this important to understand?

  4. Out of the 5 issues the early church cared about the most, which issue speaks to you the most?

  5. What can you change with how you interact with politics to make sure you keep your true allegiance to Christ over other kingdoms?

Week 3: The Problem of Evil

Why do bad things happen to good people? How can a good God allow evil? Maybe the problem lies in how we understand free will.

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Reading:  Romans 8

Discussion Questions:

  1. In the past, how have you answered the question “why do bad things happen to good people”?

  2. What is the difference between a determination theodicy vs a free will theodicy? Why is that difference important?

  3. Out of the three ways that evil shows itself, which way creates the most struggle and doubt for you?

  4. How does the Resurrection impact the power of evil?

  5. What hard things have happened in your life that have caused you to doubt? How can you view it in a way that helps you grow your faith?

Week 2: Biblical Illiteracy

Many walk away from faith because they misunderstand the Bible. In this message, we’ll explore how to read Scripture the way Jesus did faithfully, thoughtfully, and as the story that points us to Him.

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Reading: Matthew 5-7

Discussion Questions:

  1. Have you ever encountered a Bible passage that made you uncomfortable or caused you to question your faith?

  2. Why do you think it’s so important to understand the context, authorship, and audience when reading the Bible? Can you think of examples where misunderstanding Scripture could lead to unhealthy beliefs or practices?

  3. What does it mean to you that Jesus “fulfilled” the Scriptures rather than abolishing them? How does this shape the way you approach difficult passages in the Bible?

  4. The sermon mentioned two extremes in reading the Bible: “figurative only” vs. “literal only”. Have you ever leaned toward one of these extremes in your own Bible reading? What did you learn from that experience?

Week 1: Reconstruction

In this opening message of our new series Death to Deconstruction, we explore the growing trend of people walking away from their faith—and why it's happening. Not all doubt is bad, but when left unchecked, it can lead to a faith that slowly unravels.

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Reading: Matthew 13

Discussion Questions:

  1. When you hear the word deconstruction, what comes to mind? Have you encountered it in your own life or in the lives of others?

  2. Of the five "Great Predators," which one do you think is most dangerous to faith today? Why?

  3. Have you ever struggled with any of these "predators"? How did you respond?

  4. What steps can you take this week to grow in biblical literacy or confront doubts in a healthy way?

  5. Who in your life might benefit from a conversation about their doubts or spiritual questions? How could you approach them with humility and grace?