Into the Breach — Week 1

Small Group Discussion Guide

"Repairers of the Breach"

For the Facilitator: This guide is designed for a 60–90 minute group meeting. You don't need to be a Bible expert to lead this discussion well — your job is to create space for honest conversation, not to have all the answers. Read through the guide before your meeting, choose the questions that feel right for your group, and trust the Holy Spirit to do the real work. Estimated times are suggestions, not rules. Let the conversation breathe.

OVERVIEW

In this opening sermon of the Into the Breach series, Pastor Josh introduced a powerful vision rooted in Isaiah 58:12 — that God is calling His people to be repairers of the breach, stepping into the broken places in their own lives, their families, and the world around them. Using the military image of a breach (the place where an enemy breaks through your defenses), the sermon challenged us to honestly identify where the enemy has gained a foothold in our lives — and to commit to running toward those broken places rather than away from them. The central truth is simple but demanding: Jesus came to give life in its fullness, and He invites us to be the kind of people who carry that life into the gaps.

ICEBREAKER

⏱ 5–10 minutes

Go around the group and have everyone answer this question:

"Think of a time when someone 'showed up' for you during a hard season — a friend, family member, mentor, or stranger. What did they do, and what did it mean to you?"

[Leader Tip: This question is designed to be accessible to everyone, regardless of faith background. It sets up the core theme of the sermon — standing in the gap for others — without requiring any Bible knowledge. Keep it light and brief; aim for 1–2 minutes per person.]

SCRIPTURE READING

⏱ 5 minutes

Have someone read each passage aloud. Invite the group to listen for a word or phrase that stands out to them.

Isaiah 58:12 (ESV)

"And your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; you shall be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to dwell in."

Background for the Facilitator: Isaiah wrote this prophecy about 700 years before Jesus was born, during a time when the people of Israel had drifted far from God. The passage was a word of hope — that after a season of exile and spiritual decline, a generation would rise up to rebuild what had been broken. Pastor Josh explained that this prophecy also has a deeper fulfillment: it's a picture of what God calls every generation of believers to do — repair the broken places in their lives, families, and world.

John 10:10 (ESV)

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly."

Luke 16:9 (ESV)

"And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous wealth, so that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal dwellings."

Background for the Facilitator: This is a challenging verse that Pastor Josh unpacked in the sermon. Jesus isn't endorsing bribery — He's saying that our earthly resources are a tool we can use to invest in people's eternal lives. When we use what we have to help others encounter Jesus, we're making an investment that outlasts our lifetimes.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

⏱ 30–45 minutes

Work through as many of these questions as time allows. You don't need to cover every question — choose the ones that feel most relevant to your group.

SECTION 1: WHAT DID YOU HEAR?

Start here to help the group recall and process the sermon together.

1. What was one thing from Sunday's message that stuck with you — something that surprised you, challenged you, or that you're still thinking about?

[Leader Tip: This is a great opening question because there are no wrong answers. If your group is quiet, share your own honest answer first to model vulnerability. You might also ask: "Was there anything you heard that you pushed back on or had questions about?"]

2. Pastor Josh described a "breach" as the place where an enemy breaks through your defenses. In your own words, what do you think it means to be a "repairer of the breach"? What does that look like in everyday life?

SECTION 2: THE ENEMY'S PLAYBOOK

Exploring John 10:10 and the reality of spiritual opposition.

3. John 10:10 says the enemy comes only "to steal, kill, and destroy." Pastor Josh said the enemy does this by dangling the things of this world in front of us — promising life, but delivering the opposite. Where do you see this pattern playing out — either in culture around you or in your own experience?

[Leader Tip: This question can surface some deep personal sharing. Create safety by affirming that this is a safe space. If someone shares something heavy, resist the urge to immediately "fix" it — sometimes the most powerful thing is simply saying, "Thank you for sharing that."]

4. Pastor Josh shared the Tom Brady quote: "Why do I have three Super Bowl rings and still think there's something greater out there for me? I wish I knew what the answer was." What does that story reveal about what we actually need — and why the things we chase so hard often leave us feeling empty?

5. Pastor Josh said the enemy's strategy is to find a weak spot in your defenses — and that a foothold can become a stronghold, and a stronghold can become a chokehold. What conditions in a person's life do you think make them most vulnerable to that kind of slow, creeping spiritual erosion?

SECTION 3: RUNNING INTO THE BREACH

Exploring Isaiah 58:12 and what it means to respond with courage.

6. Pastor Josh used a scene from The Patriot to illustrate a key idea: while everyone else was running away from the breach, Benjamin Martin turned around and ran toward it — and his courage inspired others to follow. What does it look like to "run toward the breach" in your own context — at home, at work, in your neighborhood, or in your own heart?

[Leader Tip: You may want to offer a few concrete examples to get things started: a parent having a hard conversation with a prodigal child, someone getting help for an addiction, a neighbor reaching out to someone who seems isolated. The goal is to make "running into the breach" feel real and not just theoretical.]

7. Teddy Roosevelt's "Man in the Arena" quote says the credit belongs to the person who is actually in the arena — not the critic who watches from the sidelines. In what areas of life are Christians (or you personally) most tempted to talk about problems rather than actually step into them?

8. Isaiah 58:12 says that the repairers of the breach "raise up the foundations of many generations." Pastor Josh pointed out that what the 1995 Lake Point congregation did — running into the breach in their day — eventually led to over 30,000 baptisms, 102 church plants, and millions of dollars given to missions. What does it do to your sense of purpose when you realize that your faithfulness today could echo for generations you'll never meet?

SECTION 4: THE BREACH IN YOUR OWN LIFE

Getting personal with the sermon's most challenging question.

9. Pastor Josh said something that might have been the most personal moment of the sermon: "It's not just about the breach in the world — what I'm maybe even more passionate about is the breach in your life." He asked us to honestly identify the place where the enemy got a foothold that became a stronghold. Without sharing more than you're comfortable with, how would you describe the general area of your life where you feel most aware of that kind of battle right now?

[Leader Tip: This is the most vulnerable question in the guide. Don't rush it or skip it — it's often where the most significant conversations happen. But also don't force it. It's okay to say, "You don't have to share specifics — even just naming the category (relationships, finances, mental health, faith) is helpful." If the group is quiet, share something honest from your own life first.]

10. Luke 16:9 suggests that how we use our resources — our money, time, and energy — is directly connected to people's eternal lives. How does that idea challenge or change the way you think about generosity, not just as a financial decision, but as a spiritual one?

PERSONAL APPLICATION

⏱ 10–15 minutes

These questions are for quieter, more individual reflection. You can invite people to share their answers, or simply give the group a few minutes of silence to think before moving to prayer.

1. Pastor Josh asked two fundamental questions he wants us to carry through this entire series:

• "Where is the place in my life where the enemy has broken in?"
• "What am I doing to repair the breach — not just for me and my family, but for generations to come?"

Take a moment to sit with both of those questions. What's coming to mind?

2. The sermon ended with an invitation to stand as a sign of commitment — essentially saying, "God, whatever you ask me to do, I'll do it." How easy or hard is that kind of open-handed surrender for you right now? What makes it feel risky?

3. Who is one person in your life — a family member, friend, neighbor, or coworker — who God might be placing on your heart as someone you could "stand in the gap" for? What's one small step you could take toward them this week?

THIS WEEK'S CHALLENGE

Choose one or more of the following based on what resonates with you:

• 📖 Pray the two questions from the sermon every day this week: "Where has the enemy broken in?" and "What am I doing to repair the breach — for myself, my family, and future generations?"

• 📝 Write it down. Grab a journal or a piece of paper and honestly name the one area of your life where you feel the enemy has gained the most ground. You don't have to show it to anyone — but naming it is the first step toward healing it.

• 🙏 Participate in the 21 Days of Prayer (October 25–November 15). Use the daily prayer guide included in the discipleship journal to seek God's direction together as a church.

• 👥 Reach out to your "one more." Think of one person who doesn't know Jesus and do one intentional thing to move toward them this week — a text, a coffee invitation, a simple act of kindness.

• 💳 Prayerfully pick up a commitment card and place it somewhere visible in your home. Ask God to speak to you about how He's leading your family to participate in the Into the Breach journey over the next two years.

PRAYER FOCUS

⏱ 5–10 minutes

Close your time together in prayer. You can pray as a group, ask one person to lead, or use the prompts below as a guide.

Suggested Prayer Topics:

• 🙏 Honesty — Ask God to give your group the courage to be honest about the breaches in your own lives, and the humility to let Him in.

• 🙏 Clarity — Pray that God would clearly show each person where He is calling them to "run into the breach" — in their personal life, their family, and their community.

• 🙏 Surrender — Pray the prayer Pastor Josh led at the end of the service: "God, whatever, whenever, wherever — no matter the cost, I'm yours."

• 🙏 Generational impact — Ask God to help your group live with an awareness that what you do today can echo for generations you'll never meet.

• 🙏 The "one more" — Spend a moment praying for specific people each group member mentioned — the friends, family members, or neighbors who don't yet know Jesus.

Optional Closing Prayer Prompt:

"Lord, we don't want to be people who just talk about the breach. We want to be people who run toward it. Show us where. Give us courage. And remind us that you always lead to life. Amen."

OPTIONAL DEEP DIVE

For groups with extra time or who want to explore further

1. Pastor Josh explained that Isaiah 58:12 has what theologians call a "dual fulfillment" — a near fulfillment in Old Testament history and a far fulfillment in Jesus and the New Covenant. He also mentioned that the Bible refers to "Babylon" twice in the New Testament (1 Peter 5:13 and Revelation 14:8) — not as a literal nation, but as a spiritual force at work in every generation. What does it mean to you that the battle against spiritual "Babylon" — forces that pull people away from God — is not just an ancient story but an ongoing reality? How does that change how you see the world around you?

Related passages to explore: 1 Peter 5:8–11; Ephesians 6:10–12

2. The sermon highlighted a striking contrast in the cultural data: a generation experiencing record levels of depression, loneliness, and suicidality — but also signs of a possible spiritual awakening (rising Bible sales, church attendance among young people, growing interest in faith). What do you think is fueling both of those trends simultaneously? And what role do you believe the church — and your small group specifically — is meant to play in that moment?

3. Pastor Josh said something striking: "The birthmark of a believer is a bullseye." In other words, following Jesus means you become a target of spiritual opposition. How does that reframe the way you think about the hard things in your life — the struggles, the setbacks, the areas where things keep breaking down? And how does knowing that Jesus came to give abundant life (John 10:10) change how you face those battles?

Related passages to explore: John 16:33; James 1:2–4; Romans 8:31–39

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE FOR FURTHER STUDY

QUICK-REFERENCE CARD FOR FACILITATORS

If you're running short on time, prioritize questions 1, 3, 6, and 9 from the discussion section, and at least one personal application question before closing in prayer.

If your group is quiet or new, start with question 1 and share your own answer first. Vulnerability from the leader gives others permission to be honest.

If your group goes deep quickly, feel free to skip the early observational questions and spend more time on questions 9 and 10 and the personal application section.

This guide was prepared for Lake Point Church small groups as part of the Into the Breach discipleship series. For additional resources, visit lakepoint.church/itbonline or text ITBonline to 20411.