This small group discussion guide draws directly from Charles Scheffe's sermon “Follow-Up Materials - Initial Analysis” so you can keep engaging with the message all week. Read, reflect, and share it with your small group or friends.
UNITED IN PRAYER
Small Group Discussion Guide
GATHER (5-10 minutes)
• As a kid, what prayer-related memory stands out most to you—and why? (Think: a bedtime ritual, a family dinner blessing, or a church moment that left an impression.)
• If your prayer style was a coffee order, what would it be—and what would it say about you? (Rushed and practical? Deep and contemplative? Bold requests with extra faith?)
GROW
Read Together: Nehemiah 1:1-11 (ESV) (Optional: Have one person read The Message version after ESV for added reflection.)
• What stood out to you most from the passage—or from the message this week? (Anything surprising, challenging, or personally meaningful?)
• In the sermon, we learned that Nehemiah was a cupbearer to King Artaxerxes. What does this position reveal about his access to power, and how does it parallel our access to God through prayer?
• The pastor said, "Prayer is not something that we figure out. Prayer is access that's been given to us." How does this perspective change how you think about prayer?
• Nehemiah prays, "We have sinned against you. Even I and my father's house have sinned." What's significant about his use of "we" instead of "they"?
• The sermon stated, "Prayer is not only about our connection to God. It's also how we connect to one another." How have you experienced prayer connecting you more deeply with others?
• The pastor described prayer as the church's "purple cow" - what makes us distinct. Do you agree? Why or why not?
• The sermon claimed, "Prayer is not what makes God move. Prayer is what prepares God's people to move with him." How have you seen this play out in your own life or in our church?
GROWING DEEPER
📖 Read: Choose one option to explore together as a group:
Option 1 – Old Testament: 2 Chronicles 7:11-16 (ESV) Prayer That Heals the Land • What conditions does God give for hearing prayer in this passage? • What promises does God make about prayer in these verses? • How does this passage connect with Nehemiah's approach to prayer for his nation?
Option 2 – New Testament: Matthew 6:5-15 (ESV) The Lord's Prayer Model • What principles about prayer does Jesus establish in this passage? • How does Jesus's model prayer reflect elements we saw in Nehemiah's prayer? • What does this passage reveal about the connection between how we pray and how we relate to others?
GO
• What burden are you carrying that feels too heavy to bear alone? How might sharing this in prayer with others lighten that load?
• Is there someone in your life who might be standing just outside the circle of prayer—waiting to be invited in? How can you create space for them this week?
• The pastor shared how the church is making prayer more accessible through prayer teams, texting, and email. Which of these resources might help you engage more deeply in prayer?
This Week's Challenge: Choose one of the following:
Daily Prayer Partner: Connect with someone from the group and commit to praying for each other daily this week, checking in midweek.
Prayer Walking: Take 15 minutes to walk around your neighborhood, workplace, or school, praying for the people and situations you encounter.
Prayer Journal: Start a simple prayer journal where you write down requests and note when and how God answers them.
Utilize Church Prayer Resources: Submit a prayer request through the church app, text line (97000 with "TC prays"), or email (prayer@tcaustralia.church), and also pray for someone else's request if appropriate.