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Men’s Discussion Starters

The “Lead Actor” Trap: Simon confessed that it’s easy to treat people as “background extras in a movie where I play the lead.” How often do you find yourself slipping into that mindset at work, at home, or in church? How does recognizing that we share “one divine bloodline” change how you view the men around you?

Willpower vs. The Spirit: As men, our natural instinct is often to fix things by trying harder or gritting our teeth. Why does self-effort fail when it comes to spiritual devotion? What does it look like in practice for a man to stop relying on his own strength and ask the Holy Spirit for “inner surgery”?

The Jacob’s Ladder Principle: In the sermon, Simon shared the story of one girl telling her friend, “You can stand on my head if you want.” What does it look like for us as men to lower our ego, lay down our self-protection, and support another brother so he can reach higher in his walk with God?

Action & Prayer: Are you currently serving/attending out of dry duty or burning devotion? Where in your daily routine do you need to move from self-reliance to Holy Spirit dependence this week?

Women’s Discussion Starters

Dropping the Masks: Simon challenged us to move away from performing, judging, or wearing masks. What makes it scary to be truly open and vulnerable in Christian community? How does knowing we are “completely and uniquely loved” by our Father give us the security to drop our defenses?

Duty vs. Devotion in Daily Life: How do you recognize when your devotional life or church involvement has drifted into a checklist or “duty”? What practical steps help you pause and ask the Holy Spirit to fill you afresh rather than just pushing through burnout?

Radical Hospitality: The early church devoted themselves to breaking bread and sharing meals together. Simon mentioned ideas like Spare Seat Sunday. What are the barriers we face when it comes to opening our homes or inviting others into our lives, and how can we cultivate a culture of generous tables?

Action & Prayer: Which of the four pillars (Apostles’ teaching, breaking of bread, prayer, true fellowship) is the Holy Spirit prompting you to lean into this week? Spend time praying for one another to experience authentic, mask-free fellowship.

General Discussion Questions

The pastor described the early church as being ‘devoted’ rather than merely dutiful to teaching, fellowship, meals, and prayer — in which of these four areas do you find yourself most tempted to treat as an obligation rather than a genuine desire, and what do you think lies beneath that?

Brennan Manning is quoted as saying that if we are not in touch with our own belovedness, we cannot touch the sacredness of others — how does your current sense of being loved by God shape the way you treat the people you encounter every day?

The pastor confessed to falling into the trap of treating people around him as background extras in a story where he is the lead — in what practical ways might you begin to consciously resist that tendency in your own daily life?

The sermon draws a distinction between Christianity being personal and it being individualistic, arguing it is inherently corporate — how does that challenge the way you currently approach your faith, and are there areas where you have privatised something that was meant to be shared?

The concept of the ecclesia originated as a civic honour in ancient Athens, where free citizens took collective responsibility for their city — what does it mean for you personally to take responsibility for the wellbeing of your church community rather than simply attending it?

The pastor described the Holy Spirit as the one who transforms cold hearts into burning hearts and moves us from duty to devotion — what would it look like for you to genuinely yield to the Spirit in this way rather than trying harder through your own willpower?

The image of one Amy offering to let the other Amy stand on her head to reach the next rung of the Jacob’s Ladder is presented as a picture of true community — can you think of a moment when someone lowered themselves to help you rise, or when you were given the opportunity to do that for someone else?

The sermon suggests that true fellowship requires dropping our masks, being vulnerable, and moving from coexistence to genuine belonging — what is the greatest barrier that currently prevents you from experiencing that depth of community with others in your church?

The early church in Acts prayed in prisons, on beaches, on ships, at midnight, and in Roman palaces, suggesting no place or circumstance was considered unsuitable for prayer — are there situations or environments in your own life where you have assumed prayer would be out of place or ineffective?

The pastor’s dream includes a church where people are drawn in by the quality of love among its members and where baptisms become frequent — what specific, tangible step could you take this week to contribute to that kind of community becoming a reality rather than remaining a dream?