Benjamin Murphy
Small Group Questions
Benjamin Murphy
Sermon Series Highlights
Sermon Series Highlights

Pillars of Harvest

Pillar 4: Sharing the Good News of the Gospel with Boldness

Excuses why I don’t share the Gospel with people:

  1. "That's not my GIFT."

  2. "Preacher's JOB."

  3. "I don't know what to SAY to people"

  4. "What if they ask hard QUESTIONS?"

  5. "Don't want to OFFEND anyone."

Why we share the Good News with Boldness...

  1. Because I am CONTROLLED by the LOVE of Christ (2 Cor 5:14-15)

    2. What moves you?

  2. Because people are ETERNAL beings (2 Cor 5:16)

  3. Because the gospel has CHANGED me (2 Cor 5:16, 21)

  4. Because this assignment is directly FROM GOD (2 Cor 5:18-20)

    1. As a MINISTER: This is God's Work! (2 Cor 5:18)

    2. As a STEWARD: This is God's Word! (2 Cor 5:19)

    3. As a REPRESENTATIVE: This is God's Passion (2 Cor 5:20)

Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANK
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Small Group Questions (Whole Group):
Read 2 Corinthians 5:14-21

Breakout Questions:
Pray for one another.

Pillar 3: A Firm Belief in the Power of Prayer

Excuses for not praying as we should:

WHY PRAY: Does it really change anything?

  • James 5:16 - The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.

REPLACING COMMON (and bad) STATEMENTS ABOUT PRAYER

  • "All we can do is pray..."
  • "I'll pray for you..."

WHEN TO PRAY: Pray without CEASING. (1 Thessalonians 5:17)


HOW TO PRAY: The Don'ts and Dos of Prayer (Matthew 6:5-15)

  1. You don't pray as an ACTOR

  2. You don't pray as a BROKEN RECORD

  3. You do pray as a WORSHIPPER

  4. You do pray as a DEPENDANT

Why don't we pray as we should?

The answer:

Best way to learn how to pray is by praying.

Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANK
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Sermon Audio: (no recording)

Small Group Questions (Whole Group):
Read Matthew 6:5-14

Breakout Questions:
Pray for one another.

Pillar 2: Lifting High the Name of Jesus in Worship

Psalm 27:4 - One thing have I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to inquire in his temple.

God is looking for worshipers!

Myths about Worship:

  1. God prefers EMOTIONLESS truth groaning

  2. God prefers WILD and CRAZY

  3. Worship must be relevant to UNBELIEVERS

  4. Worship brings us into God’s PRESENCE

  5. Worship must be a certain STYLE

What Worship Looks Like (Psalm 96):

  1. WHAT WORSHIP LOOKS LIKE OUT THERE

    • You worship by SONG (Psalm 96:1)

    • You worship by WITNESSING (Psalm 96:2-3)

    • You worship by GIVING (Psalm 96:9)

  2. WHAT WORSHIP LOOKS LIKE IN HERE

    • Up with the FRESH, down with the LEFTOVERS (Psalm 96:1)

    • Up with the THANKFUL, down with the FORGETFUL (Psalm 96:3)

    • Up with the REVERENT, down with the FAMILIAR (Psalm 96:9)

How can I ramp up for Sunday?


Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANK
Hint: Highlight blanks above for answers!

Small Group Questions (Whole Group):
Read Psalm 96

Breakout Questions:
Pray for one another.

Pillar 1: Proclaiming the Authority of God’s Word Without Apology

Pillar 1: Proclaiming the authority of God's Word without apology - 2 Timothy 3:14-17

Isaiah 55:10-11 - "For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.”

  1. SALVATION: God's Word leads to HIM (2 Timothy 3:15)

    • John 5:24 - Truly, truly I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.

    • John 5:39 - You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me...

    • Romans 10:17 - So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

  2. TEACHING: God's Word lays a foundation of TRUTH (2 Timothy 3:16a)

  3. REPROOF: God's Word exposes our ERRORS (2 Timothy 3:16b)

  4. CORRECTION: God's Word changes our COURSE (2 Timothy 3:16c)

  5. TRAINING IN RIGHTEOUSNESS: God's Word prepares us for WORK (2 Timothy 3:16d-17)

Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANK
Hint: Highlight blanks above with your cursor for answers!

Small Group Questions (Whole Group):
Read 2 Timothy 3:14-17

Breakout Questions:
Pray for one another.