Discussion Guide | June 21, 2026

June 29th, 2026

The Culture of Faith | Neal Childs Discussion Guide

Summary

In this sermon, Missionary Neal Childs challenges believers to develop a "culture of faith" rooted in the example of Abraham. Drawing from Romans 4 and 2 Corinthians 4:13, he explains that culture shapes how people think, speak, and act, and that faith should be the defining culture of every Christian. Just as Abraham was called the Father of many nations before He had a single child, believers are called to speak, think, and live according to what God has promised rather than what circumstances suggest.

Using seven principles drawn from Abraham's life, Neal walks through what a culture of faith looks like in practice: speaking God's promises aloud, maintaining hope in hopeless situations, grounding faith in God's Word, refusing to dwell on negative circumstances, guarding against unbelief, giving God glory rather than surrendering to fatalism, and living with full persuasion that God is able to perform what He has promised. Personal stories about his daughter's miraculous healing and missionary experiences in Niger bring these principles to life and illustrate that a culture of faith is not passive but active, bold, and rooted in Scripture.

Intro Prayer

Heavenly Father, we come before You today grateful for the gift of Your Word and the example of faith You have given us through Scripture. As we gather to discuss what it means to live by faith, we ask that You open our hearts and minds to what You specifically want each of us to receive today. Remove any doubt, distraction, or discouragement that might keep us from hearing Your voice clearly. Let faith arise in this group, and may our time together draw us closer to You and to one another. In Jesus' name, amen.

Ice Breaker

What is one cultural tradition or habit from your family or background that has stuck with you, even if you did not fully understand why at first?

Main Study

Key Verses

2 Corinthians 4:13
Romans 4:16-21
Mark 11:23
Hebrews 11:1
1 John 5:4

Questions

Neal Childs defines culture as 'what is normal here' and says faith should be the normal way Christians think and live. Would you say faith is truly your default response to challenges, or is worry and doubt more natural? What does that reveal about your personal culture?
In Romans 4, God renamed Abram to Abraham, meaning 'Father of many nations,' before He had any children. How does the idea of calling things that are not as though they were challenge or encourage you in your own life right now?
The sermon describes faith as a fight, specifically the fight to keep your hope up even when circumstances look hopeless. Can you share a time when you had to fight to hold onto hope? What helped you keep going?
Neal Childs emphasizes that faith must be grounded in what God has actually said in His Word. How does spending time in Scripture practically strengthen your ability to trust God in difficult situations? What habits help you stay connected to His promises?
Abraham 'considered not' his own body or Sarah's womb when believing God's promise. What does it look like practically to stop dwelling on a difficult situation without ignoring reality? How do you find that balance?
The sermon draws a distinction between faith and fatalism, warning against a mindset that says 'whatever happens must be God's will.' How do you personally distinguish between trusting God's sovereignty and actively standing in faith for healing, provision, or restoration?
Unbelief is described not as a lack of faith but as a force that works against faith. What are some of the most common sources of unbelief in your life, such as media, fear, or the opinions of others, and how can you guard against them?
Neal Childs closes with the idea of being 'fully persuaded,' quoting Oral Roberts: 'Faith is that I know that I know that I know.' Is there an area of your life where you feel only partially persuaded about God's promises? What would it take to move toward full assurance?

Life Application

This week, identify one area of your life where you have been allowing worry, doubt, or a negative report to shape your thinking more than God's Word. Find at least one specific Scripture that speaks directly to that situation. Write it down, speak it out loud each morning, and choose to meditate on it rather than on the circumstances. At your next group meeting, share what you found and how it affected your perspective.

More Sermon Study Guides

Closing

Key Takeaways

A culture of faith is defined by what is normal for a group of people, and for believers, faith in God's Word should be the normal way of thinking, speaking, and living.
Faith must be grounded in what God has specifically promised in Scripture. Believing for something outside of God's Word is not faith, and knowing His promises requires intentional time in the Word.
Strong faith refuses to dwell on negative circumstances. Like Abraham, who considered not his own body, believers are called to fix their attention on God's promises rather than on the problem.
Unbelief is not simply the absence of faith but an active force that works against it. Guarding what you hear and staying immersed in God's Word is essential to protecting and growing your faith.
A culture of faith is not passive fatalism. It actively glorifies God by standing on His promises for healing, provision, and restoration, and it produces full persuasion that God is able to perform what He has promised.

Ending Prayer

Lord, we thank You for the time we have shared together today and for the truth of Your Word that has stirred our hearts. We declare together that we want faith to be our culture, the normal way we think, speak, and live. Where there is hopelessness in our lives, let hope arise. Where there is doubt, replace it with the assurance that comes from knowing what You have said. Give us the courage to speak Your promises out loud, to stand firm when circumstances push back, and to give You glory in every situation. We are fully persuaded that what You have promised, You are able to perform. Send us out this week as people of faith, ready to believe You for the impossible. In the mighty name of Jesus, amen.

More Sermon Study Guides

Posted in Life Groups, Sermon Blog