Small Group Discussion Guide

"What You're Building On" | Harris Creek Family Reunion

Based on 1 Peter 2:4-5 and Romans 12:1-2

For the Facilitator: Welcome! This guide is designed to work for groups of any size and spiritual background. You don't need to be a theological expert — your job is simply to create a safe, open space for honest conversation. Feel free to skip questions, combine them, or spend more time where your group is most engaged. The goal is connection and growth, not covering every question.

OVERVIEW

In this message, Pastor JP used the imagery of a building under construction to explore what it means to be the church. Drawing from 1 Peter 2:4-5, he reminded us that God is not primarily building a physical structure — he's building us — as living stones, shaped and placed on the cornerstone of Jesus Christ. The sermon challenged us to examine what our lives, our church, and our faith are truly built on, and to consider how the way we live as "his bricks" matters deeply — at home, at work, in our marriages, and in our communities.

ICEBREAKER

(5–10 minutes)

Question: Think about something you've tried to build — a piece of furniture, a relationship, a project, a habit — that didn't turn out the way you hoped. What went wrong, and what did you learn from it?

[Leader Tip]: This question is light and accessible — almost everyone has a funny or relatable "building fail" story. Let it be fun. This naturally opens the door to the sermon's theme that what you build on matters without diving straight into deep territory. Keep this to 5-7 minutes so you have time for the main discussion.

SCRIPTURE READING

(5 minutes)

Have someone in the group read each passage aloud. Encourage the group to listen for words or phrases that stand out to them.

1 Peter 2:4-5 (NIV)

"As you come to him, the living Stone — rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him — you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ."

Romans 12:1-2 (NIV)

"Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God — this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will."

Psalm 118:22 (NIV) (Quoted in the sermon as a prophecy about Jesus)

"The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone."

Context Note for Facilitators: Peter was writing to early Christians who were scattered, marginalized, and sometimes persecuted. He wanted them to understand their identity — not as isolated individuals, but as part of something God was actively building. The word "cornerstone" refers to the first and most important stone laid in any ancient structure. Every other stone was aligned to it. Peter is saying: Jesus is that cornerstone, and we are the stones being built around him.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

(30–45 minutes)

Work through as many questions as time allows. Questions are organized from lighter/observational to deeper/personal. Bold questions are the highest priority if time is short.

THEME 1: What We're Building On

(Observational & Interpretive — 10–12 minutes)

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 it doesn't require a "right" answer. Everyone can share something different. If the group is quiet, share your own honest answer first to model vulnerability.

2. The pastor described a cornerstone as the first stone laid in a foundation — the stone that every other stone is aligned to. In your own words, what does it mean for Jesus to be the "cornerstone" of the church? What does it look like practically when a church is — or isn't — built on that foundation?

3. The sermon listed some things churches can accidentally build on instead of Jesus — cultural relevance, comfort, tradition, preference, the "latest worship song." Which of those do you think is the most tempting substitute, and why? Can you think of others not mentioned?

[Leader Tip]: This question can get lively. Encourage people to be honest without turning into a critique of other churches or church styles. Redirect if needed: "What about in our own lives — not just churches in general?"

THEME 2: Living Stones — Built Together

(Interpretive & Personal — 10–12 minutes)

4. First Peter 2:5 says we are "like living stones, being built into a spiritual house." The pastor made a point that an isolated stone is worthless — it's not doing anything. What do you think it means to be a "living stone" in community? What does that look like in your actual week?

5. The sermon highlighted that these stones aren't just piled up randomly — they're built together with purpose. How has being part of a small group, life group, or faith community shaped or changed you in ways you might not have expected?

6. The pastor said: "God is building his church out of us — and how we live as his bricks matters." He got specific: how you argue, how you parent, what you think about in the car alone, how you pursue purity, how you handle conflict in a life group. Which of those specifics landed hardest for you personally, and why?

[Leader Tip]: This is where the conversation can go deeper. Give people a moment of silence before answering — it's a reflective question. Affirm honest, vulnerable answers. If someone shares something hard, resist the urge to immediately fix or advise. Just listen and thank them for sharing.

THEME 3: Transformed — The Pickle and the Cucumber

(Personal & Application — 10–12 minutes)

7. The pastor used a memorable illustration: a pickle is a transformed cucumber. They look similar, but they're fundamentally different because of what they've been through. Romans 12:2 calls us to be "transformed by the renewing of your mind." Where in your life have you seen real transformation — a place where you genuinely became something different because of your faith?

8. Romans 12:1 calls us to offer our bodies as "living sacrifices." The pastor connected this to baptism — an outward declaration of an inward transformation. Whether you've been baptized or not, what does it look like for you to "offer yourself" to God in the ordinary, everyday moments of your life this week?

9. We watched people get baptized on Sunday — people ranging from young children to adults who had spent decades running from God. One person said, "I spent 25 years running away from God... and he never stopped pursuing me." Another said their mess became God's message. What do those stories stir up in you?

[Leader Tip]: This question can surface deep emotion — especially for people who have their own story of running from God or who have a prodigal in their family. Handle with care. You might follow up with: "Is there a part of your own story you see reflected in any of those testimonies?"

PERSONAL APPLICATION

(10–15 minutes)

Take a few minutes to reflect individually before sharing with the group. These questions are meant to be personal — no pressure to share everything, but be encouraged to share something.

1. The pastor asked a probing question: "What do you think about when you're alone in the car?" He suggested that our private thoughts reveal what we actually believe. What does your mind naturally drift to when there's no distraction — and what does that tell you about where your foundation really is right now?

2. Think about one specific relationship or area of your life — your marriage, your parenting, your workplace, your friendships — where you sense God calling you to live differently as "his brick." What would it look like to take one concrete step in that direction this week?

3. The sermon ended with a prayer over the future church building: "Where these friends sit right now, one day their neighbors are going to sit. Their unbelieving children are going to sit." Who is one person in your life who doesn't yet know Jesus — someone you could begin praying for by name this week?

🔨 THIS WEEK'S CHALLENGE

Choose one — or do all three:

• Pray: Write down the name of one person far from God and commit to praying for them every day this week.
• Reflect: Spend 10 minutes this week journaling about what your life is actually built on — and what you want it to be built on.
• Connect: Reach out to one person in your small group or church community this week just to check in. Practice being a "living stone" in relationship, not isolation.
• Memorize: Commit 1 Peter 2:4-5 to memory this week. Write it on a sticky note somewhere you'll see it daily.

PRAYER FOCUS

(5–10 minutes)

Close your time together in prayer. Here are some suggested themes — feel free to pray through all of them or choose what feels most relevant to your group:

• Gratitude — Thank God for the living cornerstone, Jesus Christ, and for the privilege of being part of what he's building.
• Transformation — Ask God to renew your minds and help you live as "living sacrifices" in the ordinary moments of your week.
• Community — Pray for your small group — that you would be built up together, not isolated stones.
• The Lost — Pray by name for people in your lives who are far from God. Ask God to use you as part of his story in their lives.
• New Believers — Give thanks for those who were baptized on Sunday. Pray that their faith would be rooted and their community strong.
• The Church — Pray for Harris Creek's mission — not the building, but the people being built — and for what God is doing in your city.

[Leader Tip]: If your group isn't comfortable praying aloud, you can invite people to share one word or one name they'd like the group to pray for, and then you close in prayer on their behalf. That's a great on-ramp for groups newer to corporate prayer.

OPTIONAL DEEP DIVE

(For groups wanting to go further — 15–20 additional minutes)

These questions are for mature groups or those with extra time who want to explore the theological foundations more fully.

Deep Dive 1: The Rejected Cornerstone

Read Psalm 118:22 again alongside Matthew 21:42-44, where Jesus quotes this same verse about himself:

"Jesus said to them, 'Have you never read in the Scriptures: "The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes"? Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit. Anyone who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; anyone on whom it falls will be crushed.'"

The pastor noted that Jesus was rejected and murdered by religious people — not outsiders. Why do you think it was religious insiders who rejected the cornerstone? What does that warn us about today — both in our own hearts and in church culture?

Deep Dive 2: Holy Priesthood

First Peter 2:5 calls us "a holy priesthood." In the Old Testament, only a specific tribe (the Levites) could serve as priests — they were the mediators between God and the people. Peter is saying that in Christ, all believers now share in that priestly role.

What does it mean for every believer — not just pastors or clergy — to be a "priest"? How does that change the way you think about your role in the church, your workplace, or your neighborhood? What "spiritual sacrifices" might God be calling you to offer in your specific context?

Deep Dive 3: Building for Eternity

The pastor made a striking statement: "The building that will soon exist where you're sitting one day will not exist. It will fall. It will be ruins. But the things built inside that building will last forever."

Read 1 Corinthians 3:10-15, where Paul uses similar building imagery:

"By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light... If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved — even though only as one escaping through the flames."

What does this passage say about the quality of what we build — not just the foundation? In light of eternity, how does this change the way you think about how you invest your time, energy, and resources right now?

RELATED SCRIPTURES FOR FURTHER STUDY

For individuals or groups who want to keep exploring this week:

QUICK-REFERENCE GUIDE FOR FACILITATORS

A Note to Facilitators: The most powerful thing you can do tonight is not ask the perfect question — it's model honest, humble engagement with the material yourself. If you share something real from your own life, it gives others permission to do the same. You don't need all the answers. You just need to show up, ask good questions, and trust that God is at work in the room.

May your group be living stones, built up together, on the only foundation that lasts.

Harris Creek Church | Small Group Resources | Family Reunion 2026 "As you come to him, the living Stone... you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house." — 1 Peter 2:4-5