This small group discussion guide draws directly from the sermon “Showcase - Harris Creek | 11a |” so you can keep engaging with the message all week. Read, reflect, and share it with your small group or friends.
Small Group Discussion Guide
Where Is Your Crete? — How to Change Your Corner of the World
Based on Titus 3 | Harris Creek Church
A Note to Facilitators: This guide is designed to work for groups of all experience levels. You don't need to be a Bible expert to lead a great discussion — your job is simply to ask good questions, listen well, and create space for honest conversation. Leader tips are included throughout to help you navigate the discussion. Plan for 60–90 minutes total.
OVERVIEW
In this message from Titus 3, we're challenged to see the world not as an enemy to defeat, but as a mission field to love. Just as the Apostle Paul sent Titus to the chaotic, corrupt island of Crete with a clear playbook for change, God has placed each of us in specific relationships and spaces — a family, a workplace, a neighborhood — to be agents of his grace. The sermon unpacks three practical steps: live by example, remember you were saved, and stay focused on the mission.
BEFORE YOU BEGIN
Suggested Room Setup: Arrange seating in a circle or around a table so everyone can see each other. Have Bibles or the scripture passages below available for group members who need them.
Pacing Guide:
| Section | Time |
|---|---|
| Icebreaker | 5–10 min |
| Scripture Reading | 5 min |
| Discussion Questions | 30–45 min |
| Personal Application | 10–15 min |
| Prayer Focus | 5–10 min |
| Total | 55–85 min |
SECTION 1: ICEBREAKER
(5–10 minutes)
Opening Question — Choose ONE:
Option A (lighter, fun):
"If you were suddenly dropped into a completely unfamiliar place — a new city, a new job, a new social group — what's the first thing you would do to start making a positive difference?"
Option B (more reflective):
"Think about a person in your life who made a significant positive impact on you simply by the way they lived. What was it about them that stood out?"
[Leader Tip]: Don't overthink the icebreaker. Its only job is to get people talking and help them feel comfortable. Keep it light and move on after everyone has had a chance to share. If your group is large, you can do this in pairs first, then share one or two answers with the whole group.
SECTION 2: SCRIPTURE READING
(5 minutes)
Have someone in the group read the following passages aloud. You may want to assign them to two different readers.
Titus 3:1–8 (NIV)
"Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and always to be gentle toward everyone.
At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone."
Titus 3:9–11, 14 (NIV)
"But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless. Warn a divisive person once, and then warn them a second time. After that, have nothing to do with them. You may be sure that such people are warped and sinful; they are self-condemned.
Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good, in order to provide for urgent needs and not live unproductive lives."
Brief Context for Facilitators:
Titus was a young leader sent by the Apostle Paul to the island of Crete — a place known in the ancient world for dishonesty, violence, and moral corruption. The Roman and Greek historians of the day described Cretans as liars, brutes, and thieves. Paul's letter gives Titus a practical, step-by-step guide for how to build a healthy, thriving church in a deeply broken place. By the time historians wrote about Crete a generation later, the island had been transformed and was widely associated with the Christian movement.
SECTION 3: DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
(30–45 minutes)
Work through as many of these questions as time allows. They are organized by the sermon's three main themes. You don't need to cover every question — feel free to linger on the ones that generate the most engagement for your group.
THEME 1: Live by Example (Titus 3:1–2)
1. What stood out to you most from Sunday's message — something that challenged you, encouraged you, or made you think differently?
[Leader Tip]: This is a great opening question because it has no wrong answer. It also helps you quickly gauge which parts of the sermon resonated most with your specific group, so you can spend more time there. Give everyone a chance to answer briefly before moving on.
2. Paul gives Titus a list of seven instructions for how to live as a follower of Jesus: be subject to authority, be obedient, be ready to do good, slander no one, be peaceable, be considerate, and be gentle toward everyone. Looking at that list honestly — which of these comes most naturally to you, and which one feels like the biggest stretch?
[Leader Tip]: This question works well because it's personal without being threatening. People can choose how vulnerable to be. If the group is quiet, you can model vulnerability by sharing your own answer first.
3. The pastor made this statement: "You may be the only Bible they ever read. You may be the only Jesus they ever see." What does that idea stir up in you — does it feel inspiring, heavy, both, or something else entirely?
4. The sermon introduced what Harris Creek calls the "24-hour principle" — if you talk about someone who isn't present, you have 24 hours to go talk to them directly. What do you think would change in your relationships — at home, at work, in this group — if you lived by that principle consistently?
[Leader Tip]: This question can surface some conviction, and that's okay. Keep the tone gracious and non-accusatory. The goal isn't to shame anyone but to help people see the real-life impact of gossip and the freedom that comes from direct, honest communication. If someone shares a specific situation, gently redirect from discussing the absent person to focusing on the principle itself.
THEME 2: Remember You Were Saved (Titus 3:3–7)
5. Titus 3:3 gives a pretty unflattering description of who we were before Christ: "foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures... being hated and hating one another." Without going into more detail than you're comfortable with, how does remembering where you came from shape the way you see people who are still there?
6. The sermon made this point: "You weren't saved because you were good. You were saved because God is good." How does that truth — that your salvation was entirely God's initiative, not your merit — change the way you relate to people whose lives look very different from yours?
[Leader Tip]: This question gets at the heart of the sermon's challenge against self-righteousness. Some group members may have grown up in the church and never had a dramatic "before and after" story. Affirm that the truth of this verse applies equally to them — we all needed saving, even if our stories look different. Watch for anyone who seems to be struggling with this concept and create space for them.
7. The pastor shared that when he first entered ministry, his only real qualification was that he used to be the person the church was trying to reach. He said, "God takes your mess and makes it your message." How have you seen God use something painful, broken, or embarrassing from your past as a bridge to help someone else?
If you haven't experienced this yet, how might God want to use your story in the future?
THEME 3: Stay Focused on the Mission (Titus 3:8–14)
8. Paul draws a sharp contrast between two kinds of activity: "doing what is good" (which he calls profitable and excellent) and "foolish controversies, arguments, and quarrels" (which he calls unprofitable and useless). Where do you see Christians — maybe even yourself — getting pulled into the "unprofitable" category? What makes it so easy to get distracted there?
9. The sermon closed with the story of a creative professional who took a job at a hunting apparel company, sensing God's call to be a light there. Over time, he started praying before meetings, teaching the Bible to coworkers, sharing the gospel with executives, and eventually influencing the entire company's direction and culture. What does that story reveal about what it looks like to "stay focused on the mission" in an ordinary, everyday context?
[Leader Tip]: This is a great question for drawing out stories from your own group. After discussing the story from the sermon, ask: "Does anyone have a similar story — a time when you or someone you know was clearly placed somewhere for a purpose?" Real-life examples from within your group are often more powerful than illustrations from the pulpit.
10. The pastor asked a question he returned to throughout the sermon: "Where is your Crete?" — meaning, what specific place, group of people, or sphere of influence has God entrusted to you to bring about change? How would you answer that question right now?
[Leader Tip]: This is the central question of the whole sermon and a natural place to spend extra time if your group is engaged. Encourage specificity — not just "my workplace" but "my team of five people, two of whom I know are really struggling." The more concrete people get, the more useful the conversation becomes. You can also ask: "What's one thing that's held you back from seeing that place as your mission field?"
SECTION 4: PERSONAL APPLICATION
(10–15 minutes)
These questions are designed for quieter, more personal reflection. You can invite people to journal their answers silently for 2–3 minutes before sharing, or simply discuss them as a group.
1. Of the three steps from the sermon — live by example, remember you were saved, and stay focused on the mission — which one do you most need to lean into right now, and why?
2. Think about a specific person in your life who doesn't yet know Jesus. When you picture them, do you feel more like a Pharisee (superior, critical, distant) or more like someone who remembers what it felt like to need saving? What would it look like to move toward them with the same kindness God showed you?
3. The sermon challenged us: "It is an absolute miserable evangelism strategy to despise those you hope to convert." Is there a person or a group of people toward whom you've allowed frustration, judgment, or even contempt to creep in? What would it look like to repent of that and replace it with genuine compassion?
4. The pastor described a life that holds things loosely — using what you have as a conduit rather than a container — and contrasted that with miserable billionaires and joyful single moms. Where in your life are you holding too tightly to something — comfort, reputation, resources, time — that God might want you to offer in service to others?
✅ THIS WEEK'S CHALLENGE
Choose at least ONE of the following before your group meets again:
Option 1 — Identify Your Crete: Write down the specific place, team, or group of people God has placed you in. Pray over that list every day this week and ask God: "What do you want to do through me here?"
Option 2 — Practice the 24-Hour Principle: This week, commit to talking to people instead of talking about them. If you catch yourself venting about someone who isn't present, make a plan to have a direct, kind conversation with that person within 24 hours.
Option 3 — Be Batman: Look for one specific, practical need around you this week — a financial need, a practical burden, an emotional weight someone is carrying — and meet it quietly, without recognition. Come back next week ready to share what you noticed.
Option 4 — Share Your Story: Identify one person in your "Crete" with whom you could share a piece of your testimony this week. It doesn't have to be the whole story — just an honest, real moment of "here's where I was, and here's what God did."
SECTION 5: PRAYER FOCUS
(5–10 minutes)
Close your time together in prayer. Here are suggested prayer topics — you can pray through these as a group, break into pairs, or have your facilitator pray over the group.
Pray Together For:
Soft hearts: Ask God to reveal any areas of self-righteousness, judgment, or hardness toward people who are far from him. Pray for the kind of compassion that comes from remembering your own story.
Your "Crete": Spend a moment letting each person silently name the specific place or people God has put them in. Then pray together that God would move powerfully in those spaces through the people in your group.
Courage to engage: Pray for boldness to move toward people rather than away from them — to ask hard questions, have honest conversations, and be willing to be known as someone who genuinely loves people.
Freedom from distraction: Ask God to help your group stay focused on what matters most — doing good, meeting real needs, and sharing the gospel — rather than getting pulled into arguments, controversies, or things that don't advance the mission.
Specific people: Invite anyone who wants to share the name of one person they're praying for to do so. Pray over those names together.
Optional Closing Prayer Prompt: Invite anyone who is willing to finish this sentence aloud as a prayer:
"God, my Crete is ______________, and this week I'm asking you to _______________."
SECTION 6: OPTIONAL DEEP DIVE
For groups with extra time or wanting to go further
Deep Dive Question 1 — On Authority:
Re-read Romans 13:1–2:
"Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves."
The sermon pointed out that Paul wrote these words while living under Emperor Nero — one of history's most brutal and corrupt rulers. What does it mean to honor and submit to governing authorities in a way that is both biblically faithful and honest about the brokenness of human institutions? Where do you see the line between submission and the kind of civil disobedience we see modeled elsewhere in Scripture (Acts 5:29)?
Deep Dive Question 2 — On Grace That Changes:
The sermon described salvation using four words from Titus 3:5–7: rebirth, renewal, justified, and inheritance. It also described this as a beautifully trinitarian passage — the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit all working together to make us new.
- Rebirth — a new beginning, a second chance
- Renewal — ongoing transformation by the Holy Spirit
- Justified — declared righteous by God's grace, not our effort
- Inheritance — heirs of eternal life
Which of these four dimensions of salvation feels most real and alive to you right now? Which one do you most need to sit with and let sink deeper?
Deep Dive Question 3 — On Division:
Titus 3:10–11 gives strong instructions about divisive people: "Warn a divisive person once, and then warn them a second time. After that, have nothing to do with them." The sermon also cautioned against getting pulled into "foolish controversies and quarrels" that are "unprofitable and useless."
How do you personally distinguish between a conviction worth standing firm on and a controversy worth letting go of? What's the difference between healthy theological disagreement and the kind of divisiveness Paul is warning against here? How does your answer shape the way you engage with people inside and outside the church?
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Related Scriptures for Further Study:
- Romans 13:1–7 (on honoring governing authorities)
- Matthew 5:13–16 (salt and light — being the example)
- 2 Corinthians 5:17–20 (new creation; the ministry of reconciliation)
- Luke 15:11–32 (the prodigal son — remembering grace and avoiding the older brother's heart)
- Ephesians 2:8–10 (saved by grace, created for good works)
- Revelation 12:11 (overcoming by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony)
Background on the Book of Titus: Titus is one of three "Pastoral Epistles" in the New Testament (along with 1 Timothy and 2 Timothy). These letters were written by the Apostle Paul to young leaders he had mentored, giving them practical instruction on how to lead healthy churches. Titus was sent to the island of Crete, approximately 160 miles long, which had a well-documented reputation for moral corruption and dishonesty. Archaeological excavations have since uncovered at least 18 early church buildings on the island, one exceeding 37,000 square feet — evidence that the mission Titus was sent to carry out bore remarkable fruit. Today, Crete is estimated to be 80–90% Christian.
This guide was prepared for Harris Creek small groups. For questions about small group resources or to get connected, visit the welcome center or text HARRISCREEK to 97000.
"Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good, in order to provide for urgent needs and not live unproductive lives." — Titus 3:14