This small group discussion guide draws directly from the sermon “Showcase - Live Stream - Harris Creek Baptist Church” so you can keep engaging with the message all week. Read, reflect, and share it with your small group or friends.
How to Finish Well
Small Group Discussion Guide
"How to Be Well" Series — Final Week
A Note to Facilitators: This guide is designed to work for groups of all experience levels. You don't need to be a biblical 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. Aim for 60–90 minutes total. Feel free to skip questions or spend more time where your group is most engaged.
SERMON OVERVIEW
This week's message closed out the How to Be Well series by asking a simple but challenging question: How do we finish well? Drawing from 1 Timothy 4, the sermon explored three practices that help us run our race all the way to the end — not just starting strong in our faith, but staying faithful to Jesus through every season of life. The three key points were: (1) Practice your faith, (2) Pay attention to your intimacy with Jesus, and (3) Persist in making disciples.
ICEBREAKER (5–10 minutes)
Before diving into the sermon content, use this question to warm up the group and help everyone feel comfortable sharing.
Question: Think about something you've gotten noticeably better at over time — a skill, a hobby, a habit, anything. What was it, and what made the difference?
[Allow everyone who wants to share a brief answer. This sets up the sermon's theme that practice leads to progress — in faith and in life.]
SCRIPTURE READING (5 minutes)
Have someone in the group read each passage aloud. It's okay to use different translations.
Primary Text: 1 Timothy 4:7b, 12–16
"Train yourself to be godly... Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you. Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers." — 1 Timothy 4:7b, 12–16 (NIV)
Supporting Text: Romans 7:15
"I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do." — Romans 7:15 (NIV)
Supporting Text: Matthew 28:19–20
"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." — Matthew 28:19–20 (NIV)
Context Note for Facilitators: 1 Timothy was written by the Apostle Paul to a younger pastor named Timothy, who was leading the church in Ephesus — one of the most influential cities in the Roman Empire. Paul had been following Jesus much longer and was writing to help Timothy lead well and finish strong. The advice Paul gives Timothy is just as relevant for us today.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS (30–45 minutes)
Work through these questions as time allows. You don't have to cover every question — follow where the conversation is most alive. Questions are organized by the three main points of the sermon.
SECTION 1: Practice Your Faith
(1 Timothy 4:7b, 12–16)
1. What stood out to you most from Sunday's message, and why?
[Leader Tip]: This is a great opener — it invites everyone in without requiring a "right" answer. Let several people share briefly before moving on. It also helps you gauge what themes resonated most with your group.
2. The sermon used the illustration of a wide receiver who dropped the ball one yard from the end zone because he started celebrating too early. Where in your own life have you seen someone — or yourself — "celebrate too soon" in their faith journey?
3. Paul tells Timothy to "practice these things and immerse yourself in them so that all may see your progress" (1 Timothy 4:15). In your own words, what does it look like to practice your faith — not just know about it?
[Leader Tip]: If the group gets stuck, try this follow-up: "What's the difference between someone who reads about swimming and someone who actually swims every day? How does that apply to faith?" Encourage practical, specific answers rather than abstract ones.
4. The sermon suggested that the "godliest person you know" got there through consistent practice over time. Who comes to mind when you think of someone whose faith has clearly been shaped by years of intentional practice? What do you notice about how they live?
SECTION 2: Pay Attention to Your Intimacy with Jesus
(1 Timothy 4:16a; Romans 7:15)
5. Paul says to "keep a close watch on yourself" (v. 16). The sermon pointed out that you only need to keep a close watch on something that's prone to move. What does that tell us about our own hearts and our tendency to drift from Jesus?
[Leader Tip]: This question can open up honest conversation about spiritual struggle. Be ready to share something vulnerable yourself to model authenticity. Remind the group that Paul — one of the greatest Christians who ever lived — admitted the same struggle in Romans 7:15.
6. The sermon made this distinction: "You become close based on feelings, but you stay close based on intentionality." How have you seen this play out in a human relationship? How do you think it applies to your relationship with Jesus?
7. What are the specific practices, rhythms, or moments that — when you're consistent with them — tend to make you love Jesus more? What gets in the way of those things most often?
[Leader Tip]: Encourage concrete answers here. Some people might say morning prayer, journaling, worship music, walking with a friend, or reading Scripture with coffee. The goal is helping people identify their specific pathways to intimacy — not a one-size-fits-all answer. This is a great question for introverts who may prefer to reflect before sharing.
SECTION 3: Persist in Making Disciples
(1 Timothy 4:16b; Matthew 28:19–20)
8. Paul tells Timothy that if he persists in these things, he will "save both himself and his hearers" — meaning the people under his influence. Who are the "hearers" in your life right now? Who is watching how you live and listening to what you say?
9. The sermon painted a picture of a future meeting — people who know you best sitting around a table, being asked to describe who you were and what you loved. What do you hope they say? And honestly, what do you think they would say today?
[Leader Tip]: This is one of the most personally challenging questions in the guide. Give people a moment of quiet reflection before opening it up. Not everyone will want to share their honest answer publicly, and that's okay. You might say: "You don't have to share everything, but what's one thing this picture stirred up in you?"
10. The final step of the Regeneration process is to "regenerate" — to take your freedom and help others find freedom too. What's one relationship in your life right now where you sense God might be calling you to invest more intentionally in someone else's faith?
PERSONAL APPLICATION (10–15 minutes)
These questions are for individual reflection. Invite people to share only what they're comfortable with. Some groups may prefer to journal quietly for 2–3 minutes before sharing.
1. On a scale of 1–10, how would you honestly rate the consistency of your faith practices right now (Bible reading, prayer, community, serving)? What's one specific thing you could do this week to move that number up by just one point?
2. The sermon said: "Intimacy only happens through intentionality." When it comes to your relationship with Jesus, what intentional step have you been putting off that you know would draw you closer to him?
3. Think about the people in your sphere of influence — your kids, coworkers, neighbors, friends, or a younger believer. What is one concrete way you could use your influence this week to point someone toward Jesus?
4. The Tanzanian marathon runner, John Stephen Akhwari, kept running even after being injured — not because he could win, but because his country sent him to finish. What "injuries" or setbacks in your own life have tempted you to stop running your race? How does the gospel — the fact that Jesus finished his race for you — give you strength to keep going?
[Leader Tip]: This question may surface some real pain — loss, failure, burnout, or spiritual disappointment. Receive those answers with grace. Resist the urge to immediately fix or offer solutions. Sometimes the most powerful response is simply: "Thank you for sharing that. We're glad you're still in the race."
THIS WEEK'S CHALLENGE (Choose One)
Invite each person to choose one of these practical steps before your group meets again.
🏃 For the Practicer: Schedule a specific time in your calendar this week for time with Jesus. Treat it like an appointment you can't cancel. Show up for it three times this week and notice what changes.
💬 For the Pursuer: Identify one practice that historically draws you closer to Jesus — and do it this week with renewed intentionality. Tell someone in this group what you're going to do so they can follow up with you.
🌱 For the Disciple-Maker: Think of one person in your life who doesn't know Jesus or is struggling in their faith. Reach out to them this week — not with an agenda, just with genuine care. A text, a coffee, a phone call. Plant a seed.
📖 For the Deeper Diver: Read all of 1 Timothy 4 this week. As you read, write down one thing Paul tells Timothy to do and one thing Paul tells him to avoid. Bring what you find to share with the group next week.
PRAYER FOCUS (5–10 minutes)
Close your time together in prayer. You can use one of the suggested formats below based on your group's comfort level.
Suggested Prayer Topics:
- Gratitude for the grace that lets us keep running even when we've stumbled
- Courage to honestly evaluate where we've drifted in our faith
- Consistency in the daily practices that draw us closer to Jesus
- Wisdom to recognize and invest in the "hearers" God has placed in our lives
- Strength for anyone in the group who feels spiritually tired or discouraged
Option A — Open Group Prayer: Invite anyone who wants to pray aloud to do so. Close with a facilitator prayer.
Option B — Sentence Prayers: Ask each person to complete one of these sentences aloud:
- "Lord, I want to practice..."
- "Lord, help me stay close to you by..."
- "Lord, use me to influence..."
Option C — Facilitator-Led Prayer: If your group isn't comfortable praying aloud, simply pray this yourself on behalf of the group:
Father, thank you that you didn't send Jesus to start something in us that he wouldn't finish. Thank you that the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead lives in us. Help each person in this room to practice their faith with consistency, to pursue intimacy with you with intentionality, and to use their influence to point others toward you. We don't want to drop the ball before the finish line. Help us run all the way through the tape — not in our own strength, but in yours. In Jesus' name, amen.
OPTIONAL DEEP DIVE (For groups wanting to go further)
These questions are for groups with extra time or those who want to explore the biblical text more deeply.
Deep Dive 1: Read Hebrews 12:1–3 together:
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."
- What does it mean that Jesus is both the "pioneer" and the "perfecter" of our faith?
- What are the "hindrances" and "entangling sins" that most commonly slow you down in your race?
- How does fixing your eyes on Jesus — rather than your own performance — change the way you run?
Deep Dive 2: The sermon described the regen process ending with "regenerate" — passing on what you've learned so others can be free too. Read 2 Timothy 2:2:
"And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others."
- Paul → Timothy → reliable people → others. That's four generations of discipleship in one verse. Where do you fit in that chain right now? Are you more in a "receiving" season or a "passing on" season?
- What would it look like for your small group itself to be intentional about raising up the next generation of disciples?
Deep Dive 3: The sermon quoted Romans 7:15, where Paul admits he does the very things he hates. Read Romans 7:24–8:2:
"What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!... Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death."
- Paul moves from despair to declaration in just two verses. What makes that shift possible?
- How does "no condemnation" (Romans 8:1) change the way we approach our own failures and drift in faith?
- What's the difference between someone who quits running because they stumbled, and someone who gets back up because they know they're not condemned?
RELATED SCRIPTURES FOR FURTHER STUDY
| Passage | Theme |
|---|---|
| Philippians 3:12–14 | Pressing on toward the goal |
| Galatians 6:9 | Not growing weary in doing good |
| 2 Timothy 4:7–8 | Paul's own "finish well" testimony |
| Psalm 139:1–18 | God knows us intimately |
| John 15:4–5 | Abiding in the vine |
| Luke 15:3–7 | The God who pursues the wandering |
QUICK-REFERENCE GUIDE FOR FACILITATORS
| Section | Time | Key Goal |
|---|---|---|
| Icebreaker | 5–10 min | Warm up, build comfort |
| Scripture Reading | 5 min | Ground the discussion in God's Word |
| Discussion Questions | 30–45 min | Explore, share, and connect |
| Personal Application | 10–15 min | Move from head to heart |
| Prayer | 5–10 min | Respond together to God |
| Total | 55–85 min |
Facilitator Reminder: Your goal isn't to teach everything from the sermon — it's to help your group experience the truth together. The best small group discussions happen when the leader asks a great question and then gets out of the way. Trust your group. Trust the Spirit. You've got this.
This guide was prepared for small group use at Harris Creek Baptist Church. For questions about life groups, membership, or ministry involvement, visit the information table or contact the church office.