This small group discussion guide draws directly from Forest Baptist Church's sermon “June 21st, Morning Worship - 2026-06-22” 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
"The Digital Age and the Distracted Soul"
Series: Contend — Holding Fast to Truth in a Culture of Confusion
A Note to Facilitators: Welcome, and thank you for leading your group this week! This guide is designed to be flexible — you know your group best. Feel free to skip questions that don't fit your group's needs, spend more time where conversation is flowing naturally, and adapt the language to feel natural for you. You don't need to be a theological expert to lead a great discussion. Your job is simply to create a safe, open space where people can engage honestly with God's word together. Estimated total time: 60–90 minutes.
OVERVIEW
In this Father's Day message from Luke 10:38–42, Pastor Reed explored the familiar story of Mary and Martha through the lens of our modern digital age. Using striking statistics about screen time and its effects on mental health and attention, he challenged us to recognize how distraction — especially from our devices — is quietly eroding our ability to cultivate a deep relationship with God. The central call of the sermon is simple but countercultural: fight distraction with devotion, and treasure Christ above all else.
BEFORE YOU MEET
A brief note for the facilitator to read before the group gathers.
This week's topic — screen time, distraction, and spiritual devotion — is deeply personal for most people. Some group members may feel convicted or even defensive. Others may feel relieved that someone finally named something they've been quietly struggling with. Create a grace-filled environment where people can be honest without feeling judged. The goal isn't guilt — it's growth. Remind your group of that early on if needed.
SECTION 1: ICEBREAKER
(5–10 minutes)
Start here to warm up the group and ease into the topic naturally. This question is intentionally light and fun — it's not meant to go deep yet.
Opening Question:
"If your phone could talk, what would it say about how you spent your time this past week? What would it tattle on you about?"
[Leader Tip] This question usually gets a laugh and immediately makes the topic feel relatable rather than threatening. Let people be funny and honest. You don't need to transition into anything serious right away — just let the conversation breathe for a few minutes before moving on.
SECTION 2: SCRIPTURE READING
(5 minutes)
Have someone in the group read the passage aloud. If your group enjoys it, you might have two people read — one reading Martha's perspective and one reading the narrator's words.
Luke 10:38–42 (CSB)
"While they were traveling, he entered a village, and a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. She had a sister named Mary, who also sat at the Lord's feet and was listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by her many tasks, and she came up and asked, 'Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to serve alone? So tell her to give me a hand.' The Lord answered her, 'Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has made the right choice, and it will not be taken away from her.'"
A Little Context: Mary, Martha, and their brother Lazarus were close friends of Jesus. This wasn't a formal visit — Jesus was welcomed into their home. Martha's instinct to prepare and serve was genuinely good and hospitable. The passage isn't criticizing hard work or service. It's revealing something about priority and presence — what we choose to give our full attention to, especially when Jesus is right in front of us.
SECTION 3: DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
(30–45 minutes)
Work through as many of these questions as time allows. Questions are organized from lighter and observational to deeper and more personal. You don't need to cover every question — choose 5–7 that feel most relevant to your group.
THEME 1: NAMING THE DISTRACTION
Questions 1–3 | Estimated time: 10–12 minutes
1. What stood out to you most from Sunday's message — whether it was something that surprised you, challenged you, or that you're still thinking about?
[Leader Tip] This is a great opener for any discussion because it invites everyone in without putting anyone on the spot. There are no wrong answers. If the group is quiet, share your own honest response first to model vulnerability.
2. Pastor Reed shared some pretty striking statistics — like the fact that the average American spends 4 hours and 47 minutes in front of a screen each day, and that our average attention span has dropped to 47 seconds. Which of those statistics hit you hardest, and why?
Follow-up if discussion slows: "Did any of those statistics surprise you, or did they feel about right based on your own experience?"
3. The word "distracted" in the original Greek means to be in a "tumultuous state" — like someone dragging themselves in all directions at once. Where do you most feel that kind of scattered, pulled-apart feeling in your own life right now?
[Leader Tip] This question begins to move from the general to the personal. Some people may name work, parenting, or caregiving responsibilities — not just screens. That's completely valid. The point is to help people identify where distraction shows up in their lives, not to make it only about phones.
THEME 2: THE DISTRACTED SOUL — LEARNING FROM MARTHA
Questions 4–5 | Estimated time: 10–12 minutes
4. Pastor Reed made an observation that Martha was doing genuinely good things — extending hospitality, preparing for her guests, serving. But he asked a pointed question: "Who is Martha really serving?" How would you answer that question, and what does it reveal about the difference between appearing to serve God and actually being devoted to him?
5. The pastor said, "If our serving God and serving the church makes us a miserable person to be around, maybe it's time to look in the mirror." That's a challenging statement. Have you ever experienced a season — in church life or elsewhere — where busyness and productivity started to look like service but actually left you feeling bitter, anxious, or burned out? What did that feel like?
[Leader Tip] This question can touch a nerve for people who have been hurt by church culture or who have personally burned out in ministry. Listen carefully and create space for honest answers. If someone shares a painful experience, acknowledge it before moving on. You might say something like, "Thank you for being honest about that — I think a lot of us have been there."
THEME 3: THE DEVOTED SOUL — LEARNING FROM MARY
Questions 6–7 | Estimated time: 10–12 minutes
6. Mary's posture — sitting at Jesus's feet, listening — was the posture of a learner or disciple in that culture. It communicated dependence, attention, and reverence. What does your posture before God actually look like in your daily life right now? Not what you wish it looked like — but what it honestly looks like?
Follow-up if needed: "What does a typical morning or evening look like for you? When, if ever, does God get your full attention?"
7. Pastor Reed drew a distinction between hearing and listening — referencing the classic parental line: "I know you hear me, but you're not listening." When it comes to God's word, what's the difference between those two things in your experience? What does it actually feel like when you're genuinely listening to God rather than just going through the motions?
[Leader Tip] This is a great question for groups with both newer and more mature believers. Newer Christians may be still figuring out what "listening to God" even means — that's okay. Encourage them to share honestly. More mature believers may have rich stories to draw from. Let the conversation go both directions.
THEME 4: THE FIGHT — PRESENCE OVER PRODUCTIVITY
Questions 8–9 | Estimated time: 8–10 minutes
8. Jesus told Martha that "one thing is necessary" — and he wasn't talking about a shorter to-do list. He was saying that devotion to him is the foundation everything else is built on. What would it look like practically in your life to treat your relationship with God as the one necessary thing — the non-negotiable — rather than one more item competing for time on a crowded list?
9. Pastor Reed quoted Warren Wiersbe: "The most important part of the Christian life is the part only God sees." What does the part of your spiritual life that only God sees look like right now? What would you want it to look like?
Follow-up if discussion slows: "Is there a gap between your public faith — what others see — and your private devotion? What's one thing that contributes to that gap?"
SECTION 4: PERSONAL APPLICATION
(10–15 minutes)
These questions are more reflective and personal. You may want to give people a moment of quiet to think before sharing, or you may choose to let people share only what they're comfortable with. Not every question needs to be discussed aloud — some may be better suited for journaling or private reflection.
Reflection Questions:
1. Pastor Reed suggested checking your Screen Time app and comparing the minutes you spend on your phone to the minutes you spend in your Bible. Without sharing specific numbers (unless you want to!), what does that comparison reveal to you about where your heart's priorities actually are — not just where you want them to be?
2. He also quoted George Mueller: "Before you feed your body, you must first feed your soul. Let the word of God be the first thing you read in the morning." What would have to change in your morning routine to make that a reality? What's one small, specific step you could take this week?
3. The pastor said, "You do not have a time problem. You have a priority problem." How does that statement land with you? Do you agree? Is there a particular area of your life where that feels uncomfortably true?
4. Think about the last time you felt genuinely close to God — present with him, attentive to him, not distracted. What were the circumstances? What made that possible? What can you learn from that experience and apply now?
5. The sermon ended with the Lord's Supper — an intentional act of presence and remembrance in the middle of a busy Sunday. How did that moment feel for you? Was it easy or difficult to be fully present? What does your answer tell you about the state of your soul right now?
SECTION 5: THIS WEEK'S CHALLENGE
Choose one — or invite group members to choose the one that fits them best.
🟢 Starting Point (for those just beginning to think about this) For the next seven days, before you pick up your phone in the morning, read one chapter of the Bible first. Just one chapter. It takes about three minutes. Notice how it affects the rest of your morning.
🔵 Going Deeper (for those ready to make a meaningful shift) Download your Screen Time report for the past week. Identify the top three apps consuming your time. Then, for one week, replace 15 minutes of your highest-use app with 15 minutes in God's word. Journal what you notice.
🟣 Community Challenge (for the whole group to do together) Share your "one thing" with the group — one specific, practical change you're committing to this week to fight distraction with devotion. Check in with each other at your next meeting about how it went.
SECTION 6: PRAYER FOCUS
(5–10 minutes)
Close your time together in prayer. You might pray as a group, invite individuals to pray aloud, or have the facilitator pray on behalf of the group. Here are suggested prayer themes drawn from the sermon:
Suggested Prayer Topics:
- Honesty — Ask God to help us see clearly where distraction has taken root in our lives, without shame but with willingness to change.
- Desire — Pray for a renewed hunger for God's word — not out of obligation, but out of genuine love for Jesus.
- Presence — Ask God to help us slow down, quiet the noise, and cultivate the posture of Mary — sitting at his feet, truly listening.
- Priorities — Surrender the "many things" that pull us in all directions and ask God to help us hold tightly to the "one thing that is necessary."
- Gratitude — Thank God for the grace he extends to our distracted, hurried, Martha-like hearts — that he meets us where we are and calls us back to himself.
Optional Closing Prayer Prompt: Invite each person to silently name one specific distraction they want to surrender to God this week. After a moment of quiet, close with a spoken prayer of commitment.
SECTION 7: OPTIONAL DEEP DIVE
For groups with extra time or those wanting to go further — add 15–20 minutes
Bonus Question 1 — Going Deeper into the Text:
Read Psalm 46:10 together:
"Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!" (ESV)
The Hebrew word translated "be still" literally means to let go, release, or stop striving. In what ways does our digital culture make "being still" feel almost countercultural — even uncomfortable? What does it say about us spiritually that stillness now requires intentional effort and discipline?
Bonus Question 2 — Connecting to the Broader Series:
The sermon series is called Contend — about holding fast to truth in a culture of confusion. How does the discipline of regular, devoted time in God's word specifically equip us to "contend" — to recognize confusion, resist false ideas, and stay grounded in truth? Can you think of a time when your knowledge of Scripture helped you navigate a confusing or spiritually dangerous situation?
Bonus Question 3 — Thinking About Community:
Pastor Reed said, "It is far more important what you do with Jesus than what you do for Jesus." How does that principle change the way we think about small group community itself? In what ways can this group help each other cultivate devotion — not just accountability, but genuine, Mary-like presence with God?
RELATED SCRIPTURES FOR FURTHER STUDY
For individuals or groups who want to continue exploring this theme throughout the week:
| Passage | Theme |
|---|---|
| Psalm 1:1–3 | The blessed life rooted in meditating on God's word |
| Psalm 46:10 | The call to stillness and knowing God |
| Matthew 6:33 | Seeking God's kingdom first above all else |
| Philippians 4:6–8 | Replacing anxiety with prayer and focused thinking |
| Hebrews 12:1–2 | Fixing our eyes on Jesus, laying aside every distraction |
| James 4:8 | Drawing near to God |
| Colossians 3:1–2 | Setting our minds on things above |
FACILITATOR CHECKLIST
Before your group meets, make sure you've:
- Read through the entire guide and selected your questions
- Read or re-read Luke 10:38–42
- Prayed for your group members by name
- Thought through your own honest answer to at least 2–3 of the questions
- Identified which "This Week's Challenge" you personally plan to take on
- Set a timer or rough plan to keep the discussion moving
- Prepared a simple, grace-filled way to open the group if anyone seems hesitant to share
"One thing is necessary. Mary has made the right choice, and it will not be taken away from her." — Luke 10:42
May our groups be places where we learn, together, to sit at his feet.
Forest Baptist Church Small Group Resources | Contend Series Questions? Contact your small group coordinator or church office.