Small Group Questions

March 8 - 14

Sermon Series: Church Life

Week 3: 1 Timothy 3

Ice Breaker, if Needed:

If a sandwich were named after you, what would be in it?

Discussion Questions for Small Groups or Individual Study


  1. Explain what “Godliness isn’t found in your goodness” means. What is Godliness and where is it found? Why is it easy to forget our great need, even as we focus on service? Read 1 Timothy 3:16. Through what power are we empowered? Through whose grace must we give grace? Take a few minutes to enjoy and meditate on this verse. 

  2. Read 1 Timothy 3:1-13. How do these “job descriptions” apply to you? Share your initial reaction to where you land. Why should everyone aspire to be a Servant? What is a servant? Describe how it feels to be used by God to make a difference. How does being used by God differ from doing things for Him? 

  3. The foundation for spiritual influence and being used by God is your character. Re-read 1 Timothy 3:1-13. What is the outcome when foundations are built on anything other than your character? What does Paul know about how to assemble a team of servants? Why is perfection actually not the goal here? 

  4. What are some of your “cans” that you need to guard against becoming a “should”? Simple example: You can eat a box of Twinkies in one sitting, but should you? How might self-inflicted controversies undermine your call to serve? 

  5. How does a wise servant order their priorities? What does a temperate and self-controlled person bring into every situation they encounter? Describe the link between self-control and priorities. If your big goal was His Kingdom Come, what would happen to your dependence on your own will power? 

  6. What is the difference between being respectable and being respected? Which is the better indicator of character, and why? What does it mean to be principled? 

  7. What room in your heart do you have for others? Why is being hospitable not necessarily having the gift of hospitality? Challenge: The next time you feel resistance to being hospitable, ask if there is a place at Jesus’ table for that person. How does that settle with you right now?

  8. Why would “able to teach” be something you should pursue as a servant? Do you have a hunger to learn and grow? If so, what will you do with what you accumulate? What if “teaching” was just the overflow of the good things you’ve learned to others? How would that shift your outlook on teaching others?

  9. Why did Paul include such obvious (“duh”) good character-killers in this list when they should be self-evident?