StoneBridge Community Church
UnStuck: When Families Get Stuck
Pastor Neal Nybo
Locations & Times
StoneBridge Community Church
4832 Cochran St, Simi Valley, CA 93063, USA
Saturday 5:30 PM
Sunday 9:00 AM
Sunday 10:30 AM
Online Connection Card
1. Describe a family event where you or someone else got treated the way you did when you were a kid.
Pastor Neal described something called a family ego, a kind of shortcut that imparts solid values and lessons without having to develop them or learn them ourselves through trial and error. For example, parents teach children, "in our family boys open doors for girls." and "our kids go to college."
2. Can you relate to the idea of a family ego?
3. Do you have an example of something you learned?
1. We all grew up with a family swamp.
Family Systems Therapy
John Calvin's statement about wisdom...
The Text In Context
2. We can’t help anyone when we are in the swamp.
1. Have you ever had trouble understanding Mark 3:20-35 about Jesus' family standing outside?
2. Does the idea that they had a family swamp and wanted Jesus to come back into it help you understand what was going on?
3. Discuss how this quote relates to experiences that have happened in your family:
While we can understand the family’s concern (what family wouldn’t be concerned about reports of a family member’s emotional breakdown), their presence testifies to their lack of belief and serves to undermine Jesus’ credibility. It is also likely that they are concerned about the family’s reputation and are eager to stifle embarrassing gossip.
3. Stay on the path God has for you.
Sometimes families just need a little help...
1. Who do you know who stayed on God's path for them and it helped their family?
2. Do you have a story of your family swamp the way Neal's story of his brother haunted him?
3. Have you ever wondered where Jesus was in that experience?
Take a few minutes of silence while one person leads the group through the following prayer.
One person prays out loud,
Lord, we want to talk to you about a situation from our past. You know the one I am thinking of...
Pause for ten seconds
While we sit quietly for one minute, we ask you Jesus, where were you in that situation?
Pause for one minute
Thank you, Lord that you were there. Thank you that you have the final word. Amen.
Ask if anyone would like to BRIEFLY share their experience in this prayer.
This year's Annual Congregational Meeting takes place this weekend. In the follow-up of What's Next?, we heard loudly that StoneBridge needs to work on clearly communicating about our capital campaign and future construction. Thus, in a timely manner, one item of business will be updating the congregation on where we are in that process. Additional items of business will include, election of new church elders and deacons, election of the Pastor Nominating Committee, and the approval of our Pastors' Terms of Call. Childcare will be provided.
Church Day Camp is quickly approaching and we can use your help. Prep days are scheduled for June 8th, 22nd & 23rd. Whether you can give a day, or the whole week of camp, we'd love to have you on a team. During the week of Church Day Camp: opportunities to help include kids crews, crafts & science, snacks, games, Bible stories, and much more. Contact the church office to put your name on the list!
StoneBridge Christian Recovery is designed to help you on the road to recovery of any hurts, habits, or hang-ups that are keeping you from a joyful and productive life. If you feel like you resonate with this, then please join us Wednesday nights starting May 29th at 7pm.