StoneBridge Community Church
Nehemiah - A Well Built, Rebuilt Life: Things Are Better Than We Think
Pastor Neal Nybo
Locations & Times
StoneBridge Community Church
4832 Cochran St, Simi Valley, CA 93063, USA
Saturday 5:00 PM
Sunday 8:30 AM
Sunday 10:00 AM
Online Connection Card
Thanks for joining us today! Follow this link to our online Connection Card where you can let us know you were here and share any prayer concerns.
http://bit.ly/2z61WwiBiblical faith has always experienced seasons of attack. Admittedly, sometimes it feels as if our faith is under attack. Rather than feeling paralyzed by fear, this weekend in worship, Pastor Neal will explore how our season in history can be viewed with hope and a sense of opportunity.
Background on Nehemiah
The story of Nehemiah is part of the much larger saga of the nation of Israel taken into exile and captivity. Here is some additional material on those events.
https://bit.ly/2P7Oz9SChrist and culture
H. Richard Niebuhr’s Christ and Culture is one of the most significant theological and missiological works of the 20th century, offering a memorable categorization of the ways Christians have related to culture throughout history.
https://bit.ly/3aKj3Hm1. Things aren’t so bad today.
Back then the people of God had real enemies. There were people actively opposed to the success of the Israelites. The faith community had to post guards, wear swords and split their efforts between doing the actual work they were called to do and protecting themselves and their families.
Things aren’t so bad today.
Things aren’t so bad today.
Prayer in response to COVID-19
https://go.aws/39RnFeRGROWTH GROUP / PERSONAL REFLECTION QUESTIONS
1. What challenges do you see facing the church in America today?
2. Does the church around the world face different challenges?
3. What is the worst persecution you have faced as a Christian?
4. Would you say you have always been a Christian or were you once “on the other side of the wall?”
1. What challenges do you see facing the church in America today?
2. Does the church around the world face different challenges?
3. What is the worst persecution you have faced as a Christian?
4. Would you say you have always been a Christian or were you once “on the other side of the wall?”
2. Wall and welcome mat.
Having said that things aren’t as bad today as there were back in Nehemiah’s day, we should acknowledge that there is always a tension between church and culture. After all, God calls people out of the world.
GROWTH GROUP / PERSONAL REFLECTION QUESTIONS
1. What are some important elements or beliefs that make up our church walls that can’t or shouldn’t change?
2. If you were not 100% sure the things above can’t change, which ones do you think might be able to change?
3. In what ways does our church put out a “welcome mat?”
4. As you reflect on your faith, on a scale of 1-10, 1 being wall, 10 being welcome mat, would you say your life is more of a wall or a welcome mat to others.
1. What are some important elements or beliefs that make up our church walls that can’t or shouldn’t change?
2. If you were not 100% sure the things above can’t change, which ones do you think might be able to change?
3. In what ways does our church put out a “welcome mat?”
4. As you reflect on your faith, on a scale of 1-10, 1 being wall, 10 being welcome mat, would you say your life is more of a wall or a welcome mat to others.
3. Adapt or die.
Nehemiah, he literally had to adapt his work style or his people would die. For the lower half of the wall, all the people could spend all their time rebuilding. But, once their enemies saw the Israelites were being serious and successful, they got aggressive. Nehemiah put half his people to work and half on patrol.
GROWTH GROUP / PERSONAL REFLECTION QUESTIONS
1. What have been some of your favorite restaurants or products that have closed or are no longer available?
2. What things come to mind when you think of churches not adapting to their new situations?
3. Where have you seen StoneBridge adapt?
4. In your own life, are there attitudes, habits, or practices you think you may need to adapt?
1. What have been some of your favorite restaurants or products that have closed or are no longer available?
2. What things come to mind when you think of churches not adapting to their new situations?
3. Where have you seen StoneBridge adapt?
4. In your own life, are there attitudes, habits, or practices you think you may need to adapt?
Flyer for Fun Burger
https://stonebridgesimi.com/resources/march-mission-madness
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