Wholiness: How Your Family Affects You

Joseph’s Story in Genesis 37-50

Connect

Your groups should have some good relationships being established by this point.  During this time, if your group needs to go over expectations or norms, you can do that. 

Also, your group may want to talk about how long it will go.  Thursday group, will you finish before Easter?  Or just take a week off at Holy week and continue for a little?  Sunday group, since you started late, will you stretch into May? 

Even though groups might be tempted to meet indefinitely, I would encourage you to find a time to stop before summer and then groups can re-launch and add new folks/multiply in the fall.

As your group gathers, consider the following quote from Peter Scazzero from Sunday’s sermon:

“1. The blessings and sins of our families going back two to three generations profoundly impact who we are today.

2. Discipleship requires putting off the sinful patterns of our family of origin and relearning how to do life God’s way in God’s family.” (73)

Reflect on that quote together

Pray

How is your Lenten discipline going?  If you are trying a new spiritual discipline, are you hitting the point where that is difficult to keep up?  Share together your experiences here, in addition to praying about the Measures together.

Reflect

We talked on Sunday about expectations.  When we have different expectations, especially ones that are hidden, it causes conflict.  Look at the following “10 Unbiblical Family Commandments.”

After reading through these, discuss:

-Which of these were hard-wired for you growing up?

-Have you found yourself struggling with certain commandments on this page because of how you grew up?

-Are there any commandments that you have been able to change in your family even though you grew up differently?

As your group discusses how each person grew up and their family of origin, focus at the end on the following question:

How is God calling you to handle your family experience?  Do you need to talk to a professional about it?  What might you be called to change and make better for future generations in your family?