Marriage Tune-Up | Communication | Part 2

COMMUNICATION: Hearing and Being Heard
Marriage Tune-Up | Part 2
Senior Pastor Keith Stewart
March 2, 2025

#Realspringcreekchurch #springcreekchurch #marriagetuneup #marriage #healthyrelationships 

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There is so much more to communication than the words we say. Communication is about content but it’s also about intent. It’s about how we say what we say. But the single most neglected aspect of communication by far is listening. Caring enough to hear what the other is saying and saying things in a way that they can be heard is the ability that is sorely lacking in most troubled relationships. This ability spells the difference between couples that end up in the courtroom versus the bedroom. And the best news is this – you can become a better listener and learn how to communicate in ways that connect. Don’t miss this message!

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 

1. Take some time to read the story of the healing of the paralytic by the pool of Bethesda (John 5.1-15). Pastor Keith pointed out how the question Jesus asked was very important, “Do you want to get well?” Why was this question of such great importance? What other lessons do you glean from this story? 

2. According to available data, the average couple spends around 37 minutes per month talking to each other – not per day, per month. As a couple, whether dating or married, try to estimate how much time you spend talking to one another daily. Rate yourself in terms of your listening abilities on a scale of 1-10 with 1 being bad and 10 being great. Now ask your partner to rate you in terms of your listening abilities. Are those numbers the same, close, or far apart? If those numbers differ significantly, this would be a good conversation for later as to why your estimation and theirs are so out of sync.

3. Take some time to go back through the Roadblocks to Listening from today’s message. Are there any roadblocks that are problematic for you? Where do you struggle and how? Are there any roadblocks that are not a problem for you or a problem that you learned to overcome? If so, what one or ones do you do well and what do you see as the key to your success in that area?

4. What was your greatest takeaway from today’s message? Were there any areas that you felt God was prompting you to pay attention to?

5. Who are the people in your past or present who were great listeners? What was it that made them a great listener? What effect did they have on you because of how well they listened? In what ways have you tried to emulate their example?