What is your vision for the next few years? A vision is a big picture statement that describes what you want to accomplish. My favorite vision statement comes from YWAM Frontier Missions. The vision is,…“to empower Unreached Peoples to become obedient disciples of Jesus, and help them start transformational Disciple Making Movements.”
Wow! What a vision! I love that it is focused on Jesus movements. It is also focused on helping those that are currently unreached to be the catalysts for those movements.
A great strategy to achieve this vision is to train people to start and multiply Discovery Bible Studies.
What is a Discovery Bible Study (DBS)?
Discovery Bible Study is an action-oriented time of encountering God with a small group of people and responding to what God is speaking through His Word. You learn the story from the Bible, then share it with family, friends, neighbors, and co-workers. DBSs are fun, easy, exciting, challenging, and keep you on your toes spiritually. They are easy to reproduce, and are based on six simple questions that everyone in the group can answer:
- What are you grateful for this past week?
- What is a challenge you have faced this past week?
- (Then there is a short Bible story shared, that everyone learns together.)
- From this story, what can we learn about God? (Or Jesus, if the story was about Him.)
- From this story, what can we learn about ourselves or people?
- What can you do this week in response to this story?
- Who can you share this story with this week?
Praying for Our New Friend Somchai*
Somchai* is a Thai man who recently joined us in a Discovery Bible Study. He was the only non-believer in the group, but he was very engaged with the stories from God’s Word. As we learned the stories together he shared what he was learning about God and himself through the Bible. He also said that there was something special he felt when we learned the stories, so he enjoyed sharing them with his friends. This Discovery Bible Study has only met three times, but it is exciting to watch Somchai begin to discover who God is. The rest of us in the group are praying that it won’t be long before Somchai falls in love with Jesus and surrenders his life to Him.
DBS – A Simple Process With Powerful Results
Discovery Bible Studies are a simple process. They allow the Spirit of God to speak to a small group of people through the Word of God. In this process, participants are encouraged to practically apply God’s Word and share it with others.
Through DBS, believers are strengthened and the lost almost always come to the Lord as they journey with others in learning from God’s Word in this simple and engaging way.
As one young Malaysian woman said, “it is very simple to prepare, and the process is also simple enough that the whole group gets to focus on the text. Whenever the Spirit leads the discussion a certain direction, we can make detours without feeling awkward.”
Another young Christian said this. “DBS is a model I found most helpful in my own personal devotion time. I realized that reading the Bible does not have to be a difficult process.”
Why not try a DBS this week?
Grab a group of friends (feel free to include people who aren’t yet believers.) Choose a short story from the Bible. We like to start with short ones like the story of the Wise and Foolish builders (Matt7:24-27). Follow the steps and questions outlined above.
Let us know in the comments how it went!
Interested to know more about how to start and run a Discovery Bible Study that will multiply into new groups? Consider our Getting Started in Disciple Making Movements online course! DBS isn’t the end… it’s only the beginning of what God wants to do!
*Name has been changed to protect the person’s security
I have been trying to to study.bible, but today I have learned that DBS is a spiritual process . Hi
Having a mentor is a spiritual & special offer from God.
Very much encouraged..
Yes, DBS is very powerful for multiplication
Because
1. It is start in person of peace’s home with that families culture, or indigenous
2. It is natural not complicated
3. It is open door for Holy spirit
4. It is known by family member from beginning so reduce persecution
5. Easily transfer to neighbors and relatives
6. It is reduce costs and servant man power b/c we can make DBS with out teacher. By the leader of Holy Spirit any person even new comer can make facilitate DBS,
Really very power full for multiplication and be disciple people
Blessings!