UNDERSTANDING THE DISCOVERY BIBLE STUDY
"And after the reading of the Law and the prophets the rulers of the Synagogue sent unto them, saying, “Ye men and brethren, if ye have any Word of Exhortation for the people, say on."Acts 13:15 (KJV)
BIBLE READING:
1 Timothy 4:13; Ephesians 3:18; Psalms 119:105
According to the credible website discoverapp.org, the Discovery Bible Study (DBS) is by definition "a Discipleship Study, which enables people to read the Bible and discover what it has to say to them." During this process, simple, memorable questions allow participants to understand the Character of God, encourage them to obey what they are learning, and help them to share them with others. Discovery Bible Studies always work best in small groups due to the fact that participation is greatly enhanced.
The Anatomy of the Discovery Bible Study includes the following:
(1.) Review of the previous session's actions, i.e., with the Sole exception of the First Study.
(2.) Reading of the Scriptural Passage for the Current Study, usually several times, and then people are asked to retell the story therein in their own words.
(3.) Ask the following questions: What does this Story tell me about God? What does this Story tell me about people (or myself)? If this is God's Word for my life, how will I obey it? Who am I going to tell?
There are several Powerful Benefits of the Discovery Bible Study:
(a.) The DBS process is so simple: The Structure is easy to teach, easy to remember, and easy to replicate. That means that anyone can run a DBS with anybody, anywhere.
(b.) In spite of their simplicity, the Discovery Bible Study questions are very Powerful, and people often come up with profound discoveries from the stories.
(c.) The Last Two questions teach people from the start of the need to obey God's Word and the need to share it with others: Disciples who obey God's Word and share it are more likely to make Disciples of others. And so it is the best Strategy for catalyzing and sustaining a Discipleship Making Movement or DMM.
PRAYER
Heavenly Father, we thank You for the Wisdom You gave Your Church by inspiring the Discovery Bible Study. O Lord, please forgive us for not maximizing it as we should. Please help us to use the DBS Strategy to birth Revivals in our communities and start the Discipleship Making Movements in Jesus' Mighty Name. Amen.