Discovery Bible Study (DBS)
The power of God is found in God’s Word, plus God’s Spirit, in God’s people, doing God’s mission
DBS = To explore Scripture, relate to human tendencies, and discover God’s character in ways that inspire joyful obedience.
Embedded Files
WEBPAGE & RESOURCES: Discovery Group Format - use this strategic group format for leading a small group or a discipleship unit, to get the most out of your Bible study and out of your disciple making pursuits.
What is a Discovery Bible Study?
What is a Discovery Bible Study?
Discovery Bible Study (DBS) is a simple, memorable, and reproducible way of making disciples that relies on the Holy Spirit as the true leader. In a DBS group, people read a passage of Scripture together, discover what it teaches, and are immediately challenged to live it out and share it with others.
This approach works because truth that is discovered is truth that is owned. Instead of being told what to believe, participants encounter God directly in His Word and respond in obedience. DBS has proven effective in leading people to faith, grounding new believers, and helping long-term disciples continue to grow. It is one of the key practices God is using in disciple-making and church-planting movements around the world.
Why is DBS so Powerful?
Why is DBS so Powerful?
DBS is a key piece of a Disciple Making Movement because it serves as the engine of reproduction. Since it is simple and memorable, people can learn it quickly, then immediately use it with others—their family, friends, co-workers, or classmates. Once someone has experienced a DBS, they see how easy it is to reproduce. All you need is a passage of Scripture and the set of questions. No extra preparation is required.
When leaders give vision and opportunity, people feel empowered to lead. A wise way to equip a group is by letting members practice facilitating. Rotating facilitators shows that anyone can do it. This communicates that DBS is not about special training or expertise—it’s about listening to God’s Word and obeying together.
What Problem does DBS Solve?
What Problem does DBS Solve?
One of the biggest challenges in modern discipleship is that many people simply don’t know how to disciple others. DBS changes that. As participants experience how accessible and reproducible it is, they gain confidence. They begin to believe: I can disciple others too. The simplicity of the questions makes them easy to remember, so participants are always ready to lead a study with anyone, anytime.
This is why DBS is the engine of reproducibility and multiplication. It doesn’t just teach people the Bible—it shows them how to disciple others in a way that keeps multiplying.
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Questions During the Bible Study
Questions During the Bible Study
PEOPLE
PEOPLE
What does this passage show about people?
The Knowledge of Man
People in Bible times faced struggles, fears, frustrations, and hopes that are not so different from ours today, even though their context was unique. As we observe their lives in Scripture, we can notice both their strengths and their weaknesses. With the help of the Holy Spirit, these observations also help us recognize the same attitudes, emotions, and hidden motives in our own hearts, showing us where we may respond to life in similar ways.
GOD
GOD
What does this passage show about God?
The Knowledge of God
As we read Scripture, we are invited to pay attention to what God shows us about Himself—His character, His ways, and His purposes. We discover what is on His heart, what He desires, and how He acts. This often stands in sharp contrast to our own desires, thoughts, and responses. Through the Holy Spirit’s guidance, these revelations not only deepen our understanding of who God is but also draw us into awe, worship, and trust. The more we see God as He truly is, the more we recognize the gap between our ways and His, and the more we are invited into transformation—learning to think, feel, and live in alignment with His will.
OBEY
OBEY
What is God showing me about myself, and how will I obey this week? (I will…)
Self-Knowledge (from God's point of view)
Through the first two questions—about people and about God—the Holy Spirit begins to connect the story of Scripture to our personal lives. He shines light on specific situations, attitudes, or struggles we may be facing. Sometimes God has already been speaking to us before we even come to the passage, but as we slow down in His Word, He speaks with greater clarity. The Spirit uses the story to highlight what God wants us to see, forming in us a growing awareness of His perspective and direction for our lives.
Obedience to God (as guided by Holy Spirit)
This final step is where we respond. We seek to turn what God has spoken into clear, practical action in our daily lives. Scripture calls us to be doers of the Word, not hearers only, so we set goals for obedience that are not vague but specific. A helpful way to frame them is by using the SMART approach: goals that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timely.
To form these goals, ask questions like:
What exactly am I going to do?
Where and when will I do it?
Who else is involved?
What limitations or conditions do I need to consider?
Why do I want to do this, and are my motives aligned with God’s leading?
Are there other ways I could live this out?
As we take steps of obedience, we rely on the Holy Spirit—not just for strength to carry them out, but also for wisdom in formulating them in the first place. Finally, we check our hearts:
Is this truly what God is asking of me?
Does this flow from a genuine desire to follow Him, or am I being driven by pride, pressure, or fear?
When our obedience flows from love and the Spirit’s prompting, it leads to real transformation.
Questions During the Bible Study
Questions During the Bible Study
PRAY
PRAY
How will I pray in response to what God has shown me? (Pray it out…)
Prayer and Formation
As we set goals of obedience, prayer becomes the way we come alongside what God is speaking. Through prayer we reinforce His word in our hearts and invite His Spirit to give us strength to walk it out. God is faithful to lead us one step at a time, and as we partner with Him, He is shaping us into the image of Christ. In prayer, we ask that everything He has spoken through this passage would take root in us—transforming our desires, our thoughts, and our actions—so that we become more and more like Jesus.
SHARE
SHARE
Who will I share this passage or what I learned with this week?
Sharing with Others
From this passage, you have discovered more about people, about God, about yourself, and about what He is speaking into your life. Now you carry not only the truth of this Bible story, but also your own testimony of how God is working in you. Think about who you can share this with—whether the story itself, the insights you’ve gained, or the steps of obedience you are taking. Each time you apply God’s Word and then share it with others, you are building a habit of faithfulness. Over time, this forms in you a fluency and confidence to speak about the things of God, trusting that He will use your simple obedience to impact the lives of others.
SAMPLES: DBS Template for DBS Notetaking & Actual Recorded DBS 's
SAMPLES: DBS Template for DBS Notetaking & Actual Recorded DBS 's
I start with a regular sheet of paper (8 ½ x 11) and fold down one inch at the top and one inch at the bottom. The remaining space is then divided into four equal sections. These lines form the template I use for our Discovery Bible Study (DBS). During the study, I write the group’s input for each question inside its section, using bullet points.
After the study, once the page is filled with notes, I take a picture of it using the app Genius Scan (available on the App Store or Google Play). The app converts the picture into a PDF, which I can then save for myself or email to others so everyone involved has a copy.
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