The DBS method is one of the best ways to teach a disciple of Christ to obey all that Jesus has commanded:
It anchors Scripture as the central source of truth to which all other experiences, thoughts, and ideas, are judged and held accountable.
It sets up a healthy balance between truth and obedience (know & do).
It cultivates a posture of listening to God’s voice and learning to hear God speak personally and specifically.
It sets up the Holy Spirit as the central leader of the Bible study (Galatians 5:25).
It calls for immediate and personalized obedience to God’s Word. This expectation is built into the study questions (obey).
Provides for some of the accountability required as a disciple, in taking God at His Word, in the group sharing, and through the built-in structure of the small group session. (see the Discovery Group Format)
Discovery Bible Study has many unique and great qualities that are ideal for disciple-making:
All Engage, All Participate - The discovery format is focused on letting all engage with the passage, not just the one Bible teacher as in more traditional methods. It's not even just that all learn from the study but that all are generating the material which leads to learning. We honor each person by inviting everyone to participate and share.
Group Checks & Balances: Everyone Helps Hold Each Other True To The Passage - We help each other honor God's Word and stay true to it. A typical question of initial uncertainty of how the passage was interpreted or applied by someone might be, "Where does it say that in the passage?" or Where did you get that from the passage?" These are the type of questions that anyone in the group can ask.
Varied Insights/Multiple Perspectives: Mutual Edification Is Allowed To Happen - We learn from each other as each shares their own insights and perspectives. We learn the power of group, when brothers and sisters come together to grow in their walk with God and each has a special contribution that adds to the experience. Each one brings a piece of the puzzle and often the message comes together as a completed puzzle, having a larger unifying message.
Develops The Hearing God Skill - A built expectation that God will speak individually and corporately, brings us together with expectancy. "What will God do now?" "How will He speak to each one of us?"
Begins And Ends With A Spirit-Led Posture - Because we start with a Bible passage and the DBS questions, and we don't really come with anything else into the passage, we are trusting that Holy Spirit will release revelation to every individual present. We also trust Holy Spirit will speak to us through any and every individuals' insight through their spontaneous sharing. We begin the Discovery Bible Study with the posture that Holy Spirit is present and He will speak. We don't use human effort or logic to force people into a generalized application we came up with. We let go of control because we trust Him to do it.
Personalized Application - Each is invited to share how they have been led by God to apply what God has been speaking into their personal lives, from the study passage. This application is not dictated by a leader but rather discovered by each individual, as they seek God privately about the application.
Obedience-Based Discipleship - We are not just hearers of the Word but doers as well. We listen to God speak uniquely to each of us and we come with the intent to obey, or carry out, what He has spoken. One catch: We don't obey out of our own self-effort. God has given us His Holy Spirit to help us. By emphasizing the need for the Holy Spirit to help us obey, we move from duty to delight.
Honesty-Based Accountability (Not Pressure-Based) - We let the person dictate what others in the group can ask about how it went with obeying what they had felt God speaking to them. Our asking is our way to keep what was discovered by someone fresh in their mind so that they can, in due time, honor God in obedience with what they felt Him speak to them. Another reality is that the next time we come together for DBS, we have material from last week from which we can hold each other in loving accountability. "How did it go last week in obeying what you felt God spoke to you?"
A Simple, Memorable, And Reproducible Method That's Easily Replicated - The simple nature of the DBS questions, makes it memorable and reproducible by those who have experience it. They can use it for their own quiet times with God (you and God), for discipling individuals (2-4), and in small groups (5-12+).
Empowerment - Because everyone is engaged in reflection and sharing, and everyone can learn this simple method and reproduce it elsewhere, everyone is empowered. The typical participation in DBS is enough for everyone to be equipped with a solid tool for discipleship.
