DBS+ is for those looking for an in-depth experience with Scripture. It's for students and teachers ready to move on from DBS. In DBS, the questions are pre-determined. In DBS+, the participants develop the questions. This type of study works with both narrative and non-narrative passages.
DBS+ has 3 steps.
Step 1. Discover a few nuggets.
A nugget is a truth. It can be a single word, all or part of a sentence, a verse, a paragraph, or an entire passage. The key is that each nugget is a single idea. See sample.
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Sample nuggets from John 3:16 NIV
God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. NIV
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Step 2. Develop questions about each nugget.
Develop a few questions. Try to minimize the number of questions for each nugget. For example, if you pick three nuggets, two questions for each nugget should be enough for a meeting.
Develop balanced questions. Ask questions that cause people to think and act. If it helps, ask a seated question followed by a walking question. Seated questions focus on meaning and reason; they include the what and why questions. Walking questions center on the application; how, when, where, and who questions.
Develop questions that launch rather than ending the conversation. For example, a launch question for John 3:16 could be, "Why is it so amazing that God loved the world?" An ending question would be, "What did God love?"
Develop simple questions. Economize words. A brief question like, "Why is this important?" can lead to deep and fruitful conversation. Generally, the longer the question, the less discussion it generates.
Sample questions from the nuggets from John 3:16 NIV
Note, you would not include all these in one study. This is just to show the richness of Scripture and this type of study.
God
God so loved the world
The world
That he gave his one and only Son
One and only Son
That whoever believes in him
Believes
In Him
Shall not perish
But have eternal life
All of John 3:16
God
- Based on the rest of this verse (or passage), who is God?
- Give several reasons why this is important to know.
God so loved the world
- Why is this so amazing? 1 John 2:15-16, John 7:7
- Describe how you experienced the love of God while still in the world.
The world
- What is the world? 1 John 5:19
- Describe what it was like to live in the world. Ephesians 2:1-3
That he gave his one and only Son
- What does this mean? Romans 3:25
- Why is this important to know? Hebrews 2:1-3
One and only Son
- Why is this important? Acts 4:12
- Describe how God informed you about his one and only Son.
That whoever believes in him
- Is biblical belief the same as intellectual agreement? Explain.
- Describe your journey from unbelief to belief in three words.
- Does this change your perspective about people? Explain. 2 Corinthians 5:16
- Describe any cross cultural (or mission) gospel experience you have had.
Believes
- Is this different from just intellectual agreement? Describe.
- What does Matthew 3:8 & 22:37 say about belief?
In Him
- What does this mean?
- What must a person believe about Jesus to be saved? 1 Corinthians 15:3-4
Shall not perish
- What does this mean?
- Describe hell. Read Luke 16:19-31
But have eternal life
- What is eternal life? John 10:10
- What three words describe your life since you trusted in Jesus Christ?
All of John 3:16
- Give several reasons why this verse is so important?
- Describe your experience hearing or sharing this verse.
Step 3. Discuss the questions.
Discuss the questions in any order. Decide which questions your group wants to discuss first.
Discuss the questions using follow-up questions. Follow-up questions are spontaneous and can lead to very fruitful discussions. Look for ways to extend and deepen the conversation. For instance, "Why is this so?"
More Helpful Information about DBS+
Discover.
Choose the number of nuggets that your group will have the time to discuss. Generally, three nuggets (with two questions each) are enough for one study. The smaller the nugget, the better; fruitful conversation can come from just a single word. Realize you can't discuss every idea in a passage. Scripture is just too rich. Be content to leave some for another time.
Choose nuggets with your audience in mind. Consider the spiritual maturity of your group when selecting them. Groups composed of people with different maturity levels are a rich environment for discussion.
Choose nuggets as a group. This should be the eventual goal. Consider allowing the group to gradually own the entire process one step at a time.
Develop.
Develop questions using what, why, how, when, where, and who. What questions, examine meaning. Why questions, explore reasoning. They are often the missing questions in Bible studies. The how questions focus on application. When and where questions center on time and location. Who questions deal with people.
Develop questions that foster growth. Remember, it's called a Discovery Bible Study. Ask questions that cause new levels of discovery. Maturity is the result of fresh understanding and deep insights. So go deep, drill down deeper than you've gone before.
Develop observational questions. Sometimes valuable information is contained in the immediate context. If that's the case, direct people to look there. For instance, "What do the surrounding verses say about why this is important?"
Develop questions beforehand. There are two reasons for this: time and experience. If your study is limited to a relatively short time (early morning), it may be more beneficial to have questions ready to discuss at the beginning of the study. Additionally, if you are leading a study for the first time, consider creating a set of questions in advance. A prepared set of questions eliminates the pressure of developing them on the fly.
Develop questions as a group. Eventually, this should be the goal. Participants enjoy this type of study because it gives them ownership of the overall experience and heightens relevancy. Be ready to amend suggested questions and seek out those with the talent to ask good questions. For instance, "That's a good question; let's build on it."
Develop questions that include cross-references. Sometimes, it helps students look at cross-references to get a better understanding. However, be sure to direct people to the rest of the passage to look for answers. For instance, "What does Romans 5:8 tell us about why it's so amazing that God loved the world?"
Develop personal questions. One way to help people respond personally is by asking "double you" questions. Use the pronoun you twice. For instance, "When did you first encounter this truth yourself?" or "How can you apply this truth to your life?" Impersonal questions can foster discussion but not result in transformation or obedience.
Develop questions quickly. You'll improve at this over time. Remember, the goal is to discuss the questions, not just develop them. Generally speaking, if it takes more than 10 seconds to formulate a question, you might be overthinking it.
Develop questions that ask for multiple answers. This is especially true when there is one obvious answer. For instance, "What are several reasons why this is important to know?"
Develop questions that ask for an explanation to yes or no questions. For instance, "Is this true for us today? Explain."
Develop questions that don't have an easy answer. Remember, you're not the expert; your role is to facilitate discussion and generate fruitful conversation. So let the group surface wise responses.
Develop questions based on personal study. It is not necessary to use these resources to lead a discussion. However, if you want helpful resources, consider the free and paid ones below.
Develop questions using what, why, how, when, where, and who. What questions, examine meaning. Why questions, explore reasoning. They are often the missing questions in Bible studies. The how questions focus on application. When and where questions center on time and location. Who questions deal with people.
Develop questions that foster growth. Remember, it's called a Discovery Bible Study. Ask questions that cause new levels of discovery. Maturity is the result of fresh understanding and deep insights. So go deep, drill down deeper than you've gone before.
Develop observational questions. Sometimes valuable information is contained in the immediate context. If that's the case, direct people to look there. For instance, "What do the surrounding verses say about why this is important?"
Develop questions beforehand. There are two reasons for this: time and experience. If your study is limited to a relatively short time (early morning), it may be more beneficial to have questions ready to discuss at the beginning of the study. Additionally, if you are leading a study for the first time, consider creating a set of questions in advance. A prepared set of questions eliminates the pressure of developing them on the fly.
Develop questions as a group. Eventually, this should be the goal. Participants enjoy this type of study because it gives them ownership of the overall experience and heightens relevancy. Be ready to amend suggested questions and seek out those with the talent to ask good questions. For instance, "That's a good question; let's build on it."
Develop questions that include cross-references. Sometimes, it helps students look at cross-references to get a better understanding. However, be sure to direct people to the rest of the passage to look for answers. For instance, "What does Romans 5:8 tell us about why it's so amazing that God loved the world?"
Develop personal questions. One way to help people respond personally is by asking "double you" questions. Use the pronoun you twice. For instance, "When did you first encounter this truth yourself?" or "How can you apply this truth to your life?" Impersonal questions can foster discussion but not result in transformation or obedience.
Develop questions quickly. You'll improve at this over time. Remember, the goal is to discuss the questions, not just develop them. Generally speaking, if it takes more than 10 seconds to formulate a question, you might be overthinking it.
Develop questions that ask for multiple answers. This is especially true when there is one obvious answer. For instance, "What are several reasons why this is important to know?"
Develop questions that ask for an explanation to yes or no questions. For instance, "Is this true for us today? Explain."
Develop questions that don't have an easy answer. Remember, you're not the expert; your role is to facilitate discussion and generate fruitful conversation. So let the group surface wise responses.
Develop questions based on personal study. It is not necessary to use these resources to lead a discussion. However, if you want helpful resources, consider the free and paid ones below.
- Free: BibleGateway commentary, Bible Hub commentary, Got Questions.org, BibleRef Commentary
- Paid: An excellent paid app is Olive Tree. Suggested add-on resources include Bible Knowledge Commentary, MacArthur Study Bible, and Ryrie Study Bible Notes.
Discuss.
Discuss the questions as a facilitator. Your job is to guide the discussion in the direction of discovery, not lecture. Be ready to direct the excessive talker, and encourage the quiet talker. For instance, "Bob, I appreciate what you have to say, but I want to give others a chance to share." And, "Sue, we have not heard from you yet. Is there anything you want to add?" Add your thoughts but don't monopolize the conversation.
Discuss the questions in breakout groups. If the group is more than 12 people, break into smaller groups. Groups of 12 or more morph into multiple conversations at the same time. If you use breakout groups, call them back together at the end for debrief.
Discuss the questions as a transition into focused prayer. First, ask a few people to summarize the main points and what the Lord said to them. Next, ask people to pray about what they just shared. This is called focused prayer. Don't feel obligated to take prayer requests. It can shift the focus towards people and issues not germane to the subject matter. Note; focused prayer does not mean short prayer. Leave time for your group to give prolonged time to this if they so desire.
Discuss the questions as a facilitator. Your job is to guide the discussion in the direction of discovery, not lecture. Be ready to direct the excessive talker, and encourage the quiet talker. For instance, "Bob, I appreciate what you have to say, but I want to give others a chance to share." And, "Sue, we have not heard from you yet. Is there anything you want to add?" Add your thoughts but don't monopolize the conversation.
Discuss the questions in breakout groups. If the group is more than 12 people, break into smaller groups. Groups of 12 or more morph into multiple conversations at the same time. If you use breakout groups, call them back together at the end for debrief.
Discuss the questions as a transition into focused prayer. First, ask a few people to summarize the main points and what the Lord said to them. Next, ask people to pray about what they just shared. This is called focused prayer. Don't feel obligated to take prayer requests. It can shift the focus towards people and issues not germane to the subject matter. Note; focused prayer does not mean short prayer. Leave time for your group to give prolonged time to this if they so desire.