A Discovery Group (DG) consists of three or more people who meet weekly and use Discovery Bible Study (DBS). Groups are the key to multiplication. They have a dynamic not present in individual meetings. They remember more, learn quicker, replicate faster and more often, protect against heresy and poor leadership, self-correct, and increase accountability.* Groups are where people experience the transforming elements of love and truth. People are changed as they experience the love of God as shown by others, and examine the truth of God as revealed in Scripture.
The three phases of a Discovery Group are: Form, Facilitate, and Coach. These will likely seem counterintuitive, therefore become familiar with the principles.
The three phases of a Discovery Group are: Form, Facilitate, and Coach. These will likely seem counterintuitive, therefore become familiar with the principles.
FORM A DISCOVERY GROUP
If this is your first time facilitating a Discovery Group, and your group is composed of Christians, consider starting a Launch Group. If you are already confident and competent facilitating a Discovery Group, and your group may contain unbelievers, continue with the information listed below.
By encouraging others to invite people to study the Bible with them. This is a crucial step in the multiplication process. Keep people involved in their current relationships. Don't remove people from their friends, family, or those they associate with.
If this is your first time facilitating a Discovery Group, and your group is composed of Christians, consider starting a Launch Group. If you are already confident and competent facilitating a Discovery Group, and your group may contain unbelievers, continue with the information listed below.
By encouraging others to invite people to study the Bible with them. This is a crucial step in the multiplication process. Keep people involved in their current relationships. Don't remove people from their friends, family, or those they associate with.
- Assign the role of facilitator regardless of spiritual status. Interested unbelievers can easily ask the DBS questions. The presence of Scripture in each group causes it to autocorrect and keep it accurate. Coaching also keeps the group aligned with Scripture. Watch the following eight-minute video. Multiplication occurs when people realize they can do this.
- Keep potential facilitators involved in their natural group. Extracting them from their own community stops reproduction. Multiplication occurs when the gospel moves through known relationships.
- Show a potential facilitator how to do DBS, how to facilitate a Discovery Group (see below), and how to use the DBS Study Sets. This may take a few sessions. Try to meet with this person one on one. If you model it in front of the group, don't do so more than three times. Any longer, and you will displace the natural leader with yourself. Multiplication won't occur because they'll think you need to be present for it to take place.
FACILITATE A DISCOVERY GROUP
By teaching the group facilitator to ask all the Discovery Bible Study (DBS) questions. They produce community, create discovery, and generate multiplication. Don't skip or leave any out. Especially the last questions. Movement does not occur without obedience to them.
By combining the first two questions into one question if time is a factor. For instance, "What are you thankful for, and what is stressing you out this week?" The same holds for questions five and six (What does the passage say about God and people?). But don't rush the answers. Leave time for people to respond. They help form community and enable discovery.
By letting the group decide how to answer question three, "How can we respond to what our group just shared and the needs of those in our area?" Options may include brainstorming, sharing resources, and prayer.
By holding the group accountable to question four, "What was the result of both your I will statements since our last meeting?" Fulfilling the previous "I will" statements is so crucial that if the group did not obey them, it should not move ahead but instead study the same passage again. There will always be more truths to harvest. Most groups need to do this on occasion. Not moving ahead reinforces obedience-based disciple making. It is essential to establish that practice.
By using the following guidance for questions five and six: "What does the passage say about God?" and "What does it say about people?"
- Facilitate, don't teach. Help people experience discovery by asking questions, not by adding commentary. This may feel unfamiliar to those with previous Bible study experience, but there are good reasons. First, when the leader provides answers, it intimidates people from starting their own group because they think they need to know what the leader knows to begin one. Hence, multiplication doesn't occur. Second, people remember what they discover themselves far more than what others teach. The lecture format has a very low retention rate. Comprehension increases when the facilitator asks questions instead of teaching.**
- Let the Holy Spirit be the teacher. John 14:26 Direct people to Scripture for the answers. The Holy Spirit's primary teaching tool is Scripture. Let the Bible teach the Bible. Modeling this in the first generation of a group encourages the following generations to do the same. If someone asks a question not answered in the passage, direct them to search the Scriptures before and after.
- Remind believers to hold to this principle. Prompt Christians to let the Holy Spirit serve as the teacher. Be ready to remind them to let the Holy Spirit use Scripture to teach. This is unnatural to many believers.
- Guide with limited questions. Use questions to help generate discovery, especially if the group is not talkative. Asking a well-formed follow up question can deepen understanding. There are two types of questions: observation and application. Observation questions direct people to examine a specific word or phrase in the passage. For instance, "What does verse three tell us about people?" Application questions promote a response. Use what, why, how, who, where and when to help form these questions. For instance, "Why might verse three be true?" Be cautious. Don't teach through questions.
COACH A DISCOVERY GROUP
By meeting regularly with your disciples who start their own groups. This is crucial. Ongoing coaching is vital to multiplication. Gathering regularly is essential to sustain momentum and address issues in a timely manner. See the Ongoing Coaching section of Pathway for helpful information.
Resources
- Watch What is a DBS and What Makes It Different? (3:00)
- Watch Discovery Bible Study (8:16)
- Watch Discovery Bible Study Overview (7:58)
- Watch Helping Others Discover God - Discovery Bible Study (4:42)
- Watch Discovery Groups (11:03)
- View Discovery Bible Study (DBS)
- View Discovery Group (DG)
- View Discovery Group Tips
- View DBS Story Sets
- Read DMM Sails
- See DMM Resources
* From Paul Watson: "Small Groups that have the DNA of a Disciple Making Movement."
** From David Watson, "What About Teaching in Disciple Making Movements?"
** From David Watson, "What About Teaching in Disciple Making Movements?"