A Launch Group is a five week training resource that equips believers to reach unbelievers through groups. It teaches participants how to use Discovery Bible Study (DBS), facilitate Discovery Groups, and about DBS Story Sets.
Launch Groups are closed during the five weeks due to the training nature of the meetings. Launch group participants can start their own Discovery Groups with interested outsiders at any time.
A Launch Group is for believers ready start groups that multiply. It is a Go level event, not a Grow level event. It does not work with those expecting a traditional small group Bible study experience that prioritizes knowledge over obedience, and focuses on fellowship over outreach. It's new wine (a different multiplication tool) requiring a new wineskins (a different multiplication format). Matthew 9:17
A Launch Group can become a Discovery Group (open to newcomers) once the five weeks is completed. A church may use Launch Groups once or repeatedly.
Launch Groups are closed during the five weeks due to the training nature of the meetings. Launch group participants can start their own Discovery Groups with interested outsiders at any time.
A Launch Group is for believers ready start groups that multiply. It is a Go level event, not a Grow level event. It does not work with those expecting a traditional small group Bible study experience that prioritizes knowledge over obedience, and focuses on fellowship over outreach. It's new wine (a different multiplication tool) requiring a new wineskins (a different multiplication format). Matthew 9:17
A Launch Group can become a Discovery Group (open to newcomers) once the five weeks is completed. A church may use Launch Groups once or repeatedly.
PRELAUNCH
Familiarize yourself with Discovery Bible Study (DBS), Discovery Group (DG) and DBS Story Sets. Take yourself through these resources. You'll be teaching them to the group as you meet.
Prayerfully, and personally invite a few (2-5) believers who are eager to be trained to reach unbelievers. Explain the purpose, and duration. Make sure they know the uniqueness of a Launch Group. This should be a personal invitation, not a public invitation done in the presence of others.
LAUNCH
Begin to meet. Stay consistent with the location, time and day of the meetings. Make sure everyone is committed to all five sessions. Communicate the start and end dates. Hold to the agreed start and end times.
Do a DBS each week. Go through the first five stories from the DBS story set. The main facilitator may facilitate for weeks 1-3 or hand off the role after week 1 and let others in the group have a chance to facilitate for the remaining weeks.
Don't facilitate the group yourself for more than three weeks. Hand off the role to others in the group during weeks 4 and 5 (if not before).
Practicing asking good follow up questions in the DBS meetings. Ask a what, why, how, when, where or who question from an observation about what the passage teaches us about God people.
Debrief after each study as a group. Leave plenty of time for this (30 minutes). When sharing about the DBS, focus on concept and delivery, more than the content. Read through the linked resources if they have not been covered beforehand. Try to watch the videos. They are very helpful. If you can't watch the video together, assign it as homework.
- Week 1: Evaluate the facilitator; what went well, what needs attention. Read Discovery Bible Study (DBS) together, and watch Discovery Bible Study (3:00)
- Week 2: Evaluate the facilitator. Read Discovery Group (DG) together, and watch Discovery Bible Study (8:16)
- Week 3: Evaluate the facilitator. Read Discovery Group Tips together, and watch Discovery Bible Study Overview (7:58)
- Week 4: Evaluate the facilitator. Look over DBS Story Sets together, and watch Helping Others Discover God (4:42)
- Week 5: Evaluate the facilitator. Watch Discovery Groups (11:03)
POST LAUNCH
Take a break after five weeks to evaluate what the future should look like. Options include begin meeting as a Discovery Group (open to newcomers), appointing a new facilitator, changing location, closing down the group (because people have started their own Discovery Groups) or any variation. Ideally, over time, you would transition from the role of facilitating the group to coaching the group as they form their own groups. Remember, the goal of the Launch Group is for you and the participants to become familiar with the facilitator and coaching roles so you/they can start Discovery Groups. It is not designed to meet without end and not multiply. If that happens close the group. It has just become a non multiplying Bible study.
Take a break after five weeks to evaluate what the future should look like. Options include begin meeting as a Discovery Group (open to newcomers), appointing a new facilitator, changing location, closing down the group (because people have started their own Discovery Groups) or any variation. Ideally, over time, you would transition from the role of facilitating the group to coaching the group as they form their own groups. Remember, the goal of the Launch Group is for you and the participants to become familiar with the facilitator and coaching roles so you/they can start Discovery Groups. It is not designed to meet without end and not multiply. If that happens close the group. It has just become a non multiplying Bible study.
Resources
- Watch Discovery Bible Study (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)
- Read Discovery Group Tips
- View DBS Story Sets
- Read DMM Sails
- See DMM Resources