- What are you are thankful for and stressed about, this past week?
Have you experienced something good in your life? What is hard, difficult or challenging? Give an answer to each question. - How can we respond to the needs just expressed in our group, and those in our community?
How can we demonstrate love and care for each other and the people around us? This is a good time to brainstorm about how to help one another. Depending on the make up of the group, this is a good time to pray about what was shared. - What was the result of your "I will" statement from the last meeting?
If the majority of the group did not do the "I will" statements from the previous week, don't study the next passage. Instead, repeat the study of the previous passage. Moving forward without doing the "I will" statements reinforces knowledge based discipleship. Conversely, doing the "I will" statements establishes obedience based disciple making as the DNA of the group, and results in multiplication. Groups have to repeat the study of a previous passage from time to time.
Read a passage of Scripture.
Passages have italicized or bold print headings and are the basic units of thought in the Bible. Read the passage aloud a few times. Use different translations if possible.
Resource: DBS Story Sets
Retell the passage.
Ask at least one person in the group to summarize the passage in their own words without looking at it. Repeat the story by paraphrasing it as if you were telling it to someone who has never heard it. Keep it simple. The rest of the group can help if the person leaves anything out or adds anything not in the passage. If that happens, ask, "Where do you find that in the passage?" Repeat if time allows.
Review the passage.
With everyone looking at the passage, review it by asking the following questions.
Passages have italicized or bold print headings and are the basic units of thought in the Bible. Read the passage aloud a few times. Use different translations if possible.
Resource: DBS Story Sets
Retell the passage.
Ask at least one person in the group to summarize the passage in their own words without looking at it. Repeat the story by paraphrasing it as if you were telling it to someone who has never heard it. Keep it simple. The rest of the group can help if the person leaves anything out or adds anything not in the passage. If that happens, ask, "Where do you find that in the passage?" Repeat if time allows.
Review the passage.
With everyone looking at the passage, review it by asking the following questions.
- What do we learn from the passage?
In other words, what do we learn about God and man? Include all persons of the godhead; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Let the passage speak for itself. Some passages are equally weighted about what they say about God and people, others not so much.
- How will I respond to the passage this week?
Obedience is the key to multiplication. Choose at least one option below. Declare your "I will" statement aloud, and write it down. Share the results the following meeting.
- I will obey God by ____________ this week. (State an observable action)
- I will tell _____________ the story we just learned. (Name a person)
- I will show ____________ how to do a DBS. (Name a person)
- I will start a Discovery Group with ____________. (Name a few persons). A Discovery Group is a Bible study that uses DBS.
ONE THING STUDY
Prayer is critical to the movement of God. (Acts 4:29-31) It emboldens the people of God (Acts 4:29-31), fulfills the mission of God (Acts 10:9, 30-33, 44), reveals the workers of God (Acts 13:2-3), unleashes the power of God (Acts 16:25-34).
The single most important statement in Start Up is the following sentence: Humbly allow the Holy Spirit to guide you in the application of the resources and tools. (Revelation 2:11) Sometimes it's best to implement them as they are laid out. Sometimes it's best to modify them to your specific context.
Access coaching videos here.
Disciple those who want to share the Bible stories with others.
Decide between two options: showing them how to do a Discovery Bible Story (DBS) or guiding them to become a storyteller. Sometimes the circumstances call for modeling the DBS right on the spot or very soon thereafter. This would be the case if the person who wants to share the story is either in the presence of an interested group or can assemble them very quickly. If the group is present, interested and has the time (it takes 90 minutes). If that's the case, model a DBS once while identifying the natural leader, and arrange to meet with that person outside the group to continue coaching. The first thing you'll want to do is explain a DBS.
More than likely the person who wants to share the Bible story is not in the presence of the people with whom they would share the story. If that's the case, text the person the story along with the Jesus question. Stay in touch to pray and celebrate when they share. After they share the story, text them a second story with an additional question, "What does it say about people?" Now they have two questions to ask. Once they do this, text them a third story and add a third question, "What does it say to you?" Now they have three questions. This can all be done via text and phone, and can occur over a few days or weeks.
Once they do this, meet personally with the storyteller to explain a DBS (DBSY for those working with youth).
Sometimes the circumstances call for modeling a DBS right on the spot. This might be the case if the group that would be formed is present and is ready to meet. In this case, model the DBS once, identify the natural leader, and arrange to meet with that person outside the group to continue to coach.
Guide them to becoming a storyteller.
Explain the Discovery Bible Study (DBS) to them.
Disciple those who want to share the Bible story. Guide them through the three stages of development: becoming a storyteller, forming a Discovery Group and multiplying.
Encourage them to become a storyteller. If they are interested in sharing the story with others, ask, "May I text you the story you just heard?" If they say yes, send the story. Practice this beforehand so you know how to send the passage in a preferable language (English, Spanish, etc.) Consider using the DBS Story Set (Starter Stories). Inquire with whom they might share the story and when they might do it. Stay in touch with encouraging words. When they share it, celebrate, and send another. Do this three times. Each time share a new story and add one more question; What does it say about Jesus?, What does it say about people? What does it say to you? Then move to the next phase. For the last time, they should be sharing a third story and asking three questions.
Help them form a Discovery Group (DG). A Discovery Group is a group of people who meet regularly to study the Bible together. Until now your disciple has shared a Bible story and asked a few questions. Now is the time to teach them a full Discovery Bible Study. Meet personally to do this. First, read about the Discovery Bible Study (DBS). Make sure you also read the Facilitator notes and do an overview of the Story Set. This is very important. The Facilitator notes contain key elements that generate multiplication. Don't skip it. Then do a full DBS together.
If a group is not already formed, encourage the person to invite people to a formal launch. Encourage the story teller to set a date and time and get confirmations to the launch so there is a good turn out. Consider showing up as an observer, but just the first time. If appropriate, suggest providing something to eat and drink.
As you coach, consider finishing the Starter Stories, then moving through another set of studies that the you and the facilitator deem a best fit.
Finally, coach them to multiply. Remind the Discovery Group facilitator to emphasize the "I will" statements. Possibly suggest that the leader take the group through Start Up. Encourage the DG leader to model the four steps to the group. Focus on relevant passages in the Story Sets such as:
- Foundation Story Set: Being and Growing as a Church
- Mobilization Story Set: Growing as a Disciple Making Team (DMT) Parts 1,2,3
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