Discovery Bible Study
Key principles of DBS:
- Studying in natural oikoi(sing. oikos), or communities. Natural: gathering people who are already connected as friends or family. Oikos: group studies, rather than 1:1. Whenever possible, non-believers should make up the majority.
- Discovery, rather than teaching.DBS studies are often called “discovery groups”.
Leaders Facilitators let the text lead rather than providing answers.
- Discipleship to conversion.In the same way Jesus taught the disciples and brought them into mission even before they fully understood him, in a DBS we help people begin obeying Jesus’ words from the very first study.
- Emphasizing obedience and passing it on. The Bible prizes obeying God above acquiring knowledge about him (cf. John 13:17, 14:15, 15:10). Each DBS ends with a concrete response step, and a plan to share the lesson with someone else.
Basic DBS Structure:
- What are you thankful for these days? What are you stressed/worried about?(praise and prayer requests)
- How did you do with last time’s response? Whom did you tell?(accountability)
- Read the new passage aloud at least two times. Each person (including you) then tries to re-tell the passage without looking. The others can check and help. Do not overlook this step! It is crucial for our learning and for sharing later.(spiritual formation)
- What does this passage teach us about God?(spiritual formation)
- What does this passage teach us about humans?(spiritual formation)
- Because this is God’s Word to us, how should we respond and put it into practice this week? (Aim for concrete statements that begin with “I will…”)(obeying God)
- Who needs to hear this story? / Whom will you share this story with this week?(obeying God, evangelism)
Who Is Jesus the Messiah Study
Bible studies in the Gospel of Luke - view the full study in the download, these are the "must have" passages
- 4:16-21 - Jesus defines his ministry and fulfills prophecy
- 5:17-32 - Jesus forgives sins and heals, and eats with “sinners”
- 6:27-42 - Jesus’ moral teaching
- 8:22-39 - Jesus calms the sea and and exorcises demons
- 15:11-32 - Jesus teaches about the two sons
- 18:9-14 - Jesus’ parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector praying
- 22:39-53 - Jesus prays, and is willingly arrested
- 22:66-23:5, 23:26-49 - Jesus is crucified and dies
- 24:1-12; 24:36-49 - Jesus’ resurrection, Jesus appears to and commisions the disciples