Understanding Discovery Bible Study
Discover the transformative simplicity of Discovery Bible Study—a method designed to deepen your walk with God through reflection, Scripture, and actionable obedience. Learn how this three-part approach equips groups and individuals to grow in faith and share the gospel.
What is Discovery Bible Study?
Numerous pathways are available for those seeking to grow their understanding of Scripture. From topical devotions to deep theological studies, the amount of varied approaches to support one’s Scripture reading is an often overlooked deep blessing.
However, sometimes, these options can feel overwhelming and lead us to a place of paralysis as the different options seem like multiple entrances to a maze. With respect to the many options available, Christ Methodist Church recommends one specific method for studying the Bible together: Discovery Bible Study.
Discovery Bible Study (DBS) is a simple method to see what Scripture says about life's big questions. It was originally developed by David L. Watson and Paul D. Watson but has been used by believers worldwide, leading disciple-making movements.
The questions are simple and easy to understand but provide the necessary structure for whole-hearted obedience in discipleship. They are approachable for the introductory Bible student while challenging for the lifelong reader. This blog will treat using these questions in community with others, but they can also be used individually.
DBS employs a 3/3 (Three-Thirds) Pattern of study developed by Zumé Disciple-Making Training to break the study into three parts. Zumé states that this format "focuses on faithfulness to past leadings of the Lord, hearing from the Lord in the present, and planning obedience in the near future to any guidance given by the Lord.” Let’s examine how they describe the three different ‘thirds.’
How to Use Discovery Bible Study
1st Third: Look Back
First, you will reflect on your previous week, retell the lesson, and share how you responded. You should spend about 25% of your time on this section. Instead of traditional icebreakers, this begins the group and allows everyone the opportunity to check in on where they are. Here are the questions:
What are you thankful for?
Why thankfulness? By sharing these things, you demonstrate that every good thing from the previous week is a gift from God, our good gift-giver. You are not boasting in your ‘highs’ or ‘wins’; you are giving a testimony of His goodness.
What are you stressed about?
Why stress? By sharing these things, you demonstrate that no one entering this group has ‘made it’ or ‘arrived’ in the Christian life. People need to see that everyone has their stresses and struggles.
Instead of traditional icebreakers about random topics, these two questions intentionally start the group and allow everyone to check in on their week. This also allows the group to know ways to tangibly support each other, meet potential needs that others are stressed about, and pray together.
Starting in the second meeting, you will also ask these two questions in this first third:
How would you retell what was read or studied previously?
How did you respond to these truths, or who did you share them with?
This method creates rhythms for people to respond faithfully in obedience, allowing it to be something that the entire group becomes invested in and celebrates together. In No More Spectators, the author, Mark Nyswinder, shares that neither obedience nor evangelism need to be private activities but must be done together, forming a relational net to catch seekers.
Everything in your group’s dynamic will change when this happens.
Conclude this first section with a time of prayer, offering praise and petition for what was shared with the group.
2nd Third: Look Up
Next, you’ll spend time reading and studying the Scriptures. You will spend half of your time, 50%, in this middle section. The primary goal in this section is for everyone to understand the Scripture passage. Here are the questions:
Have someone read the passage aloud, then answer: How would we retell this passage in our own words?
Have a different person read the passage again and answer: What does this passage teach us about God, Jesus, or His plan?
Have a third person read the passage for the final time and answer: What does this passage teach us about humanity, sin, and our needs?
While the group discusses these questions, rather than relying on outside aids, the goal is that the group is aware of and relies on the Holy Spirit to individually speak to each group member and to guide the study collectively. Since the goal is to understand the text, everyone should be encouraged to seek the simple truth of the message. As you retell it, imagine you’re sharing it with someone who has no understanding of the gospel. As you answer the second and third questions, share the verse from which you learned this in the passage.
If you are serving as the leader or facilitator of this group, you are responsible for guiding the discussion in a faithful direction to the Scripture passage. One temptation that many approach DBS with is a false belief that since the questions are simple and repeatable, there is no need for preparatory work—Avoid this trap! Take time to go through each of the questions on your own first. Study the passage thoroughly, and if possible, use theological resources and aids.
Many times, your leadership will include keeping people on track with this passage and not bringing in other concepts or passages. We want to give the Holy Spirit room and silence to speak through the Scriptures to your group and be ready and able to answer people’s questions.
If there are responses that seem to lead the group in the wrong direction, Contagious Disciplemaking offers three recommendations:
Respond to questions by asking the group, “What in the passage helps us answer that question?”
Respond to distracting comments by asking, “Where is that found in this passage?”
Respond to “strange” answers by asking, “Help us understand what you are thinking.”
3rd Third: Look Forward
Finally, you’ll spend the last section looking forward into commitments of obedience. We often hesitate to ideas and calls of obedience, but that is far more due to the cultural ‘air’ we breathe than the patterns of discipleship laid out in Scripture.
You will spend the remaining quarter of the time in this section, usually around 25%. Don’t rush into this. If possible, pause and give people some silence to allow room for the Spirit to speak personally to illuminate the next steps for obedience or the people in their lives who need to hear this information.
Following this time of silent listening prayer, ask these final two questions:
If this is God’s will for my life, how will I respond to and obey it?
Who could I share this passage with?
For the leader, encourage specific obedience. It’s easy to hide behind generic answers in this section. For example, if someone says, “I will be more loving,” follow up with questions of specificity: Who do you want to show love towards? What specifically are you planning to do to show them this?”
Once everyone has shared, allow these commitments to shape and frame the concluding prayer of the group. Encourage people to pray for what they have shared or for what others have shared.
TL;DR
The Discovery Bible Study format "focuses on faithfulness to past leadings of the Lord, hearing from the Lord in the present, and planning obedience in the near future to any guidance given by the Lord.”
1st Third:
What are you thankful for?
What are you stressed about?
2nd Third
How would we retell this passage in our own words?
What does this passage teach us about God, Jesus, or His plan?
What does this passage teach us about humanity, sin, and our needs?
3rd Third
If this is God’s will for my life, how will I respond to and obey it?
Who could I share this passage with?
References
Discovery Bible Study – A Safe Place to See for Yourself What the Bible Says”. N.d. Courageous Disciple-Making. www.dbs.guide.org.
“3/3 Group Meeting Pattern.” 2016. Zumé Disciple-Making Training. https://zume.training/3-3-group-meeting-pattern/.
