Discovery Bible Studies Training Summary

In a Discovery Bible Study you are:
• Looking back – reporting on what you’ve applied from the last study.
• Looking up – seeing what God is saying in His Word today.
• Looking ahead – deciding, and sharing, how you’ll obey what God has revealed through the study.

Disciple making includes teaching people to obey, not just gaining knowledge. Discovery Bible Studies focus on exactly that — obeying what God says through His Word.

General Guidelines for the Group

• Keep responses brief. Share sentences, not long paragraphs.
• Focus on the passage at hand. Don’t drift into other passages, sermons, or theological rabbit trails. The goal is to let everyone engage directly with the text in front of them.
• Allow silence. When you ask questions, give people a bit of time to respond. Silence often means people are thinking and engaging deeply.

Facilitator Guidelines

The person leading is a facilitator, not a teacher. You’re not lecturing — you’re helping the group discover what the Word says.

• Keep to an agreed upon timeline. Thirty to forty-five minutes works well for the DBS portion of a meeting.
• Prepare yourself. Read the passage in advance. Reflect on it. Think of possible illustrations or personal stories- not for the purpose of teaching the passage but for helping people engage with the passage at hand.
• Handle questions wisely. If someone asks about something outside the passage, ask, “What does this passage say?” If it’s important but not answered in the text, note it and say, “We’ll look into that and discuss it next time.” Or assign someone to do some research to share at the next meeting. Avoid rabbit trails that take you away from the passage at hand.
• Always point back to the passage. When someone shares something off-track, gently ask, “How does that show up here?” If it’s not a part of what the text is addressing, feel free to say “It doesn’t look like that’s part of this passage, so let’s stick to the text! There’s enough here to process.”

The Discovery Bible Study Process

A. Connect (Icebreaker / Check-In) and Look Back

Start with a simple sharing question to get people talking and connecting.
Example: “High–Low–Buffalo” — what was a highlight, a low point, and something unusual or unexpected from your week?

Report on your application from the last study. Did you follow through on what you said you would do?

B. Study (Look Up)
Now move into the passage.
• Have someone read the passage aloud (or multiple readers if it’s long).
• Ask someone to retell the story in their own words. Others can fill in missing details to make sure the story is retold correctly.

Then begin the Discovery Questions:

1. What stands out to you?
Quick, gut-level reactions — no deep discussion yet, just flag interesting or challenging ideas.

2. What does this passage say about God, Jesus, or His plan?
What do we learn about God’s character or how He works?

3. What does this passage say about people?
What do we learn about human nature or ourselves?

4. What encourages or challenges you personally?
What affirms that you’re on track, and what calls you to change?

5. What will you do as a result of this study?
Form an “I will” statement — something specific, measurable, and practical.

6. Who will you share this with?
Is there someone you can tell this story to or share what you’ve learned — maybe someone who doesn’t yet know the Lord?

C. Apply (Look Ahead)

End by reviewing everyone’s “I will” statements and praying for one another.
Include prayer requests for people you’re reaching out to or discipling.

Next time you meet, start by reporting back on how you followed through.

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