Discovery Bible Study (DBS) Guide

Understanding DBS

What It Is. What It Isn't.

What a DBS Is

A DBS is a simple, structured gathering where a small group of people read the same passage of Scripture together, discuss it using focused discovery questions, and commit to obeying and sharing what they've found.

Anyone can lead one. You don't need a degree, a building, or years of experience. You need a Bible, a few people, and a willingness to let God speak.

Used globally to reach the lost, disciple new believers, and build communities of obedience — from living rooms to workplaces to villages with no church.

What a DBS Is Not

A DBS is not one person teaching while everyone else listens. It is not a lecture, a sermon, or a Bible knowledge competition. The facilitator's job is to ask questions — not give answers.

The Holy Spirit is the teacher. The facilitator creates space for the group to discover what the Word says for themselves. This is what makes it reproducible — anyone who participates can lead the next one.

Avoid the temptation to preach or correct. Ask, listen, let the Word do its work.

Getting Started

Three Steps to Launch

Set a Date

Decide to start — commit to a regular meeting (weekly works best; fortnightly if needed)
Pick a location: home, café, workplace, anywhere people can gather comfortably
Aim for 60–90 minutes per session
Consistency matters more than perfection

Invite People

Start by inviting other followers of Jesus — people who want to grow
If you know someone far from God, invite them too — DBS is designed to reach seekers
Each week, encourage everyone to invite someone new
Ask: "Would you like to read some stories of hope with us?"

Run the Study

Choose a passage from the study tracks below
Read it aloud, together — twice
Let someone retell the story in their own words
Ask the four discovery questions — and listen
Close with prayer and goals for the week

The Format

A Simple Session Structure

Every session follows this rhythm. It's flexible — adapt it to your group — but keep the bones in place.

1

Care

Give people a chance to briefly share how they are doing. Listen, pray for one another. Build genuine community before you open the Word.

5 min

2

Worship

Spend time worshipping Jesus in song. In a public setting like a café, skip this or keep it quiet. The goal is to invite His presence before the study begins.

10–15 min

3

Sharing Accountability

The facilitator asks: "Who was able to share the story from last week? How has that impacted others?" This keeps the group outward-facing and accountable to the Great Commission.

5 min

4

Discover the Bible Together

Read the passage aloud twice. Have someone retell the story in their own words. Then discuss using the four discovery questions below — everyone contributes, no one dominates.

25–30 min

5

Pray & Go

Pray for people who are far from God. Set personal goals: Who will you share this story with before next week? Then go into the harvest.

5–10 min

The Four Discovery Questions

Use these for every passage. They are simple, they are powerful, and they are reproducible. Anyone who hears them this week can ask them next week.

1

What do we learn about God or Jesus in this story? — Focus on His character, His heart, His power, His compassion.

2

What do we learn from the people in this story? — What did they do right? What did they do wrong? What can we take from them?

3

What is this passage telling me to do? — Make it personal and specific. Not "what should Christians do" — what should I do this week?

4

Who am I going to tell? — Every session ends with a name. The goal is not just personal growth but outward multiplication.

Study Tracks

Four Paths Through the Word

Choose the track that fits where your group is. You can move from one to the next as people grow.

9

For people exploring Jesus

Stories of Hope

Nine stories of Jesus from the Gospel of Luke — ideal for groups with seekers or people who are curious about Jesus but not yet committed. Each story shows who He is: what He did and what He said.

Passages

Luke 7:36–50 — Jesus Forgives
Luke 5:17–26 — Jesus Forgives & Heals
Luke 7:1–10 or 8:43–48 — Jesus Heals the Sick
Luke 7:11–17 — Jesus Raises the Dead
Luke 8:22–25 — Jesus Calms the Storm
Luke 8:26–39 — Jesus Heals the Demoniac
Luke 9:10–17 — Jesus Feeds the 5,000
Luke 18:18–30 — Jesus & the Rich Man
Luke 9:28–36 — Jesus is God

11

For people following Jesus

Commands of Christ

Eleven foundational commands Jesus gave His disciples — ideal for new believers or those who have just committed to following Him. Based on the Great Commission to make disciples who obey everything He commanded.

Commands include

Repent and Believe — Mark 1:15
Be Baptised in Water — Matthew 28:19
Receive the Holy Spirit — Acts 1:8
Pray — Matthew 6:5–13
Love God and Your Neighbour — Matthew 22:37–40
Give — Luke 6:38
Make Disciples — Matthew 28:18–20
Take the Lord's Supper — Luke 22:19–20

4G

For ongoing discipleship

The Four Gospels

Work through Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John passage by passage using the DBS method. Ideal for established groups who want to go deeper into who Jesus is, what He said, and how to follow Him in every area of life.

How to use it

Choose one Gospel and work through it sequentially
Luke is recommended as a starting point — it's comprehensive and narrative-rich
Follow the same 5-stage format every session
This track naturally produces the most depth and longest-running groups

2B

For discovering baptism in water & Holy Spirit

The Two Baptisms

Jesus spoke of two baptisms: baptism in water and baptism in the Holy Spirit. This focused track helps believers understand what the Bible says about both — and how to step into the full inheritance Christ purchased.

Key texts

Matthew 28:19 — The command to baptise
Romans 6:3–4 — Buried and raised with Christ
Acts 1:4–8 — The promise of the Spirit
Acts 2:1–4 — The Day of Pentecost
Acts 10:44–48 — Gentiles receive the Spirit
Ephesians 5:18 — Be filled continually

For Facilitators

Seven Tips for a Great Session

1

Prepare and pray before each session. The facilitator's job begins before anyone arrives. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide the discussion and speak to each person in the room.

2

Keep a timer and stay focused. The structure exists for a reason. When each stage stays in its lane, the whole session flows and people leave energised, not drained.

3

Ask questions, don't give answers. Your role is to facilitate discovery, not deliver a sermon. Ask the four questions. Wait for the room to answer. Trust the process.

4

Let the Holy Spirit be the teacher. Resist the urge to correct, explain, or fill silence. Silence is where people process. The Spirit is at work in the quiet too.

5

Stay focused and manage tangents. When the discussion drifts, bring it back gently: "That's interesting — let's come back to the passage. What does the text say?"

6

Help people set specific weekly goals. Vague goals produce vague results. Help each person name one thing they will do and one person they will tell before the next meeting.

7

Organise prayer walks and outreaches. DBS groups that go into the community together grow faster and multiply more readily than those that only meet inward.

Example

A Sample Session

Command 1 from the Commands of Christ track — Repent and Believe in Jesus

Session 1: Repent and Believe

Mark 1:15 — "Repent and believe in the gospel." · Stories: Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1–10) or The Sinful Woman (Luke 7:36–50)

Care (5 min)

"How are you doing?" — Go around briefly. Listen. Pray for anyone with a specific need.

Accountability (5 min)

For session 1: Cast the vision. Read Acts 2:36–47 together and discuss what a healthy, multiplying church looks like. From session 2 onward: "Who shared the story? What happened?"

The Word (30 min)

Read Mark 1:15 aloud, then the story passage aloud — twice
Ask someone to retell it in their own words
What do we learn about God from this story?
What do we learn from the people in the story?
What does this passage tell ME to do?
Who am I going to tell?

Going Deeper (optional)

What does "repent" actually mean? (Turning from sin and following Jesus)
What does "believe" mean? (Choosing to trust Jesus as Lord)
Why should we repent? Read Romans 3:23; 6:23; 10:9
What is assurance? 1 John 1:9 and John 10:28

Set Goals & Pray

"Who are you praying for? Who will you share with this week?" — Close with prayer: obey His commands, abide in Christ, share the gospel, care for those around you in love.