Have you ever thought of leading a Bible study at your home but you didn’t know how? Now you can without having to know the Bible inside out. The Discovery Bible Study method is simple. Meet with 2-12 friends, and here are the steps:
• Pray: Dear Jesus, guide us and speak to us as we read your Word. Thank you. Amen.
• Start at the beginning of the Gospel of Mark or Acts or Genesis.
•One person facilitates the following but facilitates rather than teaches or answers all the 5 questions himself:
Read one passage or story at a time.
1. One person reads the passage
2. Another reads the same story–in another translation if there’s one in the group.
3. Then one person retells the story in their own words without looking at the text.
Then ask the following 5 questions that can be used for any passage of the Bible:
1. What is the context of this passage for the recipients?
We need to know what the passage meant first to the original recipients.
“A biblical text can’t mean what it never meant (to the original recipients)” (Fee e Stuart)
That is we can’t interpret a passage to mean something different from what it meant to the original audience.
The immediate context either side of the passage is the most important and then the whole book.
2. Explain what surprises you about this passage or story
Sometimes a verse will spring out at you or will even shock you. What catches your attention. Start here.
3. How can the words or life of Jesus help me with this passage?
At the end of the day the whole Bible points to Jesus. He is the fulfilment of all Scripture and I can only obey the words of the passage with His help and direction, not by trying harder or in my own strength.
So maybe I am reading the story of Joseph and how he kept going as a slave in Egypt and then in prison. Then I remember Heb 12:2
“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
So when I am in situations like Joseph, I can keep going by keeping my eyes on Jesus and following His example.
4. What changes will I make in response to the passage?
5. Who am I going to tell about what I learned?
It could be a friend or a member of your family or a work colleague. When we tell others, we learn more and we multiply the word in the lives of others.
Through these 5 questions, and the Discovery Bible Study method anyone can run a Bible study group because you are learning together.
Now pray together for help to apply the passage to your lives and for the needs of those present.
FINALLY
At the next Discovery Bible study, ask
1. What did you manage to apply this week?
2.Who did you tell about what you learned?
Then, follow the above process for the next story—next time.