When I started my first Discovery Bible Study I expected that the non-Christians would quickly start new groups with their friends.
I was in for a shock. That didn't happen.
I went back to re-read the stories of rapid DBS expansion. Most of these came from rural villages or from people groups which have a high sense of community.
Rapid expansion in the city is still possible. But you need to do it differently.
Listen to listen to David Broodryk. He is seeing great things happen in the cities of South Africa.
In big cities many people are lonely. There has been a real breakdown in the sense of community. Your DBS may only consist of two or three people meeting at a cafe. These people may not have any real friends. When they become Christians they will want to know they are part of something bigger than just your DBS. But if they go to an established church, they may learn a DNA that keeps them from starting their own group.
David says that if we want to see multiplication we need to create three structures:
- The DBS -- for evangelism. This is the normal entry point for non-Christians.
- The Gathering -- for ongoing discipleship. This involves 20 to 80 people getting together for worship, building community, stengthening individual believers and outreach. Some non-Christians will prefer to join here where they can watch without a lot of commitment.
- The Team -- for leadership training. Equipping people to lead the Gathering and start new DBS groups
It is well worth the 30 minutes it takes to listen to David expand on these topics.
May God bless you as you seek to reach out in your community.