Exploring God's Colossal Promises
In a Discovery Bible Study (DBS) people who know nothing about the Bible become disciples of Jesus Christ. How does this happen? A key factor is the set of questions that help them focus on God’s Word and apply it to their lives. Let’s take a brief tour of the essential questions that distinguish Discovery Bible Study from other home Bible study practices.
1 Corinthians 13 waxes eloquent about love, but John 13 waxes practical about love. Jesus washes feet and calls us to imitate Him, but we would much rather wash our hands of some people than wash their feet. How can we overcome our distaste for foot-washing?
If friends who know nothing about the Bible decide to read it together, what are the chances they will become followers of Christ? Without a Bible expert present, won’t the result be the blind leading the blind? However, since the early 1990s, millions of know-nothings have read the Bible together and found new life in Jesus Christ. The impossible occurs due to two factors.
What if there were a way to witness about Jesus that did not require you to be an expert with all the answers? In fact, you wouldn’t be the Leader at all. Let’s compare two ways to witness to a group of people seeking God. The first way is based on common sense and is pretty effective. The second way seems nonsensical, but it’s a thousand times more effective.
The Bible calls us to be fruitful. What does fruitfulness look like? John 12 gives five examples. Will I trust the promises in this chapter or seek a mere fraction of what they offer?
If an evangelism strategy was so effective that it has converted millions in the last 25 years, yet so simple that children can use it, would you consider it too good to be true, or too wonderful to ignore? It’s called Disciple Making Movements (DMM) and is depicted in this 8-minute video.
When confronted by hopeless cases that require a miracle, will we dare to speak simple prayers of faith? What holds us back? Are our reasons Bible-based or fear-based? Consider the response of Jesus when Mary and Martha send word that their brother Lazarus is deathly ill.
An Arab Christian in Israel has learned that 15 words can open hearts to Jesus: “People need Jesus. You need Him too. Jesus helped me. Ask Him to help you.” This video explains ways you can use them too.
The Good Shepherd is also the Good Warrior! Artists often portray Jesus and His flock in tranquil scenes. But John 10:1-14 speaks of deadly combat. We are part of a war to the death, but we follow the Good Shepherd who has laid down His life for the sheep and continues to guard our lives.
Prophets like Elijah performed many miracles, while John the Baptist did none — with one exception! Do you know John’s singular, stupendous supernatural sign? John 10:41 reports: “Though John never performed a sign, all that John said about this man [Jesus] was true.” John’s sole miracle was foretelling the truth about Jesus.
Did you know that sheep are evangelists? How do sheep witness? In “A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23,” author Phillip Keller explains how sheep inform lost sheep they encounter that their Shepherd is Good and worth following.