Essentials of DMM

Oct 20, 2025 | Uncategorized

The Essentials of DMM

(Disciple Making Movements) 

By Kurt Olson 

 

God is rapidly multiplying disciples around in the world today! Would you like to get in on the action? 

 

The famous man of faith George Mueller said, “If the Holy Spirit guides us at all, He will do it according to the scriptures, and never contrary to them.” 

 

As we consider how to do the work of God in these last days, it is critical that we operate according to the scriptures and never contrary to them. Therefore, at Go Multiply we suggest we all operate according to a spiritual firewall to insure we are not being led off track and operating in ways that do not align with the pattern we see in the scriptures. We believe that the safest route is to keep our practices as close to those of the New Testament Church as possible. Therefore, the firewall question that we recommend you use to evaluate all your spiritual practices is this: Where do you see that practice in the practices of Jesus and/or the New Testament Church? 

 

The New Testament Church was composed of obedient Disciples who consistently made more obedient Disciples of Jesus. They did not have most of the things that we typically think we need in order to have “church.” 

 

They didn’t have bible schools, religious buildings, or paid professional christians. 

Over almost two thousand years, we have drifted far from Jesus’ original design for the Church. 

 

For example: 

  • Jesus tells us not to put new wine in old wineskins Mark 2:22 because the new wine will burst the old wineskins and both will be ruined. Is Jesus talking about wine or is He talking about our spiritual operating systems? When He spoke those words there were roughly two hundred synagogues in Jerusalem alone. A synagogue was a religious building with a leader, where they had weekly services with prayers, scripture readings, a message, an offering, some announcements, chanting and a benediction. Does this sound familiar? Our modern day building based church system is almost exactly the same as the synagogue system that was prominent when Jesus spoke these words. (Ernest De Witt Burton. “The Ancient Synagogue Service.” The Biblical World, vol. 8, no. 2, 1896, pp. 143–148. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/3140264) 
  • One major difference is that in Jesus’ days the message would be given by members of the congregation who were selected by the synagogue ruler on the day of the service. Imagine trying that in a church meeting today. 

 

Is it possible that Jesus was bringing a new spiritual operating system that the old, building based, system cannot contain? Could He be saying that if we try to squeeze His new spiritual operating system into the old wineskin building based model, that we will ruin them both? 

 

Do you know WHY new wine ruins old wine skins? It is because of the expansion that occurs when grape juice is fermented. Old wineskins are rigid, inflexible and unable to handle expansion. In the same way, our building based religious systems are incapable of containing rapid expansion!

 

Disciple Making Movements are able to handle rapid expansion because they operate in the New Wine Skin which is flexible. 

 

I have seen a congregation of 50 members multiply to over 2500 reproducing disciples in less than a year! I’ve seen a homeless beggar start 25 home fellowships of believers in a few short months. When one of these groups outgrew the home where they were meeting, they simply moved the gathering under a tree. I’ve seen a small group of about 50 pastors and bishops launch a movement of over 15,000 churches in 12 countries containing hundreds of thousands of disciples.

 

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that trying to construct religious buildings for all the disciples in these rapidly expanding movements would be an exercise in futility and would stop the expansion. You see, as soon as you construct 4 walls, you limit the potential for growth. In Disciple Making Movements, there is no limit to how fast or how large the movement can become.

 

Therefore, it is my belief that the New Wine Jesus was referring to is His rapidly reproducing obedient disciples that are discipling the nations. I also believe that the New Wineskin Jesus was talking about is The world! Anywhere 2 or more can gather in His name can be the New Wineskin. We can be the church of Jesus in our homes, in our businesses, in a restaurant or coffee shop, religious building, a cave, a mountain top or even under a tree. 

 

TWO ESSENTIAL DMM PRINCIPLES:

 

  1. Jesus trained his disciples to fish for souls with a net. His miracle in Luke 5:1-11 is the backdrop for His declaration that He is going to make His followers into fishers of men. If this is true, in scripture, we should expect to see people entering the Kingdom in groups instead of one at a time. That is exactly what we see.

 

  1. In 1 Corinthians 7:17,20,24 Paul repeats his rule for all the churches 3 times. Leave people where you find them when they come to Christ. This is important because we are expanding a real Kingdom for a real King. So once we put forth the effort to take territory, we need to hold that territory.

 

If Jesus genuinely wants us to fish with a net and to leave people where we find them when they come to Christ, then that is what we should see in His ministry and in the practice of His followers.

 

Consider these examples: 

  • Jesus with the woman at the well. In John 4:7 Jesus starts with one person to gain access to the entire town (John 4:29-30). He stays for just two days (v.39-41) and leaves them where he found them. 
  • Or consider Jesus’ encounter with Zacchaeus. In Luke 19:5 Jesus capitalizes on the interest of one man to gain access to the entire household. Then in verses 9 & 10 we see that salvation came to the household.Therefore Jesus once again fished with a net (winning the household) and left these new disciples right where he found them. 
  • In Mark 5 we see another great example of this. In 5:2 we see just one man running to Jesus for deliverance from thousands of demons. After the man has been freed from the demons, he asks to accompany Jesus but instead is sent to share about his deliverance (v.18-20) among his own people in the region of the decapolis. Three chapters later Jesus has four thousand people to feed in that same area, quite likely due to hearing the testimony of this one man. Jesus left this man where He found him while “fishing with a net.” (reaching the social circle of that person). Then, after feeding the 4,000 He left them right where He found them.) 
  • Peter at the home of Cornelius in Acts 10 follows the same pattern. It begins with one person and their family (v.1-2). Then Cornellius gathers his social network in his house (v.24). Peter stays for just a few days. When he left, he left them all right . Now Peter is following the example of Christ by fishing with a net and leaving them where he found them! 
  • Paul, who received his message and methods directly from Jesus, operates the same way. Look at Acts 16 for example; first he meets Lydia by the river but ends up in her house with her whole household getting baptized. Next he finds the city jailer kneeling in front of him asking how to be saved. What would you do? Seriously, if a person was kneeling down in front of you asking how to be saved, what would you do? Most of us would lead them to Christ. We’d lead them in some version of the sinner’s prayer. But that is NOT what Paul and Silas do. They make sure the whole family hears the gospel, comes to Christ, and gets baptized. Then they leave town less than twelve hours after the jailers’ family received Christ (once again) leaving them where they found them.  Paul and Silas trust the Holy Spirit to teach these new disciples after they leave.

 

So we see Paul and Silas following Jesus’ example and training program by fishing with a net and leaving these new disciples right where they were! 

 

But what about the calling of the disciples? Wasn’t that a calling of an individual and a “taking away” from the place where they were found? Maybe…maybe not. I’ll let you decide. We don’t have details of the calling of all of the disciples but let’s look at the ones we do have. Jesus first meets Peter and Andrew in John chapter 1 but they don’t leave their nets and follow Him until later. I don’t know how much time has passed between the initial meeting and Luke 5, but look at this little encounter in Luke 4. Jesus goes to Simon Peter’s house, heals Peter’s wife’s mother, then the whole town comes out and Jesus heals all their diseases and casts out all the evil spirits. In this way, he reached the entire town of Bethsaida. Then, the next day, He left town and left them all right where He found them. 

 

Jesus trained His followers so they would be equipped to disciple nations!

 

Every training program consists of four basic steps. 

 

  1. Watch me, I’ll show you how to do it. 
  2. I’ll watch you to see if you can do it. 
  3. Try it on your own for a while. 
  4. Now go do it on your own but call me if you need me.

 

Jesus’ training program was no different. Let’s look at all 4 steps in action in the training program of Jesus. These are the same things that Jesus requires His followers to do when He begins sending them.

  • Step One: Pay attention to what Jesus says and does in Mark 1. He is setting an example for us to follow. 
    • Tells them to repent and believe because the Kingdom is near (v.15). 
    • Casts out a demon (v.25-26). 
    • Heals many people and casts out more demons (v.32-34). 
    • He gets alone to pray (v.35). 
    • Heals a man with Leprosy (v.40-42). 

 

  • Step Two: Next we see him overseeing his disciples while they do the work of ministry. 
    • In John 4:1-2 Jesus is preaching and his disciples are baptizing those who get saved. Jesus is present to oversee his disciples doing the work of ministry. Notice He is teaching them to baptize very early in the training program.

 

  • Step Three: We have two great examples of step 3 in the training program to disciple the nations.
    • The first example is the sending of the twelve and is recorded in: Matthew 10, Mark 6, and Luke 9 Here we have no mention of food but they are told to only go to the lost sheep of Israel. 
    • Then we see the sending of the 72 found in Luke 10:1-12. Twice they’re told to eat what they are given so they are probably going among gentiles who eat foods that would be foreign to the Jewish diet. 


  • Step Four: This step of any training process is “Now you’ve got it; Go do it.” We see this clearly in Luke 22:35-36. 
    • Jesus’ words, “But now” indicate a change from training to lifestyle. 
    • The disciples are graduating from their period of preparation and to a new way of operating. They were to spend the rest of their lives living out what they were trained to do in the training program of Jesus 

 

The Final Command of Jesus (The Great Commission) 

 

This command is found in several places in the Bible and since it’s Jesus’ last command to us and has not been rescinded, it is still in force and incumbent upon ALL who claim to follow Christ.

 

One of our workers in Africa recently said, “Jesus’ last command is still His highest priority.” I couldn’t agree more! 

 

This command is found in several places in scripture. Most common are: 

 

  1. Matthew 28:18-20 Here Jesus gives us three of the four steps to make a disciple. 

They are: 1) Go, 2) Baptize, and 3) Teach obedience to ALL of His commands. 

  1. Mark 16:15-16 Mark tells them how they will know who they are to baptize and disciple. He tells them to Preach the good news to all people on earth. Those who believe are to be baptized. 
  2. Luke 24:47 Again we see the emphasis on ALL Nations. 
  3. Acts 1:8 tells us about the power we will have to accomplish this work as well as the natural expansion that will take place in the lives of those who are His Holy Spirit empowered witnesses.
    1. Disciple all nations in the power of the Holy Spirit. 
    2. We should each begin in our Jerusalem (begin where you are) and expand from there as the Spirit leads. 

 

Therefore, the entire Great Commission could be summed up like this: 

 

In the power of the Holy Spirit, Go to all the people of the world and be my witnesses (or representatives). Preach the Gospel and tell them they need to repent. Baptize those who believe and repent and teach them to obey everything I’ve commanded you. 

 

So, the Great Commission is simply a command to go, preach, baptize, and teach obedience to ALL Jesus’ commands. 

 

If this is true, then the final commands of Jesus are the beginning of a chain reaction of disciples making disciples that will continue until the end of the age. 

 

Now we need to define some terms so we all have the same understanding of these words. 

 

Preaching: Who is supposed to be preaching? 

 

  1. In Acts 8:1 we see the entire church at Jerusalem get scattered because of a persecution. a. Most believe that the church had grown to between 5 and 10 thousand disciples by then. 
  2. Then Acts 8:4 tells us that all of them preached the word wherever they went. These people were fleeing for their lives so they would have been traveling light. Most people we train come to the conclusion that the necessary ingredients for preaching to happen are; a messenger, a message, and a recipient of that message. Therefore, every follower of Jesus can and should preach the gospel regularly. 

 

Church: What is church from Jesus point of view?

 

  1. Matthew 16:18 is the first time Jesus uses the word church. The word for church in the Greek is Ecclesia and simply means an official gathering for an official purpose. When Jesus used it, it had nothing to do with religious gatherings in religious buildings with religious professionals.
    1. Who builds Jesus’ gathering? Jesus does! 
    2. What is His gathering like? 
      1. An army attacking and overpowering the gates of Hell. 
      2. Plundering the devils kingdom by taking lost souls to the Kingdom of Light.
  2.  In Matthew 18:20 Jesus declares what may be the simplest form of church.
    1. So, based on these verses how would you define “church”?
      1. Many believe that the simplest form of “church” is simply a gathering of two or more of Jesus’ followers gathered in Jesus’ name with the official purpose of being about Jesus’ business of overpowering the defences of the Devil and rescuing lost souls from the kingdom of darkness and bringing them to the Kingdom of light.

 

Christian: What is a Christian?

 

  1. How many times did Jesus use that word? Zero. How many times is it found in the bible? Three, and twice it’s used as a negative term by pagans. Once Peter uses it when referring to the fact that the pagans were “calling” them that name and it troubled them. Acts 11:26, Acts 26:28, and 1 Peter 4:16.
  2. Matthew 7:21-23 has something to say about this. What do you think Jesus is saying in these verses? Who is he referring to in the “Many who call Him Lord?” Of all the people on the planet, who refers to Jesus as “Lord?” It is only “Christians” right? 

 

Most of us have been taught that all Christians go to Heaven but the Bible doesn’t teach that. In fact, according to Jesus’ words in the previous passage, the Bible may teach that Christians who don’t “do the will of the Father” actually go to Hell! 

 

If all a person does is to attend religious meetings once a week for an hour or 2 then they are most likely a passive spectator and a religious consumer. Sadly, such people are not on their way to heaven.

 

The New Testament does not understand a Christianity that is separated from Biblical Discipleship! In other words, there is no such thing, in the bible, as a Christian who isn’t also a disciple of Jesus. The Biblical understanding is either you follow Jesus as an obedient disciple, or you aren’t really following Him. Either you are a disciple of Jesus, or you are lost! And it’s still the same today! Nothing has changed in the biblical requirements for salvation and discipleship. No matter what kind of a “Christian” subculture we have created in between people who are lost and disciples, in the New Testament, it doesn’t exist. In the New Testament, there is NO middle class of christians between those who are unsaved and those who are disciples of Jesus.

 

Disciple: What is a disciple?

 

Accepting the fact that being a Christian who isn’t a Biblical Disciple is NOT a Biblical option, let’s look at Jesus’ requirements of His disciples. Luke 14 contains some of Jesus’ most difficult teaching on discipleship.

 

  1. Luke 14:26. Here we are told that we must hate everyone in our life including yourself if you want to be His disciple. Thankfully the Jews understood that God is loving, so to Jesus and His hearers, this use of the word “hate” simply meant to love significantly less. 

Consider these passages:

  1. Malachi 1:2-3 Where God himself says that he hated Esau. 
  2. In Genesis 29:30-31 (regarding Rachel and Leah) God calls “loving significantly less” Hate. So, if we love any person more than we love Jesus, including ourselves, or if another relationship even comes close to competing with our relationship with Jesus, then we don’t have the correct priorities to be a disciple of Jesus! 
  1.  Luke 14:27 Jesus says that if you aren’t willing to live each day like you are on your way to your execution then you don’t have the proper spiritual makeup to be His follower. Once you understand that it is unbiblical to be a “Christian” who isn’t a Disciple of Jesus these things become mandatory for entrance to Heaven. 
  2. Then in Luke 14:33 Jesus wraps it all up in a nice, neat package. Doesn’t it sound like He is saying, if you have any loyalty, ambition, or agenda that competes with Him, then you are not in the right frame of mind to be His follower?
    1. If this seems harsh or strict to us it is because we do not understand the 1st century understanding of a relationship between a Rabbi and a Disciple. You see, the original Greek word for Rabbi can also be translated as Master and the original Greek word for Disciple can also be translated as Bondservant, or Slave. Therefore, to become a disciple of a rabbi was to become a willing bondservant/slave of that rabbi/master. It is counter-intuitive to say you are completely devoted to your master but then to maintain loves, loyalties, and ambitions that compete with the agenda of your master. Everyone in first century Israel knew and understood this relationship.
  3. Jesus is also the KING of kings and LORD of lords and as such He will establish His eternal Kingdom upon His imminent return. When a person receives Jesus as Lord, they are declaring their allegiance to Him as King and become a citizen of that Kingdom. It is only logical that citizens of a Kingdom have the agenda of the King as their highest priority and not their own. It’s only logical that citizens of a Kingdom would learn and obey the laws of that kingdom.

 

The five characteristics of a disciple in Jesus Day.

 

Now that we know that the Rabbi had mastery over all areas of the life of a disciple we will hone in on the five primary characteristics of a disciple at the time of Christ.

 

In Jesus’ day there were as many as one thousand Rabbis walking around Israel with their groups of disciples following them around. Therefore, Jesus was just one choice among a thousand. And since there were so many rabbis and disciples, every person in the culture knew the requirements of being a disciple. So when Matthew stood up from his tax collectors booth, he knew exactly what he was agreeing to because the culture had taught it to him. 

 

And here are those five characteristics: 

 

  1. Obedience without question or hesitation. Compare Luke 5:5 to Matthew 17:27. In the first case Peter is hesitant but ends up obeying simply because Jesus said so, not because he wants to. In the second case, Peter has matured a bit, so even though he is told to do something even more outlandish (catch a fish with money in its mouth), he puts up no resistance at all! What would you do?
  2. Memorizing all the teaching of the Rabbi without writing it down. Check out John 15:7. When Jesus says, “My Words,” He is referring to ALL of His teaching because in His day, every disciple understood that they were expected to have all their master’s teachings committed to memory. When we memorize His teaching we are storing it in our minds. That is the only way we can apply it to our lives.
  3. Agreeing with the Rabbi’s interpretation of the Old Testament. Much of the teaching of the rabbis consisted of interpreting the Old Testament. Therefore, every disciple was expected to fully agree with their rabbis interpretations. Look at Matthew 5:21-48. Jesus gives his opinion on several OT topics. As His disciples, we have no other option but to agree with Him. If we disagree with any of His interpretations then we jeopardize our relationship as His disciple.
  4. Imitating the actions of your Rabbi. Look at Matthew 14:25-32. Peter quickly devises a plan to determine if it is really Jesus walking on the water because Peter knows that the Rabbi is expected to empower his disciples to do everything he can do. Notice that as long as Peter focused on Jesus, he was able to imitate Jesus. Once he took his eyes off Jesus and began looking at his circumstances, he sank down into his circumstances which threatened to destroy him. So, keep your eyes fixed on Jesus and He will empower you to imitate Him. 
  5. Gathering more disciples to your Rabbi. At that time all the people of Israel already knew that to be a disciple meant to gather more disciples to your rabbi, look at John 1:35-46 and count how many disciples Jesus acquired. Also notice how many of them He personally called and how many came to Him through the means of others. A careful read of this passage will reveal that Jesus ended up with 5 disciples but He only personally called one.

 

What about true maturity in Christ? What is it and how is it accomplished?

 

As I travel the world training pastors and leaders, I often ask them, “Do you feel like a babysitter?” “Do you wonder why your church members never really seem to mature?” The overwhelming answer I get is “YES! They don’t really seem to mature but what is the problem and how do we fix it?”

 

  1. We fix it by helping people reach true Biblical maturity which is becoming more and more like Jesus. That is where the Holy Spirit is trying to take each and every one of us. Look at these verses: 
    1. 1 John 2:6 says we must walk as Jesus did. 
    2. Romans 8:29 says we are being conformed into the image of Jesus. 
    3. Ephesians 4:13 we are supposed to attain a complete Christlikeness.
  2.  Let’s look deeply at this Ephesians passage in context because it explains one reason for the overwhelming lack of maturity in the church today. Working backwards we see: 
    1. People who remain infants and who are tossed around by different winds of teaching (v.14). This is no different from what we see in many congregations today. Why? 
    2. People tend not to be unified, mature, or just like Jesus (v.13). Why? (i.e. Thirty three thousand Christian denominations is not unity!) 
    3. Then we see that the body of Christ is supposed to be equipped for works of service and built up (v.12) but this isn’t really happening in most traditional churches and many Christian leaders are frustrated at the lack of maturity in their congregations.
    4. Verse eleven clearly states the reason why it isn’t happening. Could it be that the Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Shepherds, and Teachers aren’t doing their job of equipping God’s people for the work of ministry?
      1. If we want to see a body of Christ that is equipped, built up, unified, mature, strongly resembling Christ and that is not remaining infantile and tossed around by every wind of teaching, then we must employ a spiritual operating system that insures our members are having regular, meaningful interactions with people who possess all five of the leadership gifts! Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Shepherds, and Teachers are essential to achieve well rounded maturity in all followers of Christ. Most Christian church members have regular exposure to shepherds and/or teachers but not to folks with the other three gifts.
    5. Incidentally, look at the beginning of verse 12. It states the reason Jesus gave these gifts to His church to begin with! So if you have one (or more) of these five leadership gifts, your primary job is not to do ministry! It is to equip the saints so they can do ministry! 

 

Who is supposed to teach the followers of Jesus?

 

Most of us have been conditioned to think that we need human teachers and that we won’t grow or mature without them. That is actually opposite of what the Bible teaches. While human teachers are good and helpful (I am a human teacher), they are not essential to our spiritual growth. Consider these verses:

 

  1. John 6:45 Who is the teacher in this verse? 
  2. Matthew 23:10 Who is the teacher in this verse? 
  3. John 14:26 Who is the teacher in this passage? 
  4. 2 Timothy 2:7 Who does Paul expect to give insight to Timothy? 
  5. 1 John 2:26-27 Who (or what) keeps you from being led astray and teaches you all things? 
  6. 1 Corinthians 2:11-12 Why don’t we NEED human teachers? 

 

Now, Ephesians 4:11 does state that Jesus gave some people the gift of teaching. The issue is not whether or not God wants people to teach. Of course He does! Even the bulk of the work of the Great Commission is accomplished through humans “Teaching” obedience to all the commands of Jesus! Therefore, the issue lies in the area of dependency. Who are people dependent upon for their spiritual food?

 

Because, if people only know how to learn from a human teacher one day a week for a thirty – sixty minute teaching, then they will be spiritually malnourished the rest of the week and their spiritual growth will be stunted. Sadly, that is what we see in the majority of the churches in this country today. Therefore, it is essential that folks learn how to learn from the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, at any day or time. This is the key to rapid spiritual development.

 

How important is obedience? 

 

What’s the big deal if I do what Jesus says? Isn’t it good enough that I just know a little bit of what He says and attend church services once in a while? What does the Bible say?

 

Let’s look at four scriptures that address this issue and draw our conclusions from them.

 

  1. In Matthew 7:24-27 what does Jesus say is the difference between the person who hears His word and does it and the person who hears but does not do what it says?
    1. One is wise with a solid foundation while the other is a fool with no foundation for life. 
  2. What does John 14:23-24 say about the difference between the person who knows and obeys Jesus teaching and the one who knows it but does not obey it?
    1. One truly loves God and has the Father and Son come to dwell with them. While the one who doesn’t obey Jesus doesn’t really love Him no matter what they might say.
  3. James 1:22-25 says it another way and in even stronger language. What is the difference between the hearer of the word and the doer?

I want to make an observation about this verse. It says that the person who hears the word but does not do it has deceived themselves! No one did it to them. They did it to themselves. And what is that deception they have perpetrated upon themselves? It is nothing less than fooling themselves into thinking they are in a right relationship with God when they are not! They think this because they listen to His word. When in reality, they are still lost because they do not put into practice the word that they hear. This situation is epidemic in our traditional church culture today.

  1. One has deceived themselves and the other is blessed by God in what they do.
  1. Then in 1 John 2:3-5 we read some of the strongest language on obedience in the entire New Testament. What do these verses say about the difference between a person who obeys the commands of Jesus and the person who knows them but disobeys them?
    1. The one who obeys has assurance of salvation and God’s love is made complete in them.. While the one who does not obey is a liar without the truth or assurance of salvation. Wow! Which one do you want to be? 
    2. Notice also, in this verse, that two of the characteristics of being a disciple, obedience, and imitation, are clearly tied to assurance of salvation. Two times it says, “we know (we are really saved) if…(We obey Him and do what He did).”

 

So what conclusion do you come to when you look at all of these verses together?

 

  1. If I obey Jesus I will become a wise, blessed person who loves God and loves others. I will have an immovable foundation for my life and the Father and the Son will come into my life to live with me. I know that I am saved and that I truly know God. On the other hand…
  2. The person who knows the commands of Jesus but doesn’t obey them is a lying, unloving, self-deceived, fool with no foundation for life and no assurance of salvation.

 

Which one would you rather be: The one who obeys, or the one who disobeys?

 

Getting down to the basics.

 

In a disciple-making movement, we simply multiply (duplicate, reproduce) small fellowships of obedient, self-replicating, disciples of Jesus Christ. It is critical that these groups are populated by people who fit the description of a true disciple with a heart and a desire to disciple the world. If not, you will end up with nice Bible studies instead of a movement that will transform society.

 

The best tool that we’ve found to do that is the DBS (Discovery Bible Study). What follows is that study along with suggested scripture tracks to follow. If a group will consistently follow this study and actually apply the passages to their life and share them with someone else. The groups will begin to multiply and Disciple Making Movements will result. The entire process should be bathed in prayer and fasting until the Lord gives the breakthrough.

Discovery Bible Study 

(Group Process)

 

  1. What are you thankful for today? 
  2. What are you concerned about today and how can we help? 
  3. How did your sharing and obedience go? (Week 2 and beyond) 
  4. Someone read the passage aloud 2x or more. (Different translations are helpful) 
  5. Someone retell this passage in your own words. (Group fill in any missing details) 
  6. What stood out to you and why? 
  7. What does this passage tell us about God? 
  8. What does this passage tell us about people? 
  9. How will you obey/apply this passage this week? (“I will…”) (Be specific)
  10. Who will you share this passage with this week? (Name a real person and time) 
  11. Who do you know in need and how can we help them? 
  12. When and where will we meet again?

 

DBS RULES: 

 

  1. Only discuss the scripture passage for today (or others we’ve studied together as a group. No added stories or added verses). (This keeps time, keeps a “level playing field” and keeps God as the teacher in the group)
  2. If someone introduces anything that is not in the passage simply ask them, “Where do you see that in this passage?” (This keeps heresy out of the groups).

 

Discovering God Scriptures


  1. Genesis 1:1-25
  2. Genesis 2:4-24 
  3. Genesis 3:1-13 
  4. Genesis 3:14-24 
  5. Genesis 6:5-8 
  6. Genesis 6:9-8:14 
  7. Genesis 8:15-9:17 
  8. Genesis 12:1-8; 15:1-6; 17:1-7 
  9. Genesis 22:1-19 
  10. Exodus 12:1-28 
  11. Exodus 20: 1-21 
  12. Leviticus 4:1-35 
  13. Isaiah 53 
  14. Luke 1:26-38; 2:1-20 
  15. Matthew 3; 

John 1:29-34 

  1. Matthew 4:1-11 
  2. John 3:1-21 
  3. John 4:1-26, 39-42 
  4. Luke 5:17-26 
  5. Mark 4:35-41
  6. Mark 5:1-20 
  7. John 11:1-44 
  8. Matthew 26:26-30
  9. John 18:1-19:16
  10. Luke 23:32-56 
  11. Luke 24:1-35

 

Obedience Based Discipleship Scriptures


  1. Matthew 4:1-11 
  2. Luke 5:1-11; 

Matthew 4:18-22; Mark 1:16-20 

  1. John 1:35-51 
  2. Matthew 10:16-23 
  3. John 15:18-25 
  4. Matthew 10:23-31; Mark 13:9-13 
  5. Matthew 10:18-22; Mark 13:11-13
  6. Matthew 5:10-12 
  7. Matthew 5:13-16 
  8. Matthew 5:17-23 
  9. Matthew 7:17-23
  10. Matthew 19:1-6 
  11. Matthew 5:33-37 
  12. Matthew 5:38-42 
  13. Matthew 5:43-48; Luke 6:27-36
  14. Matthew 7:12; Matthew 5:38-42 
  15. Luke 6:27:38
  16. Matthew 6:1-4; 

Luke 12:33-34 

  1. Matthew 6:5-8 
  2. Matthew 6:5-13; 

Luke 11:1-4 

  1. Matthew 18:21-22


Discovering Community


  1. Romans 15:1-7 
  2. 1 Corinthians 1:10-17; 

Philippians 4:2-3 

  1. Colossians 3:12-14
  2. Romans 12:3-5 
  3. Philippians 2:1-4 
  4. Malachi 2:10-16 
  5. 1 Thessalonians 5:4-11; 

Ephesians 4:29 

  1. Galatians 6:1-5 
  2. 1 Corinthians 12:21-27
  3. James 5:13-16 
  4. Deuteronomy 5:21; Exodus 20:17 
  5. Romans 13:8-10 
  6. Leviticus 19:11 
  7. Galatians 5:13-15 
  8. Romans 12:10 
  9. Matthew 18:15-17
  10. Hebrews 13:16 
  11. Romans 1:11-12 
  12. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 

Hebrews 3:12-13 

  1. Hebrews 10:19-25 
  2. Galatians 5:22-26 
  3. Leviticus 19:15-16 
  4. Romans 14:20-22 
  5. 1 John 1:5-7 
  6. 1 Peter 4:10 
  7. Ephesians 4:23; Matthew 18:21-35 
  8. 1 Peter 4:10 
  9. Proverbs 3:28; Luke 6:30 
  10. Romans 16:16; 1 Peter 5:14 
  11. Leviticus 19:18 
  12. Zechariah 8:16-17 
  13. Zechariah 7:9-10 
  14. James 5:7-10 
  15. Deuteronomy 15:7-8 
  16. Proverbs 3:29 
  17. Romans 12:16; 1 Peter 3:8 
  18. Leviticus 19:17 
  19. Romans 12:10 
  20. 1 Peter 4:9 
  21. 1 Peter 5:5 
  22. Romans 14:10-17 
  23. Romans 15:14 
  24. Deuteronomy 23:19 
  25. James 4:12 
  26. 1 Thessalonians 5:15; 2 Timothy 2:22-26 
  27. Ephesians 4:32 
  28. Exodus 20:16; Deuteronomy 5:20; Colossians 3:9-10 
  29. Philippians 2:1-4 
  30. Obadiah 1:12 
  31. Mark 12:28-34 
  32. Zechariah 7:9-10 
  33. Deuteronomy 15:11 
  34. Ephesians 4:1-3 
  35. Mark 9:42-50 
  36. 1 Thessalonians 5:12-14 
  37. James 5:13-16 
  38. Matthew 5:21-26 
  39. 1 Peter 2:13-17 
  40. Leviticus 19:18 
  41. 1 Corinthians 10:24

 

Discovery Guide for Emerging Leaders


  1. Matthew 4:18-22 
  2. Matthew 5:1-16. 
  3. Matthew 6:33-34 
  4. Matthew 6:1-8. 
  5. Matthew 6:16-18 
  6. Matthew 6:19-34 
  7. Matthew 7:1-6. 
  8. Matthew 18:15-20 
  9. Matthew 7:7-12 
  10. Matthew 7:21-28 
  11. Matthew 9:9-13 
  12. Matthew 9:18-33. 
  13. Matthew 9:35-38 
  14. Matthew 10:1-16 
  15. Matthew 10:16-31 
  16. Matthew 5:43-48 
  17. Matthew 11:25-30 
  18. Matthew 13:3-9. 
  19. Matthew 13:18-23 
  20. Matthew 14:13-21. 
  21. Matthew 20:29-34
  22. Matthew 16:13-28 
  23. Matthew 17:1-13 
  24. Matthew 17:14-21 
  25. Matthew 18:15-35 
  26. Matthew 19:3-9 
  27. Matthew 20:20-28
  28. Matthew 25:14-30
  29. Matthew 25:31-46
  30. Matthew 28:16-20