This is the sixth post in a series on starting Discovery Bible Studies to share Jesus.
Start at the beginning.
Step 6: Keep Accountable
It’s the final inning of the game. The bases are loaded, the score is tied, and everyone is holding their breath as the batter steps up. The whole team is counting on the next hitter to bring them home. This player is accountable to the rest of the group; they’re depending on him. Accountability is a powerful dynamic.
We mentioned earlier how a DBS is not just for learning about God, but for taking action. It’s in the response of obedience to Jesus that life transformation starts to take place. Accountability is one of the best tools you have to support one another in making that transformation a reality.
So before we call this a wrap, we’d like you to add this accountability question to your connect time, from the second meeting onward. That means that before you dive into the week’s discovery time in the word, everyone will be asked to give an account of what they said they would do.
The accountability question:
Did you do what you said you would do last time? (Did you follow through on your “I will” and “I will tell” statements?)
This question will give you a space to celebrate victories and encourage each other to obey Jesus. It’s not about making someone feel guilty, but giving them more opportunities to grow. If someone didn’t take the action they said they would, you can gently ask, “How can we help you to obey what God is telling you?”
Discovery groups are a place where community forms around the process of discipleship (following and becoming like Jesus). They have potential to eventually merge with other small “cell” groups to form a new expression of the Church, poised to reach the world with the good news of Jesus. That developmental step goes beyond the scope of this guide. But there are resources available to help you guide the process when it’s time. You can contact us if you are at this point with your groups.
This is the final step in our beginning guide to launching a Discovery Bible Study. We’ll wrap it all up in our last post with a summary of how all the pieces fit together and some resources that will make leading a DBS even easier. Read the final post.
Discover
Explore what the Bible says about obedience.
Read Matthew 28:18-20.
Ask, “What do these passages tell me about obedience?”
Dig In and Do It
Our DBS page offers a wide range of resources to help equip you for mission.