Discovering God Together
(v 1.2)
A Guideline for leading new groups
A good leader does not give answers, but asks good questions
Discovery groups are so simple that anyone can start one. Anyone can lead the meeting. We like to keep it simple.
Some simple guidelines:
- Do not allow one person to teach or explain
- Give everyone a chance to share
- Don’t only read the passages, put them into practice
- Share with other people what you are learning
- Meet practical needs in the group and in the community
The Discovery Meeting
1. Build Community
• Group Interaction
– What are you thankful for this week?
– What needs do you or others have?
– How can we help meet those needs?
2. Read and Discuss
• Review of last Discussion
– What did we learn last week?
• Feedback – With whom did you share last week’s lesson?
– How did you put into practice what you learned last week?
• New Discussion – Read the passage together
– Have one person re-tell the passage in his or her own words
– Ask the others to add in the details
– Repeat this for each paragraph in the passage
– Ask: “What does this passage tell us about God? What does this passage tell us about man? What does this passage tell us about God’s plan. Give them time to answer. Resist the urge to tell them what the story means.
– Ask: “If this is true, what will you do?”
3.Make Commitments (I will . . .)
• Put into practice what I have learned this week
• Share with others what I have learned this week
• Help to meet needs in the group and in my community
Discovering God
This is the series of readings that we go through with a new group. It is important to begin at the beginning with creation. Each story teaches an important aspect about God that needs to be learned. Remember: do not teach, but facilitate learning. Ask questions!
Creation
1. Genesis 1:1-25 There is a God and He created the world
2. Genesis 2:4-24 God created man and woman
The Fall and Flood
3. Genesis 3:1-24 Man and woman disobey God and are judged
4. Genesis 6:5-8:14 God grieves over man and woman’s disobedience
– there are consequences for disobedience
- God uses a flood to destroy humanity and only saves Noah and his family
God’s preparation for a Saviour
5. Genesis 12:1-8, 15:1-6; God blesses Abram and tests his faith
17:1-7; 22:1-19
6. Exodus 20:1-21 God gives His commandments to His people
7. Leviticus 4:1-35 God required offerings for the sins of his people
8. Isaiah 53 God tells of the future suffering of the promised saviour
God sends a Saviour
9. Luke 1:26-38, 2:1-20 Jesus is born according to prophecy
10. Matthew 3; John 1:29-34 John testifies that Jesus is the promised Son of God
11. John 3:1-21 Jesus is God’s only son, sent to save the world
12. John 4:1-26, 39-42 Jesus is the promised Messiah
13. Luke 5:17-26 Jesus has the authority to forgive sins and heal
14. Mark 4:35-41 Jesus has authority over the wind and sea
15. Mark 5:1-20 Jesus has authority over evil spirits
16. John 11:1-44 Jesus has authority over death
17. Matthew 26:17-30; John 18:1-19:16 Jesus predicts his betrayal,
Makes a promise to his disciples and is betrayed like he predicted
18. Luke 23:32-56; 24:1-12 Jesus dies and is resurrected according to prophecy
19. Luke 24: 36-53 Jesus died and came back to life to fulfil prophecy and for the forgiveness of sins
20. John 3:1-21 If we believe in Christ, we can have eternal life If time allows,
you can read more than one passage in a meeting or meet more than once a week to read together.
Following Christ Overview
Each scripture below teaches an important aspect about following Christ. With previously churched people you can begin with “Warnings about empty religion.” These passages will help people to recognize false religion.
The passages on “Learning to be a disciple” will lead people towards becoming followers of Christ, once they have made that choice.
Remember: do not teach, but facilitate learning. Ask questions!
Warnings about Empty Religion
1. Matthew 23:1-12 Warning not to imitate bad religious leaders
2. Matthew 23:13-15 Warning to religious people who keep other people from God
3. Matthew 23:16-22 Warning to religious people who promote double standards
4. Matthew 23:23-24 Warning to religious leaders who focus on minor issues
5. Matthew 23:25-28 Warning to religious leaders who pretend to be holy
6. Matthew 23:29-39 Warning to religious leaders who persecute men of God Initially,
people will apply these passages to other people they know or know about.
Help them to apply the passages to their own lives.
Learning to be a Disciple
1. Luke 4:1-3 Disciples use scripture to overcome Temptation
2. Luke 5:1-11 Disciples leave everything to follow Jesus
3. John 4:28-30 Disciples introduce others to Jesus
4. Acts 17:16-34 Disciples are wise and sincere when they relate to unbelievers
5. Acts 4:23-31 Disciples will be persecuted just as Jesus was persecuted
6. Acts 21:1-14 Disciples shouldn’t be afraid to die as Jesus did
7. Acts 18:1-11 God helps disciples endure persecution
8. Luke 15:11-32 Disciples reconcile broken relationships
9. Mark 7:14-23 Evil begins in the heart and eventually leads to action
10. Mark 19:1-12 Marriage is a lifetime commitment
11. Matthew 5:33-37 Disciples keep their word
12. Matthew 5:43-48 Disciples love their enemies
13. Luke 18:9-14 Disciples humble themselves before God
14. Luke 15:11-24 Disciples look to God as their father
15. Matthew 26:39-42 Disciples must surrender their will to God’s will
16. Matthew 18:21-35 Disciples forgive others as the Lord Forgives them
For more information
(v 1.2)
A Guideline for leading new groups
A good leader does not give answers, but asks good questions
Discovery groups are so simple that anyone can start one. Anyone can lead the meeting. We like to keep it simple.
Some simple guidelines:
- Do not allow one person to teach or explain
- Give everyone a chance to share
- Don’t only read the passages, put them into practice
- Share with other people what you are learning
- Meet practical needs in the group and in the community
The Discovery Meeting
1. Build Community
• Group Interaction
– What are you thankful for this week?
– What needs do you or others have?
– How can we help meet those needs?
2. Read and Discuss
• Review of last Discussion
– What did we learn last week?
• Feedback – With whom did you share last week’s lesson?
– How did you put into practice what you learned last week?
• New Discussion – Read the passage together
– Have one person re-tell the passage in his or her own words
– Ask the others to add in the details
– Repeat this for each paragraph in the passage
– Ask: “What does this passage tell us about God? What does this passage tell us about man? What does this passage tell us about God’s plan. Give them time to answer. Resist the urge to tell them what the story means.
– Ask: “If this is true, what will you do?”
3.Make Commitments (I will . . .)
• Put into practice what I have learned this week
• Share with others what I have learned this week
• Help to meet needs in the group and in my community
Discovering God
This is the series of readings that we go through with a new group. It is important to begin at the beginning with creation. Each story teaches an important aspect about God that needs to be learned. Remember: do not teach, but facilitate learning. Ask questions!
Creation
1. Genesis 1:1-25 There is a God and He created the world
2. Genesis 2:4-24 God created man and woman
The Fall and Flood
3. Genesis 3:1-24 Man and woman disobey God and are judged
4. Genesis 6:5-8:14 God grieves over man and woman’s disobedience
– there are consequences for disobedience
- God uses a flood to destroy humanity and only saves Noah and his family
God’s preparation for a Saviour
5. Genesis 12:1-8, 15:1-6; God blesses Abram and tests his faith
17:1-7; 22:1-19
6. Exodus 20:1-21 God gives His commandments to His people
7. Leviticus 4:1-35 God required offerings for the sins of his people
8. Isaiah 53 God tells of the future suffering of the promised saviour
God sends a Saviour
9. Luke 1:26-38, 2:1-20 Jesus is born according to prophecy
10. Matthew 3; John 1:29-34 John testifies that Jesus is the promised Son of God
11. John 3:1-21 Jesus is God’s only son, sent to save the world
12. John 4:1-26, 39-42 Jesus is the promised Messiah
13. Luke 5:17-26 Jesus has the authority to forgive sins and heal
14. Mark 4:35-41 Jesus has authority over the wind and sea
15. Mark 5:1-20 Jesus has authority over evil spirits
16. John 11:1-44 Jesus has authority over death
17. Matthew 26:17-30; John 18:1-19:16 Jesus predicts his betrayal,
Makes a promise to his disciples and is betrayed like he predicted
18. Luke 23:32-56; 24:1-12 Jesus dies and is resurrected according to prophecy
19. Luke 24: 36-53 Jesus died and came back to life to fulfil prophecy and for the forgiveness of sins
20. John 3:1-21 If we believe in Christ, we can have eternal life If time allows,
you can read more than one passage in a meeting or meet more than once a week to read together.
Following Christ Overview
Each scripture below teaches an important aspect about following Christ. With previously churched people you can begin with “Warnings about empty religion.” These passages will help people to recognize false religion.
The passages on “Learning to be a disciple” will lead people towards becoming followers of Christ, once they have made that choice.
Remember: do not teach, but facilitate learning. Ask questions!
Warnings about Empty Religion
1. Matthew 23:1-12 Warning not to imitate bad religious leaders
2. Matthew 23:13-15 Warning to religious people who keep other people from God
3. Matthew 23:16-22 Warning to religious people who promote double standards
4. Matthew 23:23-24 Warning to religious leaders who focus on minor issues
5. Matthew 23:25-28 Warning to religious leaders who pretend to be holy
6. Matthew 23:29-39 Warning to religious leaders who persecute men of God Initially,
people will apply these passages to other people they know or know about.
Help them to apply the passages to their own lives.
Learning to be a Disciple
1. Luke 4:1-3 Disciples use scripture to overcome Temptation
2. Luke 5:1-11 Disciples leave everything to follow Jesus
3. John 4:28-30 Disciples introduce others to Jesus
4. Acts 17:16-34 Disciples are wise and sincere when they relate to unbelievers
5. Acts 4:23-31 Disciples will be persecuted just as Jesus was persecuted
6. Acts 21:1-14 Disciples shouldn’t be afraid to die as Jesus did
7. Acts 18:1-11 God helps disciples endure persecution
8. Luke 15:11-32 Disciples reconcile broken relationships
9. Mark 7:14-23 Evil begins in the heart and eventually leads to action
10. Mark 19:1-12 Marriage is a lifetime commitment
11. Matthew 5:33-37 Disciples keep their word
12. Matthew 5:43-48 Disciples love their enemies
13. Luke 18:9-14 Disciples humble themselves before God
14. Luke 15:11-24 Disciples look to God as their father
15. Matthew 26:39-42 Disciples must surrender their will to God’s will
16. Matthew 18:21-35 Disciples forgive others as the Lord Forgives them
For more information