-Scott Lycan

The “Nuts and Bolts” edition

October was a busy and exciting month for Darryl, Jeanine, Scott, and I. We helped facilitate the start of the fourth Discovery Bible Study in the Msogaba Township. These groups were not added but they multiplied from the original group which was started three months earlier. New participants in these groups are what is called the ‘second generation’, as they are being discipled by the disciples that we are discipling.

We will periodically give you a brief description of each group simply because each group is different and hopefully, these descriptions may help you to begin a church planting movement in your neighborhood, workplace, family and or sphere of influence. We are beginning to see the strength and wisdom of this simple, focused, and relational means of making disciples that make disciples that make disciples.

If God can do it here, He can do it where you are…

Each DBS uses the same set of questions for each meeting. The regular attendees take turns facilitating the meeting by asking the questions. Nobody teaches. The Bible and the Holy Spirit are the teachers. We are only allowed to discuss the passage that we read that day or how it relates to the passages we read the previous weeks. You would be amazed at how much meat can be gleaned from a short passage by being disciplined in this approach. This method is very important for training, in that we don’t add to or subtract from God’s word. It’s very simple and clean. If rigorously applied, it can yield amazing fruit.

Below are the questions, applicable to both literate and non-literate cultures.

Weekly Discovery Bible Study

Review

1. Is there anything you are thankful for this week?

2. Is there anything you are stressed or troubled about this week?

3. Share how you have experienced God since our last meeting.

4. Who did you tell last week’s story to?

Read this week’s passage – Ex. Genesis 2:1-24

• One person reads the passage out loud while the others read silently in their Bibles.
• Another person reads the passage again while everyone closes their eyes and thinks about the story.

Discovery

1. What is this story about?

2. What in this story was interesting to you or touched you?

2. What does this story tell us about God?

3. What does this story tell us about people?

4. In light of this story, if we believe that this story is true, what is God telling you to do or change in your life in order please and be obedient to Him starting within the next two days?

5. Who do you know that needs to hear this story and who will you tell in the next 24 to 48 hours?

6. Do you know anyone who needs help? What can this group do to help them in this week?

7. Is there any way people in this group can help one another this week?

A few ground rules for understanding:

The foundational presupposition in the CPM/Discovery Bible Study approach is that Jesus never told us to go and make “converts”; but He told us to, “Go and make disciples.”

A second important point; the studies are designed so that people can “DISCOVER”, who God is by discovering for themselves what He is like, what He has done, what He expects of those who say they are His disciples. Let the Holy Spirit guide and the Word instruct.

The third major point is that God’s word says that if we love God we will obey God. We can’t be Jesus’ followers if we don’t obey Him. If we don’t obey Him then we are just fans. Jesus has many fans but what He wants is disciples & followers. Jesus following calls for an ‘obedience-based’ faith, not just a ‘knowledge-based’ faith.

These are tough lessons for all us Western “grace-full” believers who put a high value on “knowledge”, but they are true nonetheless. His goodness & grace births our love; love fosters following, which bears fruits of obedience, which cultivates trust, faith, and increased knowledge and wisdom.

What it looks like in Mpumalanga… Discovery Bible Study Groups

The first Discovery Bible Study (DBS) started in mid July 2009 and has now launched 3 groups:

Group 1 meets in Petunia’s House on Tuesday afternoons.

Petunia is a 16 year old girl who has been groomed to be a sangoma (witch doctor); has suffered from terrifying nightmares, is an orphan living a somewhat Cinderella existence in a relative’s household. This unlikely household has been the foothold into the Msogwaba Township. Severe poverty, unemployment, crime, government corruption, lack of water, poor schools, drugs, alcoholism, rape, and witchcraft that includes rituals using human body parts, are all common in this township.

Group 2 – Meets at Victoria’s house on Thursday Afternoons

By far this is the neediest of the houses that we meet in. A number of teen and young adult orphans live in this house that belongs to 26 year old Victoria. They live a day to day existence and many times go without food. The house is just packed with people. Tony, at 18 years old, has been leading this group that started in early October. Humble beginnings; it started with an older Swati granny who can’t speak English and her three grandchildren. Within three weeks it became the place to be, with up to 19 young people. They cram into a small, dark room; they read their new Bibles, answer questions, and work on the three column studies. We are imparting to these young men and women that each one of them can begin a group in the near future. Prayer walking this neighborhood seems to have made a big impact on those who were involved and those who watched. They want to continue the prayer walking. The fellow who owns the “SK Bar” next door – over which we’ve been praying- has asked to start a DBS group. We’re stunned… Yea, God!

Group 3 – Meets at Nokutula’s house on Friday afternoons.

Banele and Nokutula live close to each other so they decided to start a DBS for their community. Nokutula’s family has graciously invited us into their home although they are Zionists (The leading South African religious group that blends some Christianity with traditional African religious practices; ancestor worship and receiving direction not from the Holy Spirit but from dead ancestors and their Prophets). So far the group is made up of young men who are so excited about this DBS that one, Luciano, asked to bring a group of old ‘go- gos’ (old ladies) he knows from his neighborhood. We said, “Don’t bring them here. We’ll teach you to start a DBS with them and then they can start a DBS with the people they know”. He is thrilled with this idea. We are praying that Nokutula’s parents begin to join us on Friday afternoons.

Group 4 –Led by Sam and Khanysille - Meet’s at Khany’s House on Weds. 2pm

So far this group consists of Sam and then Khany and her family. (brother, sister, niece, and mother- the third wife of a tribal chief) These are just beautiful people, most of whom are educated and employed, but struggling with the whole ‘township syndrome’, a culture adrift, ancestral religious fear and witchcraft, and some pretty religious church experiences. Although it is taking some time for this group to grasp the concept of personal and community discovery of God versus being taught about God, they are faithfully working through the process. Each one has started to share of how these studies are impacting their life and their understanding of God’s nature.

Our goal is to see 100 DBS groups, three generations deep, take root in the Msogwaba/Daantjie Township area by July 2011. Please pray with us for this.

“Not by might, nor by power, by My Spirit”, says the Lord of Hosts. Zechariah 4:6

We, along with the Board of Meniscus, Inc., appreciate your support in prayer, encouragement and finances. We love getting emails, so please write us at meniscushome@gmail.com.