3.Discussion notes

‘Starter for Ten’ Question – to introduce the holy habit and get everyone talking

• How would you sum up the ‘big story’, or narrative, of the Bible in 1 sentence?

Looking at the Bible – to see what God says about this holy habit

• Read 2 Timothy 3:14-17 in the Bible

• What does this passage say about the Bible’s trustworthiness and authority?

• Looking at verses 16-17 and the way that the Bible teaches and prepares us, how have you seen the Bible do that in your own life, and in which areas would you like to see more?

Discussion Questions – to dig a bit deeper into the holy habit

• Nick offered 2 questions to help us interpret the Bible: ‘What did the text mean to the original audience?’ and ‘What does the text mean for us today?’ Is your Bible reading a balance of the two, or are you more inclined to focus on one more than the other? Share tips between your group so those who tend to focus on the former can be helped to focus more on the latter and vice versa.

• The Bible is alive and can speak into our lives – how have you seen that to be true? Encourage one another as you share stories of setting the bar high with faith.

Getting Practical – to put the holy habit into practice in our lives

• Discuss how you usually look at the Bible when you gather as a community – are there things you could learn or do differently going forwards?

• How will you put this holy habit into practice in your personal lives? Consider how you will do both study and devotion this week.

Introduction

In January of this year I travelled nearly 5,000 miles to Kolkata, India to see an international disciple-making movement called Biglife in action. At times I also felt like I’d travelled back through time and was witnessing the book of Acts first-hand. People meeting in homes and communities, becoming students of Jesus, studying his teachings, applying them, teaching others to do the same – and multiplying.

Biglife in India started with just three people meeting together in their homes to study the Bible. As interest grew, rather than inviting more people into existing groups those three people each started new groups in their friends’ homes. In turn, people in the new groups started their own groups with friends, and so on. A decade on there are over 7,000 groups and 100,000 new believers as a result!

Three-thirds meetings

A disciple of Jesus is simply someone who studies his teachings. In other words, an apprentice who hears from Jesus, obeys his commands, and shares their learning with others. One of the study tools Biglife uses is a discovery Bible study technique called a three-thirds meeting. It’s a simple format designed to be easy to remember, with an emphasis on application and sharing. 

I’ve been trying it out with our family during lockdown to bring Sunday church into our home. I’ve also been using this technique to disciple new believers and discuss Jesus with seekers. It’s amazingly effective and super simple!

Learn by doing

What I love about the three-thirds Bible study approach is the emphasis on “learning by doing”. In the West, we tend to focus on acquiring knowledge as the primary means of getting better at something.  But the three-thirds approach makes sure we balance knowledge with application and sharing. 

You wouldn’t dream of learning to ride a bicycle just by reading and discussing instructions. You learn by getting on a bike, falling off and learning from your mistakes! 

Come and see

The three-thirds meeting is also ideal for seekers. Before people are ready to follow Jesus there’s an invitation to simply “come and see”. We read in John 1:35-39 that Jesus responds to Andrew and John by inviting them to “come and see”.  As followers of John the Baptist, they were seeking the Messiah. Similarly, I have found the perfect invitation for seekers that are serious is to say: “Come and see what it’s like to follow Jesus. Let’s do a Bible study together”.

Dispersal not attraction

Another principle I saw in action that has contributed to growth in India is that seekers are never invited into an existing group. Instead, they’re offered the opportunity to start a Bible study in their own context. So, for example, if a friend at your workplace shows interest, then offer to start a Bible study there and invite some other colleagues along. If a neighbour shows interest, then offer to start a group in their home with other family members. This opens us up to a world that is way bigger than our own.

The meeting format

The three-thirds meeting format is really simple and split into three sections: looking back, looking up and looking forwards. Meetings typically last around 90 minutes and so each third takes about 30 minutes. Click here to download a one-page description of the three-thirds meeting. 

The first part is all about looking back and caring for each other. But it’s also to check if the group has applied the teaching from the last meeting. It’s important to remind the group of its vision, that we’re trying to be disciples which means not just listening to Jesus but obeying him and also sharing his teaching with others.

In the second part, you read the Bible passage and ask four simple questions. Remember it’s a discussion as students together and not teaching from an expert - so no need to prepare an explanation. You’ll be amazed at how Scripture, the living Word of God, speaks directly to peoples’ spirit.

In the final part, you pray and ask God how to apply and share what you’ve learned. It’s important to model that we always ask God to help us learn and apply.

We’d encourage you to watch the video together online, discuss the questions, and read the blog post in order to go deeper.

It might look something like this:

• 7:30pm: Saying hi and catching up

• 7:45pm: Watch the teaching video

• 8:00pm: ‘Starter for Ten’ question

• 8:10pm: Look up the Bible passage and discuss

• 8:30pm: Discussion questions

• 8:45pm: Practice the holy habit and/or make plans for how you can do that this week

• 9:00pm: Say your goodbyes – see you next week!

• Don’t forget to begin by debriefing next week!

We know that every group is different, so feel free to do this in a way that works for you.

Not part of a community but want to join the journey? We’d love to hear from you and help you be part of the family! Email Charlotte on charlotte.henard@wellsheffield.com.

If you’re a community leader and have questions or need technological help, get in touch and we’ll see what we can do!

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