10 Ways to Kill a Discovery Bible Study (DBS) (and How to Avoid Them)

Have you ever watched someone try to dig with a shovel held upside down? Discovery Bible Study (DBS) is a powerful tool for helping people encounter God through His Story. When facilitated well, Word and Spirit speak powerfully to open hearts.

How do you lead in a VUCA (volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous) environment like a city? It is not easy to lead in complex urban environments. Bottom-up leadership is a solution that multiplies our impact.

Cities are complex. There is so much need. So many opportunities and possibilities. You know God is calling you to engage in the urban harvest. You know the task is too big to accomplish by yourself. You know you need a team, but where do you start?

I have had a number of cross-cultural assignments in over the last 25 years. The "what" was clear. Less clear was the "how". Each urban context is different. There are no guaranteed formulae to success. However, we are seeing patterns across different cities.

It can be tough carrying a burden for discipleship movement in cities! There can be great encouragement from learning with and from the experiences of peers. That's why peer learning is an important part of the work we are doing in cities.

We recognise that the vast majority have said "No" to our evangelistic approaches and they are not changing their minds. This creates challenges both for followers of Jesus and for seekers.

The introductory post for the Discipling the Urban Harvest blog.

It outlines the blog's vision of God's restoration of creation, the three audiences it serves — followers burdened for discipleship, leaders mobilising others, and those wrestling with urban challenges — and key concepts that will shape future posts including replicable discipleship, DMM, urban villages, and movement thinking.