What Is A Discipleship Bible School?
October 19, 2020 - January 1, 2030
What Is A Discipleship Bible School?
What Is A Discipleship Bible School?
The Discipleship Bible School (DBS) at Marine Reach is a three-month course devoted to studying and reading through all sixty-six books of the bible in chronological order. In just twelve weeks, you will gain a greater understanding of God’s perspective and heart, leaving you with a lasting hunger for the Word. During this time, you will learn about the historical settings and genre of each book, study specific topics taught by knowledgeable speakers, and engage in worship, intercession, and small group bible studies. This school will better equip you to absorb and apply the Word of God to your life and others.
But since this is all information you can find on the DBS page on our website, maybe you want to know a little more. Maybe you’re asking, “Okay, I think I’m starting to get it, but what is it really?”
You probably already have some expectations when you hear the words ‘School’, ‘Bible’, or ‘Discipleship’. So let’s take a deeper look at each of those three words and what they mean for us at Marine Reach in connection with the DBS.
‘Discipleship’ in the DBS
Surprisingly, the main focus of the DBS is not the bible. The main focus is discipleship. During the DBS, we study the bible so that we become more faithful disciples of Jesus. It is the main tool we use, and we use it in a more intense way than you’re probably used to, but we don’t abandon other tools for discipleship. In fact, we incorporate singing corporately in worship, interceding together, living in a community that loves each other, and many other tools, all designed to help us follow Jesus’ example.
The focus of the DBS is just that: following Jesus. Not just learning the things he taught, but also putting them into practice (Matt. 28:20). We look through the whole bible, finding examples that act as instructions (1 Cor. 10:11) to us on how to follow Jesus faithfully. The entire bible is full of lessons we can apply to our own lives.
But discipleship is not just about following; it is about following Jesus. Discipleship is all about who we are following: Jesus – the one who is fully God and fully man. Therefore, one theme we study during the DBS is the character and nature of God. We ask questions like, “Who is God, and how does he act towards mankind and creation as a whole?” We also focus on Jesus in the 4 gospels for an entire week and study all the amazing things he says and does.
Another theme we dive into is God’s redemptive plan and how we are all part of that plan. Walking out our part in God’s redemptive plan is just another way of saying ‘following Jesus’ or ‘discipleship’.
“We study the bible so that we become more faithful disciples of Jesus.”
‘Bible’ in the DBS
During the DBS, we read the whole bible together, out loud, in groups. We read all of it; we don’t skip a chapter, verse, or letter. Every part of the bible is valuable to us, as we believe it to be the very word of God and God-breathed (2 Tim. 3:16). In the mornings, we listen to inspired teaching together. Asking questions and engaging with the invited teachers is one of our favourite things to do because they know the bible and Jesus in a special way. This is also a time where we get to know the world of the bible better. For example, we learn about the cultural and historical context of each book, learning how to view the text as the authors intended. The teachers, however, are not just people that know the text well, but they also have a proven track record of following Jesus in their own lives.
We take the bible to be the authoritative word of God; a loving God who has revealed Himself in many ways, one of which is the bible. What a gift the bible is, and what a joy to study in such a way that we can encounter God through it! Consider what Jesus said: “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me…” (John 5:39). We do not find eternal life in the text of the bible, but the bible does reveal and give witness to the One who offers eternal life.
The bible is the place we can go to see God’s redemptive plan. It takes us from the beginning (Genesis) all the way to the culmination (Revelation). This grand narrative of how God wants to redeem us is something we highlight throughout the bible during DBS.
‘School’ in DBS
The goal of the DBS is not to give you head knowledge for head knowledge sake. We do love to teach the bible, equipping you to learn how to use your bible more faithfully. But it’s more important to us that you gain deeper personal knowledge of God. The goal is for all who participate in the DBS to know God more.
In the classroom, you will learn about different kinds of genres in the bible, Hebrew literary structures, authorship debates, and all sorts of other fun things. But we only teach you these things so that when you read, study, or teach the bible, you will do so in a way that more accurately displays God as he truly is.
During the DBS, we also have homework and a final presentation. These are not there to simply test your knowledge, like a final exam. Partly, we give homework so that the material you learn will stick better. But more importantly, as you work your way through the assignments, you will begin to see how the bible is relevant for today, for you, and for your relationship with Jesus.
‘School’ can make it sound like ‘academics’. But the DBS is so much more than that. The DBS will help you discover God’s redemptive plan for us all through learning more about the bible! Whether during a lecture or scripture reading, you will be in awe of God’s love and mercy as you witness his redemptive plan at work in the bible.
Conclusion
In short, Discipleship (following Jesus) is the main goal, the Bible is what we focus on as the tool to grow in following Jesus, and School is the structure within which we study the bible for the purpose of following Jesus.
So that is the heart of the Discipleship Bible School!
Are you interested in doing the DBS with us? We certainly would love to have you join us as we discover more of God in the bible. Contact us here for more details or if you have any other questions.
Also if you are interested in strengthening your faith and growing as a disciple, we also offer the transformational Discipleship Training School.
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“I decided to do a DBS because I wanted to know as much about the Bible as I could. And yes, I learned a lot about the Bible, the historical background and so on. But my biggest gain from the DBS was to learn and see the Bible come alive and active in my own life. The Bible used to be a boring book to me, with a bunch of unrelatable stories and letters. During DBS I got to know how to apply God’s Word to my life and how to be discipled, transformed and guided by it. My life changed so much through that and is still changing. I believe that’s what the Bible is for, to lead us closer to God and to help us to become more like Him.”
Silas Bauer, 22, Germany
“Through prayer and passion stream, I was able to see how prayer could be a place of so much intimacy with God. Finding my secret place with Him allowed me to fall in love again with His beauty and goodness. At the same time, God revealed to me the secrets of His heart- how He saw me and how He saw the world. It’s such a privilege to know that there’s a big God up there who trust us and partners with us to bring the kingdom of heaven down on to earth through our prayers!!! And never once did He let me down.”
Jesse Chua, 22, Singapore
“Wild at Heart? Yes, of course! But whatever adventure I went for, I wanted to be the one in control. During my DTS, God changed my heart to go wild with Him. I learned to trust in God and that I don’t have to be in charge, as long as I know the One who is!”
Silas Bauer, 21, Germany
“In the Kingdom Come stream, we really focused on what the kingdom of God is and how to live that out on earth. The most impactful aspect of this was walking out a miraculous lifestyle and being in an intimate relationship with God, where you can expect miracles to happen.”
Peter Seip, 25, Virginia, USA
“Coming into prayer and passion I had so much passion and desires but did not know how to bring them to the feet of the Lord in prayer. Going through the journey of growing in prayer and discipline I was able to walk out with a passion and desire to take all that was on my heart to the foot of the cross in prayer. I found a love for that intimate time of prayer with the Lord in a way I haven’t known before!”
Beza Sparkes, 22, Ethiopia/Alaska
“SPHC was a transformational turning point in my faith walk where I learned to focus on others, serve, and honour others with my skills. Everything I learned in the course I put into practice to serve in the mission work that we were doing in Vanuatu. In changing me the Lord has changed my future and I walk with him and others in everything that I do.”
Paul Kerpel, 23, Alberta, Canada
“Before I attended my DTS, I believed that justice was an act of revenge. I had hate toward the perpetrators and love toward the victims. Being apart of the Justice Movement Stream has shown me the Father’s heart of justice, which actually demonstrates the endless love of the Father for both the victim and the perpetrator. Through this I learned that we should also carry that same love and forgiveness in our hearts.”
Savannah Mantel,18, California, USA
“Being apart of Wild Heart has really helped me find out what it means to be wild for God. It has helped me break out of shells I didn’t even I know had. The stream transformed my way of thinking when it comes to being a disciple of Christ, teaching me to take action in faith. It has given me many things I will be able to take home and apply in my daily life, crazy awesome!”
Deylan Santy, 19, Idaho, USA
“This is the craziest stream ever, not just doing fun activities, but the people I was with; they are wild as! Throughout the school, I’ve learned so much from the Bible that doing life with God and living my life on the edge is so much more interesting.”
Mun Hei, 21, Malaysia
“Coming into the medical compassion stream, I thought it would just be an addition to my medical experience. But after laying down my expectations I was able to grasp the essence of compassion through ministry, experiencing a new perspective on medicine. Choosing to serve in love, and taking the time to seek out and care for the one who need it most.”
Yekaterina Lukyanchina, 20, Russia/America