Simplicity and Scripture: transforming lives through Discovery Bible Study in Southeast Asia

Southeast Asia is both a culturally and geographically diverse region. For Anni*, a lecturer at a theological seminary and leader of a house church there, Discovery Bible Study (DBS) cuts through the noise and allows God’s Word to be shared organically within communities.

“When I first joined the [Discovery Bible Study] training, I was impressed by the simplicity of the method. Everyone can do this,” said Anni. She was invited by her friend Jane*, a local OM worker.

Discovery Bible Study was designed to make the Word of God easy to understand. It also encourages practical discipleship and evangelism. Small groups meet and read a passage of Scripture, then they ask each other:

• What the story tells them about God, people or themselves 
• How they can apply what they have read
• Who they can share it with

This is an easily replicable method to remember, teach and practice. It can be used globally with any age group or number of people. Additionally, participants don’t need any specific level of education or a lot of time to learn from the Word and one another.

Anni leads weekly and bi-weekly DBS groups for men, women, young people and families in her community in Southeast Asia, and she has seen visible changes in their lives. 

“Anni says the church members have become more bold in sharing the Bible principles that they learn from DBS,” said Jane. “Before, they were too shy to share anything from the Bible with others, but now they want to share their opinions about the topics discussed. DBS is not just about knowledge; it focuses on who you want to share this story with.”

How God’s Word is altering lives and perspectives

A married couple that joined Anni’s Discovery Bible Study said that for years, they had not voiced their concerns about the idol worship going on within their family.

Through DBS, the couple said they were equipped and encouraged to finally talk about this with their relatives. In the beginning, conflict ensued; however, when the family faced difficulties, the couple prayed for them.

“When the relatives saw that those prayers were answered and that miracles were happening, they started to believe in and listen to what the couple said,” Anni said.

In fact, when a distant relative fell sick, he tried to get healed by a witch doctor; when that didn’t work, he and the family turned to the couple. The couple prayed for their sick relative and convinced him to meet with a doctor. As a result, the man was saved.

In another example of gospel transformation, Minah*, a local woman from a Muslim background, began to learn more about Jesus from a Discovery Bible Study. Minah had a dark past which had led her to work in the sex industry — a life that had made her feel anxious and undeserving of love. However, when she realized that Jesus offered her new ways to face her pain, she gave her life to Him. 

As a result of her newfound faith, she lost all her old friends. Minah was deeply hurt, but she refused to let go of Jesus. 

“They were okay to be her friends when she was a prostitute, but when she became a Jesus follower, they abandoned her,” Anni said. “[Minah] realized that in her past, she was always looking for more money as a problem solution, but now she can think differently, that God is the way out of the problems.”

After standing firm and trusting in Jesus to provide, the friends who had left Minah approached her again, one by one. Now, through their shared, rocky history, she has the opportunity to tell them about her faith. Her husband has also joined the Discovery Bible Study.

Obstacles remain, but opportunities abound

Some DBS participants, like Minah and her husband, come from farther away to take part in Anni’s groups. However, financial troubles and inadequate infrastructure can be barriers for some who want to be part of a church or DBS.

The OM team believes that if more churches offered small groups and invited their neighbors, colleagues and friends, it could help lessen these obstacles. Anni mentioned that the method can easily be adapted to one’s needs.

“It is simple, and everyone can be trained to testify through it and share with others,” she said. “If you want to be a servant of God, you have to know what is the main truth, the Gospel, and you have to learn how to share it.”

Through DBS with different groups of people, Anni is encouraging Jesus followers to live out God’s great commandment to go and make disciples.

Please pray for the Discovery Bible Study groups in Southeast Asia!

• Praise God that lives are being transformed through the study of His Word in Southeast Asia.
• Pray for Anni’s DBS and that more people can be reached through the boldness of the participants.
• Pray for more churches in Southeast Asia to adopt a missions-focused mindset and use DBS groups to invite people to learn about Jesus!

Thanks to friends like you, OM has always been able to take on the toughest and hardest assignments – like getting Bibles into closed nations. Your special Easter gift will help reach and disciple people just like Minah with little or no access to His Truth! Click here to give now.

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*Name changed for security reasons.