DNA groups
Discipleship-Nurture-Accountability groups are same-gender groups of three to five participants.
Life is a journey of contrasts, carrying with it a mixed bag of joys and sorrows, highs and lows. Although faith in Jesus does not exempt anyone from experiencing the whiplash of life, it can compose the soul in the midst of it. DNAs recognize that joys are better enjoyed when shared and sorrows are better endured when supported. They provide context to celebrate evidences of God’s grace and, when necessary, weep through God’s will trusted friends.
Moreover, since Jesus calls us to thrive in the light because life dies in the dark, DNAs also provide a graceful context for practicing self-disclosure, confession, and gospel-saturated encouragement.
FAQs about DNAs
How do DNAs form?
DNAs form either out of our Missional Communties or our Men’s and Women’s initiatives. But, they can form spontaneously as well.
What does a DNA do?
DNAs do some things differently
What a DNA studies depends upon where the participants are in their journey with Jesus. Many DNAs read books of the Bible together. Others benefit from a more guided, topical study on various aspects of life with Jesus. Moreover, DNAs connect in a variety of ways. Some meet over food and drinks. Others do so while exercising. Flexibility and creativity is encouraged.
DNAs do some things similarly
Each DNA spends 1/3 of their time together looking backwards, 1/3 of their time together looking upwards, and 1/3 of their time together looking forwards.
Looking backwards
Each DNA begins by asking the Holy Spirit to counsel them during their time together and to lead them to Jesus (John 14:16-17, 26; 16:26-27). They then reflect upon all that has transpired in their hearts since the previous meeting. This is more than a simple account of what each person has been doing. It is a spiritual assessment of how their heart has responded to life-happenings.
Questions asked during this time include:
- What has been going on in your life?
- How has your heart responded to __________? (Potential answers include: gratitude, joy, patience, humbled, bitterness, resentment, anger, hardened, etc.)
- In what ways have you been tempted to not trust Jesus since our last time together?
- Have you resisted or succumb to temptation? If succumbed, what lie(s) were believing? What aspect of Jesus’s story were you not believing?
- What will turning to Jesus look like?
Looking upwards
Each DNA proceeds to read and discuss their selected study material. Participants look for ways Jesus is using the study material to address how their hearts have responded to life-happenings. In reliance upon the Holy Spirit’s counsel, participants help each other connect the dots between Jesus’s story and their own.
Looking forwards
Each DNA spends the final 1/3 of their time together looking forward by identifying action steps and specific, applicable take-aways from the conversation. Questions asked during this time include:
Is there…
- a command to obey?
- a promise to claim?
- a sin to repent of?
- a beauty to behold?
- a truth to believe?
- a service to render?
- a spiritual discipline to exercise?
- a mission to fulfill?
- an example to follow?
- a person to tell?
How often does a DNA meet?
Each group meets at whatever cadence works best for the participants involved. Some DNAs meet weekly while others meet ever other week.