Disciple Bible Study

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What is Disciple?

Disciple is a course of Bible study designed to permit the student to discover what the Bible says to them, personally, so that they can then act on that understanding; that is, be a Disciple of Jesus Christ. It is not designed to lead you to believe something that someone else has decided is the right thing to believe. Final interpretation is the prerogative of the student. The course is organized into weekly lessons with each lesson containing reading assignments and activities for classroom discussion. The course was developed by United Methodist Church bishops and is sanctioned by the United Methodist Church.

Q. What’s the difference between Disciple I, II, III and IV?

Disciple I is a survey course of the entire Bible. It is the foundation course for all other Disciple courses and must be taken before II or III. Disciple II is an “in-depth” course concentrating on just four books of the Bible: Genesis, Exodus, Luke, and Acts. Disciple III, also an in-depth course, concentrates on the Old Testaments prophets, especially Isaiah and Jeremiah, as well as the letters of Paul. Disciple IV focuses on the Writings, especially Psalms and Proverbs in the Old Testament and on the Gospel of John and Revelation in the New Testament, several other books are included in both the Old and New Testment studies.

Q. Is there a lot of reading?

Disciple I covers about 70% of the Bible so there is a fair amount of reading, especially in the Old Testament. However, the longest Old Testament readings do not focus on detail, so much of the OT, especially the histories, can be quickly scanned. There is more than adequate time for all New Testament readings. The 30% of the Bible that isn’t covered is mostly repetitious material in the OT.

Q. What if I get behind in the reading? Will I be lost?

Everyone gets behind in their reading occasionally but you won’t be lost since the gap can be made up in class during discussion. The most important part of the Disciple program is class and you should never miss just because you couldn’t get to all the reading.

Q. What is the text for Disciple?

The text for Disciple is the Bible. The Bible is supplemented with a manual containing the reading assignments in the Bible and some supportive background material. Each student should have his or her own Study Bible. The authors of the course recommend the New Oxford Study Bible but other study Bibles will do just as well. Regular non-study Bibles, old translations such as the King James, or paraphrased Bibles won’t be useful in this course.

Q. How many people are in each class and what happens in class?

Classes are composed of about twelve students and two leaders meeting once a week for two and one-half hours and following a lesson plan provided to the leaders by the course authors. Classes start with a brief video (10-15 minutes) by various Bible scholars discussing topics related to the assigned reading with the remainder of the time spent by the students and leaders in a discussion which generally follows the outline in the leader’s manual. There is a short break about half way through the lesson.

Q. Is this a lecture course?

No. Class consists mostly of discussion. However, occasionally one of your leaders or one of you may give a report or more detail on a particular subject. Such reports are always followed by discussion

Q. Will we be Bible scholars when we finish?

Although you’ll know a lot more about the Bible, these courses will not make you a Bible scholar. You will become a Disciple, however, which is the point of the course.

Q. What are the goals of the course?

Not to make Bible scholars, not to memorize Bible verses, not to close yourself off in perpetual study, but to make Disciples. Disciples are people who know what Jesus is calling them to do and are people who act.

Q. Won’t everyone in class know a lot more than me?

No. You know more than you think you do. You are able to read and understand just as well as anyone else. Your opinion matters. Besides, this is not a class where students compete with each other. The focus is on individual development and understanding through learning in a group environment.

Q. Will the group be forced to reach agreement on all points of interpretation?

Absolutely not. Consensus thinking is not a goal but personal understanding and interpretation is. Classes follow the "Principles of Bible Study" which come with the course and one of the principles says: "We must further assume that we will arrive at different understandings of portions of Scripture and that that will not disturb God as much as it will some of us."

Q. What about homework and grades?

The weekly assignments consist of daily reading in the Bible and note taking. However, the notes are for your personal use and you can take as many or as few as you wish. There are no written assignments to turn in, no reports to make, no papers to write, no tests, and no grades.

Q. How long does the course last?

Each course lasts about eight months, specifically 34 weeks for Disciple I and 32 weeks for Disciple II, III or IV. Classes start in September ending in May with the class determining the exact meeting schedule including when to dismiss for holidays.

Q. Can I miss a few times?

Yes, you can miss a few times but you won’t want to. It is recommended you miss no more than four times so you and your fellow students will get the full benefit from the class. Missing a week here and there causes no problem but if you know you’ll be out for several weeks in a row it would be best to either rearrange your schedule or take Disciple at another time.

Q. Is this a new course? Is it a fad? How many people have taken it?

Disciple I was started in 1986 in Flower Mound, Texas, as a course of Bible Study which does more than just study the Bible. The course leads people to Discipleship. Disciple does not appear to be a fad since people’s lives are changed after taking it and it has been steadily growing in numbers since inception. To date, over half a million people have completed a Disciple I course. Over 600 people have participated in the disciple program at First UMC Richardson.

Q. What does it cost?

The cost of the Disciple manual is $28. The cost of a study Bible, if you don’t already have one, will range from $10-$40 depending on which one you buy and where you buy it. Cokesbury carries the New Oxford Study Bible (the one with the red cover) for $28.50+tax. Other major booksellers have it for about the same price but Half Price Books sometimes has new paperback versions for $10. The church provides the meeting space, video equipment, course videotapes, leader’s manuals, refreshments, janitorial services, and child care for students who need it, all at no cost. The leaders and disciple coordinator are all volunteers.

Q. Need more information?

Follow this link for phone numbers and email.