Getting Started with DNA Groups
In Karis, we have three primary avenues through which we live as a gospel community on mission: Sunday Gatherings, Missional Communities, and DNA Groups. The smallest of the three, DNA Groups are where we commit to discipling one another. We hope to see all members of our Missional Communities devoting themselves to one another in DNA Groups. So how do DNA Groups work, and why exactly do we need them?
As believers, we must battle against our sin and for our faith in community. We greatly need each other. To do this, we have to see ourselves and our sin clearly, and we cannot try to go it alone. We must lean into each other. Otherwise, we will quickly find ourselves in deep danger. We need constant reminders about the truth of the gospel.
The goal of a DNA group is to help one another discover Jesus in the Scriptures, nurture the truths of the gospel in our hearts, and faithfully act on what the Spirit calls us to do. Our hope is that a DNA group enables us to grow as disciples in community as we learn to apply the gospel to every part of our lives.
DNA Groups are groups of ideally three people - men with men, women with women - who meet together regularly, usually every other week.
DNA stands for the following:
D - Discover: Participants study God’s word together, seeking to hear from God there.
N - Nurture: Members learn to listen well, guiding one another toward heart change.
A - Act: Believers seek to help each other put what God has taught them into action.
A helpful book for DNA Groups, Growing in Christ Together, puts it this way:
The overall goal of a DNA group is to foster discipleship relationships that help each person grow to become more like Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit. The goal is not merely to hang out and have fun, or even to build friendships, though hopefully all of that will happen! The goal is to challenge one another to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18).
If you’d like to be a part of a DNA Group, talk to your MC leader about joining one, or email us at info@karischruch.org. If you haven’t joined an MC yet, visit our MC page to get connected to one. Also, be sure to check out all of our resources available for our DNA Groups!