What is a DNA Group?
DNA Groups are our primary environment for spiritual formation and discipleship (being with Jesus to learn from Jesus how to be like Jesus). In these groups, we learn to pay attention to how God is at work in and through our lives and participate more deeply in the life God shares with us.
DNA Groups are different
A DNA Group are different from what other kinds of groups many have participated in before (Bible studies, small groups, etc.) It isn’t a class where you only listen and take notes. It isn’t a discussion group where there’s no leader, and everyone weighs in with what they think. It isn’t a place where we share good advice or offer counseling.
DNA Groups are for discernment and formation
DNA Groups are a place where we seek to discern how God is at work in our lives. We learn a way of listening and responding to God. DNA Group leaders model this in each meeting, guiding the group in a compassionately curious conversation that helps us discern the presence of God’s kingdom in our everyday lives, and respond with simple, embodied steps of faith.
DNA Groups are structured as three modules:
- Module One: Paradigm (Seeing like Jesus)
- Module Two: Posture (Loving like Jesus)
- Module Three: Practices (Discerning like Jesus)
It begins with Kairos moments
The beginning place for discipleship (and each DNA Group conversation) is noticing and naming “Kairos moments.” A Kairos moment is a “noticing” of our internal state (very similar to mindfulness). It’s noticing and naming a feeling, a thought, or a story that I’m telling myself concerning the things that are happening in my life.
Learning to notice and name these moments, rather than simply react to them as if they are true, is a foundational practice for discipleship at The Table, because we trust that God is at work in the midst of this kind of awareness, leading us into life.
What to expect in a DNA Group
- Groups meet every week for 6-12 weeks (depending on the module).
- Everyone comes to each meeting ready to share a “Kairos”: whatever is grabbing your attention from the assigned reading / exercise and how it relates to your life.
- Everyone cultivates an environment of emotional safety and confidentiality.
- We honor one another by listening to each other with compassion and curiosity, rather than judgment, evaluation, or advice.
- What gets said in a DNA Group stays in a DNA Group; unless you have specific permission otherwise.
What is expected of DNA Group participants
- To prioritize the time together. It’s important to commit to being at each group meeting (we understand emergencies come up, but consistency is a key facet of DNA Groups – they don’t work well with sporadic attendance).
- To come prepared: having completed the assigned reading or exercise and ready to share observations and reflections.
- To be right where you really are. God meets us in reality, as messy as it really is. We trust God is present and at work in whatever is going on in our lives.
If you’re interested in hearing more about participating in a DNA Group, contact us and let us know!
