A blog produced by Rolling Fork Baptist Church designed to help Christians live out their faith in their homes, their work places, their schools, and their communities.
The concept of the book is discipleship as explained by the book's description: "All Christian ministry is a mixture of trellis and vine. There is vine work: the prayerful preaching and teaching of the word of God to see people converted and grow to maturity as disciples of Christ. Vine work is the Great Commission. And there is trellis work: creating and maintaining the physical and organizational structures and programs that support vine work and its growth. What’s the state of the trellis and the vine in your part of the world? Has trellis work taken over, as it has a habit of doing? Is the vine work being done by very few (perhaps only the pastor and only on Sundays)? And is the vine starting to wilt as a result? The image of the trellis and the vine raises all the fundamental questions of Christian ministry: * What is the vine for? * How does the vine grow? * How does the vine relate to my church? * What is vine work and what is trellis work, and how can we tell the difference? * What part do different people play in growing the vine? * How can we get more people involved in vine work? In The Trellis and the Vine, Colin Marshall and Tony Payne answer these urgent questions afresh. They dig back into the Bible’s view of Christian ministry, and argue that a major mind-shift is required if we are to fulfill the Great Commission of Christ, and see the vine flourish again." What does this book teach? "Ministry mind-shifts 1. From running programs to building people 2. From running events to training people 3. From using people to growing people 4. From filling gaps to training new workers 5. From solving problems to helping people make progress 6. From clinging to ordained ministry to developing team leadership 7. From focusing on church polity to forging ministry partnerships 8. From relying on training institutions to establishing local training 9. From focusing on immediate pressures to aiming for long-term expansion 10. From engaging in management to engaging in ministry 11. From seeking church growth to desiring gospel growth" This book is a great help for pastors and other church leaders who wish to improve the level of discipleship in their churches.
Here is one of the passages from John 15 that we reference quite frequently at Rolling Fork Baptist Church: John 15:1 (ESV) “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. 9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. 11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. There is so much in that text but for now, focus on the phrase "every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit". Even the branches that are being fruitful are being pruned so that they will be more fruitful. As the branches being connected to Jesus (the Vine), how are we pruned or shaped? By God's Word. One book that has really impacted me is "The Trellis And The Vine" by Colin Marshall and Tony Payne. Here is Colin and Tony describe this book: "All Christian ministry is a mixture of trellis and vine. There is vine work: the prayerful preaching and teaching of the word of God to see people converted and grow to maturity as disciples of Christ. Vine work is the Great Commission. And there is trellis work: creating and maintaining the physical and organizational structures and programs that support vine work and its growth. What’s the state of the trellis and the vine in your part of the world? Has trellis work taken over, as it has a habit of doing? Is the vine work being done by very few (perhaps only the pastor and only on Sundays)? And is the vine starting to wilt as a result? The image of the trellis and the vine raises all the fundamental questions of Christian ministry: What is the vine for? How does the vine grow? How does the vine relate to my church? What is vine work and what is trellis work, and how can we tell the difference? What part do different people play in growing the vine? How can we get more people involved in vine work?" The essence of the book teaches the importance of true discipleship, something that hasn't been happening in most churches if we are honest about it. Here is a short video describing this book. Pastor Mark Dever of Capital Hill Baptist Church in Washington and 9Marks which focuses on building healthy churches
I am also working through two other books: Real-Life Discipleship: Building Churches That Make DisciplesandReal-Life Discipleship Training Manual: Equipping Disciples Who Make Disciples by Jim Putman and others. So what does those books have to do with 'Branch Shapers'? One of the many things that I am truly convinced of right now is that we need to do a better job of discipling one another. Too many Christians are not familiar with the Bible and so they are not certain what it means to be a Christian. We need to become better equipped as disciple-makers. Branch Shapers is a new tool for us to use in discipling others. Remember what you just read in John 15:2 "...every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit"? This new format of notes can be used in many different ways and will be easy to keep up with. Each issue will be a half sheet of paper, printed on both sides, that will be based on one of our sermons at Rolling Fork Baptist Church. Instead of just having an outline in the bulletin, Branch Shapers will put much more information in your hands dealing with that message and you can save your notes without having to save the whole bulletin. Why would you want to save your 'Branch Shapers'?
for discussion with members of your church family
for future reference when studying your Bible
for sharing with others in order to help them mature as believers in Christ
for starting a Bible study with a group of your friends once a week
What is another purpose for 'Branch Shapers'? Give to any churches, especially rural churches with limited resources, who wish to use it for some free Sunday School literature or for their small groups. This year Rolling Fork Baptist Church will be reaching out to churches in areas like Eastern Kentucky with the desire to encourage them and help them grow as Biblically-healthy churches. This will give us more resources to help them.
Please pray for us as we seek God's guidance in all that we do. Let us bear much fruit!
