Elders, please read this
I began reading The Trellis and the Vine by Marshall & Payne some time ago. It then got “lost” in jury duty and packing. I blogged on the mind-shifts they were calling the church to embrace in keeping with their metaphor of the trellis and the vine. Their premise is that churches tend to focus on the trellis- the structure and administrative aspects of a congregation- instead of the vine- the congregation which needs to be nurtured and shepherded. It is not an all-or-nothing dilemma. Every vine needs a trellis, something to provide structure. But the trellis does not demand the attention that the vine does.
This book is not just about a cool metaphor (though some books are). It wants to take us into Scripture to see how they arrived at this conclusion and what it means for us. They naturally focus on the Acts of the Apostles (aka the Acts of the Exalted Jesus thru the Apostles thru the power of the Spirit), and many of Paul’s letters. They see no fundamental difference between what God was doing then and what He’s doing now.
This is what God is now doing in the world: Spirit-backed gospel preaching leading to the salvation of souls. It’s his program, his agenda, his priority, his focus, his project, or whatever business-related metaphor you’d like to use. And by it, his is gathering a new Christ-centered people as his very own; a quiet, steadily growing profusion of leaves on the great vine of his kingdom.
The focus is on the growth of a people, people shaped by the gospel they believe. The trellis only grows because the vine has outgrown it. We are not to focus on building a fantastic, huge trellis. Our energy and efforts are to be in growing the vine first and foremost.
“… this people-growth happens only through the power of the God’s Spirit as he applies his word to people’s hearts. That’s the way people are converted, and that’s the way people grow in maturity in Christ. We plant and water, but God gives the growth.”
They want to return to a biblical vision of ministry as done by the congregation, not just the paid professional. As we consider the Great Commission, we see that it is for all disciples, not just the elite. If they Apostles were to teach disciples to obey everything He has commanded them they are to teach them to obey the Great Commission. Right? So EVERY believer in Christ is to be engaged in vine work! As they put it, “To be a disciple is to be a disciple-maker.”
They go to many of the same places I’ve gone recently as I’ve prepared congregations for new pastors, places like Ephesians 5 and Colossians 3. Paul instructs them to speak the Word to one another. It was a mutual ministry, not a professional ministry. Filled with the Spirit, they would be counseling one another with the Word to bring all of life under the influence of the gospel.
“The Christian without a missionary heart is an anomaly. The missionary heart will be seen in all kinds of ways: in prayers for the lost, in making sure our behaviour offends no-one, in gospel conversations with friends, and in making every effort to save some.”
It would be easy to try to manipulate people using guilt. It is a common practice actually. They have a chapter, Guilt or Grace?, that addresses this very problem. They spend some time talking about Paul’s partners in the gospel- people like the ordinary Philippian Christians. Ministers have the responsibility to nurture and equip people to be able to partner with them in the gospel.
When most of us think of training, we think of large groups and classes, seminars and other similar events. What they have in mind is one-on-one training, mentorships, apprenticeships and other forms of personal, relational training. It is less task oriented (though tasks are done) and more relational. Doctrine is imparted, character tested, competency developed and more. At one point they liken it to parenthood.
“It’s loving someone enough to want to see him or her grow and flourish, and being prepared to put in the long-term, faithful work that will (in God’s mercy) see that happens.”
As I look ahead to my new call, I can see myself identifying and spending time with FAT guys (faithful, available & teachable). I won’t just be Bible study, but taking them along on visitation, leading worship and more.
One of the ideas they stress is that one pastor can probably devote serious time t about 4 people. This leaves many people on the outside looking in. Those people he’s investing in should be investing in others. If they invest in 2-3 people each, then now 16 people are being nurtured well. But 12 of them will be investing in another 2-3 people. I think you get it.
If the pastor thinks he’s supposed to do all the nurturing, or that it only happens on Sunday morning the vine will not grow very much. He’ll be spread too thin. But with people being trained to be partners in gospel growth, the vine will grow far larger than if he labored alone. The pastor must choose wisely. If he chooses needy people, time will disappear. The needy people will be helped, but they cannot be viewed at one of those training to care for others. You identify people ready to be trained who can begin to help those who need it. They mention some other common traps people fall into.
Marshall and Payne have given us a book that should be a blessing to the church. It not only identifies a problem, but also prepares people to address it and make things right. I’m glad they wrote this, and plan to use it with my elders and future leaders.
Cavman Considers 
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