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The Trellis And The Vine (2000)

by Colin Marshall(Favorite Author)

4.12 of 5 Votes: 2

ISBN

1921441631 (ISBN13: 9781921441639)

languge

English

genre

Nonfiction

review 1: A seminal work on discipleship and the church's mission. It's easy to get caught up in the numbers game of comparing church attendance, budget, and programs, then letting these become the measurement of success. A better way is to focus on the people, and to intentionally bring people through a process of gospel growth. This book gives both biblical and practical help for making disciples in the church.
review 2: Authors Marshall and Payne make a surprisingly simple argument in the "The Trellis and the Vine." They argue that all Christians are disciple-makers and pastors are trainers. They then proceed to argue that at the core, discipleship is simply prayer and the spoken ministry of the word. They describe this as a "Ministry mind-shift that changes everythin... moreg" and I think they are absolutely right. This work suggest a paradigm shift to the church, or at least a paradigm detox.This book is not profound, but its timely. This idea is not new, and that's the point. Yet in the midst of a church landscape where churches are working hard to be original through constant repackaging this is a practical call to return to our Great Commission roots. Marshall and Payne have cut through the fog to remind church leaders of the primacy of disciple-making and this book is pathetically practical. Their strength is simplicity. Their simplicity is so poignant because Western churches tend to drift towards institutionalism.I'll paraphrase or quote some of the takeaways I found most helpful.- Start with people not programs. Build ministries around the people you have, not the people you want. Grow the people God has given you and take whatever opportunities that arise.- Christian ministry is not that complicated. Make disciples by praying, practicing the ministry of the word. Build structure but only structure to these ends.- The focus of training: Conviction, Character and Competence- Training is inescapably relational, messy, and time-consuming.- The Goal is not to grow churches, the goal is to make disciples.- Parenting is the model for discipleship.- Raise up Gospel co-workers - "Do a deep work in the lives of a few."Even writing this review I'm struck by how simple this is. This book shouldn't be so interesting but it is because we are so prone to build and tend the trellis and neglect the vine. 5 Stars. less

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