Thanks to Tim Chester for reproducing some summary statements from The Trellis and the Vine:
Ministry Mind-shifts
- From running programs to building people
- From running events to training people
- From using people to growing people
- From filling gaps to training new workers
- From solving problems to helping people make progress
- From clinging to ordained ministry to developing team leadership
- From focusing on church polity to forging ministry partnerships
- From relying on training institutions to establishing local training
- From focusing on immediate pressures to aiming for long-term expansion
- From engaging in management to engaging in ministry
- From seeking church growth to desiring gospel growth
Summary Propositions
- Our goal is to make disciples
- Churches tend towards institutionalism as sparks fly upwards
- The heart of disciple-making is prayerful teaching
- The goal of all ministry—not just one-to-one work—is to nurture disciples
- To be a disciple is to be a disciple-maker
- Disciple-makers need to be trained and equipped in conviction, character, and competence
- There is only one class of disciples, regardless of different roles or responsibilities
- The Great Commission, and its disciple-making imperative, needs to drive fresh thinking about our Sunday meetings and the place of training in congregational life
- Training almost always starts small and grows by multiplying workers
- We need to challenge and recruit the next generation of pastors, teachers, and evangelists
Steps to Making a Start
- Set the agenda on Sundays
- Work closely with your elders or parish council
- Start building a new team of co-workers
- Work out with you co-workers how disciple-making is going to grow in your context
- Run some training programs
- Keep an eye out for “people worth watching”