The priority in your Church: the vine or the trellis?
The priority in your Church: the vine or the trellis?
People and the progress of the Gospel or structures and programs?
It is from this telling image that two Australians, Colin Marshall and Tony Payne, lead a disturbing and sometimes even provocative reflection, but which is always based on Scripture. Starting from the missionary mandate of Matthew 28.19-20, they demonstrate that in any local Church, all Christians are disciples called to make other disciples. This is the principle of multiplication.
Thus, “ministry” is no longer reserved for pastors and elders alone. While encouraging the presence of “recognized workers” in the Church (pastors, elders, deacons, etc.), the authors explain that when Church leaders invest a significant part of their time in the training of Christians, the latter become in turn effective workers in the “vineyard”: they can bear witness, accompany young believers, make visits, help other people to grow.
The exciting vision of this work will help each local church focus on what matters most: discipleship, formation, engaging all Christians in a “ministry of the Word” and spreading the Gospel.