This is the time of year when we redouble our prayer efforts for all the ministries that are re-starting for the new school year.  The Sunday evening prayer service was dedicated to discipleship opportunities for our children and youth – for the parents, Sunday school, youth groups, and other special occasions.   Tuesday morning prayer centered on a list of the start dates for some twenty-five events, trainings, retreats, conferences, and classes this fall.

The Executive Committee of the Consistory also used the ministry schedule, but focused beyond the events themselves.  We used a summary list of “mind-shifts” suggested by the excellent book The Trellis and the Vine, by Colin Marshal and Tony Payne.   Their premise is that a church needs enough administrative trellis to support all its members as vine-workers – disciple-making disciples of Jesus Christ.  But as churches age, it is easy to concentrate more on the programs (a bigger trellis) than on strengthening the vine-workers.

The ExComm list contains reminders of the importance of a discipleship mentality, and potential trellis problems to counteract:

-Running programs/events  or building/training people

-Filling gaps or training new workers

-Solving problems or helping people make progress

-Clinging to ordained ministry or developing team leadership

-Focusing on church polity or forging ministry partnerships

-Focusing on immediate pressures or aiming for long-term expansion

-Engaging in management or engaging in ministry

-Seeking church growth or desiring gospel growth

As we prayed, it was encouraging to see the number of trainings and classes with an emphasis on biblical foundations.  And it was a delight on Sunday night to see “Discipleship Opportunities” in the title in praying for the youth.