Our first Disciple-making Pastor laid it out for us...

Pastor Terry Writes: As I reflect on what is happening at True Vine I have discovered a foundational issue with the way we operate churches these days. As we returned from our intense training time at Keystone (South Dakota) we were greeted by an excited group of church members that were eager to learn what we had learned. We had spent around a hundred hours in training in the previous 2 weeks and it was one of the most life changing experiences we have ever experienced. Our church wanted to know what we learned. They were eager to share in our experience.

Suzette and I had a choice to make. Do we share what we can and hope it sticks or do we take a chance and challenge them to invest the needed time to experience it for themselves? I have to admit that the first option was the easy one. There was at least a year’s worth of sermon material in what I had just been through. Our return trip from Keystone was a tormented one for me. We had a decision to make and it was a foundational decision. Do we do what is easy and expedient or do we call them all to something greater that requires more of them to accomplish?

We decided to make the call. We started by meeting with the elders and their wives and explaining the fact that we are convinced we are in a movement of God unlike anything we have seen before. Life transformation is an everyday occurrence around us these days. We then told them we wanted to challenge the whole church to dedicate 2 weekends to this training. We would condense what we learned into about 35 hours of material and teach them the basics of what we learned. It was a huge risk! I was asking them to go to a location and isolate themselves during the training so they could focus on God and what He was speaking to them. This meant that our young couples would have to find childcare for two weekends. Some of our young people would have to take off work. The church would have to invest nearly all it’s money in preparing its people to move forward in one direction of disciple making and reproduction.

I gave the challenge on Easter Sunday. I asked everyone to pray and fast to discern God’s will in this matter. They all did. In the near future all of the True Vine members will attend this training and be able to get on the same foundation we lead from. We even have people that are not members that are attending with us. God honored our decision to do it right instead of easy. All came to the same decision. Difficulties were worked out. Childcare was arranged. Work schedules were cleared. Locations have been picked.

If you spend much time talking to Christians you will soon find out that most do not know how to make disciples. They have not been taught. They don’t know what to teach them or how to teach them. It appears to me that we have placed the cart of attendance before the horse of preparation. We are so focused in the modern church on getting people to attend church that we fail to make sure our people can intentionally make disciples. I am excited about the foundation that is being laid at True Vine. Our people are investing in becoming intentional disciple makers. Their values are being shaped to value disciple makers over attendees. I am convinced that God will bless our movement with abiding fruit as we put our horse of preparation before the cart of attendees. Our goal to make a disciple making movement must start with people that know how to make disciples and can teach others to do the same.

The Planter: While I am Pastor Terry's coach, He is my pastor! I'm so proud of he and Suzette and their kids. I will attend this training, I will sit at the feet of my pastor and be challenged. Please pray for us and all who engage the personal responsibility to make disciples who make disciples. The outcome will be huge! We pray for a movement of disciples making disciples that cannot be stopped!