The Trellis and the Vine. By Colin Marshall and Tony Payne. Kingsford, Australia: Matthias Media, 2009.

Marshall and Payne argue in Trellis and Vine that churches often function more like a trellis, but the biblical model is more like vine work. Trellis work for churches are things like programs, structures, large groups, and organizations. The real work of producing disciples is much more relational.

Marshall and Payne therefore call for a mind-shift in our approach to ministry. Instead of continuing to build a nice looking trellis, we should be devoting our time and energy into individuals, helping them discover their gifts and training them to use those gifts.

Part of this plan is for leaders to pour themselves into a small group of men who will then minister to others by identifying where they are spiritually and presenting the Gospel to them accordingly.

The foundation for their presentation is that disciples are to be disciple-makers. Real Gospel growth is not solely a concern for our specific church but a concern for kingdom growth. As disciples make disciples, the gospel will go forth and grow in many ways and in many places.