The Trellis and the Grape: Understanding Spiritual Practices
This chapter uses the metaphor of trellises and grapes to differentiate between spiritual practices and true spiritual growth. It emphasizes the significance of a direct connection to Jesus and highlights the role of the Holy Spirit in nurturing authentic spiritual vitality.
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Episode 010 – Don’t Mistake the Trellis for the Grape
Spiritual practices are crucial for intentional spiritual growth. They are so important that it’s easy to start thinking that they really are what matters most. But that would be a dreadful mistake. N0 matter how helpful our various spiritual practices are, we can never confuse them with what matters most. Essentially, we have to be careful not to mistake the trellis for the grape.
Show Notes
Show notes will not be a transcript. At least not now. You’ll find a few key bullet points, any scriptures references, as well as any other books or resources referenced.
We find the most important thing in a strange story in Acts. Acts 2. This portrays the quintessential “church growth” event that every church dreams of. But what caused the growth?
You can have people in a room, but that doesn’t make a church.
You can have people who like the message of Jesus and want to talk about it, but that doesn’t make a church.
You can sing Christian songs and preach Christian messages, but that doesn’t make the church, either. The thing that makes the church is the Holy Spirit. This is also the source of all of our spiritual growth.
Consider the trellis and it’s role in growing grapes.
Grape vines cannot hold themselves up when they are young. They require a trellis to help them grow in a healthy and most productive way.
Different farmers use different styles of trellises, depending on their goals.
The trellis isn’t the point of growing grapes. The point is the grape and the wine it produces.
Grape farmers need trellises, but they don’t get confused about what matters most.
All spiritual practices are trellises.
They have specific purposes to help us grow in healthy and productive ways.
BUT they are not the point of our spiritual lives.
Fighting about them is silly.
Focusing on them is useless.
They only matter if they are leading to healthy and productive growth.
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