The Apprenticeship Way with Marc Alan Schelske

Don’t Mistake the Trellis for the Grape (TAW010)

Dec 17, 2018

Exploring the essence of spiritual practices, the discussion highlights the danger of mistaking them for true growth. A fascinating story from Acts illustrates how the Holy Spirit, not just rituals, is key to forming a genuine church. Events like Pentecost reveal the transformative power of faith and community. The metaphor of trellises versus grapes emphasizes that practices are merely tools, while authentic connection to Jesus nurtures spiritual vitality. It's a refreshing reminder of what truly matters in spiritual journeys.

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ANECDOTE

Pentecost Church Growth Story

The Pentecost story in Acts chapter 2 describes a mystical event where Jesus' followers were filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke in many languages.
This led to 3,000 people joining the early church, marking a true spiritual awakening beyond human effort.

INSIGHT

Holy Spirit as Growth Catalyst

The Holy Spirit is the essential catalyst that creates and sustains spiritual growth and community.
Having people, messages, or songs alone doesn’t make the church; the Spirit’s presence does.

INSIGHT

Trellis vs. Grapes Analogy

Spiritual practices are like trellises that support healthy growth but are not the life itself.
The goal is to bear fruit, not to worship the structure that supports growth.

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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.

Other Links
- I am scheduling speaking engagements through 2019. Whether it’s to help your people find motivation and encouragement for practical spiritual growth or to bring the message of The Wisdom of Your Heart, I’d love to join you. Get the conversation started here.

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