As we at The Vine press on toward flourishing in God's grace, our Elders share a few resources here to help us in the different areas of our shared journey. May these resources equip and encourage us to a closer walk with Jesus.

BIBLE & WORSHIP

The only way to know God is through His Word and His Spirit. Are you growing in your love for personal worship and the study of God’s Word?

  • Are you attending Sunday worship frequently?
  • Are you participating intentionally in corporate worship on Sundays?
  • Read through the Gospel of John. Ask someone to join you.
  • Join a Study Group.
  • Recommended resource:
    • Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life, by Donald S. Whitney. (LINK)

PRAYER

Kingdom-minded prayer is the secret to Christ-centered living. Are you learning to pray in a kingdom-focused way? 

  • Attend one of the Vine’s prayer gatherings.
  • Schedule time for Elder-led prayer and ask the Elders to pray for you.
  • Pray through these Psalms.  Some suggestions are Psalms 23, 29, 46, 91, 139
  • Recommended resources:
    • Improve Your Prayer Life by Archie Parrish (LINK)
    • Valley of Vision, a collection of Puritan prayers edited by Arthur Bennett. (LINK)
    • Be Thou My Vision: A Liturgy for Daily Worship by Jonathan Gibson (LINK)
    • Prayer: Experiencing Awe and Intimacy with God by Tim Keller (LINK)

GODLY IDENTITY

Jesus is better. Do you believe that Jesus is better than anything else? Are you preaching the gospel to your own heart (repent, believe, obey) and seeking to live in a Christ-centered way in every area of your life? 

  • Read Romans 8. Ask someone to join you.
  • During Communion each Sunday, ask God to remind you of your union with Christ and help you see that your identity comes from Him.
  • Ask someone to go through the Living in Grace teaching series with you. Contact Garrison Young.
  • Recommended resources:
    • Delighting in the Trinity: An Introduction to the Christian Faith by Michael Reeves. (LINK)
    • Gentle and Lowly: The Heart of Christ for Sinners and Sufferers by Dane Ortlund. (LINK) We also have copies in the Huddle Room.
    • The Heart of Jesus: How He Really Feels about You by Dane Ortlund (LINK).  This is a concise and easier-to-read adaptation of Gentle and Lowly.

HOLY SPIRIT

We want all the Holy Spirit has for us, aligned with the Bible. Are you growing in your understanding of and relationship with the Holy Spirit? 

  • Ask God to help you to practice pausing to listen for the Holy Spirit to guide you before speaking or making decisions.
  • Recommended resources:
    • The Familiar Stranger: (Re)Introducing the Holy Spirit to Those in Search of an Experiential Spirituality by Tyler Staton (LINK)
    • The Holy Spirit by Sinclair Ferguson (LINK)
    • Keep in Step with the Spirit by J. I. Packer (LINK)
    • Baptism and Fullness: The Work of the Holy Spirit by John Stott (LINK)

CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY

Christ-centered living is not done alone. Are you surrounded by others who help you apply the Gospel to your life? This includes confessing sin and idols of the heart to one another, as well as being open to give and receive grace-centered warning, encouragement, and forgiveness.

  • Attend the class Flourish: Principles of Discipleship.
  • Talk to church leadership to get help finding someone to mentor you or for you to mentor. Contact Garrison Young, Blaire Smith, or one of our pastors.
  • Sign up for a Study Group. Contact Rod Pettus or Margery Hilburn for more information.
  • Senior adults, consider attending the What’s Next group that meets at 10 AM on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of the month. Contact Diane Coker or Jon Adams.
  • Join the Property Team at 7:00 on the 1st or 3rd Tuesday of the month to fellowship while completing building and property projects. Contact Jason Davis for more information.
  • Join a Life Group. Contact Rod Pettus for more information.
  • Introduce new people to other people you know.

EVANGELISM

The Vine spreads through you. Are you growing in your desire to build relationships with people outside of a church family and to share your story of grace with them? 

  • Prayer, Care, Share: Make a list of a few people to pray for and ask God to show you how you can care for them by investing time with them.
  • Take prayer walks in your neighborhood or school and ask God to give you a heart to reach and care for your community.
  • Practice sharing your testimony aloud. Be prepared to give 10-minute and 2-minute versions as the Holy Spirit prompts you.
  • Practice explaining the gospel.
  • Go on a Short-Term Mission trip and practice sharing your faith
  • Contact Mark Pugh to receive evangelism training.
  • Recommended resource:
    • The Gospel and Personal Evangelism by Mark Dever (LINK)

GENEROSITY

Generous people realize they are generously loved. Are you growing in your ability to live with a God-centered, biblical view of the world rather than a man-centered view? Does this perspective influence how you view your vocational calling and how you spend your time and money? Are you content with what the Lord has provided for you?

  • Pray for God to give you a generous heart regarding your time, talent, and treasure.
  • Talk to someone about what causes you to not want to be generous.
  • Recommended resources:
    • The Genius of Generosity: Generous Living is Joyful Living by Chip Ingram (LINK)
    • Generous Living: Finding Contentment Through Giving by Ron Blue (LINK)
    • Generosity: Moving Toward a Life That Is Truly Life by Gordon Macdonald (LINK)

ON MISSION

Are you On Mission?  Are you growing in your understanding of how to worship by using your gifts and talents wherever, whenever, and with whomever the Holy Spirit leads you for the advancement of His kingdom? 

CHURCH

The Church is God’s primary vehicle to change the world. Are you growing in your love for the local church? Are you regularly worshiping together and serving the body using your God-given gifts?  Are you intentionally helping others connect to our church family? 

  • Ask God to change your heart for worship and a desire to serve His church.
  • Take The Vine’s gifting assessment and meet with a Discoverer to help you consider ways to serve the church.
  • Make a list of neighbors to pray for and consider inviting to church.

LOVE

Live loved. Are you asking God to give you compassion for all people and helping you grow in demonstrating love and the fruits of the Spirit toward others on a daily basis?

  • Ask God to give you compassion and a desire to grow in demonstrating love and the fruits of the Spirit (patience, kindness, not envious, not boastful, not proud or rude, not self-seeking, slow to anger, and easy to forgive).
  • Memorize Galatians 5:22-23 and 1 Corinthians 13:4-7.
  • Consider serving in an area that requires sacrifice.
  • Practice pausing to listen for the Holy Spirit to guide you before you reply to someone.
  • Notice moments when you respond without love, and ask God to show you why you did so. Consider what your heart is longing for—approval, comfort, control, or security? Repent and ask God to help you.