Something came to me the other night as I was thinking about some of the churches we’ve worked with over the years. It comes from a familiar passage of Scripture.
He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.
(John 15:2)
Notice that both the fruitful and the unfruitful branches face the pruning shears. Of course we expect Jesus to remove things that aren’t fruitful. But notice that even with the fruitful branches He is actively pruning things away.
I consider Andy Stanley one of my mentors, even though we’ve never met. I read and listen to as much of his stuff – as I can get my hands on, especially his leadership materials. One of his communication mantras is “Teach Less for More.” This verse shows a different application of the same principle. I would call it Jesus’ “Do Less to Achieve More” principle. Jesus doesn’t add things to the branch. He actually removes things from it! But His express purpose in doing so is that it would be able to produce more fruit. I know this is counterintuitive; but the implications for churches are huge!
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Something came to me the other night as I was thinking about some of the churches we’ve worked with over the years. It comes from a familiar passage of Scripture.
He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.
(John 15:2)
Notice that both the fruitful and the unfruitful branches face the pruning shears. Of course we expect Jesus to remove things that aren’t fruitful. But notice that even with the fruitful branches He is actively pruning things away.
I consider Andy Stanley one of my mentors, even though we’ve never met. I read and listen to as much of his stuff – as I can get my hands on, especially his leadership materials. One of his communication mantras is “Teach Less for More.” This verse shows a different application of the same principle. I would call it Jesus’ “Do Less to Achieve More” principle. Jesus doesn’t add things to the branch. He actually removes things from it! But His express purpose in doing so is that it would be able to produce more fruit. I know this is counterintuitive; but the implications for churches are huge!
In most churches leaders are quick to add new things. They reason that if they do more they will attract more people. But the Do Less to Achieve More principle says the exact opposite. If you want to reach more people, you need to do less.
I’m not just talking about killing things off for sake of killing them. I’m instead referring to strategic pruning of programs, projects and maybe even people that may be siphoning energy, momentum, resources and volunteers from the things that really matter. If a program/event is not leading you toward the fulfillment of the vision, it’s a waste of precious resources.
Leaders can’t afford to be tentative with the shears. We have to be willing to make hard decisions, knowing that it will make us unpopular for a season. People expect changes in business, but not in churches. Programs and events have such emotional ties that people believe they are sacred. But in the long run, our churches will be healthier and situated to produce much more fruit if we’ll do what needs to be done.
What “fruitful branches” in your church could use some pruning? Are you willing to make the hard call?
After resigning from his Associate Pastor position in a mega-church in the north Dallas, TX area, Jon and Robin moved their family to Germany in October 2001. There they focused on empowering European church leaders through mentoring and coaching, as well as teaching in seminars, conferences, roundtables and Bible Schools. They also planted a number of churches and youth groups throughout central Europe.
After planting and pastoring a “church for those who don’t do church” in Freiburg, Germany, they returned to the Texas Hill Country in August 2014 to help U.S. churches prepare for the coming Post-Christian cultural shift. Jon’s book, The Coming Post-Christian Tsunami is available in print and Kindle formats from Amazon.com.
Although they reside in the Texas Hill Country, they continue to equip Christian leaders throughout Europe and North America.
Jon and Robin have been married since 1993 and have three children: Ryan, Ashton and Emma.