I Am A Branch (Part 1)

Coming into my new role as pastor at ACC, I've been exploring what I want my core guiding principles to be as a pastor. What central theme do I want my preaching, teaching, and interactions to take on? What work has God been doing and is he doing in me? How will we work together as a church family to make disciples?

Again, this guiding verse comes to the forefront, John 15:5: "I am the vine, you are the branches. The one who remains in me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without me." (CSB)

Within the metaphor Jesus uses here, we see a powerful illustration. The branch is reliant on the vine for life. Without the moisture and nutrients that flow from the root, the branch will die. That branch unattached is us without Christ. We must hold to a connection with Christ firstly by faith in the Savior, and secondly by continued prayer, scripture reading, and communion with God's people. Without this connection to Christ as our life giving source, life will seem as empty, fruitless and pointless as a dead branch.

My plan as your pastor is to preach the Word, to teach you to pray, and to grow in the grace of loving the fellowship that is our local church. I look forward to growing as a branch alongside you.