The Trellis and the Vine

by Colin Marshall

It begins as someone is instrumental in bringing someone else to new birth. It is long term and loving. It includes passing on knowledge, wisdom and practical instruction. It involves modelling and imitation. It forms not only beliefs and abilities, but also character and lifestyle. This is a very useful metaphor to keep in our minds as we think about training. Training is parenting. It’s loving someone enough to want to see him or her grow and flourish, and being prepared to put in the long-term, faithful work that will (in God’s mercy) see that happen. The relational nature of training means that the best training will often occur by osmosis rather than formal instruction. It will be caught as much as it is taught. Trainees will end up resembling their trainers, much as children turn out like their parents.