The Vine and the Branches

The Vine and the Branches 

To view the Leader Guide for this week, click here.

To view a .docx version of this guide, click here.

Introduction 

Last week, we talked about how Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and we can accept the invitation to follow Jesus to make a difference in our world. 

During the “Apply” section last week, everyone was encouraged to write down specific action steps they would work on throughout the week. Take some time to discuss how that went with the group. 

This week we will be discussing Jesus’ teaching on the vine and the branches. 

First, begin your meeting in prayer for God’s blessing over this time with your group. 

Connect  

  • What’s one habit you’ve picked up (recently or not) that has made your life better?  
    • Why has this been so impactful? 
  • What’s one thing you’ve learned as you’ve grown up that’s changed the way you treat others for the better?  

Opening Thought 

It can be easy to move through life on autopilot, but there’s something different about living with intention. When we pay attention to what shapes us, who influences us, and how we treat the people around us, we start to notice what kind of impact we’re actually making on those around us. This week, we’re going to talk about how Jesus invites us to stay connected to him as the foundation for what shapes us and our lives. 

This leads us to our main idea for this week:  

Main idea for the week

We can remain rooted in Jesus, to produce “good fruit” in the world. 

Here’s where we are this week

At this point in the story, Jesus and his disciples are in what is referred to as “the upper room” and they are in the middle of celebrating the Passover dinner together. Jesus has just washed his disciples’ feet, predicted Judas Iscariot will betray him, tells Peter that he will deny Jesus three times before the morning of the next day. This is one of Jesus’ final times we read that Jesus is alone with his disciples and he uses this time to prepare them and teach them what they need to know after Jesus is no longer physically with them. The story today comes right after Jesus has told his disciples to follow him because he is the way the truth and life.  

Unpack 

Read each set of verses out loud as a group, making observations as you go. Afterward discuss each of the connected questions before moving to the next set of verses: 

Read  

John 15:1-17 

Unpack 

Jesus, in the verses we just read, explained to his disciples that God has been “pruning” them as a vinedresser prunes his grapevine so that it can produce the best crop possible.  

  • What do you think Jesus is trying to communicate to the disciples with this analogy?  
    • What do you think that looks like in a person’s life? 
    • If you feel comfortable sharing, when is a time you feel like you were going through a season of being pruned by God?  
      • How do you feel like you have grown because of that process? 
      • How do you think this process has helped you better produce “good fruit”, as Jesus put it? 
  • What do you think Jesus meant when he said to remain in him? 
    • How should Jesus’ teaching shape your spiritual practices and priorities in your life? 
      • What would this look like in someone’s everyday life? 
  • What do you think it practically means to love someone?  
    • How does Jesus’ command to love one another challenge or affirm this? 
    • What do you think it could mean to “lay down one’s life for one’s friends” in your context? 
      • When have you seen or experienced this being lived out? 
  • How do Jesus’ words in this chapter challenge your understanding and experience of Christian love throughout your life? 
    • How have you seen others who claim Christ misrepresent this? 
      • How could accurately representing God’s love to those around you change the world’s perspective of who Jesus is? 
  • How does this chapter expand your understanding of the cost of teaching others how to follow Jesus well? 

Apply 

Based on the verses we just read, there are some things that we can do in response. Take a moment to discuss these questions as a group to decide what your personal action steps for the week can be: 

  • How will you pay attention to the ways that God is trying to shape you to how he wants you to be this week?  
    • How will you try to be open and lean into this process when you recognize it happening in your life? 
  • What is one step you will take to “remain” in Jesus this week?  
    • If you are currently doing this in your life already, what is one more step you will take to do this? 
  • How will you try to intentionally show and represent God’s love to those around you in your everyday life? 
  • How will we as a group lovingly hold each other accountable to work on these action steps over the course of the next week? 

Closing 

Read the first section to your group, then read the verse out loud to the group, and finally, move to the Prayer and Verses section: 

Living with intention means paying attention—not just to what we’re doing, but to who we’re becoming in the process. When we stay connected to Jesus, the way we show up in the world starts to shift. Our priorities change, the way we think and live shifts, our relationships deepen, and our impact becomes more lasting. As you step into the week ahead, make sure you are intentionally staying rooted in Jesus so we can produce good fruit and love those around us in the world.  

Prayer and Verses 

Ask for prayer requests and conclude your time with prayer then share the Key Verse for the Week and Daily Devotional Verses with the group. 

Thematic Reflection Verse for the Week  

*Read this verse, then encourage the practice of memorization through the week. 

1 John 2:6 

“Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did.” 

**When practiced consistently, memorizing Bible verses can be an important spiritual practice that centers your mind around the truth that God has given us. 

Daily Devotional Verses  

Use the S.O.A.P. method to reflect on the verses below. 

Scripture: Read the verses several times. Reading out loud can be helpful as well. 
Observation: What can you see about the scripture you read? 
Application: What is God wanting you to believe, do, or feel, based on what you have read? 
Prayer: This is a chance to talk to God about what you have read and ask him for help in living out what you’ve learned. 

Day 1: John 8:12 

Day 2: 1 John 4:7 

Day 3: Romans 12:9 

Day 4: Galatians 5:22-23 

Day 5: 1 Chronicles 16:34 

Day 6: John 13:35 

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PAUL & HOLLY ZWIERZYNSKI

  • Translating the Bible Support
  • North Carolina

Paul and Holly Zwierzynski serve at the JAARS Center in Waxhaw, North Carolina, where they support Bible translation efforts around the world. Paul specializes in solar power and computer networking. He helps missionaries use low-power computers in remote areas and sets up reliable internet connections using tools like satellite and radio links. His work has supported over 180 field sites, allowing translation teams to collaborate across long distances. Holly works in the translation office as a project assistant. She helps develop Old Testament translation guides and reference materials used by Bible translators worldwide. Before moving to North Carolina, Paul and Holly served in Cameroon, where their passion for this work first began.

JERRY & BETH TUCKER

  • Caring for Christian Workers
  • Southern California

Jerry and Beth help prepare new missionaries for the field by leading orientation, providing training, building teams, and offering mentorship during the first year of overseas service. They serve with Wycliffe, a Bible translation organization, and bring years of experience to this important work. Their work began in 1995 in the Philippines, where they served as dorm parents and teachers. Both Jerry and Beth grew up at Journey of Faith, and the church has been supporting their ministry for 30 years. They remain committed to serving for many years to come.

TOM SHECK

  • Youth Development
  • South Bay

 Tom serves as the South Bay Director for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. His goal is to see lives changed through the influence of athletes and coaches on middle school and high school campuses. FCA focuses on values like integrity, serving, teamwork, and excellence. The ministry equips students and coaches to grow in their faith and lead others by starting small group gatherings on campus, known as “Huddles.” These groups become places of encouragement, leadership, and spiritual growth within the school community.

CODY & LEXI SCRIVENS

  • Meeting Community and Church Needs
  • Dublin, Ireland

 Cody and Lexie are serving in Ireland, partnering with a local church to build relationships and share the message of Jesus. Their work takes place in a culture shaped by both deep religious tradition and growing secularism. Navigating this tension is challenging, especially in light of Ireland’s complex religious history, but they remain committed to reaching people who often feel distant from faith.

BRYAN & JACINDA MARTIN

  • Meeting Community Needs
  • Philippines

 The Martin family is planting churches in the Philippines through World Team. One of the key ways they serve is by caring for creation. They work with vulnerable communities that are struggling as natural resources become scarce. By teaching sustainable practices for managing the environment, they help meet practical needs while also creating space to share about God’s design for humanity and introduce people to the Creator.

BARBARA LEE

  • Caring for Christian Workers
  • San Diego, CA

Barbara supports missionary families by helping their children access quality education and navigate the many transitions that come with cross-cultural life. She currently leads the Indonesia MK (Missionary Kid) Care and Education Team, providing guidance, resources, and support for families across the region. In late 2025, she will join the U.S.-based MK Care and Education Team, where she will train new missionaries, equip education consultants, offer academic testing, and provide personalized educational help for families preparing to serve.

K & L

  • Starting New Churches
  • Southeast Asia

L and K are working to start churches among ten large, unreached, and unengaged people groups in Southeast Asia. They also lead a growing team that has expanded from 11 to 22 units since the pandemic, increasing their reach and impact in the region.

TIM & ERICKA HARRIS

  • Caring for Christian Workers
  • Oregon

 Tim and Ericka Harris understand the preparation, training, and lifelong commitment it takes to serve in missions. Their work has included cross-cultural ministry throughout Latin America, including eight years living and serving in Costa Rica with their family. Out of a desire to support those serving in demanding ministry roles, they provide pastoral care to missionaries, pastors, and ministry leaders around the world. Through their R.E.S.T. initiative—Retreat, Encouragement, Safety, and Transformation—they offer spaces for leaders on every major continent to step away, recharge, and return to their work with renewed strength and clarity.

MARK & BRENDA HALL

  • Starting New Churches
  • Guadalajara, Mexico

Mark and Brenda Hall moved to Guadalajara, Mexico, in 2018, where Mark now serves as a teaching pastor at English Fellowship. The church brings together people from different cultures, backgrounds, and denominations, serving both international residents and Mexican nationals living in the city for work. Although their focus is now in Mexico, they remain connected to their previous work in Guatemala, where they spent 18 years investing in the lives of young people. Their move to Guadalajara opens new doors to build relationships, support the local community, and share the message of Jesus in meaningful and relevant ways.

RICH FRAZER

  • Developing Indigenous Pastors
  • Nepal and North India

The Fraziers serve with an organization called SOS, which stands for Spiritual Overseers Service International. Rick serves as the president and helps lead the organization’s three core objectives. The first is evangelism, which focuses on spreading the message of Jesus. The second is discipleship, aimed at strengthening the global Church. And the third is compassion, which means meeting the physical and spiritual needs of fellow believers. The Fraziers train Christian leaders and partner with Tabernacle Ministries in Nepal and North India. Through this work, SOS is mentoring more than 100 leaders who are reaching urban migrants with God’s love.

MARK & LISA DENEUI

  • Developing Indigenous Pastors
  • France

 Mark is a Bible teacher focused on the New Testament who trains church leaders and church planters in French-speaking Europe. Lisa teaches English as a Foreign Language and French, using her skills to build relationships and serve the local community while sharing her faith. Together, Mark and Lisa serve with a network of church plants in the city of Strasbourg. They are committed to making Christ’s love known by partnering with the local French church to love their neighbors, share the gospel, and disciple new believers.

D & J

  • Meeting Community Needs
  • Southeast Asia

D and J are building relationships with an unreached people group in Southeast Asia. Their hope is to see a new community of believers grow through intentional disciple-making and personal connection.

JOSEPH BRADFORD IV

  • Meeting Community Needs
  • Los Angeles, CA

Joseph launched his nonprofit, B.A.R.E. Truth, Inc., in 2018 to serve individuals and families in Los Angeles facing homelessness, food insecurity, and other critical needs. Through mentorship, independent living support, housing assistance, and wellness services, Joseph and his team help people move toward healthier, purpose-filled lives. They also host weekly feeding events on Skid Row in downtown Los Angeles. B.A.R.E. stands for Balance, Ambition, Respect, and Encouragement.

BILL ANKERBERG

  • Developing Indigenous Pastors
  • Estonia

Bill leads a missions movement in the Nordic-Baltic region, focusing especially on Estonia, where fewer than 2% of people identify as Christian. His work includes supporting church planters, developing local leaders, strengthening compassion ministries, and mentoring pastors and missionaries across both the Baltics and Scandinavia. This ministry began in 2008 and continues to grow in reach and impact.

PAT & BETH ANDREWS

  • Bible Translation
  • Arlington, TX

 Pat serves with Seed Company, a subsidiary of Wycliffe Bible Translators, as Director of Field Projects for the Pacific Region and as a Translation Consultant. He helps oversee translation work in more than 60 languages, coordinating efforts across 11 organizations and 28 internships. Many of Pat’s teams are based in remote island communities, which often presents communication and travel challenges. Even so, Pat makes it a priority to visit his project teams and interns each year.

DENNIS & DENISE AHERN

  • Caring for Christian Workers
  • Washington State

Since 1992, the Aherns have provided counseling and care to missionaries in more than forty countries. They have a deep understanding of the unique needs, challenges, and opportunities that come with full-time ministry. Their commitment to supporting ministry workers led them to open a retreat center in Washington state called Selah Glen, where they host and lead pastoral care retreats. Through this work, the Aherns are able to care for those who spend their lives caring for others.

MIGUEL & MARIA ADAME

  • Church Planting
  • Baja Mexico

Pastor Miguel leads a growing church in Mexicali, Mexico, where he and his family have been serving the community since 2013. Their church runs weekly Bible studies, monthly outreach events, and provides a steady, welcoming presence in the neighborhood. In 2024, they opened a free private Christian elementary school that supports students with special needs or who are considered at-risk. Journey of Faith has partnered with this ministry through more than a dozen short-term mission trips.

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