New Church Plant in Huber Heights, Ohio

We are thankful Bible-Way Missionary Baptist Church is planting a church in Huber Heights, Ohio. Bro. Pittman became pastor of Bible-Way Missionary Baptist in March of 2011. Bro. Pittman had previously served as a missionary in Mexico for ten years and served in the Spanish ministry of Bible-Way for three years. When Pastor Terry Zeller was called home to be with the Lord the church extended a call Bro. Pittman to become pastor. We are thankful for Bro. Pittman and his wife Wendyand their faithfulness. Here are a few thoughts from Bro. Pittman on church planting:   

  "Let's face it… age is our enemy!  Since the fall of man in the garden, time has been playing havoc on our world.  Every living thing ages and eventually dies.  This includes the Lord’s churches.  We are often shocked by an evangelist or pastor quoting statistics about how many churches close their doors every year in America.  Why should we be surprised?  This is a natural process.  Things have been this way since Adam and Eve were driven from the paradise they started out in.  Some churches publish their age with pride as if being the longest running church is some feat worthy of praise.  It is indeed an accomplishment worthy of recognition just as it is with a person.  We celebrate the birthdays of our eldest citizens with glee but the fact is that most of them are by now weak and fragile, just like old churches.  It’s nothing we should be personally ashamed of; it is the law of the curse.  Just as elderly people are not as productive as they once were, typically, elderly churches are the same.  The secret to revival in America is vibrant youthful churches!  That is what has motivated Bible-Way Missionary Baptist Church to reproduce herself.  I am not trying to be disrespectful to older people or older churches.  I am just stating a fact.  One day Bible-Way will undoubtedly close her doors if the Lord tarries His return.  In his book Multiplying Model, Bro. James Beller defines the “absolute death” of a church like this:  “When a church dies and has not reproduced itself in the planting of new churches…”  I do not want our church to suffer this fate.  Think about it; all of the churches mentioned in the New Testament are now dead.  They still live in a sense through the “great, great, grandchildren” of the many churches that they established during their life span.  In our day we have left the Bible model of churches reproducing churches.  Many churches now have the goal of longevity and enormous size.  I theorize that subconsciously they feel that they can cheat the law of the curse by sheer determination,  power and talented leadership.  They will fail, however, as the hundreds of churches before them have.  The key to reaching our country and the world is in planting new churches.  Just as our youth and middle aged citizens carry the majority of the work load in our society, the young and middle aged churches will see more revival and work accomplished in reaching the lost.  The Lord’s churches MUST start reproducing again!   The Word of God and Church History teaches us these facts.  Why should we ignore them?

In March of 2013, Bible-Way voted to begin her first church plant.  We prayed about the details and then chose Huber Heights, Ohio as our first work.  It has surely not been easy just as it is not easy for humans to birth children.  There is a lot pain and expense involved.  We have enjoyed successes and joys and have suffered disappointment and hurt.  However, I believe that overall this has been a positive and educational experience for this 34 year old church!  I look forward to the day when the mission in Huber Heights becomes a church.  It will no doubt be much like a father and mother watching their daughter get married and start a family of their own.  The natural process of reproducing and raising children is a perfect analogy for what the Lord’s churches should be doing.

As for advice for churches wishing to plant a new work; I would recommend that you prepare yourself for difficulties and disappointments.  They do not mean that you are doing things wrong.  They are natural and often the frantic attempts of our adversary to discourage us to the point of failure.  Rely on God and His word.  One of my theme verses for ministry is Psalms 127:1   “Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it:…”  I believe that the only path to true success is to do things God’s way; The Bible Way!"

School Time

Well, it is that time of year once again.  Large yellow busses are found driving down the roads early in the morning.  Walmart is especially busy selling oversized erasers, cheap notebooks, and Angry Bird backpacks.  Little Debby stock is up 13%.  It's school time!

Children are going to bed before 10 for the first time in three months.  Parents are packing lunches at 11 p.m..  Books are being covered, the smell of freshly sharpened pencils fills the air, and the new clothes still have that new clothes look to them.  It's school time!

Teachers have their lesson plans prepared for the next two weeks for the only time of the year.  Grade books have been set up.  Buildings are as clean as they will be for nine months.  It's school time!

Homeschool parents have that zeal to get through it all and be up and at 'em first thing in the morning...at least for a few weeks.  Children are asking if they can stay in their pajamas all day.  Abeka is making a killing on these DVD classes.  It's school time!

A study on education is not my purpose in writing this, but a greatly suggested task should one desire to do so.  It is interesting on how our philosophies have changed over the years when it comes to education.  All that matters is this: "What is Biblical?"

Should a Christian send their children to  the public school system teaching them to be "salt" to the world.  Allowing them opportunity to share the love of Christ to a lost world and producing an atmosphere where their light will shine the greatest?

Should a Christian send their children to a Christian school where they will be taught the Word of God and education based upon a Christian perspective with peers that are supposed to all be sold out and growing in the Lord?

Should a Christian educate their child at home where they will be protected from outside distractions, temptations, and the always present rebels that are out there while being taught the Word of God and an education based upon the Word of God?

We could debate these three questions for a long time.  I personally know good men and families who hold strong to one of these three options?  So, which is right?  Rather, which is Biblical?

There is no doubt Matthew 5:16 says, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."  

There is no doubt that part of the church's great commission is  "Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you." (Matt. 28:20).  We know that Paul sat under the feet of Gamaliel (Acts 22:3). 

There is no doubt that it is the parent's responsibility to teach their children.  (Prov. 22:6, Deut. 6:7; 2 Tim. 1:5 & 3:15).  

So where does this leave us?  As I said, respectable people hold different preferences in the matter...and here is mine.

1. I cannot send my children to a public school based upon a Biblical mandate.  Psalm 1 reads that a man is blessed when he "walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful."  There are few places that better describe this warning more than our public school system.  The public school system by and large gives counsel (teaches) under the authority of whom God would say are "ungodly."  The greater part of peers in the public school would be considered "the way of sinners".  Few places on this earth scorn the things of God more than the public school system.  By choosing to not send my children to a public school, I am honoring my belief in the Word of God, but I am not taking my children out of the world.  They still live in this world and can and should be a light and salt to this world.  I seek God's blessings for my children and therefore cannot send them to a public school based upon Psalm 1.

2. I do believe the church is to teach all things whatsoever God has commanded us.  I also believe a church can and should do this through regular meetings as a church body (services).  I also believe that a church is a proper setting and can be used to educate children in other aspects based upon the Word of God. 

3. I do believe it is the families mandate to educate their children.  The responsibility and one held accountable for the educating of the children will be their parents.  They should assume that responsibility and see to it that is done properly.

Having said thus, I do not believe it wrong for a family to use a church school as a means to educate their children.  The parent maintains the responsibility, and oversees that is done properly through the church school.  The church is the pillar and ground of truth, and we desire our children be educated in the truth.  I believe home schooling is a tremendous way to educate the child, but one must not segregate from the church in doing so.  Most people I am close to understand this, but one does not have to search long before one sees that many homeschooling organizations promote family above the church and eventually see church as a non-necessity.  This is wrong!  God has ordained the church as the pillar and ground of truth.

I have been ridiculed for having a church school in the past and my wife and I choosing to educate our children at home some years.  Because of fundamentalism, you have to "support your church school!  To send your kids anywhere else is disloyalty!"  How we have put the cart before the horse!  I love my church and our school and some years have chosen to homeschool our children.  They were still part of our church school certain days and we saw our church as our accountability.  Some assumed that since my children did not attend our academy one year that there was a bad problem with our church school.  In no way was this the issue.  If I thought a problem was in our school that would keep me from sending my children there, should not I as the pastor of the church correct the problem or shut it down?  Of course!  The problem is that we are "too fundamental" and only see it as disloyalty or distrust.  Even some as they read this can't imagine doing such a thing or it just makes them some what angry at the thought.  Why?  Because it is a feeling and philosophy based upon your flesh.

Some parents have the liberty and ability to educate their children at home. Fact is, some parents do not have that opportunity based upon finances, ability, and different situations.  So what are these parents to do?  Answer: be sure their child receives an education that is Biblically based.  This is Biblical.

Bottom line, it's school time and we as parents should see to it that our children are educated in a Christ like manner.  This means, they should be protected from the ungodly, scornful, and way of sinners.  This means they should see and understand the importance of the Word of God and the church as the pillar and ground of Truth.  This means that parents can educate at home or a Biblical church school.  Just be sure they are educated.  

Education cannot become an idol in our life, but nor can it be ignored with the "Bless God, they love Jesus and God will use 'em.  They don't need no fancy education."  God can use anyone, but the Lord said to do all we do "with all of our might."  It is right as a Christian to do our best at whatever we do.  To know to do right and not do it is SIN.  We should desire our children to receive a solid education and for them to do their best so they are usable of the Lord in whatever field He calls them to.  


As my Daddy used to always say, "God can use a sharp axe easier than He can a dull one."  It's school time, let's do this Biblically!

WHY ARE WE HERE?

As we began the mission in Elmwood we were aware of the many needs of the people of Elmwood.  Now that we have been there for a year they are no longer the people of Elmwood they are Jim, John, Charlie, Calvin, Bob, Thomas, Jerry, Dwayne, Travis, Bob, Ronnie, Wade, Vickie, Sharon, Marlin, Laura, Sarah, Alexis, Melissa, Karen, and the list of names goes on. Now that we know the people of Elmwood personally the needs are now personal as well. Alcohol, heroine, crack, prostitution, poverty, mental disorders, broken hearted and the list goes on as well. 

It would be easy to see their outward needs only, lose track of why we are really there, and many well meaning people and organizations have done this. They went into inner cities preaching the message of the gospel, planting churches and some where along the way have gotten sidetracked by good deeds and good intentions. As we meet the people personally and see their individual needs it is very easy to forget why we are there. Yes, we will help with physical needs as funds permit and as God leads. (I wonder if the prodigal son would have had a well-meaning church down the street to meet his needs if he would have ever come to himself and went home to the father?)

As a mission we need to be on guard and keep our focus on why we are there. Our message and our methods must stay the same. Robert Sargent in his book on the Life of Paul makes the following statement. "It has been stated incorrectly that mission methods change but the message remains the same.  The methods also remain the same. We may use modern technology to increase the speed of travel and communication, but the methods-evangelism and establishing churches-must not change. They cannot be improved upon and in no way correcting."

As we look into Acts 1:1-8 we see the Lord address the first church before He was to ascend back to heaven "1. The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, 2. Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen: 3. To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God: 4. And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. 5. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. 6. When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? 7. And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. 8.But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth." 

We see in verses 6 and 7 the disciples began asking questions about future events and in verse 8 the Lord brings them back to what we call the great commission. We have a commission and a command to go into the utter most part of the earth and be witnesses.

Verse 8 gives us our message, “unto me.”  Though there is nothing wrong with feeding the poor, helping the mentally ill, getting help for the drug addict that is not what we are commissioned and commanded to do.  Our commission and our command are to preach Christ and Him crucified. We are told by the apostle Paul in Romans 1:16 that the gospel of Christ:  “…it is the power of God unto salvation…”   Then over in 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 Paul goes on to tell us what the gospel is “…how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:”

Verse 8 also gives us our method, “Ye shall be witnesses.”  Webster’s 1828 dictionary gives some of the following definitions for the word witness, 1. Testimony; attestation of a fact or an event. 2. That which furnishes evidence or proof. 3. A person who knows or sees any thing. Our message is Christ; our method is people telling people what they know to be true.

We see our message is Christ, our method is personal soul winning and our might comes not from within but from the Holy Ghost.   “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you:” (the promise of the Father found in John 14:16). Acts chapter two records the results of them waiting for the power of the Holy Ghost. We have the same Holy Spirit dwelling within us that came and filled them on the day of Pentecost. May we as church planters not become distracted by the social gospel mentality but may we keep our focus on the message, the method and realize the might is not of us but through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Mechanical or Personal?

If there is one thing I have learned these past two years, it is how little I knew about having a real, personal, intimate walk with God.  Now, I am sure there are some that raise an eyebrow at that statement, but what I have learned is that God loves us so much and His entire purpose in creating us was to have a fellowship with us.  Please don't get me wrong, I have read my Bible consistently since I was a teen ager.  I have heard the Lord speak to me, guide me, and rebuke me.  I know the Spirit of God convicted me to be saved, told me I was to preach God's Word, led me to the college I attended, and revealed to me who I was to marry.  I have been led of the Lord as to what to preach from week to week, who to speak to in witnessing, and so much more.  God wasn't (and will never) miss a beat.  The issue, I learned, was not with God, but with me.  I was a "doer."  I still am.  I every day write out a list of things I want to "do" today.  I will stay up all night many times if need be to finish my "do" list.  I have gotten aggravated when life prevents me from finishing my "do" list.
Now, I have never written down on a "do" list to read my Bible, but the spirit of a "do" list many times was in my Bible reading.  What a shame.  I am now convinced, that I am not alone.  I believe our Independent Fundamental Baptist Churches are filled with "Doers."  I believe we are growing cold because of doer mentality.  Our pastors are burning out, our people are dropping out, and our ministries are fading out because of this doer mentality.
I heard a preacher a few months ago and was further convinced of our error as he shouted in a braggadocios manner "You got to win em, wet em, and work em to the bone!"
No, not really preacher man.  Yet, this is the mentality of many churches today.  Pastors see themselves as ministry administrators and the church as their employees to do God's work.  No, not really preacher man.
I am of the opinion now that this is what the church at Ephesus in Revelation 2 was struggling with.  Consider this:

I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:

And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.

The Lord knew they were workers.  The church at Ephesus labored for the Lord.  They took a strong stand against sin and had high standards.  They could discern between a false preacher and a real preacher.  They were a strong, Independent church.  YET.....

Nevertheless I have [somewhat] against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.

I have heard sermons on this verse, as you have, that they lost their love for souls!  Well, yes, but that is not what this verse is referring to, in my opinion.   They had left their first love. That first love....stop and think about it.  To what is John, through the Holy Spirit, referring to?
Now if anyone knew what this love was all about, it would be John, the disciple whom Jesus loved.  John spoke much of love.  Just in his epistle of 1 John, the word love is mentioned 33 times.

1 John 4:8 "He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love."

 We didn't know what love was, until we learned who God is.  We learned through the Scriptures the amazing love God has for us in sending His Son to die for us.  We learned John 3:16, Rom. 5:8, and were convicted of our sin and saved.

1 John 4:9 "In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him."

After being saved and realizing the love of God, we learned of that new and great commandment:

1 John 4:11 "Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another."

What a difference God's love made in our lives.  We had real love in our hearts and wanted to share it with others.  We were in love with the God who created love.  We realized His love, it changed our lives, and we desired to share that love with others.   Every believer shares this testimony. 

So, what happens?  We cease living our lives based upon the love of God, and begin living our lives based upon works.  The Devil has always attempted to turn eyes away from God's love and grace to works and self duty.  Thousands live in deception today, lost, counting on their works to save them.  Thousands of believers live in deception today, miserable and beaten down counting on their works to give them that joy and peace God has promised.  When that joy and peace are no longer there like it was when they first got saved, that's when the devil attacks those "whom he may devour."

His lies begin, "God doesn't love you."  "You really didn't get saved."  "All the church wants is your _________."  "You must be missing it all, because you are not like those other people."  "God has distanced himself from you."

The "Doer" pastor assists in the destruction of these saints in preaching "If you've lost your joy in serving Jesus, something is wrong with you."  "If you don't have joy and peace, you don't know God." "If you don't have two ministries, you don't love souls."

You get the point...and you see it happening.  Those people in those shoes either "get saved" three or four times trying to replenish that joy, get burnt out and bitter and drop out of church, or neglect their home and in anger push their family through a church life.  It's sad.

Problem is not that we never had God's love, or that we lost God's love, but as the Scriptures read, "we left God's love."  We went from a real, personal, intimate relationship to a mechanical, impersonal, duty driven relationship.  Yes...we then lose our love for souls.  As a preacher friend of mine, Dr. Terry Coomer, has written,

 "I will  never be motivated to care about another person and share the love of Christ with them when I don't care about God's love."

Stop Doing, and start living in the love of God.  We will look at how this is possible in the next posts.  For now, meditate and ask yourself if you are living and serving based upon and motivated by God's love or duty?

1 John 4:19  We love him, because He first loved us. 

4 Categories of People

Since we have started Hope Baptist Mission last April we have talked to many people.  Every door in Elmwood has been knocked on at least four times. We have spent many hours walking up and down the streets catching people out on their porches or just sitting around.  The people by in large have been nice. There are all types of people in Elmwood. There are Blacks, Whites, Mexicans, Bi Racial, Homeless, drunks, prostitutes, heroin addicts, crack addicts, people who work hard, those who have heard the gospel, those who have not heard the gospel, saved and live godly lives, those who try to live right, etc.

Though there are many types of people they seem to fall into 4 categories.

The first category is people who are unprepared for the gospel; we see an example of them in Acts 17 where Paul preached to the people on Mars Hill. When Paul preached to them he did not start with the gospel but instead he started by introducing God the creator. Acts 17:24 “God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;” Just as the people in Athens had to have their hearts prepared we now see a generation in America that knows not God and must have their hearts prepared. At our mission we began in Genesis 1 and taught through the life of Isaac. When teaching on the account of Cain and Abel and the importance of the blood sacrifice vs. the works of mans hands we asked the people which sacrifice God accepted. A lady who had been coming to the mission faithfully and had not known a lot about the Word of God answered the question.  (While she had been coming to the mission she had learned about God the creator, where sin came from, the penalty of sin, that God came seeking man after sin and found them clothed by the work of their hands.  He then clothed them with animal skins causing the blood to be shed.)  She answered “the blood sacrifice,” she then said again with a look of understanding “it is the blood.” Now that she knew of God the creator, what sin was and what the penalty for sin was, her heart was prepared for the gospel. That afternoon she walked forward during the invitation and believed on the Lord Jesus Christ to be her Saviour.  She is still there and is a great witness on the streets of Elmwood.

The second category is those whose hearts have been prepared yet choose to procrastinate when they hear the gospel. We liken them unto King Agrippa in Acts 26. As Paul was speaking before Festus and Agrippa, Festus leaned forward and said “Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad.” Paul answered him calmly and quickly “I am not mad, most noble Festus; but speak forth the words of truth and soberness.” Paul continued by referring to Agrippa and maybe looking for corroboration saying “For the king knoweth of these things, before whom also I speak freely: for I am persuaded that none of these things are hidden from him; for this thing was not done in a corner.” Paul then brings Agrippa to the point of decision “King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest.” and then we hear the sad words “Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.” There are many people that we meet knocking doors and that come to our mission who, like Agrippa, are almost persuaded.  But knowing that “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” II Peter 3:9.  We continue in our soul winning endeavors.

The third category is people whose hearts have been wearied.  These are people who are saved and are no longer attending church.  Sometimes because they were supposedly hurt at a church, sometimes because the cares of this life overtook them, sometimes they just became backslidden. When we see them we are reminded of King David in Psalm 51 and seek to see them have the joy of their salvation restored unto them as King David did.

The fourth category of people is those whose hearts have been deceived. This is the hardest group to minister to.  They have it set in their minds that they are going to heaven. They continue on in their addictions, prostitution, drunkenness and willful disobedience to the Word of God.  The unprepared heart can be taught, the prepared heart can be preached to, the wearied heart can be strengthened but the deceived heart is set in its sin and they are convinced that they are on their way to heaven.  They had someone come by their door from a church and asked them if they wanted to go to heaven. Of course, they said yes, they were then told to tell God (who they didn't know) that they were sorry they sinned (they didn’t know what sin was or the results of sin) and ask Him to come into their heart and take them to heaven when they die. They were then showed I John 5:13 and told that because they said that prayer no matter what happens in their lives they are saved eternally.  The deceived heart is trusting in a prayer they said and not in a Saviour who died for them.  Many times these soul-winners are well meaning people who have a love for souls and a sincere desire to see people get saved. They just do not realize that not everyone knows the God of the Bible.  There was a day in our country when every one knew about God the Creator.  There was a time when even people who were non-Christian believed the Bible to be the Word of God. Most everyone could say the Ten Commandments and knew that Jesus was God the Son who died on the cross for them and rose the third day.  We must be very careful not to make salvation a work but at the same time we must strive to make sure the sinner understands about salvation.   When Philip met the Ethiopian Eunuch and heard him reading from the prophet Isaiah, Philip asked him “Understandest thou what thou readest?  Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture and preached unto him Jesus.”  In I Corinthians 15:1,2 we see the gospel is heard and received. “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.”

A Thought On The Church

In Matthew 21, the Lord leaves Bethany and heads towards Jerusalem.  This is about a day and a half before He would go to the Garden, where He would be crucified.  There in Matthew, as He teaches near the Temple, He uses a parable (vs. 33-46).
In this parable, He uses a vineyard.  My best summary of the parable is that a man plants a vineyard, hedges it, digs a winepress in it, builds a tower, and leaves it under the responsibility of husbandmen.
When fruit should have been ready, the man sends his servants to the husbandmen to receive the fruit.  The husbandmen beats one servant, stones another, and kills another, and continues to do so as servants were sent.  Finally, the man sends his own son to the vineyard expecting the husbandmen to reverence his son.  They do not, but rather in rebellion seize him, cast him out, and finally slays him.
The Lord then asks in His teaching, "When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen?"  They all answer to the Lord, "He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons."
According to verse 45, the chief priests and Pharisees knew that Jesus was speaking of them.  God had planted His vineyard, Israel, in the promised land (Isaiah 5), and had hedged it, dug a winepress in it, built a tower and left it under the responsibility of men-Pharisees and chief priests.  These men had neglected their duties and led Israel astray, rejecting God's servants (prophets, judges, teachers) and would now see to it that the Son would be slain.  
Jesus concludes this parable with these words, "The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner, this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes?  Therefore say I unto you, the Kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof."
Of course, the Lord was referring to Himself as the Corner Stone (Eph. 2:20) and the new nation bringing forth the fruits would be His church.
The next day, late in the night, Jesus leaves the table at the "Last Supper" (John 14:31) and heads towards Gethsemane.  His first lesson He teaches to His disciples as they leave Jerusalem is "I AM the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman." (John 15:1).
I have always just seen this passage as teaching for the individual believer that he must draw his strength and nourishment from the vine (the Lord Jesus), bear fruit, abide in Him, or be "taken away" for being a branch that doesn't bear fruit.  I do not doubt the application being there, but am wondering if others have a thought on this, that the branches are the Lord's churches?
I only see a local, visible church in God's Word and this passage would teach the same.  As Christ is the Head of every body (local church), so He is the Vine of every branch (local church).
Consider:
vs. 1-Jesus says, "I AM the true vine..".  He is the source and the cornerstone of the church.  The "Father is the husbandman."  No longer does man (Pharisee, chief priest, pastor, denomination, etc) do the work of husbandman, but that duty is the Father's.
vs. 2-"Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away." The Lord's churches are to be fruit bearers.  Our first love should be souls.  The church should embrace and obey her great Commission!  Those churches that lose that love, "he taketh away;" or how Rev. 2:5 reads, "repent and do the first works: or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent."  The Father is the husbandman.  He alone decides when a candlestick is removed.  He alone decides when to "take away" that privilege. "...every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit."  The Lord's churches throughout history that have sacrificed and poured themselves out to bear fruit have all gone through purging.  What has happened under the pruning shears of God (evil emperors, inquisitions, imprisonments, beatings, and martyrdom)?  Those churches have bore more fruit!
vs. 3-"Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you."  The branches must be cleansed.  How are they cleansed and kept clean? Through the Word!  The church is to be presented a chaste virgin to the Lord Jesus (2 Cor. 11:2).  Concerning the church, (Eph. 5:26-27) "That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish."  The church is kept pure by the Word of God.  This demands separation from a carnal world, our own lusts, and a doctrinal separation.  I have often heard, "True doctrine divides!"  A more accurate statement may be "Doctrine Purifies!"
vs. 4 "Abide in me, and I in you.  As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except you abide in me."  Proper, Biblical service can only be done through the local church.  As branches cannot bear fruit by itself, no more can a church bear fruit without the working and empowering of a holy God.  A church must abide in Him.  How does a branch abide in the vine?  It just stays where the vine puts it, and does the work the vine empowers it to do.  May our churches stay faithful to where God first put us and through His power do the work He has called us to do.
vs. 5 "I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit; for without me ye can do nothing."  Oh how the Lord's churches seem to have forgotten our desperate need and only hope of Christ working through us.  When an individual and church completely yield themselves to the Lord and His Word, there will be a bringing forth of MUCH FRUIT.  We must learn that without Him, we can do nothing!
vs. 6 "If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them and cast them into the fire, and they are burned."  In looking at this verse, I see a pronoun change.  Thus far the Lord has used 1st person pronouns, but now He uses 3rd person pronouns.  It does NOT read," if a man abide in me and then not abide in me;" though that is the context we normally here it used.  The verse simply says there are some men who do not abide in Christ.  He is "AS" a branch that is withered and will be gathered together some day and cast into the fire and burned.  A clear reference to those not in Christ, unbelievers.  Some may even "look like as a branch," but having not ever been in the vine, they will be gathered one day (Great White Throne) and cast into the fire and burned (Lake of Fire).
Vs 7 "If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you."  The Lord returns to 1st person pronoun in referring to those who abide in Him.  If we as churches act as the "Pillar and ground of Truth," His word will abide in us.  We then will see  prayers answered as the early church once did.  This is not an open promise to ask and get like a Genie and a lamp; but rather, the key to churches seeing prayers answered like the church did in Acts and throughout history is not getting what you want, but wanting what He wants.
Vs 8 "Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples."  A church is glorifying God as she bears fruit-souls saved, baptized, added to the church, and discipled (Great Commission)
Vs. 9 "As the Father hath love me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love."  The Lord loved the church, and gave Himself for it (Eph. 5:25).  What love the Father has for His Son, and what love the Son has for His churches.

So, those are my thoughts and I would love to hear yours on this passage.