Low Hanging Fruit: Partnering with the Holy Spirit for Greater Ministry Impact

By John Kimball

Harvesting "low-hanging fruit" is a great analogy for the way Christians participate in the life and mission of the Savior. Author John Kimball lays the foundation of a very simple biblical theology for building redemptive relationships and understanding how ministry happens through relational pathways.

Low Hanging Fruit is extremely practial and simple to read. It's a helpful tool for anyone who would like to increase their participation in Jesus' mission of redemption. Whether you're a church-goer, a missionary, a pastor, a parachurch minister or a seminary student, this book will equip you to reach people who are the "low-hanging fruit" in your life.

• Language: English
• Publisher: John Kimball
• Release date: Mar 30, 2024
• ISBN: 9798985842319

John Kimball

John Kimball, D.Min. is the Lead Pastor of Palmwood Church in Oviedo, Florida. The church has a beautiful partnership with the YMCA of Central Florida, and ministers within the Oviedo YMCA where John serves as Chaplain. John is also the Director of Church Development for the Conservative Congregational Christian Conference (www. ccccusa.com), and is a trainer, coach and consultant with the Praxis Center for Church Development (www.praxiscenter.org). John and his wife Kathryn have ministered together for over 30 years and love living in Central Florida.

Book preview

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Endorsements

Pastor John Kimball warmly and winsomely – without guilt – draws us to be wide-awake to the ministry opportunities available to us every day, all week long. An abundance of Scripture supports his thesis that low hanging fruit is everywhere and the Holy Spirit can empower all Christians to build redemptive relationships for the great good of people as well as to the glory of God. Read this book!

Dr. Pete Alwinson, FORGE, Orlando, FL

John Kimball’s latest book Low Hanging Fruit will challenge, encourage & equip you to realize more of your God-given identity, capacity and destiny. Prayerfully process the practical teaching contained within this timely Kingdom resource & you will experience a deeper empowerment from the Holy Spirit that will enable you to effectively move outward on mission with Master Jesus.

John’s passionate & demonstrated commitment to raise up and release Gospel centered, Spirit filled, & joy fueled missionary practitioners nearly leaps off every page. Take up and read! You will be glad you did.

Foye Belyea, CEO, WarriorPriest Leadership Development Group; Co-founder, Anam Cara Life Community

If you ever thought, ‘There must be more to this Christian life than going to church,’ or that ‘Jesus’ agonizing death must bring about more than an hour in church once a week,’ then this book is for you. John Kimball describes this life of faith actually lived out intentionally with purpose. Following the Christian life described in this book requires trusting and submitting to the Holy Spirit, which is why relatively few live this way. But you can live this way trusting the Holy Spirit, and you will find that there is, indeed much more to this Christian life.

Rev. Dr. Raymond DeLaurier, North Central Regional Pastor, Conservative Congregational Christian Conference

Realism, inspiration and resource come together excellently for your equipping and mine. John Kimball's concept of low-hanging fruit is compellingly developed, with winsome prose and lots of Holy Spirit fire! John’s writing locates this kingdom-shaped invitation in the undeniable relational heartland of the Trinity. Significant bible passages and essential ideas are very helpfully explored in responding to the beauty of Jesus. My prayer is that this resources a revolution of ‘love and obedience all-day, everywhere!'

Rev. Johnny Douglas, Vicar and Team Leader, St Peter’s Church Hextable & St Paul’s Church Swanley Village England

It’s apparent that the Lord has led John Kimball to write this volume ‘for such a time as this’! Packed with readily understandable examples from the Scriptures, as you read and apply this teaching about the concept of low-hanging fruit you will be motivated toward more faithful obedience in bearing much fruit in the ‘ripe harvest’ for Jesus’ kingdom. I have been encouraged and reenergized to this end!

Rev. Dave Eisley, Pastor, Allenville Baptist Church, Allenville WI

Pastor John believes it, he teaches it, and he lives out exactly what he writes in this book. I know because I once was one of his low-hanging fruits. He came alongside me as I accepted Christ and then accepted my calling to become a missionary. He didn’t just tell me what to do, he demonstrated everything he describes, becoming a partner with the Holy Spirit leading the way. In this book, he lays out step by step how important building redemptive relationships is and makes it easy to follow and understand. I love how he uses scripture to back up scripture, then shares the Holy Spirit’s role in this process. I have also had my own low-hanging fruit and made this a part of my ministry, and you can too.

Toni McAndrew, Missionary and Teacher of The Deaf, San Salvador, El Salvador

John Kimball has written a book about low-hanging fruit that is filled with low-hanging Truth ripe for the harvesting! These Gospel truths are packaged and ready to influence your ministry, your relationships, and even to challenge your own heart. No need to spend countless hours searching it out - Kimball presents it clearly, concisely, and completely, even including the scriptural passages, so the reader does not have to stop to look them up in a separate volume. As I read, I found my own heart and mind filled with a renewed desire to pay attention for opportunities to share the truth of the gospel with the people God has already brought and will continue to bring across my path.

Rev. Susan E. Moody,Interim Pastor and Recording Secretary of the Conservative Congregational Christian Conference

"John Kimball has created an excellent publication for practical evangelism and building discipleship. It’s impossible to do it except through the work of the Holy Spirit. He guides us through His promptings to gather low hanging fruit that exists already within our daily environment. Beginning in Acts 2 John uses many scriptures as illustrations to show how to prepare ourselves within the body of the local church to live out of our identity in Christ by loving and ministering to people the way Christ did as well as many of his Disciples.

He summarizes it well himself with these words, ‘Like the early church, we must be fully devoted to apostolic teaching, to the fellowship of believers, to life-on-life intimacy with each other, and to all facets of praying. We need to learn and practice faithful obedience — it takes time, like developing a set of muscles. We need to look for ‘low hanging fruit’ as we go through our everyday lives. We can expect that the people on whom the Holy Spirit is working will often open the door to us in conversation. We need to learn how to start spiritual conversations to triage where people are with Jesus. And then we need to purpose to make the most of every opportunity the Holy Spirit gives us, acting on the authority we have as Christ’s ambassadors and relying on God to do what we cannot. We love, we speak, and we pray -- and then we leave the results up to Him.’

Dr. T. A. Powell, Online Adjunct Professor of Divinity at Liberty University, Lynchburg VA and Regent University, Virginia Beach VA

"Dr. John Kimball writes in a down to earth, understandable way. This book is deep, but is written in such a way that the average church member can understand it and glean great tools to reach low hanging fruit people in their lives to make a Kingdom Impact. Pastor Kimball takes us back to an issue that many in the church are scared to discuss on such a level as he does – The Holy Spirit.

He writes, ‘Let the Holy Spirit speak to you about the relationships you might already have where He has been working.’ Not only do Christians sitting in the pews in the U.S. need to read this book, but it needs to be placed in the hands of missionaries around the world. It can help serve as a reminder to them that the Holy Spirit is working in the hearts and lives of those around them to prepare them to hear the Gospel and respond. May this book be used in churches and on the mission field to help people identify ‘The Low Hanging Fruit’ in their lives.

Jon Rissmiller, Missionary Care Specialist, Global Outreach International, Tupelo MS

"Jesus tells us that the fields are ripe for harvest! Do you believe Him? Pastor John Kimball does, and in his book, Low Hanging Fruit, he has given the 21st Century church a primer for how to join Jesus in His mission of making more disciples. Do you want to see God use you to find, reach, and disciple those who are ready to respond to the Gospel? If so, your time would be well spent in this book. Saturated with Scripture, real-life stories of transformation, with practical wisdom gained in over 35 years of vocational ministry, John Kimball writes as a disciple of Jesus who is passionate about making more disciples. I've seen John minister up close and personal and watched him from afar. He is the real deal! This book would be great for individual or group study. I recommend it wholeheartedly and am excited to see how God uses it to advance His Kingdom here, near and far."

Brian Schulenburg, Discipleship Pastor, Wooddale Church,Eden Prairie, MN

A source of instruction and encouragement to both the young and mature believer. Written in such a way to motivate a look inside the heart and attitude for the follower of Christ who desires to make a difference and influence others.

Linda B. Vaughan, Executive Director, Emeritus, Union Mission Ministries, Norfolk VA

"‘Besides, success is not up to you, it’s up to the Holy Spirit. Take a deep breath and step out in faith.’ These words from John Kimball’s new book, Low Hanging Fruit, are just a few of the heart-gripping, life-inspection challenges given. This book brings a real, personal, and practical look at how the Church can expect ‘real-life’ to be lived out. Thank you, brother!"

Rev. Dean Walker, Pastor, Garfield Christian Fellowship, Garfield WA

LOW

HANGING FRUIT

Partnering with the Holy Spirit for Greater Ministry Impact

John Kimball

LOW HANGING FRUIT

Partnering with the Holy Spirit for Greater Ministry Impact

© 2022 John R. Kimball

ISBN: 979-8-9858423-1-9

No part of this book may be used or reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means — electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other manner — without prior written permission from the author, except in case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Scripture quotations taken from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW LIVING TRANSLATION® NLT® Copyright © 2015 by Tyndale House Publishers. Used with permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Design, Layout and Format by Kim Gardell

Published in the United States of America by The Beaumeadow Group Oviedo, Florida

Dedication

This book is dedicated to my precious congregation,

the Palmwood Church family,

who continue to bless me daily with their enthusiasm at learning and carrying

out the principles taught herein.

Acknowledgements

This book was many years in the making. What began as a conversation and then morphed into a Sunday message series, has now gained a much greater reach for Jesus’ kingdom. I’m amazed at how God brought all the pieces together – and how many people have contributed to its success in some way, or urged me in its completion.

First and foremost, I would like to thank my family – and especially my bride of 33 years, Kathryn. Kathryn has been at my side in ministry since before we were married. She is more than a companion, she is a minister in her own right and has also been a kingdom warrior on occasion. I would have very little success in any area of ministry without her. And we’re blessed that all of our kids (now adults) are living for Jesus and, in their own ways, are applying the principles laid out in this text.

I have been in the ministry 35 years and have learned many of these lessons on the job, as I helped the congregations I have served to master the making of disciples. I have also been blessed to have a role in assisting many other churches nationally through the two other ministries under which I serve, my denomination, the Conservative Congregational Christian Conference (www.ccccusa.com) and the Praxis Center for Church Development (www.praxiscenter.org). But the most significant laboratory for what I teach here has been among the great folks of the Palmwood Church Family. I’ve had the distinct pleasure of planting and then pastoring this awesome band of believers. From our beginning, we have been putting these low hanging fruit principles in place and, as we master them more and more, we are clearly seeing their fruitfulness. I am grateful for my leadership team, Bob and Gayle Buford, Stephen O’Guin and Danny Eshcol, as they co-lead, partner with, and challenge me. These years have been both the most fruitful and enjoyable of my career in large part because of them.

I am grateful for the ongoing investment of several key brothers in Christ who come from very different backgrounds but who demonstrate how we balance and complement each other for a significantly greater kingdom impact. Father Jon Davis, Bishop Jayson Quiñones, Michael Brinkley, Steven Barr and Foye Belyea are all such sources of life and laughter. And each lives out what I teach in this book in very effective ways. I am also blessed to lead a national team in my denominational role who are committed to helping local churches across the country thrive in authentic kingdom ministry. Dave Eisley, Dave Balicki, Dean Walker, Dan Peterson, Matt Schraeder, Peter Wood, Scott Nice and Todd Venman are all strong and fruitful partners in this work who continue to have an iron sharpens iron impact in my life and ministry.

I have three men, in particular, who continue to disciple, coach and mentor me, and have each made a profound contribution to my learning on the topic of making disciples. Tom Johnston took me on as a disciple several years ago (I’m not sure he knew what he was in for!) and has brought incredible alignment in my life and ministry to the Kingdom of God. Mike Chong Perkinson, likewise, and he also served as my church planting coach in the early years of launching Palmwood Church. And Ron Hamilton, who has been a friend longer than I can remember and my boss (in my denominational role) for the last decade. I am so grateful for their ongoing investment of wisdom and expertise in my life.

I want to thank all those who reviewed the original manuscript of this book to make sure it was theologically sound and ready for publication. Some I’ve already mentioned helped with that task. In addition, I’d like to thank Ray DeLaurier for his insightful comments and contribution to the final work. I’d also like