Michael J. Parkyn Releases Christian Discipleship Guide

Christian author Michael J. Parkyn has released From the Fig Tree to the Vine: learn to thrive in the New Creation, A disciple’s guide to bearing much fruit, a guide centered on spiritual identity and life in Christ. The book presents five “biometrics of a healthy branch” as a framework for readers. It is available in softcover, electronic, and audio editions through WestBow Press, with ISBNs 9798385047987, 9798385047970, and 9798385067237. Parkyn also plans to launch online training called New Creation Online.

A Personal Faith Journey

The book draws on Parkyn’s experiences of trying to live a life pleasing to God and his understanding of God’s love and acceptance. Its memoir element connects his experiences with the framework presented in the book.

Michael J. Parkyn, author, said:

“I've found that a lot of us find it hard to just snap out of where we are and engage someone else's solutions. We need to understand and identify with the journey that took them there. That's the memoir element of the book, and I hope you find my story both interesting and helpful. I'm hoping you might find that my struggles and tensions resonate with some of your own, and you thereby find a connection into the solutions I have found.”

The WHOLE Framework

Parkyn’s five-part WHOLE framework covers Wellness Within, Highest Assurance, One Focus, Liberated Influence, and Elevated Purpose. The guide presents these themes as practical activations for readers seeking to abide in the vine.

Wellness Within concerns spiritual birth, while Highest Assurance centers on God’s relationship with his children. One Focus addresses spiritual union with Jesus, Liberated Influence concerns carrying God’s witness, and Elevated Purpose considers participation in community.

Stories And Study

Michael J. Parkyn, author, said:

“A painful encounter with a scorpion, a dramatic epiphany moment alongside London's Big Ben, the Grand Canyon filled with smoke, even my new creation equivalent of "The Lord's Prayer," this book is full of unexpected twists and turns, all with the backdrop of South Africa's majestic "Amphitheatre" mountain that symbolizes my spiritual journey and graces the front cover of the book. I've combined storytelling, bible teaching and practical activations to create a lively guide that challenges the status quo, while offering a lifeline for Christians stuck in a rut, confused by religious dogma, or hungry for more reality in their walk with God. Well-suited to small group study and reflection, the book will also be the basis of new online training to be launched soon as "New Creation Online."”

Book Availability

Parkyn has worked as a missionary, pastor, and consultant, and has grown the nonprofit organization Whole Inc. He lives in Kansas City, Missouri, with his wife Heather.