It is about reproduction

NORSK
When I now have started on reflections linked to the combination ‘holiness and fruit’, memories from my first meeting with Terry Camsey in the late 80s come to mind. Both at that time and also later when I invited him to Norway to lecture on Church Growth, he had a focus that revived my thoughts.

He asked some simple questions:

“What is the purpose of the vine?”
The audience was quick to answer:
“To produce grapes!”
Terry continued:
“What is the purpose of the grape?”
Some hesitant reflection followed by several answers before Terry received the answer he wanted:
“To be the seed that produces a new tree!”

Terry then returned to his first question and concluded that the purpose of the vine is to produce new vines. The fruit is part of the strategy.

I do not think that it is a coincidence the Jesus’ last “I am”-saying was:

“I am the true vine”
John 15:1 

The purpose of the fruit that comes from the fact that I am a branch of that vine, is reproduction. The fruit should be attractive (1) so that the seeds spread all over. The physical and spiritual world reflect one another. It must be this way since both the physical and the spiritual have the same origin. To regard them as two separate worlds is heresy, and contradicts the concept of incarnation as God’s method of holiness (2).

The purpose of the fruit of a holy life is to lead people to Jesus. In other words reproduction. Then it is good to know that the “Father is the gardener”.

‘Manna’ for today:

The fruit of holiness is about reproduction

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(1) See: “It is about beauty” 
(2) See: "It is about secularisation"