By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. (John 15:8, ESV)

Gregory Nazianzen calls the church a Vineyard, “into which all are summoned as to their place of work, as soon as they are brought to the faith."1

Cultivating a quality vineyard takes time, patience, science, study, knowledge, art, dedication, passion for the work. Vineyards require constant care. As vineyards grow, they need many people doing many different things.

Vineyards become a sustaining source for families, a heritage and a legacy. Whole communities and countries can be known because of their vineyards.

Is this how we approach being baptized into the Church?

Is this how we think of being part of our local Christian communities, and part of the Church universal? Is this gathering of believers a living legacy to us, something that we will toil in, so that its fruit might bless the whole world?

Is it our life’s work?

  1. Edward Harold Browne, An Exposition of the Thirty Nine-Articles, p. 455 ↩