The Association of Vineyard Churches, also known as the Vineyard Movement, is a Christian organization of over 1,500 churches worldwide.^[1] External observers generally regard this to be a denomination. However, Vineyard Church leaders and most laity do not consider the Vineyard a denomination per se or refer to it as such, seeing denominational labels as divisive and discouraging them accordingly. Image File history File links Logo_hm. ... For other uses, see Christian (disambiguation). ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Wycliffe Tyndale · Luther · Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Pope · Archbishop of Canterbury Patriarch of Constantinople Christianity Portal This box:      A denomination, in the...

History

Historically, the Vineyard Movement has been rooted in both renewal and church planting. Instead of the mainstream charismatic label, Vineyard leaders and members over the years have preferred the term Empowered Evangelicals – a term coined by Rich Nathan and Ken Wilson in their book of the same name – to reflect their roots in traditional Evangelicalism, as opposed to historic Pentecostalism. Renewal is the collective term for Charismatic, pentecostal and neo-charismatic churches. ... Church planting is a process by which churches are begun in new areas. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Wycliffe Tyndale · Luther · Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Pope · Archbishop of Canterbury Patriarch of Constantinople Christianity Portal This box:      The charismatic movement began... Rich Nathan Rich Nathan (born December 1955) has been the senior Pastor of the Vineyard Church of Columbus since 1987. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Pope · Archbishop of Canterbury Patriarch of Constantinople Christianity Portal This box:      The word evangelicalism often refers to... The Pentecostal movement within Protestant Christianity places special emphasis on the gifts of the Holy Spirit. ...

Members also sometimes describe themselves as the "radical middle" between Evangelicals and Pentecostals, which is a reference to the book The Quest for the Radical Middle, a historical survey of the Vineyard by Bill Jackson. Vineyard philosophy has also played a key role in the development of the transformationalism school of Christian thought. The neutrality of this article is disputed. ... Transformationalism, or Transformational Christianity, represents a fusion of evangelicalism, Pentecostalism, and ecumenicalism that started becoming prominent in the early 21st century. ...

John Wimber is considered a leading founder and evangelist of the movement, although the first Vineyard churches already existed before his Calvary Chapel church in Yorba Linda, CA, joined the movement in 1982^[1]. John Wimber (born February 25, 1934 in Peoria, Illinois, died November 17, 1997) was a charismatic pastor and one of the founding leaders of the Vineyard Movement. ... Evangelism is the proclaiming of the Christian Gospel. ... Calvary Chapels dove logo which represents the Holy Spirit. ... Yorba Linda is a city located in Orange County, California. ...

The Vineyard Movement suffered a visible leadership vacuum after Wimber's death on November 16, 1997.^[2] However, Todd Hunter, who served as National Coordinator since February 1994 and as acting Director of the Vineyard at the time of Wimber's death, became the National Director in January 1998 and served in that capacity until he resigned in May 2000.^[3] For the band, see 1997 (band). ...

After Hunter's resignation, the National Board of Directors named Bert Waggoner of Sugar Land, Texas, as the new National Director. As of 2007, The Association of Vineyard Churches includes over 1,500 churches around the world, and this number continues to grow due to a strong priority placed on church-planting within the Vineyard mission.^[1] City nickname: The Land of Sugar City slogan: Sugar Land. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ...

The Vineyard Statement of Faith is generally considered to be a Biblically-based Evangelical Christian profession of faith, with no mention of any issues that are considered to be controversial or divisive. In addition to the Statement of Faith (released in 1994), the church released a statement of "Theological and Philosophical Statements" penned by Bert Waggoner in 2004 to clarify the church's position on some issues that had been unclear from the Statements of Faith, including the church's priorities as it relates to worship and Bible study. The church also has published a 10-point "Vineyard Genetic Code," taught to a session of senior leadership by John Wimber in 1992, that outlines the 10 areas of ministry considered essential to any Vineyard church. Rich Nathan has described the Vineyard movement as part of a "Third Wave of the Holy Spirit" in America. Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Pope · Archbishop of Canterbury Patriarch of Constantinople Christianity Portal This box:      The word evangelicalism often refers to... For other uses, see Christian (disambiguation). ... Rich Nathan Rich Nathan (born December 1955) has been the senior Pastor of the Vineyard Church of Columbus since 1987. ... The expression Third Wave was coined by Christian theologian C. Peter Wagner around 1980 to describe what followers believe to be the recent historical work of the Holy Spirit. ...

Claims of Heresy

The Vineyard was heavily criticized in the early years of the movement and accused many times of promoting heresy due to the sometimes-controversial teachings of John Wimber relating to spiritual gifts and the claims of unusual experiences of the Holy Spirit in the church, often referred to as "manifestations". Such manifestations of the Spirit included shaking and uncontrollable, hysterical laughter.^{[citation needed]} Evangelical, conservative, and fundamentalist leaders have contrasted Wimber’s teachings with the rest of mainstream Protestant evangelical belief, saying that Wimber claimed that experiential spiritual revelation was equally or more important than Biblically-based teachings. Thus, opponents reasoned, the Vineyard movement was denying sola Scriptura or “ the sufficiency of Scripture,” a doctrinal tenet that Protestant churches have held to be incontrovertibly true. Wimber, however constantly emphasized that clear, accurate teaching and knowledge of the scripture is critical for every Vineyard church, without expressly stating the scriptures to be the final and supreme authority in all matters of faith. These items are included in the "Vineyard Genetic Code" paper he released in 1992. Look up Heresy in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... John Wimber (born February 25, 1934 in Peoria, Illinois, died November 17, 1997) was a charismatic pastor and one of the founding leaders of the Vineyard Movement. ... The gifts of the Holy Spirit are found in the New Testament. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Archbishop of Canterbury · Catholic Pope Coptic Pope · Ecumenical Patriarch Christianity Portal This box:      In mainstream Christianity, the... Protestantism is a general grouping of denominations within Christianity. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Pope · Archbishop of Canterbury Patriarch of Constantinople Christianity Portal This box:      This article is about theological concept. ...

Throughout the early years of the Vineyard (1970's to 1992), Wimber avoided publicly responding to his critics. Instead, he invited his critics to meet with him personally to talk through their charges in accordance with his understanding of Scripture (Mat 18:15-17, Gal 6:1, 1 Tim 5:1). However, as the influence of the Vineyard broadened and certain misunderstandings were repeated from different sources, both outside the church and within, Wimber made the decision to respond publicly. The decision is detailed in Vineyard Position Paper #1 entitled "Why I respond to criticism" authored by John Wimber.^[4]

This was followed by a number of other position papers from various sources within the national Vineyard leadership which sought to address the most serious and widespread of the criticisms leveled against the movement.^[5]

One example often cited in criticism of the Vineyard church model is the Toronto Airport Christian Fellowship, formerly affiliated with the Vineyard. The phenomenon known as the Toronto Blessing originated in this church, and has been the source of much controversy. For a detailed treatment of this topic, refer to "The Quest For the Radical Middle" by Bill Jackson (see related books below). Toronto Airport Christian Fellowship (TACF) is a Christian church and religious organization in Etobicoke, part of the city of Toronto, Canada. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

Claims of heresy and apostasy against the Vineyard have waned in recent years, especially since the death of John Wimber in 1997.

Focus on Worship

One of the most important aspects of the Vineyard church model is the strong emphasis on connecting with God through worship. Generally in regular gatherings, whether they are main Sunday services or small “homegroups” based in private homes, equal time is given to both worship and Bible study, and a significant amount of time is also devoted to prayer and one-on-one ministry. This focus on worship and connection with the Holy Spirit is one of the primary reasons (along with the active nature of spiritual gifts discussed previously) that John Wimber gave for breaking with the Calvary Chapel denomination. Worship in the Vineyard almost always is performed in a modern music style, with a multi-piece band leading worship, but is not restricted to this style. Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Archbishop of Canterbury · Catholic Pope Coptic Pope · Ecumenical Patriarch Christianity Portal This box:      In mainstream Christianity, the... The gifts of the Holy Spirit are found in the New Testament. ... Calvary Chapels dove logo which represents the Holy Spirit. ...

The unique nature of this form of “modern worship” (especially unique in the 70’s and 80’s, when most mainstream denominations limited their worship to more traditional hymns) gained a lot of interest, and led to the formation of a special music ministry, later formed into a church-supported music recording and distribution company, Vineyard Music. The Vineyard USA Logo The Association of Vineyard Churches, also known as the Vineyard Movement, is a Christian organization of over 1,500 churches worldwide. ...

Clergy

Pastors and ministers are officially ordained into the Vineyard church in much the same way as any other mainstream Protestant denomination after years of church service in the role of a lay leader. Clergy in the Vineyard, like the membership and the church as a whole, are known for their “relaxed” style. More likely than not, clergy will be seen preaching on Sunday morning in jeans and a button-down shirt, and they almost never wear ceremonial vestments.

Membership

Many Vineyard churches have no official membership procedures or membership records, and such a policy is not dictated by the national Vineyard church. Instead, a community of believers is formed by those who attend Sunday or weekend services, weekday homegroups, and participate in various church ministries.

Famous Clergy and/or Members of Vineyard Churches

• John Wimber – Considered a founding leader of Vineyard Church.^[1]
• Lonnie Frisbee – Known as "The Hippie Preacher," another of the most well-known early leaders of the Vineyard Movement.
• John Paul Jackson – Founder of Streams Ministries International. Served on the pastoral staff at the Vineyard Christian Fellowship in Anaheim, California with John Wimber.
• Jack Deere – Former professor influenced by Wimber to abandon his cessationist beliefs.
• Bob Dylan – Attended various Vineyard churches following his Christian conversion in 1979.^{[6] [7]} It is not known if he is still an active member.
• Larry Norman – One of the founding leaders of the original Vineyard home churches in Los Angeles.
• Kenn Gulliksen – One of the founding leaders of the original Vineyard home churches.^[8]
• Keith Green – Converted under Kenn Gulliksen in 1975.^[9]

John Wimber (born February 25, 1934 in Peoria, Illinois, died November 17, 1997) was a charismatic pastor and one of the founding leaders of the Vineyard Movement. ... Lonnie Frisbee baptizes in the Bibles New testament tradition while hundreds watch Lonnie Frisbee (Costa Mesa, California)(1949 - March 12, 1993) was an American hippie Pentecostal evangelist in the late 1960s and 1970s who despite his appearance (traditional hippie long hair and full beard) had great success as a... John Paul Jackson is the founder of Streams Ministries International, a ministry that deals especially with prophecy. ... John Wimber (born February 25, 1934 in Peoria, Illinois, died November 17, 1997) was a charismatic pastor and one of the founding leaders of the Vineyard Movement. ... Dr. Jack Deere is a charismatic pastor and theologian from the USA. He was an associate professor of Old Testament at Dallas Seminary, a bastion of cessationism, the doctrine that the charismatic gifts of the Spirit, such as tongues, prophecy and healing, ended at the close of the 1st century. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... This article is about the recording artist. ... Larry David Norman (born April 8, 1947 in Corpus Christi, Texas) is an American singer-songwriter considered the forefather of Contemporary Christian Music, an attribution which he denies. ... Keith Gordon Green (October 21, 1953 – July 28, 1982) was an American gospel singer, songwriter, and pianist originally from Sheepshead Bay, New York. ...

Vineyard Music

Image File history File links Us-store-logo-neg. ...

Vineyard Music is the record label created by the Vineyard Church. It is considered one of the major record labels for worship music.

Well-known Vineyard musicians include:

• Brenton Brown
• Brian Doerksen
• David Ruis^{[citation needed]}
• Andy Park
• Casey Corum^{[citation needed]}
• Jeremy Riddle
• Ryan Delmore^{[citation needed]}
• Matt McCoy^{[citation needed]}
• Scott Underwood
• Jeff Searles
• Rita Springer
• Terry Butler
• Kevin Prosch
• Steve Sjogren

Vineyard Records is the UK record label created by the Vineyard Church. Brenton Brown, born in South Africa, is a Christian songwriter and worship leader. ... Brian Doerksen is a Canadian Christian singer-songwriter and worship leader. ... Andy Park is a musician, worship leader and author who is associated with Vineyard Music. ... Jeremy Riddle is a Christian musician. ... There is an actor by the name of Matt McCoy, who is well known for his roll in the 1992 film The Hand That Rocks the Cradle. ... Scott Underwood is the drummer in the Grammy Award-winning band Train. ... Terry Butler, of Tampa, Florida, USA, is the current bassist in the death metal band Six Feet Under. ... Kevin Prosch American Christian worship leader and song writer Kevin Prosch rose to prominace in the the early 1990s. ...

UK musicians include

• Kathryn Scott
• Nigel Briggs
• Sam Lane
• Marc James
• Nigel Hemmings

Kathryn Scott, born in Northern Ireland, is a Christian songwriter and worship leader, who has written songs such as Hungry and At the foot of the cross for the worshipping church. ... Nigel Briggs, born in in Nottingham, UK is a Christian songwriter and worship leader, who has written songs such as For Me, What a Love, Hold On and Unfailing Love for the worshipping church as part of Vineyard Music. ... Sam Lane is a fictional character, the father of Lois Lane and Lucy Lane in Superman comics. ...

Related Books

• The Way It Was by Carol Wimber ISBN 0340735392 - A biography of John & Carol Wimber's life before and during their time in the Vineyard.
• Power Healing by John Wimber ISBN 0340390905 - John Wimber's teachings regarding healing
• Power Evangelism by John Wimber ISBN 0340561270 - John Wimber's teachings regarding evangelism
• The Quest For the Radical Middle by Bill Jackson ISBN 0620243198 - A summary of the Vineyard from an insider perspective.

References

// Vineyard International Publishing Vision Statement Vineyard International Publishing (VIP) exists as a service to the church through the promotion of Christian literature, which expresses the theology of the kingdom of God and the values of the Vineyard. ...

External links

• Vineyard International Consortium
• Vineyard Music
• Vineyard Leadership Institute
• Vineyard Bible Institute (also home to Vineyard International Publishing)
• Vineyard International Publishing
• Vineyard USA Position Papers
• VIA - Vineyard Training/Dicipleship Year
• Vineyard Churches UK