 Frequently Asked Questions About VLC and the Vineyard Movement
- How do I get to
Vineyard?
- What activities do you offer for children and
nursery?
- What activities do you offer for
youth?
- What activities do you offer for
seniors?
- What can I expect during a Sunday worship
service?
- Are there meetings besides Sunday mornings that
I can attend?
- How can I get plugged-in to
ministry?
- What do you believe
- What can you tell me about the Vineyard
movement and John Wimber?
- The Vineyard is always talking about Kingdom
Ministry. What's that about?
- What's does Vineyard believe about
worship?
How do I get to Vineyard?
- 7602 Stewart Road, Newark, Ohio 43055
Take
OH Rt.16 to the 4th Street Hudson Avenue Exit.
Follow State Route 13
(North) to Mt. Vernon Road.
Stay on Rt.13 (Mt. Vernon Road) for
approximately 2 miles
Turn right on Water Works Road and proceed less
than a mile to Horn's Hill Road.
Turn left on Horn's Hill Road and
follow for approximately 2 miles.
Turn right on Stewart Road. Our
ministry campus is 4th driveway on the right.
-
Our children's ministry is called "Seekers in Sneakers."
It is
coordinated by Carole Osborne, who has an incredible love for children and a
strong team supporting all age groups!
We offer programs for kids aged 0
to 6th grade at both worship celebrations. Our nursery provides a safe and
clean environment for babies. From children's camp in the summer to musicals,
making crafts, and learning the stories of the Bible every week -- you'll find
your children LOVE JUNIOR CHURCH! Parents of children aged newborn to two must
register their children when they drop their child off so they may be reached if
their child needs their attention.
Junior Church begins at the end of our
singing portion of our worship celebration in order for our children to learn
the joy of adult worship as well.
Our children have the opportunity to experience numerous other activities
throughout the year as well. In the past we've had a summer day camp
experience, Febuly 4th celebration, zoo outings, Christmas caroling, musicals,
over-niters, and many other activities!
For more information about our children's department, contact Carole at the
Vineyard office. 740-364-1750.
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What activities do you offer for youth?
Our primary meeting takes place from 6:30 - 8:30PM on Wednesdays at the
church for youth in grades 6 through 12.
Our typical Wednesday schedule:
6:30-7:15 PM Open gym and
Fellowship: Fellowship is vital to the success of any youth program. This is
where relationships and trust are built between the youth and the
leadership.
7:15-8:00 PM Full Group Bible Study and Related Activities:
This time is geared towards youth of all ages and spiritual maturity levels.
Subjects vary from week to week, but teach the youth to make Christianity
relevant and their relationship with Jesus real. The studies are interactive and
allow time for discussion and questions.
8:00-8:30 PM Small Group
Ministry, Discussion, and Prayer
OTHER
OPPORTUNITIES:
Acquire the Fire - Concerts - Retreats -
Cornerstone
Ski Trips - King's Island - Overtime - Road
Trips
Lunches - Worship Team - Drama - Mentoring
Conferences -
Missions - Vineyard Events
"There's always something to
do!"
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What activities do you offer for
seniors?
 VIVA is our senior ministry at the Vineyard. They are a relatively new
ministry and already are very active sponsoring regular activities throughout
the year. Last year they held a garage sale for missions, had an evening of
dancing, sponsored the Angel Tree ministry at Christmas, went on a trip to see
"The Living Christmas Tree," had a summer picnic with our youth, and many other
activities and monthly fellowships.
For more information about this ministry, contact the Vineyard
office at 740-364-1750 or leave a message on our contact page.
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What can I expect during a Sunday worship
service
Upon arrival, you will receive a program explaining what you can
expect during the celebration. One of the first things you'll notice is
the River of Life Cafe' located immediately to your right as you enter.
There is always free coffee or you can order a cup of cappuccino (also
free for 1st guests -- be sure to use your coupon found in the
visitor's packet) or purchase a roll, bagel or donut. You are welcome
to bring a cup into the auditorium.
You'll also
see that most everyone is dressed casually. We begin our celebrations with about
25 minutes of worship. Rather than an organ or choir we have a live band. Most
of our music has a pop/rock feel. One way or another, you should have some
catchy tunes to hum all week long. After worship, there will be a few
announcements. Following the announcements, our children are dismissed for
Junior Church as everyone else prepares for the weekend message. The talk lasts
somewhere between 30 and 45 minutes and often includes video clips from movies,
stories from people's lives, or dramas.
Afterwards, you'll have the
opportunity to receive prayer from our prayer team, if you'd like. We do NOT
take up offerings, but rather provide offering boxes at the entry doors. We do
not expect or request money from our visitors!
We will try not to
spotlight or embarrass our visitors in any manner while, at the same time, seek
to make you feel comfortable and at home.
Our
celebrations run about an hour and a half. We get a lot of encouraging
feedback about how relevant and practical people typically find the
talks to be. Our goal is to be a church where everyone can feel
comfortable and relate to God. After the celebration, many people visit
with friends and often develop into groups and go out for a meal. You
also might want to wander through our Winepress book store. We hope you
will return for another visit next Saturday or Sunday or sometime in
the future.
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We have a very active home fellowship ministry that meets throughout the
week for opportunities to fellowship, to study the bible, and to use the gifts
God gave us to minister to one another. "Cluster" is the name of our home
fellowships where we gather together and grow closer to each other and to God.
Our desire is that every member be a part of a Cluster to help develop his/her
walk with the Lord. Stop by our Information Table on Sunday mornings, visit our
Cluster page, or see our newsletter for details and
directions.
You are always welcome to contact the church office for more information
about our small group ministry. Just leave a message for Marlene.
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How can I get plugged-in to
ministry?
We are always looking for committed people desiring to do ministry. The best
way to get "plugged in" is simply to contact the leader or a particular ministry
and ask if they have needs. The Vinelife, our newsletter is also a source of
ministry information. We have something for everyone no matter how much or
little you can serve.
If you want to serve but aren't quite sure where you fit, we offer a
class called "Discovering My Servant Profile" which is perfect
for you! Watch the church calendar and sign up for our next class.
Everyone is welcome to participate in ministry at Vineyard but to be in
leadership, you must first attend the Newcomers class and be a member of our
fellowship.
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What do you believe?
In essentials, unity; in nonessentials,
diversity; in all things, charity. St. Augustine
"It is important to keep three circles in
mind: a small one that is vital; a larger one that is negotiable; a vast one
that is worth chatting about over a cup of coffee." Pastor Steve Sjogren
Three Circles of
Values: Essentials, Traditions & Opinions.
What's important & what's not that important? As we
see it, there are three circles of values.
The first
circle is absolutely vital. We call this essentials. The
essentials form a very small circle since there are just a few key things that
we must believe to be authentic Christians. Without agreement on these matters,
we actually aren't even believers aligned with the Church and its' past two
thousand years of history.
Beyond the
essentials are traditions. Traditions, or denominational
"distinctives", form a significantly larger circle and are what makes the body
of Christ rich and interesting. These traditions make the church a diverse body
instead of a single-cell ameba.
Finally, the
largest circle by far is formed by our opinions. The longer we
spend in the Christian life, the more we accumulate opinions.
Fighting between brothers and sisters in the
Church is perpetuated when we forget the order of importance with the three
circles of values. It happens when we make our 'traditions' into 'essentials'
instead of allowing them to be negotiable. Or worse yet, it happens when we
consider our 'opinions' about a topic to be an 'essential'. These dyslexic
episodes must grieve the heart of God. When He has vital work for the church to
be about, we have sometimes been found arguing about absolutely non-vital
matters. (concepts from 'The Perfectly Imperfect Church' by Steve
Sjogren)
OUR FIVE
ESSENTIALS:
Who is God?
We BELIEVE that there is one God, eternally existing in
three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
How does God speak?
We BELIEVE that the Bible is God's written revelation
to man, and that it is verbally inspired, authoritative, and without error in
the original manuscripts.
Who is Jesus?
We BELIEVE in the
deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, His virgin birth, sinless life, miracles, death
on the cross to provide for our redemption, bodily resurrection and ascension
into heaven, present day ministry of intercession for us, and His second coming
to earth in power and glory.
Who is the Holy Spirit?
We BELIEVE in
the personality and deity of the Holy Spirit, that he performs the miracle of
new birth in unbelievers, indwells believers, and equips and empowers the church
to do all the works of the Kingdom of God.
How does a person know they are going to
heaven?
We BELIEVE that all men
& women are created in the image of God, the Father, but because of sin, are
alienated from God. Only through faith, trusting in Jesus Christ alone for
salvation, which was made possible by His atoning death on the Cross and His
Resurrection, can true forgiveness of sin be found and that alienation from God
be removed.
OUR TEN
TRADITIONS:
At a Pastor's Conference in September 1992,
Vineyard founding pastor, John Wimber
taught on ten areas of ministry that were essential to any Vineyard Church. John
called these areas the Vineyard Genetic Code because they make up the common
denominators that make us "Vineyard".
1. "The Main & The
Plain" Clear, accurate &
accessible biblically-based teaching.
2. "Intimate
Worship" Spirit-directed worship that touches the Heart of
God.
3. "Empowered
Evangelicals" The power of the
Spirit fused with a strong biblically-based foundation.
4. "It’s All About Relationship" Life-producing,
community-based small groups ministry.
5. "The Least & The
Lost" Mercy & compassion for
the dis-enfranchised and the broken.
6. "Doin’ Jesus’
Stuff" Empowered to continue
Jesus’ transferable Kingdom Ministry.
7. "Giving Away
What God Has Given Us"
A commitment to growing God’s Kingdom
through church planting & world missions.
8. "Loving Jesus’ Big Bride" Unity within the
whole Body of Christ, with intentional relationships with other churches &
ministries outside the Vineyard.
9. "Extending the
Kingdom of God" Obeying Jesus’
Great Commission through speaking Jesus’ words and doing His works.
10. "Everybody Gets to
Play" Equipping the saints for
practical real-life discipleship; developing a lifestyle of prayer, worship,
servant-hood & stewardship in every aspect of life.
OUR
HUNDREDS OF OPINIONS:
Invite any of
us out for a cup of coffee or Diet-Coke and we'll have a bit of fun discussing
our "pet opinions".
Our Mission
The Vineyard of Licking
County will seek to fulfill the Great Commission in the spirit of the Great
Commandment by balancing the five purposes of the church (worship, evangelism,
fellowship, discipleship, and ministry).
The Vineyard of Licking County
will make disciples of Jesus Christ as we:
Proclaim the gospel, seek,
welcome and gather persons into the Body of Christ;
Lead persons to
commit their lives to God through Jesus Christ;
Nurture person in
Christian living through worship, baptism, communion, Bible and other studies,
prayer, and other means of grace;
Send person's into the world to live
lovingly and justly as servants of Christ by healing the sick, feeding the
hungry, caring for the stranger, freeing the oppressed and;
Continue the
mission of seeking, welcoming and gathering persons into the community of the
body of Christ.
Our Purpose
"...If you abide in My
Word then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you shall know the TRUTH and the
TRUTH shall make you free."
-John 8:31b-32 
Telling others about
Jesus;
Relating to others and
Christ;
Understanding God's
Word;
Thirsting for the living
waters of God's presence;
Helping others experience God's love through tangible
ministry.
The Vineyard of Licking County's prime directives are to
worship God in spirit and in truth and to tell the world about Jesus' love.
Providing fellowship opportunities help us to relate to each other and to
Christ. We strive to develop disciples who can understand God's Word, to quench
the thirst for righteousness through praise and worship that brings one before
the throne of God, and to share Jesus' love for others in a tangible way through
a ministry of helps.
Our Beliefs
The Vineyard of Licking County stands
firmly in the center of orthodox Christian teaching. Out of loyalty to Christ
and the gospel we have come to a number of convictions concerning the clear
teaching of the Bible.
-We are orthodox;
-We are
evangelical;
-We are empowered evangelicals
In order to
distinguish the truth from error, to proclaim our faith to the world and to
build up God's people in faith, the members of the Vineyard of Licking County
affirm the following statements of faith:
A. CREEDS
We affirm the
Nicene and Apostle's creeds. These are historic creeds which help preserve the
integrity of the church's witness and which proclaim the basic elements of the
enduring Christian message.
B. GOD
We believe in the one living
and true God revealed in the Bible, the creator, redeemer, and sovereign ruler
of all creation. In the unity of this Godhead, these are three persons, of one
substance, equal in power, glory, and eternity: God the Father, God the Son, and
God the Holy Spirit.
C. JESUS CHRIST
We believe that Jesus Christ
is truly God and truly man who was sent into the world to fulfill the prophetic
promises of salvation. Jesus Christ is one Messiah, the only mediator between
God and man. There is no other name under heaven by which we must be saved. We
believe that Jesus came down from heaven, was conceived by the Holy Spirit and
was born of the Virgin Mary. He lived a sinless life in perfect obedience to the
Father and was crucified for our sins. He suffered, died, and was buried, and He
rose bodily from the dead on the third day. As the God-man, Jesus Christ
ascended into heaven and now sits at the right hand of God the Father
interceding for His people. At His first coming, Jesus inaugurated the
fulfillment of the Kingdom of God.
D. HOLY SPIRIT
We believe in
the Holy Spirit, who came forth from the Father and the Son to convict the world
of sin, righteousness, and judgment. He also regenerates, sanctifies, and
empowers for ministry every believer in Jesus Christ. We believe that we have
been born again by the regenerating power of the Holy Spirit and He is also our
comforter. He is the abiding Helper, Teacher, and Guide. He graces us with
Christ-like character, producing fruit in our lives, and He gifts His church for
loving service. We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit and in the
exercise of all Biblical gifts of the Spirit.
E. BIBLE
We believe
in the divine inspiration, truthfulness, and authority of both the Old and New
Testament Scriptures in their entirety, without error, in all they affirm. The
Bible is the final, absolute authority of all doctrinal matters, the only
infallible rule for our faith and practice.
F. SIN AND
SALVATION
We believe that all men and women are sinners by nature and
choice and therefore are under condemnation and God's just judgment. While we
were yet sinners, Jesus Christ died for us. We are counted as righteous before
God only by the merit of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, through faith alone
in Him, and not by our own works of righteousness. For the gift of God is
eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
G. THE CHURCH
We
believe that the church is intended by God to be a worshipping community of
believers, observing the ordinances of Christ, governed by His law, exercising
the gifts, privileges, and discipline invested in the Church by His Word and His
Holy Spirit, and seeking to extend the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the end of the
earth. We believe it is the mission of the Church to fulfill the Great
Commission (Matthew 28:19-20) in the spirit of the Great Commandment (Matthew
22:36-40) by the power of the Holy Spirit.
H. THE SACRAMENTS
A
sacrament is a sacred moment: a moment when we choose to personalize the message
of the Gospel. We believe that Jesus gave the Church ordinances to follow
including water baptism and The Lord's Supper. We believe that once believers
accept Christ as their personal Savior, they should be baptized in obedience to
the Lord's command in Scripture. We believe that the Lord's Supper is open to
all believers and is a memorial to the price that Jesus Christ paid for our
salvation. Through the working of the Holy Spirit, the Lord's Supper nourishes
our souls. It brings to our remembrance the sacrifice of Christ for our sins,
our communion with Christ and the Church and our obligation to persevere in
faith and holiness to the end of our lives.
I. RETURN OF CHRIST
We
believe in the personal, visible, triumphant return of Christ to earth. His
purpose will be to manifest His government on the earth. Christians are exhorted
to be watchful and obedient until His appearing. We believe in the resurrection
of the dead, in the final judgment, and in the eternal blessing of the righteous
and endless suffering of the wicked.
J. EVANGELISM
We believe in
world evangelism. We accept the commission of Jesus Christ, who is Lord, to make
disciples of all nations, to baptize them, and teach them to observe His
commandments. We join with all those believing in Him to accomplish this urgent
task. We accept this as a personal commission as well as a commission of the
entire Church.
K. TITHES AND OFFERINGS
We believe the church
should be supported by the tithes and offerings of those committed to its
mission. Further, we believe that when people serve God in willing obedience,
there is financial abundance to accomplish God's purpose.
"...being
like-minded, having the same love, being one in Spirit and purpose." Philippians
2:2
Our Values Every house
is built upon a foundation. The Vineyard of Licking County is built
upon the foundation of our theology - how we think about God - and our
values, the kinds of ideas and attitudes we feel are important.
At the Vineyard of Licking County, we value:
-CHRIST-CENTEREDNESS: We desire Jesus - His person, His love, His mercy and His power to shine through all we do.
-BEING
SPIRIT-LED: We believe that Jesus is our Head and the Holy Spirit is
our Counselor. We seek to be responsive to the Holy Spirit in life and
ministry.
-PRAYER: We seek genuine intimacy with God the Father and growth in our communion with Him.
-INTEGRITY: We seek completely truthful, consistent and open relationships with God, with others, and with ourselves.
-EXCELLENCE: We desire to do all to the Glory of God which requires our very best.
-SIMPLICITY: We want every expression of ours whether speech, music, architecture, or manner - to be natural and reality-based.
-BEING
CULTURALLY RELEVANT: We want to use music, terminology and outreach
methods that are in touch with the needs of our community.
-SERVANT LEADERSHIP: We approach leadership as a team effort with the Senior Pastor, operating as a visionary and goal-setter.
-GENEROSITY: We are committed to freely give away all we have freely received from God.
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THE KINGDOM
MINISTRY OF JESUS.
Doing an ancient thing in a contemporary
way. John Wimber
OUR MINISTRY GOAL FOR YOU! Encourage you, as a follower-of-Jesus, to be
comfortably confident to stand next to any person...hands–on, eyes &
ears-open, praying out-loud for a Kingdom break-through.
"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because
He has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim
freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the
oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor." Luke 4:18-19
Jesus went through
all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good
news of the Kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. Matthew 9:35
When John heard in prison what Christ was
doing, he sent his disciples to ask Him, "Are you the one who was to come, or
should we expect someone else?" Jesus replied, "Go back and report to John what
you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy
are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to
the poor. Matthew 11:
2-5
When Jesus had called the Twelve together,
He gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases,
and He sent them out to preach the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick...So they
set out and went from village to village, preaching the gospel and healing
people everywhere. Luke 9:1-2,
6
After this the Lord appointed seventy-two
others and sent them two by two ahead of Him to every town and place where He
was about to go. He told them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are
few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His
harvest field...Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The Kingdom of God
is near you.’ Luke 10:1-2,
9
What We
Minister:
A Kingdom of God message. Luke 4:
18-19
Healing and deliverance prayer. Mark
16:17-18
Holy Spirit empowerment. Acts 1:
8
Six Healing
Principles:
1. God wants to heal today.
2. God is looking for a corporate
ministry of healing.
3. Our trust in God is demonstrated by
our actions.
4. We must be empowered by and led by
the Holy Spirit.
5. Importance of loving relationships
with our brothers & sisters.
6. God wants to heal the whole person,
not just a specific condition.
Four Healing
Values:
1. Provide a Healing
Environment.
2. Provide a Regularly Scheduled
Ministry Time.
3. Provide Training & Equipping of
the Saints.
4. Encourage a Life Style of
Healing.
Interested in joining us in the Kingdom
Ministry of Jesus?
The Great Commission (Matthew 28: 18-20) is for all followers of Jesus and here @ the Vineyard
of Licking County, we want to see people saved and delivered from earthly sins,
empowered by God’s Holy Spirit, and stepping out in His authority & power to
use our God-given gifts for His glory and honor. Discovering Your Servant
Profile” classes are geared to help you make great strides in practical ways so
that you can become a productive contributor to God’s advancing Kingdom right
here in Licking County and beyond.
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The Association of Vineyard Churches is one of the fastest growing
church-planting movements in the world. The Vineyard story is about ordinary
people who worship and serve an extraordinary God. The Vineyard is simply one
thread in the rich tapestry of the historic and global Church of Jesus Christ.
But it is a thread of God’s weaving.
Our primary aim is to love and glorify
God and expand His Kingdom in relevant ways in the time allotted us. As
communities of the King, Vineyard churches should model what the Kingdom looks
like when God has His way with a group of people. John Wimber
The Vineyard is a community of churches sharing the same values
and vision. We want our Christianity to be simple, relevant, practical and
supernatural...No hype...No manipulation. We want to say "yes" to Jesus while
saying "no" to religion. The Association of Vineyard Churches is one of the
fastest growing church-planting movements in the world. The Vineyard story is
about ordinary people who worship and serve an extraordinary God. The Vineyard
is simply one thread in the rich tapestry of the historic and global Church of
Jesus Christ. But it is a thread of God's weaving.
From the beginning,
Vineyard pastors and leaders have sought to hold in tension the biblical
doctrines of the Christian faith with an ardent pursuit of the present day work
of the Spirit of God. Maintaining that balance is never easy in the midst of
rapid growth and renewal.
John Wimber was a founding leader of the Vineyard. His influence
profoundly shaped the theology and practice of Vineyard churches from their
earliest days until his death in November 1997. When John was conscripted by God
he was, in the words of Christianity Today, a "beer-guzzling, drug-abusing pop
musician, who was converted at the age of 29 while chain-smoking his way through
a Quaker-led Bible study" (Christianity Today, editorial, Feb. 9
1998).
In John's
first decade as a Christian he led hundreds of people to Christ. By 1970 he was
leading 11 Bible studies that involved more than 500 people. Under God's grace,
John became so fruitful as an evangelical pastor he was asked to lead the
Charles E. Fuller Institute of Evangelism and Church Growth. He also later
became an adjunct instructor at Fuller Theological Seminary where his classes
set attendance records. In 1977, John reentered pastoral ministry to plant
Calvary Chapel of Yorba Linda.
Throughout this time, John's
conservative evangelical paradigm for understanding the ministry of the church
began to grow. George Eldon Ladd's theological writings on the Kingdom of God
convinced John intellectually that the all the biblical gifts of the Holy Spirit
should be active in the church. Encounters with Fuller missiologists Donald
McGavaran and C. Peter Wagner and seasoned with missionaries and with
international students gave him credible evidence for combining evangelism with
healing and prophecy. As he became more convinced of God's desire to be active
in the world through all the biblical gifts of the Spirit, John began to teach
and train his church to imitate Jesus' full-orbed Kingdom ministry. He began to
'do the stuff' of the Bible that he had formerly only read about.
As John and his congregation
sought God in intimate worship, they experienced empowerment by the Holy Spirit,
significant renewal in the gifts and conversion growth. It became clear that the
church's emphasis on the experience of the Holy Spirit was not shared by some
leaders in the Calvary Chapel movement. In 1982, John's church left Calvary
Chapel and joined a small group of Vineyard churches. Vineyard was a name chosen
by Kenn Gulliksen, a prolific church planter affiliated with Calvary Chapel, for
a church he planted in Los Angeles in 1974. Pastors and leaders from the handful
of Vineyard churches began looking to John for direction. And the Vineyard
movement was born.
In 1985, the various Vineyard churches formed a formal church
association called the Association of Vineyard Churches. The churches are
self-governing, but overseen and encouraged on a voluntary basis by mature
pastors who serve as Regional Coordinators, and in each region, Area Pastoral
Overseers. Until his death in November of 1997, John Wimber served as
International Director of the Vineyard. Bert Waggoner presently serves as the
National Vineyard Coordinator in the USA, while Bob Fulton serves as the
International Vineyard Coordinator.
Today, there are 650 Vineyard churches in the USA (twelve in Iowa), and
more than 1,200 Vineyard churches worldwide, an international church planting
movement, a publishing house and a music production company. Vineyard worship
songs have helped thousands of churches experience intimacy with God. Many
churches have been equipped to continue Jesus' ministry of proclaiming the
Kingdom, healing the sick, casting out demons and training
disciples.
To learn about the Vineyard church movement, we invite you to visit the
national website which has information about beliefs, our history, our future,
and national events. The website is www.vineyardusa.org or simply click the
logo below.
JOHN
WIMBER.
The turning point came one night in Detroit when
the Lord clearly spoke to me, "John, I've seen YOUR ministry (in a 'and I'm not
too impressed' tone of voice) and now I would like to show you MINE!"
John Wimber
John Wimber (1934-1997) was the founding pastor
of the Anaheim Vineyard and leader of the Vineyard movement, which now numbers
nearly 1,200 churches worldwide. He authored several books, including Power
Evangelism and Power Healing. An average Christian man pursuing his faith -
"just a fat man going to heaven," - he would say, when God called him to a much
larger task: to lead the Church into dynamic renewal. He learned - and taught us
- to touch God in worship, to move in the power of the Holy Spirit, and to see
God's Kingdom break out everywhere. Before his death in November of 1997, this
ordinary man of faith had been raised up as an international speaker, a
best-selling author, pastor of the Vineyard Christian Fellowship in Anaheim,
California, and founder of the Vineyard Movement worldwide.
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What's Vineyard believe about
worship?
Worship, the act of freely giving love to
God, forms and informs every activity of the Christian's
life.
John
Wimber
Worship: Intimacy with
God by John Wimber
Many people who visit Vineyard Christian
Fellowships remark on the depth and richness of our worship. This has not come
about by chance: we have a well-thought-out philosophy that guides why and how
we worship God. To understand how we worship God, it is helpful to learn about
our fellowship's history, which goes back to 1977. At that time my wife, Carol,
was leading a small group of people in a home meeting that evolved into the
Anaheim Vineyard. I'll let her describe what happened during that
time.
'We began worship with nothing but a sense of
calling from the Lord to a deeper relationship with Him. Before we started
meeting in a small home church setting in 1977, the Holy Spirit had been working
in my heart, creating a tremendous hunger for God. One day as I was praying, the
word "worship" appeared in my mind like a newspaper headline. I had never
thought much about that word before. As an evangelical Christian I had always
assumed the entire Sunday morning gathering was "worship" - and, in a sense, I
was correct. But in a different sense there were particular elements of the
service that were especially devoted to worship and not to teaching,
announcements, musical presentations, and all the other activities that are part
of a typical Sunday morning gathering. I had to admit that I wasn't sure which
part of the service was supposed to be worship.
'After we started to meet in our home
gathering, I noticed times during the meeting - usually when we sang - in which
I experienced God deeply. We sang many songs, but mostly songs about worship or
testimonies from one Christian to another. But occasionally we sang a song
personally and intimately to Jesus, with lyrics like "Jesus I love you". Those
types of songs both stirred and fed the hunger for God within me. About this
time I began asking our music leader why some songs seemed to spark something in
us and others didn't. As we talked about worship, we realized that often we
would sing about worship yet we never actually worshipped - except when we
accidentally stumbled onto intimate songs like "I Love You Lord", and "I Lift My
Voice". Thus we began to see a difference between songs about Jesus and songs to
Jesus.
'Now, during this time when we were stumbling
around corporately in worship, many of us were also worshipping at home alone.
During these solitary times we were not necessarily singing, but we were bowing
down, kneeling, lifting hands, and praying spontaneously in the Spirit -
sometimes with spoken prayers, sometimes with non-verbalized prayers, and even
prayers without words at all. We noticed that as our individual worship life
deepened, when we came together there was a greater hunger toward God. So we
learned that what happens when we are alone with the Lord determines how
intimate and deep the worship will be when we come together.
'About that time we realized our worship
blessed God, that it was for God alone and not just a vehicle of preparation for
the pastor's sermon. This was an exciting revelation. After learning about the
central place of worship in our meetings, there were many instances in which all
we did was worship God for an hour or two. At this time we also discovered that
singing was not the only way to worship God. Because the word "worship" means
literally to bow down, it is important that our bodies are involved in what our
spirits are saying. In Scripture this is accomplished through bowing heads,
lifting hands, kneeling, and even lying
prostrate before God.
'A result of our worshipping and blessing God
is being blessed by Him. We don't worship God in order to get blessed, but we
are blessed as we worship Him. He visits His people with manifestations of the
Holy Spirit. Thus worship has a two-fold aspect: communication with God through
the basic means of singing and praying, and communication from God through
teaching and preaching the Word, prophecy, exhortation, etc. We lift him up and
exalt Him, and as a result are drawn into His presence where He speaks to
us.'
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