THE VINEYARD MOVEMENT IS A NETWORK OF OVER 1,500 CHURCHES WORLDWIDE, COMMITTED TO SEEING EACH GENERATION REACHED BY THE POWER OF THE GOSPEL. WITH A VIEW TO EMBRACE INTEGRITY IN CHRISTIAN CHARACTER ALONG WITH THE ACTIVITY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, EACH VINEYARD CHURCH SEEKS TO BE AN OUTPOST OF GOD’S COMPASSIONATE LOVE IN A BROKEN WORLD.

LED IN ITS EARLIEST YEARS BY THE LATE JOHN WIMBER, THE VINEYARD MOVEMENT HAS BECOME ONE OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL CHURCH MOVEMENTS OF THE 20TH-21ST CENTURIES. AS AN EXTENSION OF THE CHURCH MOVEMENT, VINEYARD WORSHIP MUSIC (COME, NOW IS THE TIME TO WORSHIP; YOUR LOVE IS AMAZING) HAS DEEPLY IMPACTED THE EXPERIENCE OF THOUSANDS OF CHURCHES AROUND THE WORLD.

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. WITH OUR CORE VALUES AT CENTER, WE ARE SEEKING TO TAKE OUR PLACE IN THE BODY OF CHRIST, SERVING ALONGSIDE THOSE WHO TRULY DESIRE TO EXPERIENCE GOD IN THEIR EVERY DAY LIFE.

 

The Mission of the Vineyard:

 

THE MISSION OF VINEYARD USA IS TO JOIN GOD’S MISSION IN THE WORLD BY BUILDING A COMMUNITY OF CHURCHES THAT ARE PROCLAIMING AND PRACTICING THE FULL MESSAGE AND REALITY OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD.

 

The Vineyard Core Values:

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 WHAT IS THE VINEYARD? THAT REALLY IS AN IMPORTANT QUESTION. WHAT DISTINGUISHES US FROM OTHER MOVEMENTS, OTHER CHURCHES, OTHER DENOMINATIONS? WHY DO WE EVEN EXIST? WHEN ASKING THAT QUESTION, WE ARE REALLY ADDRESSING THE ISSUE OF CORE VALUES. WHAT ARE THOSE CORE VALUES THAT DEFINE US?

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The Theology and Practice of the Kingdom of God

 COMMITMENT TO THE THEOLOGY AND PRACTICE OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS THE MOST FUNDAMENTAL CORE VALUE IN THE VINEYARD. WHEN THE VINEYARD TALKS ABOUT THE KINGDOM, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE KINGDOM OF GOD AS A DYNAMIC REALITY THAT IS THE FUTURE REIGN OF GOD BREAKING INTO THE PRESENT THROUGH THE LIFE AND MINISTRY OF JESUS. WE HAVE BEEN COMMISSIONED TO PROCLAIM THE GOOD NEWS OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD, BEARING WITNESS TO THE ALREADY AND THE NOT YET OF THE KINGDOM IN WORDS AND DEEDS.

THIS UNDERSTANDING OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS THE CENTRAL MOTIF THAT GIVES BOTH STRUCTURE AND DEFINITION TO ALL OF OUR THEOLOGY. WE VIEW THE KINGDOM OF GOD AS THE OVERARCHING AND INTEGRATING THEME OF THE BIBLE.

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Experiencing God (The Presence of God)

 GOD IS EAGER TO BE KNOWN AND EXPERIENCED BY ALL. WE BELIEVE THAT GOD IS SEARCHING FOR LOST HUMANITY IN ORDER TO DRAW US INTO INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP WITH HIMSELF. IN RESPONSE TO GOD’S INITIATIVE, WE VALUE THE LIFE-CHANGING POWER OF THE EXPERIENCE OF HIS PRESENCE. THE PRIMARY PLACE WHERE THAT RELATIONSHIP IS NURTURED AND DEVELOPED IS IN THE ACT OF WORSHIP – BOTH PRIVATE AND CORPORATE. WE EXPERIENCE GOD’S PRESENCE AS A PALPABLE REALITY WHEN WE WORSHIP. AS WE WORSHIP WE CAN DO AS JESUS DID: “SEE WHAT THE FATHER IS DOING,” (JOHN 5:19) AND SUPPORT HIS WORK WITH OUR LIVES.

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Culturally Relevant Mission (Reaching Each Generation)

 THE CHURCH EXISTS FOR THE SAKE OF THOSE WHO ARE EXILED FROM GOD. WE ARE CALLED TO BRING THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM TO EVERY NOOK AND CRANNY OF CREATION, FAITHFULLY TRANSLATING THE MESSAGE OF JESUS INTO LANGUAGE AND FORMS THAT ARE RELEVANT TO DIVERSE PEOPLES AND CULTURES.

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 WE SEEK TO PLANT CHURCHES THAT ARE CULTURALLY RELEVANT IN A WIDE VARIETY OF SETTINGS LOCALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY. EACH VINEYARD CHURCH IS ENCOURAGED TO REACH THOSE IN ITS COMMUNITY NOT ALREADY REACHED BY EXISTING CHURCHES. TO THIS END, WE PROMOTE A CREATIVE, ENTREPRENEURIAL AND INNOVATIVE APPROACH TO MINISTRY THAT IS FAITHFUL TO JESUS AND EXPRESSIVE OF HIS HEART TO REACH THOSE WHO ARE FAR AWAY FROM GOD.

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Reconciling Community (Being Peacemakers)

 JESUS IS RECONCILING HUMANS TO GOD, TO EACH OTHER, AND TO THE ENTIRE CREATION, BREAKING DOWN DIVISIONS BETWEEN JEW AND GENTILE, SLAVE AND FREE, MALE AND FEMALE. THEREFORE, WE ARE COMMITTED TO BECOMING HEALING COMMUNITIES ENGAGED IN THE WORK OF RECONCILIATION WHEREVER SIN AND EVIL HOLD SWAY.

WE SEEK TO BE DIVERSE COMMUNITIES OF HOPE THAT REALIZE THE POWER OF THE CROSS TO RECONCILE WHAT HAS BEEN SEPARATED BY SIN. THIS REQUIRES US TO MOVE BEYOND OUR PERSONAL BIASES TO ENGAGE THOSE WHO ARE PERCEIVED TO BE UNLIKE US AND TO ACTIVELY BREAK DOWN BARRIERS OF RACE, CULTURE, GENDER, SOCIAL CLASS, AND ETHNICITY.

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Compassionate Ministry (Caring for the Broken)

WE BELIEVE THAT MINISTRY IN JESUS’ NAME SHOULD BE EXPRESSED IN CONCRETE WAYS THROUGH THE LOCAL CHURCH. THE POOR ARE TO BE SERVED AS THOUGH SERVING JESUS HIMSELF. THIS IS ONE OF THE DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS OF A CHURCH EXPRESSING THE LOVE OF CHRIST IN A LOCAL COMMUNITY.

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IN ALL FORMS OF MINISTRY, COMPASSION IS A HALLMARK OF THE ONE WHO WAS MOVED WITH COMPASSION IN THE FACE OF HUMAN NEED. THIS BEING THE AGE OF GRACE AND “THE YEAR OF THE LORD’S FAVOR,” COMPASSION SHOULD CONSTITUTE THE LEADING EDGE OF OUR SERVICE TO GOD, EACH OTHER, AND A BROKEN WORLD.

 

We are a people of the Kingdom of God who…

• Partner with the Holy Spirit

• Experience and worship God

• Reconcile people with God and all creation

• Engage in compassionate ministry

• Pursue culturally relevant mission in the world

 

 

See the PDF Document for Vineyard USA’s Core Values and Beliefs Booklet:
http://www.vineyardresources.com/CoreValuesAndBeliefs.pdf

 

For more information on the Vineyard, check out the website for Vineyard USA:
http://www.vineyardusa.org/site/

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