The National Leadership Handbook & Vineyard Ordination
June 1, 2025 – Continuing to develop key sections of the National Leadership Handbook and launching a cooperative ordination and endorsement process for new ordination candidates.
- VUSA National Leadership Handbook
- New Ordination & Endorsement Process
- New Ordination Application
- Be-Know-Do: The Identity of a Vineyard Pastor
May 1 2025: “Grandfathered” Ordination Attestation & Church Bylaw Updates due
June 1 2025: New Ordination Process Opens
Sept 2025: Draft Handbook Version 3.0
Nov 2025: Input Closes for Draft Handbook v3.0
Mar 2026: Ratification of Draft Handbook v3.0
Sept 2026: Version 3.0 Handbook implemented
Background
Over the past year, Vineyard churches have taken meaningful steps to clarify how we walk together as a movement. In doing so, we’ve clarified and strengthened the relationship between and among local churches, Vineyard USA, and Vineyard pastors. We’re no longer connected only by a Trademark License, but through the National Leadership Handbook, a shared framework that describes how we relate to one another.
The development of the National Leadership Handbook came in response to the direction of the former Executive Team at the culmination of the ReOrg in 2021. Much of what the Handbook contains simply puts into writing the expectations, agreements, and commitments that have long been part of our life together, giving shared language to what has been understood informally. Some sections offer new clarity and structure where we’ve needed it most, making it possible for our movement to flourish into and through the next generation.
In 2024-2025, pastors and churches affirmed this manner of connection in two important ways. First, churches acknowledged the National Leadership Handbook in their local church bylaws and articulated their affiliation as a Vineyard church. Second, currently ordained Vineyard pastors participated in an ordination attestation “grandfathering” process, whereby currently ordained Vineyard pastors received national endorsement of their ordination credentials.
Now, we take the next steps outlined in the Handbook: launching a cooperative ordination and endorsement process for new ordination candidates and continuing to develop key sections of the Handbook. The proposed additions to the Handbook will affirm the right of local church governance, clarify how churches can appeal or reject future versions of the Handbook, and further strengthen the shared commitments that shape our life together. The new ordination and endorsement process will launch on June 1, 2025, while the next ratification vote for the National Leadership Handbook is scheduled for March 2026.
Part I: The National Leadership Handbook
The National Leadership Handbook supplements the Vineyard USA Bylaws. While the Bylaws define the legal nature of the nonprofit corporation, the Handbook describes how Vineyard USA functions as a movement of churches—and how Vineyard churches and leaders relate to one another in that shared life.
Version 2.0 of the Handbook, unanimously ratified by the Leadership Council (Regional, Area, and Association Leaders) in March 2024, laid the groundwork for our shared life as a movement. It included foundational content: an overview of our regional and national structures, clarity around leadership roles like Regional and Area Leaders, and a basic framework for ordination, including the now-completed “grandfathering” process of ordination attestation.
Much of what was included in Version 2.0 simply put into writing what had already been true for years, offering shared language for long-standing practices. But just as importantly, the process of ratification embodied a significant safeguard for Vineyard churches: no single leader or small group of people can unilaterally rewrite how we relate to one another now or in the future. Any future changes to these foundational structures must go through a slow and deliberate, transparent process that invites broad input and requires a high threshold for approval.
This is how we ensure that our commitments to one another are both clear and enduring—built to support and sustain the work of the Vineyard for generations to come.
The Trademark License Agreement is appropriate for protecting legal trademarks and logos, but it does not capture the depth of our relational interdependence or provide adequate guidance for the complex issues faced by both local churches and our national association. The National Leadership Handbook addresses this gap by making explicit the commitments and organizational frameworks that have long been implicit in how we function together.
For more context on the limitations of Trademark License Agreement, please review Session 2: Trademark License Agreement from the 2024 Regional Conferences.
No, it is aligned with who we are and who we have been as church-planting people of the Spirit. In a pastoral letter from 1993, John Wimber wrote:
“As an organism, the Vineyard needs organization. Compare two life forms: an amoeba and a human body. Which can accomplish more? Certainly, the more highly structured human body, if it is alive. The key: life and relationship with God, not organization or lack thereof.
To father children and not take the responsibility of raising them is considered uncivilized. To make new converts and not set them into a church, is unthinkable. Likewise, to plant new churches, and not to band them together and mature them is irresponsible.
That’s why I’m for structured relationships among churches with a shared sense of calling. I’m proposing we introduce structures carefully, always aware that the organization is subservient to the organism. We must make alterations whenever the organization thwarts the growth of the organism.”
The work we are doing now is a necessary next step for the movement as we steward what the Lord has given us and mature together as a body of believers. Wimber’s full letter is available here.
Version 1.0 of the National Leadership Handbook was ratified by the former Executive Team of Vineyard USA in December of 2021. Establishing new bylaws and the supplemental Handbook were important for the transition of leadership models.
Version 2.0 of the National Leadership Handbook was approved by the Trustees and ratified by unanimous vote on March 4, 2024, by the Leadership Council (Regional Leaders, Area Leaders, and Association Leaders). The Handbook was made available to all Lead Pastors on March 14, 2024.
You can listen to the audio recording of the Ratification Session here.
National Leadership Handbook - Version 3.0
Version 3.0 of the National Leadership Handbook will be presented to the Leadership Council for ratification in March 2026. It will expand on the foundational content of Version 2.0 and introduce new, high-impact policies designed to clarify, protect, and strengthen our life as a movement of churches. Planned additions include:
- Affirming the Right of Local Church Governance
New language will explicitly affirm the autonomy of local Vineyard churches, ensuring that the Handbook does not override local governance or operations. This section codifies a long-held Vineyard value.
- Appeal and Rejection Processes for Future Handbook Updates
Version 3.0 introduces formal, documented processes by which churches may appeal or reject future Handbook updates. These policies define clear categories (“Good Standing, Good Standing – Pending Appeal, and Out of Compliance”) and outline what churches can expect when they invoke these options.
- Conflict and Peacemaking Commitments
This section introduces a biblically grounded framework for relational conflict among Vineyard pastors and leaders. It includes a tiered process—personal peacemaking, assisted resolution, and professional conciliation—with accompanying training and accountability expectations.
- Ordination and Credentialing Policy
This section will outline more information about the new cooperative process for ordination and ordination endorsement, including:
- Local church initiation and discernment
- Area, Regional, and Super Regional Leader affirmation for Vineyard USA ordination endorsement
- Ordination renewal timelines
- Provisions for transferred ordination credentials and endorsement revocation
A complete draft of Version 3.0 of the National Leadership Handbook will be made available to all Lead Pastors in the Vineyard and posted to this webpage in September 2025.
Process for Updating the Handbook
The National Leadership Handbook can only be updated through a deliberate, transparent, and participatory process that ensures the involvement of Vineyard churches and leaders at every stage. Here’s how the process works:
- Initial Drafting: Vineyard USA drafts proposed updates in consultation with subject matter experts.
- Early Input: Early draft(s) of proposed additions are reviewed by the National Leadership Handbook Advisory Council, a diverse group of senior leaders from Vineyard churches across the country. This Council provides practical, pastoral insight and helps evaluate the clarity, relevance, and real-world impact of proposed policies before they are shared more broadly. Members are selected to reflect a range of church sizes, budgets, leadership structures, geographic regions, and ministry contexts. While the Advisory Council does not hold voting power, it plays a crucial consultative role in shaping the content and surfacing risks and opportunities during early development.
- Preliminary Review: A complete draft is shared with all Lead Pastors at least 6 months before any ratification vote. Lead Pastors are given at least 45 days to review and provide feedback. The anticipated drop date for Version 3.0 of the National Leadership Handbook to all Lead Pastors is September 1, 2025.
- Final Draft & Notice: A revised version, incorporating feedback, is distributed to all Lead Pastors no fewer than 45 days prior to the vote.
- Ratification Vote: Updates must be approved by at least a three-quarters (¾) majority of the Leadership Council (Regional, Area, and Association Leaders).
- Implementation: Once ratified, changes take effect 6 months after the vote.
This process is intentional in giving every Vineyard church a full 12 months’ notice from the time content is shared in draft form to lead pastors to the point that a ratified update takes effect. It allows space for thoughtful engagement, honest feedback, and—in cases of serious concern—the ability for churches to initiate an appeal or rejection process as outlined in Version 3.0 of the Handbook.
This approach ensures that changes to the Handbook happen with broad input, high consensus, and clear accountability, reinforcing the relational nature of Vineyard USA and honoring the diversity and voice of the churches that make up the movement.
We update the National Leadership Handbook because our shared life as a movement requires clarity—not complexity. The Handbook isn’t meant to say everything; it’s meant to say what must be said in order to explain how we live and lead together as Vineyard churches.
If we never updated the Handbook, it would either grow disconnected from how we actually function—or balloon into something overloaded and unusable. That’s why we focus on including only what’s essential, and why we continue to build it out carefully, over time.
What we add matters. Some things simply need to be in writing. For example, Version 3.0 includes key additions that limit the authority of the Handbook itself and affirm the authority of the local church. Those aren’t just details—they’re foundational to how we live together with trust and accountability.
For that reason, we’re committed to adding content slowly and transparently. It would be disingenuous to ask churches to adopt a 100-page document all at once. Instead, we began with what was necessary and are shaping the rest in partnership—with broad input and time for reflection at every step.
In that sense, updating the Handbook isn’t just about content—it’s a formative process. How we add new sections is just as important as what we add. Take, for example, the process for adopting into the Vineyard: while a tested process already exists, turning it into Handbook language will involve gathering feedback from those with recent lived experience, refining the language, and submitting it to a slow and careful review.
This is how we learn to walk together in clarity, care, and mutual trust.
For the next few years, we expect to update the Handbook every two years. Once a few more foundational policies and structures are in place, we expect the pace to slow down.
The ReOrg team presented several proposals to the previous Vineyard USA leadership. These proposals were carefully evaluated. In 2021, the Executive Team approved the final organizational structure, revised bylaws, and granted the Leadership Council ratification responsibilities. Historically, church voting within Vineyard USA leadership was utilized exclusively for the appointment of the National Director. The process outlined in the Handbook significantly increases participation, involving over eighty Vineyard pastors and leaders.
We recognize that no system is perfect and welcome constructive feedback. While future adjustments to the ratification process are possible, any changes would need to follow the current procedures outlined in the Vineyard USA Handbook.
The Leadership Council consists of Area Leaders, Regional Leaders, and Association Leaders. Because of its composition, the group will always include geographic representation from across the movement, as well as voices that are underrepresented in leadership.
The Regional Leader (RL) selection process involves a time of discernment, a writing project, personal and professional references, interviews conducted by a diverse team of translocal leaders and local pastors. This process results in a recommendation from the interview team. The final selection is made by the Super Regional Leader, and the RL is appointed with the approval of the National Director.
Area Leaders are appointed by the corresponding region’s Regional Leader(s), are approved by the designated Super Regional Leader, and confirmed by the National Director. Factors considered include leadership experience, a sense of call, desire and willingness, peer recognition, and geographic location/proximity.
Association Leaders are appointed by the Associations Director and confirmed by the National Director. Associations and their members inform the appointment process.
Ordination and the National Leadership Handbook
Ordination is one of the key areas where clarity and shared process matter deeply—and it’s already addressed in the National Leadership Handbook. Section 9 of Version 2.0 laid the groundwork by affirming existing ordinations through a national endorsement process and calling for the launch of a new cooperative pathway for future candidates, to begin after the grandfathering window closed.
That time has come. With the “grandfathering” attestation phase now complete, we’re entering the next chapter—a new ordination process that reflects what’s already been directed in the Handbook and shaped in partnership with leaders across the movement.
Ordination has always been—and continues to be—an act of the local church. Vineyard USA now comes alongside that local discernment to offer national endorsement and shared support, helping ensure clarity, care, and consistency in how pastors are recognized across the movement.
Version 3.0 of the Handbook will further describe how this process works in practice, with additional detail on credentialing, renewal, and pastoral standards. But what launches on June 1, 2025, is the process already envisioned in the Handbook—and one we’re now ready to walk together.
Part II: Vineyard Ordination and Endorsement
A Local Church Led, Cooperative Process Shaped by Our Shared Life
Ordination in the Vineyard is first and foremost an act of the local church. As described in the National Leadership Handbook, Vineyard USA affirms the authority of local churches to discern and recognize a pastoral call—and comes alongside that discernment to offer national endorsement of the church’s ordination.
This Ordination and Endorsement process is new—but what it affirms is not. The act of ordaining pastors, the relationships between churches and leaders, and the shared values that shape our life together have been part of the Vineyard from the beginning. What’s new is the way we’re implementing structure to this process—bringing clarity, support, and shared commitment to something that has always mattered deeply.
In 2024–2025, Vineyard pastors engaged in an ordination attestation “grandfathering” process, receiving national endorsement of their ordination credentials. With that window now closed, we begin the next chapter: a forward-looking process to guide how ordination and national endorsement will happen going forward.
Rooted in the local church and supported by Vineyard USA, this new process is designed to serve churches well, strengthen our shared life, and affirm pastors with both relational integrity and organizational clarity.
The Identity of a Vineyard Pastor
The life of every Vineyard pastor should be fundamentally organized around the simple prayer that our Lord Jesus taught us: “Your kingdom come and Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” These simple words speak forth the deepest desire of our hearts—that the “already-here-yet-still-coming” kingdom of God would be fully manifest, in our day and in our time. This is the cause and the hunger and the promise for which we have given our lives.
This vision has shaped Vineyard pastors for generations. It flows through our history, our shared life, our core documents, and our long-held practices. It reflects not only the kind of leaders we hope to form, but the kind of people we believe God has called us to be—together.
Within this vision are other defining elements of our life together. We are people of the Word who receive and interpret Holy Scripture as the written Word of God and the final authority of faith and practice. We love the poor and disenfranchised with the love of Jesus, and we proclaim and demonstrate the Kingdom of God. Our lives are formed by intimacy with God, and we lean toward emotional and relational maturity.
These distinctives and convictions, among others, show up in our preaching and pastoring, in the way we worship and pray, in how we lead, in how we care for people. They are lived out—not perfectly, but genuinely—as we grow together in maturity.
The Vineyard Ordination and Endorsement process is formed with these core identity pieces at the center, formally organized in the document, “Be-Know-Do: The Identity of a Vineyard Pastor.”
The Be-Know-Do framework gives language to who a Vineyard pastor is (Be), what they must understand (Know), and how they live and lead (Do). This framework was developed slowly and carefully over the last years, with broad input from Vineyard pastors and leadership groups across the country, including input from pastors at area meetings. It holds together theology and practice, conviction, and character.
The “Be-Know-Do: The Identity of a Vineyard Pastor” document is in a final draft form. It undergirds the now-live Ordination and Endorsement process and may yet go through additional minor revisions, including but not limited to circulation to all Lead Pastors by September 1, 2025, along with other content up for adoption into Version 3.0 of the National Leadership Handbook.
For more information about the adoption process for Version 3.0 of the National Leadership Handbook, please review the details here.
Section 9.3 of the current National Leadership Handbook, Version 2.0 (ratified in March 2024), states that Vineyard USA will “establish and maintain a process to endorse the ordination credentials of Vineyard pastors seeking to be ordained after June 1, 2025.” It also commits Vineyard USA to “develop, articulate, and evaluate the standards for ordination,” and to “establish and maintain programs, partnerships, and training resources that will support pastors in their journey to ordination and beyond.”
The new Ordination and Endorsement process is how Vineyard USA is honoring that commitment. A central part of this work is the “Be-Know-Do: The Identity of a Vineyard Pastor” document, which gives language to the character, theology, and practice expected of pastors across our movement. While the document remains in final draft form until its planned inclusion in Version 3.0 of the Handbook, we are actively using it now to guide the process we said we would implement in the already ratified Handbook.
In the months ahead, minor refinements to the Be-Know-Do document may still occur based on feedback and implementation experience. That’s expected. Launching the process now allows us to fulfill the direction of Version 2.0 while continuing to shape and strengthen the supporting resources for long-term use.
Ordination has always been—and continues to be—an act of the local church. That hasn’t changed. What this process offers is a way for Vineyard USA to come alongside the local church’s discernment with shared support, clarity, and confidence across our movement.
This process matters because we are a connected family of churches. When pastors move between Vineyard churches, plant new churches, or serve in national and regional roles, having a clear and consistent endorsement of their ordination helps strengthen trust, accountability, and care across the movement. It also provides a shared framework for formation—ensuring that every pastor being ordained within the Vineyard is shaped by our theology, values, and practices.
Far from replacing or overriding local authority, this process is meant to reinforce it. Vineyard USA is not here to take the lead in ordaining pastors—but to walk alongside churches with the tools and encouragement needed to do it well, together.
Absolutely not. Many faithful and gifted people serve as pastors in Vineyard churches without being ordained—and that will continue to be the case. Ordination is one way the church recognizes and affirms a long-term call to ministry, but it is not a requirement for serving in pastoral ministry.
We know that pastors lead in a wide range of roles and contexts, and Vineyard churches have different practices around when and how ordination happens. This will certainly continue to be the case. Additionally, many current pastors and individuals who are considering possible future service as a pastor are still discerning their long-term call, or serving in a season of ministry that may or may not lead to ordination. That’s not a problem—it’s part of the beautiful diversity of how God calls and uses people in the Vineyard.
This Ordination and Endorsement process is not about narrowing who can serve or who might be ordained (or not!). It’s about offering a clear and supportive pathway for those who are called to long-term pastoral leadership and are ready to be recognized and affirmed through ordination.
If you or someone in your church is serving faithfully but not sure if ordination is the next step, that’s okay. There’s no pressure or deadline. This process will be here if and when the time is right.
Ordination & Endorsement Process
The life of a pastor is formed over time—through faithful service, spiritual maturity, personal formation, and the discernment of a local church community. This new Ordination and Endorsement process reflects that reality. It’s not a checklist to complete, but a church-led journey of affirmation and support, with Vineyard USA walking alongside. Each phase is designed to serve what is already unfolding in the life of the candidate—bringing shared clarity, consistency, and care.
The process unfolds in three phases. Each one plays a distinct role in naming, nurturing, and affirming a pastor’s call and readiness for ministry within the Vineyard.
Phase 1: Call and Journey
Launching June 1, 2025
In this first phase, ordination candidates begin by sharing their story. They complete a written application that reflects on their call to pastoral ministry, their formation to this point, and the journey that has led them here. They’ll also submit three personal references: one from a close friend or family member, one from a spouse (if applicable) or second personal reference, and one from a board member or elder of their Sponsoring Church or Sponsoring Vineyard USA National Ministry.
Candidates should not begin the Phase 1 application without the consent of a Sponsoring Pastor and Sponsoring Church or Sponsoring Vineyard USA National Ministry. Sponsoring Pastors, typically a senior-level pastor at the candidate’s home church, are responsible for accompanying the candidate throughout their ordination journey. When a candidate begins their application, Sponsoring Pastors will automatically receive a verification form to confirm their participation in the process.
The purpose of this phase is to formally begin the ordination journey by offering a clear and thoughtful introduction from the candidate—a window into their sense of call and readiness to take the next steps.
Generally, candidates should complete this Phase 1 Application in the earlier stages of their discernment of call to lifelong ministry in the Vineyard, though candidates further along in the discernment and developmental journey will also formally begin their ordination process here. To complete this application, candidates need not hold a particular title or intend to serve as a full-time lead pastor; Vineyard pastors serve in a wide range of roles.
Completed applications and references are reviewed by the candidate’s Sponsoring Pastor, as well as Vineyard USA and designated translocal leaders.
Most candidates will move forward to Phase 2 at this point; if not, a conversation between the candidate’s Sponsoring Pastor, designated translocal leadership, and Vineyard USA will help clarify next steps.
Phase 2: Experience and Competencies
Launching September 2025
In this second phase, candidates reflect more deeply on how their lived experience aligns with the expectations of Vineyard pastoral leadership. They complete a structured self-assessment, responding to six open-ended questions and evaluating themselves across ten Vineyard pastoral competencies, derived from the Be-Know-Do framework. This assessment is not designed to be a mechanical checklist, but rather a space for honest reflection about where growth has taken root, acknowledging formation still in progress, and welcoming the continued work of God.
The candidate’s Sponsoring Pastor will respond to a parallel assessment, providing feedback on the candidate’s formation and leadership.
Phase 2 also includes a background check and a psychological assessment. The psychological assessment is not about determining a candidate’s calling, but rather growing in understanding of health and readiness for long-term ministry. The psychological assessment, conducted by Campion Barrow & Associates or another third-party professional team, is designed to provide a practical snapshot of certain aspects of emotional, relational, and spiritual health. The assessment does not diagnose or treat mental health issues; it focuses on strengths and areas for growth, equipping the candidate and those walking with them to take the next steps with clarity and confidence.
Phase 2 is about helping candidates start off on the best foot possible—by surfacing areas of strength, identifying opportunities for growth, and supporting long-term flourishing in ministry. Read alongside the materials from Phase I, this phase offers a fuller picture of the candidate’s journey, equipping the Sponsoring Pastor to walk alongside the candidate with additional clarity and care and for designated translocal leaders and Vineyard USA to offer additional support. All submitted materials will be treated as sacred trust—handled with attentiveness and care, as part of a shared commitment to the candidate’s ongoing formation.
There is a cost of $650 for this phase, which covers the cost of the psychological assessment, the background check, and administrative processing. If a candidate and their Sponsoring Pastor desire, the psychological assessment may be completed by the candidate and their spouse (if applicable). In that case, the total cost for Phase 2 will be $1,000.
Candidates may cover this expense directly, the Sponsoring Church can cover the cost, or the cost can be covered by the candidate and the Sponsoring Church together.
Phase 3: Development and Approval
Launching Early 2026
The final phase of the ordination journey focuses on support, development, and formal affirmation. For many candidates, this phase will be the most time-intensive. By this point, a candidate’s call has been affirmed by their church, and their experience, formation, and readiness have been carefully considered. Phase 3 provides space for pastoral conversation, intentional development, and, ultimately, ordination and national endorsement.
Phase 3 begins with a Pastoral Conversation involving the candidate, their Sponsoring Pastor, designated translocal leaders, and a Vineyard USA team member (such as a Super Regional Leader or the Associations Director). This conversation builds on the work completed so far, offering a space to reflect together on the candidate’s development and calling, and to discern next steps in a spirit of support and collaboration.
Following the conversation, the leaders (excluding the candidate) will review the outcomes and materials together. From there, Phase 3 proceeds in one of two tracks:
Traditional Path (Most Common)
Most candidates will continue their Ordination and Endorsement journey through a season of intentional development. This phase is not about checking off tasks, but about growing in maturity across the dimensions outlined in the Be-Know-Do framework—deepening intimacy with God, strengthening character and relationships, expanding theological understanding, and practicing ministry with wisdom and love.
This part of the process draws directly from who we’ve always been and what we’ve always done. Vineyard churches have always raised up and recognized their own pastors—and that hasn’t changed. The Sponsoring Pastor leads this next stage, charting a development path that reflects where growth is most needed. What’s new are the tools from Phase 1 and Phase 2, which now help provide a baseline and a guide along the way—and a broader team of voices available to offer support, encouragement, and connection to helpful resources along the journey.
Once the development plan is completed, the candidate will participate in a second Pastoral Conversation. If Ordination and Endorsement readiness is affirmed, this conversation will lead to formal ordination of the candidate and national endorsement of the ordination credential.
Abbreviated Path
We recognize that some candidates may already be well along in their development and readiness for ordination. In some cases, a candidate may not have participated in the recent attestation “grandfathering” process because they weren’t ready to be ordained this past year, but they were close to readiness. These candidates may have been serving faithfully in their local church and living into the expectations of Vineyard pastoral leadership for some time. Others may have walked through significant formation already—through ministry, mentoring, and experience—and be ready for ordination and endorsement without the need for an extended development plan.
In these cases, the outcome of the Pastoral Conversation may be a recommendation to move forward with ordination and national endorsement through an abbreviated path. While development is always ongoing for all of us, this route acknowledges the maturity and readiness already evident in the candidate’s life and leadership.
