Vineyard Distinctives
Playing our unique part in the Body of Christ.
As the Vineyard has grown over the past 40+ years, certain distinctives of our movement have risen to the surface.
As a movement, we believe that all networks and associations of churches have a part to play in the wider Body of Christ. The Vineyard has some distinctives that define our personality in the wider Church, and carry our unique way of doing life as Christians.
Click here to watch videos on our Distinctives in our Media Library. Click here to read about what makes a Vineyard church unique.
Reinventing ourselves in every generation.
We never want to get “stuck” as a church movement, thinking every new generation should carry our distinctive personality in exactly the same way as the last. We embrace change, and seek to embody our distinctives in fresh expressions of the Church.
The already and not yet of the kingdom.
In the Bible, Jesus sometimes talks about the kingdom of God being here, and within our reach. People are healed. Lives are transformed. Signs and wonders occur. At other times, Jesus talks about the kingdom as a future reality, as our hope beyond this life. In other words, sometimes people are not healed in the present. Intractable social issues remain. Jobs are lost, hunger continues, and suffering is real.
Our theology of the already and not yet of the kingdom enables us to believe God for miracles, with a theology of the miraculous, and to also trust God when pain is occurring, with a theology of suffering. We believe that both are necessary for a healthy Christian spirituality.
A Few Of Our Distinctives
The main and the plain.
John Wimber would always look back to what the Scriptures say, right on the page. We base everything we do on the “main and the plain” teaching that Jesus gave.
The already and the not yet.
In the Vineyard, we pray for people, and sometimes they are healed and sometimes they are not. Our theology and practice of the kingdom of God makes it so we can acknowledge both miracles and suffering.
“Come, Holy Spirit.”
This is our central prayer liturgy. As Carol Wimber used to tell us, “There should never be a time in our gatherings together that we don’t invite the Holy Spirit.” We all need a constant filling of the Holy Spirit.
.
Everyone gets to play.
We believe that anyone can do the work of the Kingdom. We don’t have an elite or superstar leaders – we are all commissioned – men and women, children, of every background.
Come as you are – but don’t stay as you are.
You’ll be loved no matter what state you are in when you come to the Vineyard. We believe that Jesus can love us all to health.
Naturally supernatural.
We avoid all hype or emotional manipulation. Going about our lives naturally, we pray for healing and listen for God’s voice in all circumstances.
.
Remember the poor.
We lean toward the lost, the poor, the outcast, and the outsider with the compassion of Jesus. We are all in need, in some way.
Be a history maker.
We simply believe that God is speaking and acting through ordinary people today. We are the Vineyard – join the movement!
Faith is spelled “R-I-S-K.”
We believe the call to be the Body of Christ involves getting outside of our comfort zones. Adventurous faith is welcome in the Vineyard.
.
Worshippers of God and rescuers of people.
We are given to express worship and compassion in every part of our lives. This is our expression of loving God and loving our neighbor.
Plant churches who plant churches.
The very nature of the Gospel and the Church leads to reproduce kingdom outposts in the world – the planting of new churches.
Equipping the saints.
We will continually invest ourselves in training and equipping God’s people to do what Jesus did, equipping the saints for ministry (Eph. 4:12).
Why Distinctives?
While the Body of Christ is one big Family, we all have parts to play. The Vineyard has a unique role in our generation.
Ordinary People
We emphasize both the ordinariness and the extraordinariness of what God has called us to.
A People Before An Institution
We are a people of the “Kingdom of God” – rather than primarily self-identifying as an institution.
God’s Mission Has Us
We are a people seized by something beyond ourselves, and turned into something new. Rather than us having a mission, God’s mission has us.
A Movement And A Mission
We often refer to the Vineyard as a “Movement of People” that God both initiated and invited. We are recipients of, and participants in, God’s great Grace and Mercy.
For God’s Greater Glory
We are a people who have responded to this invitation to join God’s mission, for His greater glory and the well-being of people.
We Get To Give
From our earliest days as a Movement, we received much from God in relation to His presence – His power, His favor, His fruit. We believe we receive, in order to give.
Join the tribe.
We sometimes call ourselves a “tribe” within God’s family, because we have a shared story and a shared mission. We invite you to join the Vineyard tribe!