People Of The Presence
We in the Vineyard are a “people of the presence of God.” We see our lives as Christians built on the Holy Spirit guiding us in life and ministry. The presence and activity of the Spirit is always pointing us toward the day when disease will be gone, lives will be restored, and God’s purposes for the world will be fulfilled. When we build our lives on the Spirit’s work in and through us, we are building our lives on God’s future kingdom.
Because of this reality, intractable issues in individual lives, such as disease or mental oppression, we see as opportunities to partner with the Holy Spirit in kingdom ministry. In social issues such as poverty, injustice, and sex trafficking, we address these with confidence knowing that the Holy Spirit empowers us to work with him in humanizing and dignifying our fellow human beings.
The Word And The Spirit
As Christians, we value the Word of God, the Bible, as our guide in character, life, and practice. We also value the Spirit of God, the third Person of the Trinity, in our ministry and kingdom activity. As an old adage says, “The Word without the Spirit – we dry up. The Spirit without the Word – we blow up. The Word and the Spirit together – we grow up.” We are committed to being a people who are “empowered Evangelicals,” embracing the rich gifts of the Scriptures and embracing the tension that comes with living as Spirit-led people.
[bctt tweet=”In God’s presence is the power to do what he invites us to do.” quote=”In God’s presence is the power to do what he invites us to do.”]
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.
We have chosen not to seek the power of God in what we do, but rather to seek the presence of God in all we do. In God’s presence is the power to do what he invites us to do.
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 the Holy Spirit actively working in and through their every day life.
