The Gospel With The Poor
A collection of excerpts and Bible studies compiled and adapted by Vineyard Justice Network from John Wimber’s teachings. It includes 9 chapters complete with scriptures references, stories, study prompts and outreach actions.
About the Booklet
John Wimber once said that the purpose of the Vineyard could be summed up with two words: worship and compassion. Wimber also regularly highlighted Jesus’ mission on earth to “release the oppressed.” As Kingdom-minded people formed through intimacy in worship and by Jesus’ compassion for us, we then embark on this same mission to set things right, especially for the captive, poor and marginalized. It’s in our roots.
Chapters
Institution or Organism?
Catch God’s Heart
Vain Worship
Your Kingdom Come
God or Mammon?
Here and Now I Give
Justice and Justice Alone
Jesus in Disguise
Servant or Lord?
Gospel With the Poor Cohorts
Register for 6 monthly Zoom calls to grow in your capacity to lean into the lost, the least, the marginalized, and the outcast in your local community.
Additional Resources
We Are Vineyard Podcast
In this episode of the We Are Vineyard podcast, Jay talks with Brandon Shields about his family’s conversion to Christianity when he was a teenager, an impactful spiritual experience he had on a missions trip to the Philippines, and the transformative power of being with believers in other countries. Brandon shares about his call to church planting, navigating a season of “failure”, the slow process of building a missional community, and when things finally started gaining momentum. This is part one of a two-part episode, so come back next week to hear the rest of the conversation!
About Brandon:
Brandon Shields serves as the Director of Church Formation for Practicing the Way, a ministry that helps churches form lifelong apprentices to Jesus.
Brandon has served in pastoral ministry for 25 years, including the last 14 as founding and lead pastor at Soma Midtown in urban Indianapolis. He has also been a contributing author to several books on pastoral ministry, including Perspectives on Family Ministry and Faithful Endurance. He’s written articles and been interviewed for publications like Christianity Today, The Gospel Coalition, and For the Church.
Brandon holds an undergraduate degree in business, a graduate degree in missiology, and a Ph.D in leadership. He currently lives in Indianapolis with Emily, his wife of 22 years, and his four amazing children.
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Watch the video version of this episode here.
Show Notes:
Free Coaching for Pastors – Looking for coaching tailored to your context and challenges? We love walking alongside pastors as they’re working to implement spiritual formation in their church. Schedule a free 60-minute online coaching session with an experienced member of our Church Formation team.
From Strength to Strength by Arthur C. Brooks
Instagram: @brandonshields @practicingtheway
