What happened to Lonnie Frisbee after he left the Vineyard?

[Labayu]

I know that Lonnie had a huge impact on Calvery Chapel and the Vineyard movement.

From what I've heard he was confronted by Wimber about a gay affair in the early 1980's and stoped being part of the Vineyard church. I know that he preached in at least one church in the 1990's before his death.

What happened in the meantime? From all accounts he was sinning quite a lot during his ministry so it seems hard to believe that the supernatural stuff would stop once he was diassociated from the Vineyard. Plus he'd been a hippy and then essentailly been paid by the church...

So did he do a regular job, join a commune, get put up by longterm friends and just not have to work? Was he involved in any kind of ministry afterwards?

 

[banish'd]

Hello Labayu,

Never heard of Lonnie Frisbee, but I have been to the last 3 Vineyard services, and plan to be there tomorrow for Sunday Service. I can ask around.

I am not a member yet, so maybe you can tell me a little about them. I seem to be a lot more charismatic than the average worshiper? It seems to be more Presence movement than word of faith, but it's too soon to tell.

I have never been into the signs and wonders stuff. Tell me what you know.

 

[JimB]

Here’s a Wikipedia article about him http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lonnie_Frisbee

A very interesting and controversial person. I also have a copy of his documentary, “Frisbee: The Life and Death of a Hippie Preacher,” available at Amazon.com.

You can also type in “lonnie frisbee” at YouTube.com and get several videos of/about him.

~Jim

Church is the only society on earth that exists for the benefit of non-members.​

 

[banish'd]

JimB,

Thanks for reminding me about Lonnie. Gosh, that was years ago. Now I remember worshiping with the Jesus Freaks down in the Los Angeles area. My brother was a homosexual, and when ever I visited him we went to worship with Lonnie. First at Calvary Chapel and then at Vineyard.

Be forewarned: The hippies and Jesus Freaks were tuned into the aura of the Native Americans. The pre christian Celts lived here in California and Nevada with the native Americans and Celtic (ogam) is carved on the rocks along with the Indian petroglyphs. The freaks knew about the Celtic rock writings, becasue they spent a lot of time in the woods.

Almost everyone was stoned, so I wouldn't put much faith in the signs and wonders stuff.

Things have really changed at the Vineyard Church, and I was not welcome at my first bible study with them. They totally rejected my Jesus Freak lack of theology.

Anyway, both my brother, Lonnie, and quite a few of them down in LA died from Aids, but that is a topic for another thread. As I remember it, Lonnie had a wife, so he wasn't completely homosexual.

 

[JimB]

JimB,

Thanks for reminding me about Lonnie. Gosh, that was years ago. Now I remember worshiping with the Jesus Freaks down in the Los Angeles area. My brother was a homosexual, and when ever I visited him we went to worship with Lonnie. First at Calvary Chapel and then at Vineyard.

Be forewarned: The hippies and Jesus Freaks were tuned into the aura of the Native Americans. The pre christian Celts lived here in California and Nevada with the native Americans and Celtic (ogam) is carved on the rocks along with the Indian petroglyphs. The freaks knew about the Celtic rock writings, becasue they spent a lot of time in the woods.

Almost everyone was stoned, so I wouldn't put much faith in the signs and wonders stuff.

Things have really changed at the Vineyard Church, and I was not welcome at my first bible study with them. They totally rejected my Jesus Freak lack of theology.

Anyway, both my brother, Lonnie, and quite a few of them down in LA died from Aids, but that is a topic for another thread. As I remember it, Lonnie had a wife, so he wasn't completely homosexual.

There were a lot of mistakes made during the Jesus Movement (on both sides of the issue) including those made with Lonnie Frisbee. My take on it was that Frisbee may have been saved if John Wimber and Chuck Smith hadn't turned homophobic when they discovered Frisbee was homosexual and he was no longer an asset to the Vineyard or Calvary Chapel. I think they both came to realize they were fair weather friends and repented of putting distance between him and them, and if my history is correct, Smith spoke at Frisbee’s funeral.

As for the California wing of the Jesus Movement, well, we in Texas would say what could you expect from the land of fruits and nuts. Just kidding.

Sorry about your experience with the Vineyard. I think we’re more Yuppie than Hippie these days; less Wimber more, Waggoner. But we’re not always perfect. Just trying. My experience has been completely different (and I think it’s because of the changes).

~Jim

Church is the only society on earth that exists for the benefit of non-members.​

 

[New_Wineskin]

My take on it was that Frisbee may have been saved if John Wimber and Chuck Smith hadn't turned homophobic when they discovered Frisbee was homosexual and he was no longer an asset to the Vineyard or Calvary Chapel. I think they both came to realize they were fair weather friends and repented of putting distance between him and them, and if my history is correct, Smith spoke at Frisbee’s funeral.

​

"Chuck Smith" ... now there's a bad memory brought back from the depths of the mind .

 

[banish'd]

There were a lot of mistakes made during the Jesus Movement (on both sides of the issue) including those made with Lonnie Frisbee. My take on it was that Frisbee may have been saved if John Wimber and Chuck Smith hadn't turned homophobic when they discovered Frisbee was homosexual and he was no longer an asset to the Vineyard or Calvary Chapel. I think they both came to realize they were fair weather friends and repented of putting distance between him and them, and if my history is correct, Smith spoke at Frisbee’s funeral.

As for the California wing of the Jesus Movement, well, we in Texas would say what could you expect from the land of fruits and nuts. Just kidding.

Sorry about your experience with the Vineyard. I think we’re more Yuppie than Hippie these days; less Wimber more, Waggoner. But we’re not always perfect. Just trying. My experience has been completely different (and I think it’s because of the changes).

~Jim

Church is the only society on earth that exists for the benefit of non-members.​

JimB,
Yesterday (Sunday) my wife was with me for the first time at vineyard, and it turned out to be a normal church service. I will just have to stay away from the bible studies. I like the worship service well enough to stick with them for a while.

Truthfully, when comparing the Hippies and Yuppies I think the Hippies were more of what I would call charismatic. But of course, how can I judge what is going on while the Yuppies sit there with their eyes closed and tuned into the Presence?

The problem with Lonnie Frisbee and the Jesus Movement was that when they back slide they are really bad. Think I will keep quiet about my brother, and worshiping with Lonnie and the hippies. What do you think?

 

[gratefulgrace]

Does it matter what happened to Lonnie. Maybe he got straight with God. I had christian friends that died of aids. How can we understand except that people make bad decisions and there are consequences. God is a God of mercy.

 

[JimB]

Does it matter what happened to Lonnie. Maybe he got straight with God. I had christian friends that died of aids. How can we understand except that people make bad decisions and there are consequences. God is a God of mercy.

Anything that happens in history matters, GG. We learn (or at least should learn) from our past. At least that’s what the Apostle believed …

11 Now all these things happened to them [past generations] as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. (1 Corinthians 10)
​

~Jim

Church is the only society on earth that exists for the benefit of non-members.​

 

[JimB]

JimB,
Yesterday (Sunday) my wife was with me for the first time at vineyard, and it turned out to be a normal church service. I will just have to stay away from the bible studies. I like the worship service well enough to stick with them for a while.

*****

You’ll have to decide which fellowship you want to be a part of, B. The Vineyard (or any other fellowship for that matter) is not for everybody. If “Charismatic” (whatever that means) is your cuppa tea then maybe the particular Vineyard you visited is not for you.

But then, do we pick churches to suit our own personal agendas of how we think things ought to be? Are churches supposed to adapt to our agenda or are we to adapt to fit the church? People come into our church all the time with an idea of what “church” is supposed to be like and we are either too structured or not structured enough, too charismatic or not charis-maniac enough, too loud or too quiet, too theological or not theological enough, etc. etc. etc. These people show up for a while then move on to the next church (then, usually, the next and the next) until they finally stop looking altogether, stay at home, and join a Christian forum to complain about how the church of today is not the church of the Bible or how they cannot find the perfect church. Fact is, if we changed to suit everybody’s idea of the perfect church, we would be a fluid as water, changing every time someone with a new agenda showed up for church. We would cease to be the church.

On the other hand, there are those who come to us with fewer demands, open hearts, and less critical eyes, not demanding that we change to suit their immediate felt-needs but willing to find their place among us. And because their hearts are open they receive from God. These folks stick and help us become who God means for us to be and help make the changes God wants--from the inside-out not from the outside-in.

Not advising, just sayin’ …

~Jim

Church is the only society on earth that exists for the benefit of non-members.​

 

[banish'd]

Does it matter what happened to Lonnie. Maybe he got straight with God. I had christian friends that died of aids. How can we understand except that people make bad decisions and there are consequences. God is a God of mercy.

Hello gratefulgrace,

Congratulations on winning the hockey game.

 

[JimB]

*****

During the years of 1967-69 conditions were so radical in the Los Angeles area that I doubt if someone in British Columbia could imagine what it was like. Everything that Lonnie and his group did was in the nude.

*****

Can you document it? I have been associated with the Vineyard, bot directly and indirectly, for almost 25 years and this is the first I have heard of this. Unless you can document it, I will have to say that this is not a fact. Neither John Wimber nor Chuck Smith would have endorsed this kind of behavior.

~Jim

Changing one thing for the better is worth more than proving a thousand things are wrong.​

 

[banish'd]

Can you document it? I have been associated with the Vineyard, bot directly and indirectly, for almost 25 years and this is the first I have heard of this. Unless you can document it, I will have to say that this is not a fact. Neither John Wimber nor Chuck Smith would have endorsed this kind of behavior.

~Jim

Changing one thing for the better is worth more than proving a thousand things are wrong.​

edited

 

[banish'd]

You’ll have to decide which fellowship you want to be a part of, B. The Vineyard (or any other fellowship for that matter) is not for everybody. If “Charismatic” (whatever that means) is your cuppa tea then maybe the particular Vineyard you visited is not for you.

But then, do we pick churches to suit our own personal agendas of how we think things ought to be? Are churches supposed to adapt to our agenda or are we to adapt to fit the church? People come into our church all the time with an idea of what “church” is supposed to be like and we are either too structured or not structured enough, too charismatic or not charis-maniac enough, too loud or too quiet, too theological or not theological enough, etc. etc. etc. These people show up for a while then move on to the next church (then, usually, the next and the next) until they finally stop looking altogether, stay at home, and join a Christian forum to complain about how the church of today is not the church of the Bible or how they cannot find the perfect church. Fact is, if we changed to suit everybody’s idea of the perfect church, we would be a fluid as water, changing every time someone with a new agenda showed up for church. We would cease to be the church.

On the other hand, there are those who come to us with fewer demands, open hearts, and less critical eyes, not demanding that we change to suit their immediate felt-needs but willing to find their place among us. And because their hearts are open they receive from God. These folks stick and help us become who God means for us to be and help make the changes God wants--from the inside-out not from the outside-in.

Not advising, just sayin’ …

~Jim

Church is the only society on earth that exists for the benefit of non-members.​

JimB,
The only thing that I didn't like is that during the bible study the Vineyard people didn't explain their doctrine to me first. That way I could have chosen whether or not I liked it. What they did was ask me a lot of questions about where I stood on certain issues, so that they could decide whether or not I fit.

It's a very small church, so I view their behavior as an attempt in keeping it a small church. What do you think?

There are a lot of new ideas floating around in the small churches. Do you know if Vineyard is part of the Emerging Church Movement? How about the Presence Movement? Lonnie Frisbee is okay with me, becasue I have prayed with the Jesus Movement before.

I see the Jesus Movement in the Benny Hinn crusades when looking at the worshipers in the videos, and during the crusades.

 

[banish'd]

edited

 

[Markus6]

JimB,

If the nude hippie stuff is an embarrassment for your church I can delete in, but everyone who lived in Southern California during the late 60's knows about it.

Frisbee says he was a "nudist vegetarian hippie" before God called him. Do you have any evidence of him being a nudist after his conversion?

 

[banish'd]

Frisbee says he was a "nudist vegetarian hippie" before God called him. Do you have any evidence of him being a nudist after his conversion?

I edited it out, so you can do your own research.

 

[gratefulgrace]

It says he died in the 90's so that can't be what the op meant with what happened to him. Did they mean how did he get off track?
I remember in the 70's charismatic revival time here in VAncouver there were quite a few that came out of the drug culture that were a tad weird and not in a good way. We tried to love them and guide them into the truth of scripture but many prefered the delusions of their mind and stayed in the dark thinking they were prophets or some great spriritual leader.

 

[JimB]

JimB,
The only thing that I didn't like is that during the bible study the Vineyard people didn't explain their doctrine to me first. That way I could have chosen whether or not I liked it. What they did was ask me a lot of questions about where I stood on certain issues, so that they could decide whether or not I fit.

It's a very small church, so I view their behavior as an attempt in keeping it a small church. What do you think?

There are a lot of new ideas floating around in the small churches. Do you know if Vineyard is part of the Emerging Church Movement? How about the Presence Movement? Lonnie Frisbee is okay with me, becasue I have prayed with the Jesus Movement before.

I see the Jesus Movement in the Benny Hinn crusades when looking at the worshipers in the videos, and during the crusades.

Personally, I don’t feel obligated to “explain” Vineyard “doctrine” to every person that visits our church. If they have questions, I will be happy to answer them. but in this age of the Internet I feel that they can learn what Vineyard believes simply by going to the VineyardUSA website and reading it for themselves (without all that “explanation” ).

Here’s what Vineyard churches believe: http://www.vineyardusa.org/site/about-vineyard

Some Vineyard churches are small and some are mega-church sized. It all depends on what you are most comfortable with, I suppose. Personally, I wouldn’t want to attend a church where I had no opportunity to know everyone, a church of say 200-300 people in regular attendance. That is a fellowship large enough to have all the resources needed to do effective service in the community. Any church that exceeds that size should seriously consider planting another church, IMO.

One of my friends, a Vineyard pastor, planted a church in Ohio that grew from his den to a church of 6,000 at their weekend services in just over a decade. He told me that if he had it to do over again he would prefer to plant 20 churches of 300 or even 100 churches of 60 than the mega-church he pastored.

As for the Vineyard and the Emerging Church Movement, there is no “official” position regarding it. From my conversations with colleagues there seems to be some elements of the EC that are appealing but as far as the movement goes, the jury is still out. There does seem to be some reservation about Emerg-ent (as opposed to Emerg-ing) beliefs, though.

I have no idea what the “Presence Movement” is.

~Jim

Changing one thing for the better is worth more than proving a thousand things are wrong.​

 

[talitha]

I met Lonnie's grade-school art teacher - wow, what a mighty woman of God in her eighties now, I believe..... Lonnie actually spent his last days with her and prayed an amazing prayer over her before he died, which she in turn prayed over my husband about three years ago.