Question re: Vineyard Churches

[Andry]

Amongst most mainstream denominations, there are more similarities than there are differences. Our human nature tends to look for and emphasize the differences.

 

[SavannahSage]

1. Salvation by Grace
2. Baptism, both water and in the Holy Spirit.
3. Living righteously
4. The importance of the Word of God.


You can look at the doctrinal stances here:

Vineyard

and

Word of Faith

Just an FYI - I am a Word of Faith Pastor, I'm sorry you had a bad experience with a 'Word of Faith' church. Please know that just because someone calls themselves Word of Faith, what they preach and practice does not necessarily mean that ALL Word of Faith Ministers.

Yes, their are some in the Vineyard that support barking like dogs, gold dust etc.. That doesn't mean that ALL Vineyard preach, believe or practice that way.

I think when Jimbeaux comes back on, he would be a very good person for you to speak with about the Vineyard.

I've been to several (more than I care to remember) WOF churches and each has been worst than the other. The last one was the clincher. They'd roll on the floor laughing & carrying on, but didn't have the love of God in them, at all! If I go to one more dysfunctional church, I can almost guarantee that I'll never walk into another church again ever. I'm just going to try Calvary Chapel. As long as they don't preach every sermon on money or have people carrying on hysterically, I think I can handle it. If that fails, I'll just go back to the Catholic church.

 

[Tamara224]

I've been to several (more than I care to remember) WOF churches and each has been worst than the other. The last one was the clincher. They'd roll on the floor laughing & carrying on, but didn't have the love of God in them, at all! If I go to one more dysfunctional church, I can almost guarantee that I'll never walk into another church again ever. I'm just going to try Calvary Chapel. As long as they don't preach every sermon on money or have people carrying on hysterically, I think I can handle it. If that fails, I'll just go back to the Catholic church.

Judging from what you've said.... I'd go with the Vineyard over the Calvary Chapel if I were you... In my experience, Vineyards tend to be more balanced than CC.

Or you could try them both and see which one is the better fit.

Have you ever thought of Home Church?

 

[geetrue]

I use to deliver phone books all over Southern California for like 7 years, before I retired.

It was like fruit picking you know what I mean?

I would go from one area to another for a week here, two weeks there.

I kept moving a lot in my little camper truck. So I visited a lot of churches to sort of chec them out.

The mother church of all Vineyards was in Orange County ... I attended several times.

I was at first very impressed with the church, the furnishings, the state of the art multi-media, a book store, a factory for Christian workers right next door (they even paid them).

When you first walk in the door the foyer is huge and they have a huge statue that was reported to cost $10,000 of Jesus washing the feet of his disciple ... bigger than life right inside the front door.

Like I said I was impressed, but children ran around in and out of the church very rude and noisy with no adult supervision to guide them.

The members of the church were very eagar to greet you and too quick to lay hands on you if you needed anything.

I did not go back after my tour of duty was finished in their area and that was the only Vineyard I have been in.

Vineyard was just a little off, something was just a little off, but I don't know what it was.

Holy Spirit I pray you know and will guide us all ...

 

[heron]

Since we're throwing out denominational suggestions...
I've found that Assembly of God, while Charismatic, is able to keep some of the crazinesss at bay, because it is overseen by denominational leaders. That's not always true, but when a church within any denomination starts getting off base, the admins hear about it and take measures to ensure stability and scriptural grounding.

Vineyard is relatively young, (compare to Baptist denominations) so even if they have oversight, the leadership might be idealistic about problems that can arise.

Aye, sorry -- you don't want to think about administrations when you're just trying to find a church.

 

[Br0kenSunshyne]

I attend a Vineyard. I was very disillusioned with the church and never wanted to go again. I had gotten to the quitting point. But my daddy made me go when I moved in with him and I was loved unconditionally and accepted and welcomed. The teaching is great. It's teaching instead of someone yelling at me. The worship is great too. It's the best church experience I've ever had.

 

[BenAdam]

I attend a Vineyard. I was very disillusioned with the church and never wanted to go again. I had gotten to the quitting point. But my daddy made me go when I moved in with him and I was loved unconditionally and accepted and welcomed. The teaching is great. It's teaching instead of someone yelling at me. The worship is great too. It's the best church experience I've ever had.

How is Jim doing? Tell him I said hey!

 

[Br0kenSunshyne]

Jim is doing good. He's been really busy cause we're doing a lot of new things in the church with leadership and stuff. But he's good.

 

[JimB]

Thanks for your responses.

One more question... Are the Vineyard churches Word of Faith?

http://www.smileycentral.com/?partner=ZSzeb001_ZNxdm414YYUS

 

[JimB]

I’m baaaaccckk.

I have had a wonderful and productive month. I recommend everyone get banned. You’d would be surprised how much useful stuff you could get done.

~Jim

Famous last words:​

Don’t worry; I can get it out with this fork.​

​

 

[NewSong]

http://www.smileycentral.com/?partner=ZSzeb001_ZNxdm414YYUS

Thought this would have you on the floor rolling.

 

[JimB]

My husband & I have been trying to find a good church after getting out of a dysfunctional WOF 4 yrs ago. I've been praying about it, but the only answer I seem to be getting is a weird feeling when I think of attending certain churches. Anyhow, we were going to attend this church nearby. It's a Cornerstone church. I went on their website and dug deep enough to see that they follow teachings of Vineyard. Isn't that the heresy movement where people were barking like dogs etc? I need guidance in this.

FYI

If you want to know more about the Vineyard check their national website http://www.vineyardusa.org/ or international http://www.vineyard.org/

If you want to find a Vineyard church hearby, try here http://www.vineyardusa.org/churches/nearby_church_search.aspx

If you want to know a little of Vineyard history up to the late 90’s, order “Quest for the Radical Middle” here http://www.vineyardmusic.com/usa/scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=672

~Jim

Famous last words:

Don’t worry; I can get it out with this fork.​

​

 

[ANM29]

I’m baaaaccckk.

I have had a wonderful and productive month. I recommend everyone get banned. You’d would be surprised how much useful stuff you could get done.

~Jim

Famous last words:
Don’t worry; I can get it out with this fork.​

LOL! That is hilarious .........

You were banned?..How in the world did you get banned and I have not yet?

 

[Peaceful Dove]

I've been to several (more than I care to remember) WOF churches and each has been worst than the other. The last one was the clincher. They'd roll on the floor laughing & carrying on, but didn't have the love of God in them, at all! If I go to one more dysfunctional church, I can almost guarantee that I'll never walk into another church again ever. I'm just going to try Calvary Chapel. As long as they don't preach every sermon on money or have people carrying on hysterically, I think I can handle it. If that fails, I'll just go back to the Catholic church.

Well you could come over and visit the Charismatic Catholic Renewal Forum and see what you think of us.

 

[Peaceful Dove]

I use to deliver phone books all over Southern California for like 7 years, before I retired.

It was like fruit picking you know what I mean?

I would go from one area to another for a week here, two weeks there.

I kept moving a lot in my little camper truck. So I visited a lot of churches to sort of chec them out.

The mother church of all Vineyards was in Orange County ... I attended several times.

I was at first very impressed with the church, the furnishings, the state of the art multi-media, a book store, a factory for Christian workers right next door (they even paid them).

When you first walk in the door the foyer is huge and they have a huge statue that was reported to cost $10,000 of Jesus washing the feet of his disciple ... bigger than life right inside the front door.

Like I said I was impressed, but children ran around in and out of the church very rude and noisy with no adult supervision to guide them.

The members of the church were very eagar to greet you and too quick to lay hands on you if you needed anything.

I did not go back after my tour of duty was finished in their area and that was the only Vineyard I have been in.

Vineyard was just a little off, something was just a little off, but I don't know what it was.

Holy Spirit I pray you know and will guide us all ...

My first experience with Vineyard was in So. Cal, Ontario, I think. Pastor Cunningham led the fellowship. I loved it. Then moved to Northern Cal and attended in Redding when Mark Baylick was pastor. Loved it too.
I have had good experience there.

 

[JimB]

I use to deliver phone books all over Southern California for like 7 years, before I retired.

It was like fruit picking you know what I mean?

I would go from one area to another for a week here, two weeks there.

I kept moving a lot in my little camper truck. So I visited a lot of churches to sort of chec them out.

The mother church of all Vineyards was in Orange County ... I attended several times.

I was at first very impressed with the church, the furnishings, the state of the art multi-media, a book store, a factory for Christian workers right next door (they even paid them).

When you first walk in the door the foyer is huge and they have a huge statue that was reported to cost $10,000 of Jesus washing the feet of his disciple ... bigger than life right inside the front door.

Like I said I was impressed, but children ran around in and out of the church very rude and noisy with no adult supervision to guide them.

The members of the church were very eagar to greet you and too quick to lay hands on you if you needed anything.

I did not go back after my tour of duty was finished in their area and that was the only Vineyard I have been in.

Vineyard was just a little off, something was just a little off, but I don't know what it was.

Holy Spirit I pray you know and will guide us all ...

Hi, Gee. You have to be careful about judging the whole from the part (remember the story of the four blind men and the elephant?). Just one visit to one church does not the whole story tell. Vineyard churches, like all churches, are not clones of one another and one may be a little more/less excitable than another or you may visit a church and just encounter the wrong people. I really don’t think you can find a prototypical Vineyard church—like any church, it mostly depends on the personality of the congregation, the pastor and the community in which it exists.
​

Anyhow, the “mother church” of the Vineyard you visited in Anaheim is not the prototype of Vineyard churches, at least not anymore. Heck, it may never have been the model, anyhow. Vineyard offices moved from California to Stafford TX several years ago and the Vineyard, as it rapidly grows and assimilates an influx of youthful, vigorous and visionary pastors and leaders, is going through an adjustment and, IMHO, has grown beyond the Wimber Era. John Wimber has been dead for more than a decade and today more than half of Vineyard pastors have no direct contact with the era in which
Wimber was the chief influence of the Vineyard. To these younger guys, the early days of the Vineyard are ancient history and they are looking at postmodern America and to the opportunities the future presents.

This has, of course, created a tension between the older Vineyard pastors, the “pioneers”, with direct links to Wimber (you can spot them/us by the gray goatees and ponytails, sandals and Hawaiian shirts ) who look back to the glories of the 80’s, and the younger “planters” in cargo shorts and polo shirts who see the pillar of fire moving forward and are opting for progress beyond the early days of the 80s and the controversies of the early 90s.
​

Personally, I am excited about the future of the movement, grateful for the farsighted leadership it has in Bert Waggoner, the new face it presents to the Christian world and the new direction God is leading the movement. That’s why I, since 2001, have chosen the Vineyard as my home.

~Jim

Famous last words:

Don’t worry; I can get it out with this fork.



​

 

[Alpine]

I’m baaaaccckk.

I have had a wonderful and productive month. I recommend everyone get banned. You’d would be surprised how much useful stuff you could get done.

~Jim

Famous last words:

Don’t worry; I can get it out with this fork.​

​

You know, maybe that is something for me to strive for! GREAT IDEA!

 

[heron]

Getting out with a fork? God gave you your own superpowers -- use the gifts He already gave you.