Vineyard
You may have noticed that below our names to the right that "The Vineyard Community" link is gone. You may have also tried to go to our old community website and been redirected back here. More than likely, you noticed nothing of the sort and have no idea what I'm talking about. Whatever the case may be...I have an announcement.
As of this past Monday, our community is no longer formally affiliated with the Vineyard movement. It was a complicated decision and one we did not make lightly. The decision was not made because of differences in values or pressure from the corporate side of the movement. We simply came to the conclusion that many of our relationships locally and outside of our area are with people and groups not associated with the Vineyard. In order to fully engage with those relationships and with the calling God has for us in Palm Beach County, we felt it was time to drop our formal association. We are still "Friends of the Vineyard" and will always acknowledge our rich heritage and wisdom we've received from people like John Wimber, Todd Hunter, and Don Williams. But we cannot deny that we spend most of our time and have the deepest relationships with people outside of the movement who represent a diverse cross-section of the church.
So here we are again. Our fundamental structure as a community of faith will not change, but this is a wonderful opportunity to take a fresh look at who we are and what we're about. In a gathering the other night where this decision was discussed, we all had a strong sense of God's provision for this new time. I know I'm looking forward to what he has in store for us over the next few months.
If anyone has questions about our decision, please don't hesitate to leave a comment or send me an email at mike at rgdengineers dot com.
As of this past Monday, our community is no longer formally affiliated with the Vineyard movement. It was a complicated decision and one we did not make lightly. The decision was not made because of differences in values or pressure from the corporate side of the movement. We simply came to the conclusion that many of our relationships locally and outside of our area are with people and groups not associated with the Vineyard. In order to fully engage with those relationships and with the calling God has for us in Palm Beach County, we felt it was time to drop our formal association. We are still "Friends of the Vineyard" and will always acknowledge our rich heritage and wisdom we've received from people like John Wimber, Todd Hunter, and Don Williams. But we cannot deny that we spend most of our time and have the deepest relationships with people outside of the movement who represent a diverse cross-section of the church.
So here we are again. Our fundamental structure as a community of faith will not change, but this is a wonderful opportunity to take a fresh look at who we are and what we're about. In a gathering the other night where this decision was discussed, we all had a strong sense of God's provision for this new time. I know I'm looking forward to what he has in store for us over the next few months.
If anyone has questions about our decision, please don't hesitate to leave a comment or send me an email at mike at rgdengineers dot com.
posted by Mike Bishop at 3:28 PM
7 Comments:
Mike, sad to hear that as another Vineyard guy who uses you guys as examples of Vineyards shaped differently than the norm. I understand though - our crew has had the same discussion and at this point feel like we still belong..
Hmmm... I am so new at this whole missional/community/fellowship of followers stuff being one who grew up in a large church and then progressed into a mini-mega church.
I don't really have much of an actual comment but just a nod in your direction and a spiritual brother hug from a seeker of this thing called Church. (us, fellow believers)
So, I will be stopping in a lot. I want to learn how others are accomplishing the life of Christ and how it relates to the Church.
Thanks for being open and obedient.
Pat. We feel like we could belong, but we just don't have the fortune of having many close relationships with other Vineyards in the area. In the future, I hope that there are many more Vineyards you could point to as "different" or maybe changed. That remains to be seen, but there does seem to be a general acceptance of alternative forms of church across the movement as a whole. That's cool...and I hope it stays that way.
Mike – I think I’ve shared in the past with you that detaching myself from the Vineyard was probably the hardest thing I've had to do in my life.
Honestly.
And very few people could understand why it was so devastating to me.
We turned down countless opportunities to align ourselves with other organizations prior to officially planting a Vineyard church. Then to go through some difficulties as a good Vineyard soldier only to end up believing that god’s ultimate plan in this was for us to not be a Vineyard was really hard.
I felt unfaithful, rebellious and kind of like a loser. All the while *knowing* that those things were not true.
As you know, in the end … the Vineyard (and the same powers-that-be in your situation) reconsidered and welcomed us back. They even created special ‘rules’ for our ongoing relationship that made it easier for us to make it work.
I don’t know if any of this stuff is going on for you and/or if any of your path will mirror mine/ours but I do know that what you like about the Vineyard and the people you mentioned as influences in your life (Wimber, T-Hunt, Williams) resides in you.
It is clear those who know you and see you (and Amber) live your lives.
And no one can take that away from you.
With you,
greg
Greg,
I really appreciate those comments. I certainly know about what you and Heidi went through and you guys have really been on my mind lately. Staying in the Vineyard was certainly an option for us (in other words, no one was saying we had to leave no matter what).
Hope you guys enjoy hanging out with my brother and fam this weekend. He's a good guy. And a Gator fan:)
I will have plenty of merlot on hand, into which he drown his SEC sorrows as we watch UCLA get to the Final Four together.
Mike -
like pat, i am sad to hear it aloso. i have used you as an example of those forging ahead in Vineyard, taking the DNA and having it look different is what is supposed to happen. i understand what you say about relationships, etc., and i'm sure it was really hard. my hope is that Vineyard doesn't end up with all the newness drained out leaving it to become just another denomiation among denominations. (with the switch to becoming a community of churches, i hope that is a step away from denominational-ism.) anyway, blessings on the journey
with much respect
Steven Hamilton
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