[af_vet_1981]

... new vineyard ...

Cannot find "new vineyard" in the scriptures, yet there is this ...

The Vineyard Movement traces its history back to the mid-seventies and John Wimber took leadership of the young group of churches around 1982. The history of the Vineyard has been documented in Jackson’s The Quest for the Radical Middle as well as a bit in Carol Wimber’s John Wimber: The Way it Was. Others have written histories and I’m sure the future will produce many more.

I first attended a Vineyard when I was around twelve years old, the Smoky Hill Vineyard, led by Greg Thompson (check out his blog). Throughout the years I’ve attended several Vineyards in California and Minnesota. About five years ago I and the other pastors of Trinity Christian Fellowship began to explore adopting into the Vineyard and in August of 2013, our church became an official Vineyard church. That’s the short version of a very long and interesting process that I’ll probably write about someday.

So I’ve been in the Vineyard movement for the majority of my life and have likely read just about every book on the Vineyard or written by Vineyard affiliated pastors and theologians as well as any of the critical evaluations of the Vineyard. I’m not new to the Vineyard, though I’m a newly minted Vineyard pastor, technically speaking. I currently am involved in the Small Town USA partnership with Multiply Vineyard and help with some of the website work for the Society of Vineyard Scholars. Point being: I am all in. I love the Vineyard, though I’m aware it is not a perfect movement. But I do love it and see myself as a part of it for the rest of my life.

Now that the Vineyard is over thirty years old and has been influenced by both mainstream Evangelicalism and Pentecostalism and the Charismatic Movement, it’s safe to say that there is quite a bit of diversity. I’m not opposed to diversity and think it is only healthy that our movement recognizes that Christians have differed on theological views. Some of those differences, however, would prevent some from being able to identify with the theology and practices found within the Vineyard. In the same way that some views would prevent one from identifying with Christianity, some theological views would prevent one from identifying with the Vineyard. For example, if one were to state that the doctrine of the Trinity wasn’t true, I’d suggest they cannot claim the banner of Christianity. To be Christian is to be Trinitarian. Others may disagree with that, and I’m sure some will disagree with some of my observations and opinions in this series on Vineyard theology. Everyone is welcome to their opinion and perhaps this will serve more as a discussion starter… ha ha!

[HarleyD]

I never knew there was a “Vineyard” movement but it doesn’t surprise me. People have to start all sorts of things. It is interesting from your post that they accept all theological views except the ones they disagree with. Ah, ecumenticalism!!! Toss doctrine out the window for the sake of love, love, love.

Reviewing the passages, “new vineyard” was probably an inaccurate term. As boatbum points out from the text of Romans, the branches from the house of Israel were cut off and the Gentiles were grafted on as foretold by Isaiah 5 and 27 and John 15. To be more precise, the vineyard talked about in scripture is a continuation of God’s election and chosen people (our Jewish forefathers and Gentiles). A pleasant vineyard that the Lord will keep. But I’m sure it has nothing to with this church.