|
What exactly is a Vineyard Church?
The Vineyard movement is a worldwide association of Christian churches committed to speaking the words of Jesus and doing the works of Jesus. We want to be followers of Jesus without being religious.
Worship and charismatic gifts framed in evangelical theology - along with an emphasis on God’s mercy, care for the poor, relationship authenticity, and overseas missions - are hallmarks of the Vineyard.
Aldergrove Vineyard
The first Vineyard in Canada was the Langley Vineyard which started in January, 1985. Aldergrove Vineyard Community Church was founded in 1994 as a church plant from the Langley Vineyard. We met at Shortreed Elementary School for about 14 years.
In January 2007, we began serving a free pancake breakfast to anyone in our community who showed up on Sunday mornings at 10:00 AM. Within a few months, we had a wide range of people coming on a regular basis - ranging from homeless people and those with limited means, to seniors, those with disabilities, and many other individuals who enjoy the warmth and company.
In March of 2009, we moved our church service to our current location at 27309 Fraser Highway.
A Righteous Brother
The first Vineyard church was started in 1980 by John Wimber in Orange County, California. Wimber was the primary founding leader of the Vineyard. It was his influences that profoundly shaped the theology and practice of Vineyard churches from their earliest days until his death in November, 1997. When Wimber - a rock’n’roll musician with the Righteous Brothers - was apprehended by Christ, he was, as Christianity Today magazine describes him, a “beer-guzzling, drug-abusing, pop musician, who was converted at the age of 29 while chain-smoking his way through a Quaker-led Bible study.”
In Wimber’s first decade as a Christian, he led hundreds of people to Christ. By 1970, he lead 11 Bible studies that involved more than 500 people. Eventually was asked to lead the Charles E. Fuller Growth Institute. Later he became an adjunct instructor at Fuller Theological Seminary where his overflowing classes set all-time attendance records. In 1977, Wimber returned to full-time pastoral ministry and planted Calvary Chapel of Yorba Linda.
Hunger For God
Wimber and this new church sought greater depth in their relationship with God. This pursuit birthed new, contemporary worship songs which seemed to capture a fresh hunger for intimacy with God. This evangelical congregation experienced a new empowerment by the Holy Spirit which included a significant renewal of spiritual gifts, such as healing and prophecy, with large numbers of people converted to Christ.
The congregation eventually left Calvary Chapel to join a small group of Vineyard churches. The Vineyard name was chosen by Kenn Gulliksen, a prolific church planter in Los Angeles. As Wimber’s church continued to grow, pastors and leaders from the handful of Vineyard churches looked to Wimber for direction. The Vineyard movement was born.
Twenty years later, there are more than 850 Vineyard churches worldwide with new churches starting every year.
Please visit the Vineyard Canada web site for more information including our national magazine “The Vineline”.
|
