Search Results

Key Strategies for the first year: 1) Vision · Be clear in your mind and heart. · Use simple easy phrases. · E.g. “We are focused on people who have never been to church.” Or “We believe in the truth of the Bible and the Power of God today.” Or “We are here for the least, the lost and the lonely.” · Don’t use religious jargon. 2) Meet and invite people · Set a goal to talk to people each day. There will be some amazing conversations. · Create events to invite people to. · Remember there will be disasters as well as successes. · Keep meeting new people, keep gathering. 3) Identify and train leaders · It will make life easier if you can do this. · Identify and bring them into your life. · Be deliberate about how you spend time with them. · Again there will be some disasters and some successes. · Give them tasks and see what their response is. · E.g. Why don’t you try leading the Bible study next week? · Why don’t you come with me when we go to visit the homeless people? · Do you have time for a chat over a coffee/ beer? 4) Finances · Talk about the vision and remind people that it requires resources. · Be transparent with this. · Set up a legal organization. · Set up a bank account. · Give regularly. Model generosity. · Explain how the money will be used. · Teach your people about giving. · Have priorities for what you will do with your money. 1. 1 – Give to the poor. 2. 2 – Hospitality/ evangelism (tea/ coffee/ cakes/ books/ Bibles etc) 3. 3 – PA equipment for sound 4. 4 – Funding for the pastor (in Jeremy’s case this started after the church was 2 years old). · Find someone who can be an accountant, try not to deal with any cash yourself – give the Church’s bank account details. Most importantly! Most importantly - don't forget that all of this should be done within the context of a life of prayer, and also a life of love; serving those who you are leading!

Too often, Christians focus on gifts — natural and supernatural — and overlook character. But it does not take into account the basic principle of the Christian life: gifts and abilities - no matter how beautiful they are - are either limited or perfected Christian character. In this regard, John Blattner, in his book Growing in the Fruit of the Spirit, describes character as a multiplying factor: He (character) multiplies the effectiveness of our gifts, for both good and evil. If you give a spiritual gift to a person of ordinary character - let's put it one point - he is more likely to use it appropriately. The same gift in the hands of a person with a stronger and better formed character - say, five points - will be five times more effective. Of course, this principle can work in other ways as well. You may remember from your math class at school that any number multiplied by zero equals zero. Even impressive and flamboyant talent is wasted if the character of the person who uses it is weak. In this case, of course, we get "negative numbers". This reflects the detrimental influence of a talented individual who uses his gifts for distorted purposes. I believe this phenomenon is widespread among Christians. In fact, it was a big stumbling block for me to get into the power of the Holy Spirit. One of the main reasons I used to refrain from speaking in tongues in the past was that many of the people I met who spoke them did not like me! Gifts of character as body ornaments. Fine jewelry - jewelry, smart clothes, etc. - look good on a beautiful body. But when the body is unkempt and already unattractive, there is almost nothing you can do to fix it - even decorating it with jewelry, perfume, dressing up in beautiful clothes - it still does not look the way it should. It is the same with spiritual gifts. They need to be a decoration for a well-formed character, which is the basis for their correct use. Thus, we must seek first the fruits of the Spirit and then the gifts of the Spirit. An important feature of the fruit is that it grows through a developmental process that culminates in maturity. The fruit does not ripen in one day; it goes through a developmental process that combines both internal factors (its genetic structure) and external factors (water, soil, temperature) to reach maturity. It's the same for Christians. We also go through a character-building process during which the fruits of the Spirit ripen in us. With the Holy Spirit dwelling in us, we have a “genetic makeup” that reflects God's nature. But repentance for sins alone is not enough for Christian maturity. Therefore, we must be willing to patiently submit to the discipleship process and actively contribute to it, realizing that there are no shortcuts to maturity. We are often impatient with this process and look for ways to shorten it. I often meet people who are trying to reach maturity through "magic" or "form." Undoubtedly, such people want something real. They seek happiness and fulfillment in the Christian life. But they have not yet learned how to equate self-realization and the completion of the growth process. Some of them want to be waved over with the "magic wand of prayer", as if by the laying on of hands and uttering a certain combination of words, we can turn them into spiritual super saints who can solve big problems in one fell swoop. Others are looking for forms: a certain set of spiritual disciplines, suitable methods and techniques that will transfer them to spiritual maturity. Undoubtedly, both prayer and form play a role in the growth process. But none of this is perfect in itself. Many people experience great release and momentum as a result of prayer, but we cannot simply "beg" full and perfect Christian maturity. Likewise, with the help of spiritual disciplines and methods, we can make significant progress. Although to some extent they can be deceiving. Often times, a new technique or approach will seem incredibly effective - for a period of time. But over time, the impression of novelty wears off and it remains effective only if we continue to use it over a long period of time. Anyone who has ever been on a diet is familiar with this phenomenon: the first few days, weight is lost quickly and relatively effortlessly. Then we reach the horizontal section of the curve, and progress towards the intended goal slows down. I saw how this principle worked in my life. About a year ago, my wife and I felt the Lord was calling us to pray more regularly and actively intercede for the churches with which we were associated. The first few months were wonderful. We got up early every morning and met God. We did it actively. That was exciting. I began to think that perhaps I am one of the best prayer books in the whole Body of Christ. It has become like hard work lately. I can't get up on time. I cannot fully wake up from sleep after getting up. Sometimes it seems as if something inside of me is screaming: “This is stupid! God probably hasn't woken up yet! Why am I pulling myself out of bed this way? " Sometimes in the morning I feel like all I do is sit in a chair and sip coffee. If I relied on form to develop my spiritual life, I would have long been disillusioned with it. But I knew I had to continue my morning prayers. Why? Because God told me to do it! Obedience has its reward. We need to recognize the fact that there is no shortcut. Growth in character is a process that does not take place in one day and at a time. What are the main elements of the character formation process? In what elements of spiritual life can we cooperate with the Holy Spirit?

Jesus gives us the strength and authority to go out and make disciples, men and women, who have a personal relationship with Christ, a relationship of trust, dependence, and total dedication to God. Being a disciple is more than just making a decision in favor of Jesus and waiting for His second coming; it entails a change - to turn away from sin, flesh and the devil and become like Christ. This is the transition from the world to the kingdom of God. Peter Wagner calls mature students those who meet the following parameters: - They are fully attached to the Body of Christ (the local church). “They were trained in the basics of God's Word. - They were taught the Christian way of life. “They are capable and ready to do the works of Christ on earth. This means that students change in every area of ​​their lives: from what they think about God, creation, morality, decision-making, and ending with the attitude towards themselves and those around them, as well as the ability to cope with such feelings as anger, fear, ambition and selfishness. Now the fruits of the spirit - “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, goodness, mercy, faith, meekness, temperance” (Gal. 5:22, 23) - shape their character, which is consistent with the character of Christ. In other words, we must become like Jesus. And we must become like Him in this very life. This is God's will for each of us. God enables us to do what He has commanded for us. Without His help, we would not have been able to become like Jesus. With His help, we have the opportunity to become like Christ here on earth. The Father sent the Holy Spirit to give us strength and to guide us, to give us gifts with which we could do the works of Christ. And He sent His Spirit to dwell in us, so that we become like Christ and to bring forth the fruits of the Spirit. As we contribute to His work in us, we become more like Jesus, growing in the fruits of the Spirit.

Introduction: In the Scriptures, it seems that God has a special place in his heart for the poor. Poverty is mentioned, directly or indirectly, more than 2000 times in the Bible. The Vineyard family of churches leans toward the poor, the outcast, and the outsider with the compassion of Jesus. From the beginning of our movement, Vineyard churches have worked to actively serve the poor in the most practical ways possible – in our towns, cities, and spheres of influence. John Wimber, the founder of the Vineyard, was personally committed to calling us to a radically compassionate life in the way of Jesus. Focus on how your church and individuals care for the poor Invite in someone from your Compassion Ministry to share about how your church cares for the poor. Allow time for questions and encourage your group to get involved in some way, either by joining a team, spreading the word, praying for them or helping resource them. Encourage your group to read the booklet or read the chapter in this book entitled ‘Remember the Poor’. Questions for discussion Study the section and the verses on what Jesus said about the poor. •What are the ways in which Jesus calls us to care for the poor? •What are the ways in which you see the outworking of this in your life, your church and in the Vineyard? •Encourage the group to share stories of ways in which they have cared for the poor. •Are there things about caring for the poor that you find challenging? What are they and what are the ways you would like to grow in this?

Introduction: The scriptures are our plumb line, we want to learn and love the Bible, preach it, teach it and live by it. The easy bits, the tough bits and all the bits in-between; as part of this we aim to always make the plain thing in scripture the main thing. The things that are clear in the scriptures are where we begin – doing what we read Jesus did. John Wimber: “I read the book and try to do what it says”. “There’s only one ministry out there… That’s Jesus’ ministry! The more you simply conform your life to his words and his Works the more effective the ministry around you will become.” Because we hold the Bible so dearly, it’s important to immerse ourselves in it daily. Questions for discussion •How good are we as individuals at spending time in the Bible? Is it a daily (weekly, monthly) habit? •How do you read the Bible? Do you follow a reading guide, an app or work through a book at a time? Ask people to share their tips and tricks from within the group. •What do you find easy / hard about reading the Bible? Are there times it’s easier than others, what do we do when we find it hard? •As a group how can we encourage each other to read the Bible? Share ideas and then decide how you as group can implement these. Джон Уимбер: «Я читаю книгу и пытаюсь делать то, что она говорит». «Там только одно служение… Это служение Иисуса! Чем больше вы просто приспосабливаете свою жизнь к Его словам и Его делам, тем более эффективным будет служение вокруг вас ». Поскольку мы так бережно относимся к Библии, важно ежедневно погружаться в нее.

Introduction: In the Vineyard we are active as the priesthood of all believers (1 Peter 2: 5). You don’t have to be the person on stage to do what Jesus did, everybody is free to do what Jesus did. You might have seen people being prayed for during a church service or on the streets, but not been sure how to pray for someone or if you’re allowed. The 5-step Healing Model The 5-step Healing Model is based on Jesus’ model of praying for the sick and is produced to help make ‘hands-on-prayer’ easily accessible for any and all. We’re going to run through this model and then practice together. (Read through the verses when they appear.) When praying for someone for healing, the 5-step model is a good place to begin. Step 1: The Interview Introduce yourself then ask where does it hurt or what would you like me to pray for? •Natural level – what can you see? •Supernatural – ask God for Words of Knowledge, discernment, visions, words. •It’s not a medical interview or counselling session – get the facts and keep it short. •Move to the next stage when ready. Step 2: The Diagnosis Work out why they have this condition? •Natural causes – disease, accident. •Sin – committed by them or against them. •Emotional hurts causing physical or other pain. •Relationship problems – lack of forgiveness. •Supernatural – may be demonic. •Keep asking for God’s help – it may be useful to pray in tongues. •Ask them questions if appropriate. Step 3: Prayer Selection What kind of prayer shall I pray to help this person? •Check if it is ok to lay hands on them. •Ask the Holy Spirit to come and minister to the person ‘ ‘Come, Holy Spirit’. •Ask for God to heal. •Keep praying in the Spirit. •Use a command of faith (Acts 3: 6). •Pronouncement – of faith (John 4: 50) •Demonic – rebuke (break their power) bind them (contain) expel (get rid). Step 4: Prayer engagement How are you doing? •Keep your eyes open so you can watch for the effects of what is God is doing – Phenomenological signs (warmth, tingling, shaking). •Ask questions – find out what God is doing. •Stop when – they think it’s all over; the Spirit tells you it’s over; you’ve run out of things to pray; or if it’s going nowhere. •Remove your hands, talk to them to indicate you are stopping. Step 5: Post prayer direction What should they do to keep their healing? i.e. ‘Stop sinning’ (John 5: 14) •Read their Bibles, spend time with God; •Get involved or keep involved in the local church; •Check with their doctor – they shouldn’t stop taking any medicines until a healing is confirmed by a doctor! #angels #dailyinspiration

Introduction: The central prayer of our liturgy is ‘Come, Holy Spirit’ and it is there for such an incredibly important reason. The Holy Spirit was central to Jesus’ ministry and we should look to Jesus and do what we saw him doing. Aside from this, the Holy Spirit has been active throughout history. Bible verses to be read: Jump from verse to verse to allow your group to get a broader picture of the Holy Spirit being mentioned in both the Old and New Testament. •Genesis 1: 1-2 •Isaiah 11: 1-3 •Isaiah 42: 1 •Joel 2: 28 •Luke 1: 35 •Luke 1: 41-42 •Luke 1: 67 •Luke 3: 21-23 •Luke 4: 1-2 For discussion •Talk about these verses, ask if any specific passages jump out to your group. •Ask about your group’s knowledge of the Holy Spirit and if they had been aware of the impact of the Holy Spirit throughout the Bible. •What have you seen at church that you have questions about? So why say ‘Come, Holy Spirit’? When we say ‘Come, Holy Spirit’ we want to see all the things done that we read in Luke 4: 14-21, i.e. the on-going ministry of the Holy Spirit. •Preaching •Deliverance •Healing •Justice •Demons cast out •To be taught ourselves (and to learn) When we say ‘Come, Holy Spirit’ What we’re not doing is saying that the Holy Spirit isn’t already present. We are acknowledging that he is already present, but that we want to experience more of his presence. The Holy Spirit makes us effective in the on-going ministry of the Kingdom of God, but we need to be open to being filled with the Holy Spirit, listening to his voice and following his guidance. We need to be regularly filled with the Holy Spirit, not because we’re not saved, but because as humans we’re leaky and need to be continually topped up with the Holy Spirit. #ComeHolySpirit #expectation

Introduction: The Kingdom of God is something that Jesus spoke about a lot. It was, perhaps, his favourite topic. At times, he said, “The Kingdom is here,” while at other times, he proclaimed, “The Kingdom is coming.” For starters, the Kingdom is everywhere that God rules and reigns, but what did Jesus mean with his apparently contradictory statements? Let’s look at the Bible… The Kingdom of God is… Now Ask people in your group to read these verses out loud, have some Bibles ready for those who don’t own one and let them take them away as their own. Luke 17: 20-21 (NIV) Once, on being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, “The coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed, nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is in your midst.” Matthew 11: 12 (New Living Translation) From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and violent people are attacking it. Mark 1: 15 (NIV) “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!” Question for discussion •What’s your favourite Bible story where the Kingdom of God breaks through? Where Jesus heals someone, casts out a demon, feeds the 5,000 or raises someone from the dead? What do you like about it? Unpack the stories as a group. •When have you seen the Kingdom of God breaking through? Healing stories, God’s power breaking through in difficult situations? Encourage your group to share stories and then ask questions of each other. As a leader, be prepared to share some stories from what you have seen in your life and how you have seen God move miraculously, which demonstrate the ‘now’ of the Kingdom. The Kingdom of God is… Not Yet Ask people in your group to read these verses out loud: 2 Thessalonians 1: 5-7 (NIV) All this is evidence that God’s judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering. God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. Luke 22: 29-30 (NIV) And I confer on you a kingdom, just as my Father conferred one on me, so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. Revelation 11: 15 (NIV) The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah, and he will reign for ever and ever.” Question for discussion •When have you prayed for someone or something and not seen the results you expected? Have you been prayed for and wondered why you haven’t been healed even though you know that God is capable? What questions does this raise for you? So, which is it? Is the Kingdom Now or Not Yet? In the Vineyard we call this conundrum the “now and not yet”; in other words, it’s a paradox. It’s both. The kingdom is everywhere that God’s rule and reign breaks through, yet his rule and reign is not fully set-up on earth and won’t be until Jesus returns to reign as we read about in Revelation. This is the reason why we don’t always see the fullness of the Kingdom evident when we step out in faith. Allow questions at this point and have copies of this book or the ‘What is the Kingdom?’ Vineyard booklet handy, to hand out to people or to use to help explain their questions. #children #prayer

Introduction: The Vineyard Person is a description that John Wimber used when he wanted to explain some of the important aspects of our DNA and what the Vineyard is about – not so much the movement as a whole, but the local church. We call this figure the Vineyard Person. This does not mean you as an individual. Nor is it a full statement of what we believe “church” means. The Vineyard Person is a simple reminder of our family history, values and the things that direct us as we move ahead. It is ultimately symbolic of what a Vineyard church is all about. The Vineyard Person •The Bible as our foundation and plumb line. •The Kingdom of God as our theology and activity. •Worship as our highest priority. •Compassion as an outward expression of our love for Jesus. •Hospital, Community, Learning Environment, Army as a community of people on a journey, (throughout which we make disciples and equip the saints, as we obey the great commission – Matthew 28: 18-20) •Church Planting as a growing multiplication movement. •Church Development as we care for and grow existing churches and love the whole Body of Christ. •Jesus as our Lord and Saviour, he gives us our aim, focus and example. #Vineyard #DNA

Introduction: “We in the Vineyard have, from the very outset of our ministry, made worship our highest priority, believing that it is God’s desire that we become, first, worshippers of God.” – John Wimber. ‘I first encountered Vineyard worship in a small group in University. I was completely undone by the intimacy in the worship. It was so simple and so authentic... just a guy on a guitar, singing love songs to Jesus. And yet the Presence of God in the room was thick and nearly tangible. It was unlike anything I had ever experienced. That encounter with Jesus changed everything for me. I was never the same again!’ – Harmony Smith, Senior Pastor of Belfast City Vineyard. Questions for discussion: •What was your first experience of Worship in the Vineyard? What did you notice? •‘ It is worship that causes all else that we do to become an act of worship.’ Why do you think this is? What does it look like, for you, when ‘all else’ becomes an act of worship? Discussion around Values Ask people in your group to read out these five values. Then facilitate a discussion using these pointers: •Do these values help you to understand how we worship in the Vineyard? •Which values do you think are more obvious and which ones make sense now you’ve heard about them? •What questions do you have about Worship in the Vineyard? Intimacy The primary destination for us as we worship. We draw near to God, and He draws near to us. As we encounter his presence in worship, we cultivate a deep connection with him. Intimacy is not a musical style or a tone of voice; it is a posture of our hearts. Accessibility As worshipping communities, we extend the welcome of Jesus to people; inviting them to enter into his presence. We are intentional about bringing people with us on a journey of worship by building as many bridges both musically and pastorally. From the style of music, to the songs that we sing, we are creating environments for people to participate in worship. Integrity Our desire is that the songs that we sing would match the lives that we lead. While we value the form that our worship takes, we place an even greater value on the formation of our community. Our gathered times of worship are powerful places of transformation. We enter God’s presence not as we think we should be, but come as we are. And yet, we don’t remain as we are; we are renewed and become increasingly like Jesus. Kingdom Expectation In worship we welcome the King and his Kingdom. We cultivate an expectation that God will speak, move, heal, deliver and perform miracles among us as we worship. We experience in part what we will ultimately know in full: our complete restoration in God’s Kingdom. Passion Passion is the expression of a fire in our hearts for God. As we worship, we not only affirm our love for God, but we learn to love what he loves. We are authentic in our worship, whether we are in a season of joyful celebration or a time of deep sorrow. As worshipping communities, we choose to be present to Jesus and engage with what he is doing in us and in our community. #worship #connect

For a number of years, I reflected on the purpose and mission of the church. Hundreds of books have been written about churches as people of God, about the body of Christ, about communion with the Holy Spirit. I do not claim to have more than a basic knowledge of what God wants to do in and through the church today. I'm still learning. In this article, I want to take a few modest steps in expanding the boundaries of what we understand about the church as a Messianic society, and applying it to the Vineyard movement. When I refer to the "church," I usually do not separate the local church and the universal church, which consists of all those whose names are written in the Book of the Lamb. In the New Testament, this term has some flexibility because it can refer to the house church, the city church, or all of God's people. The word "church" has two aspects: the body and the organization. The church is an organism because it is a living being composed of Spirit-filled believers who depend on one another. At the same time, it is an organization, because there is a necessary structure in which Spirit-filled believers use the various gifts of the Spirit. The church is both an organism and an organization; one aspect is not complete without the other.

Discipleship. Jesus left a very clear command in Matt 28 to “to go and make disciples of all nations”. It seems in the western church we have failed to do this as evidenced by the huge fall off form church during COVID. If we look at the life of Jesus he taught many, but he only focussed on the twelve. So often in modern church we have relied on either the culture of the church, and a programmatic approach to discipleship and it has failed. We also have probably put to much emphasis on behaviour and outcomes Leading to (sin management) rather than inner transformation. Romans 12 tells us that the transformation comes from the renewing of our mind. The need is therefore about who I am/ becoming (identity) rather than what I have or want to become (role). We need to think again, and we need to be more hands on and more deliberate. I also think we should to be more extensive in our focus, rather than the more historical evangelical approach of teaching of behaviours. What do I think the main elements should be. Transparency and accountability – this I think is only overcome by one on one meetings or very small accountability groups. We are looking for the changed inner man with certain likely outcomes perhaps we might summarise like this; Loving Prayerful. Generous. Sexually pure. Biblically literate ( within their context) Pure of speech. Servant hearted. Merciful Gal 5 Fruit of the Spirit. Jesus gave some obvious discipleship commands which were clear and obvious When you fast. When you pray When you give to the poor. Mathew 5,6, and 7 gives the imperatives. Perhaps what is less obvious is the discipling in the ministry of the Holy Spirit. There are two aspects to this which I want to briefly touch on today. The formational aspects - the private spiritual disciplines where we permit God to form and shape us. These are the disciplines of reflection, meditation, silence , solitude, listening, surrender, simplicity, journaling, the memorising of scripture, to mention a few. They require a degree of self-control and self-examination giving God (the Holy Spirit) full permission to work in our lives. They need to be lifelong patterns and habits, reinforced with accountability. Out of the overflow of these we minister to others. We are full of the Holy Spirit and we are cooperating with the Holy Spirit in our lives, for example: giving breaks the power of money, serving breaks the lower of selfishness, fasting breaks the power of greed, and so on. There is a very clear move of God in the church today to rediscover these disciplines. There is however a second aspect of this and that is ministering in the power of the Holy Spirit. and this requires other elements, prayer, listening and faith, are perhaps the most obvious ones. Paul in 1 Cor 14 uses the phrase “eagerly desire the spiritual gifts especially the gift of prophecy”. It is very important that we teach (disciple our people) in how to do this. At the very heart of this is teaching and modelling, is how to hear God’s voice and how to act on it appropriately and fruitfully. On old phrase for this process is “the meeting place, is the learning place for the market place”. We practice in church so we can so we can do this stuff in everyday life to extend the Kingdom. Now it is essential for us that we do this in the context of our kingdom theology. What do I mean by that? We are a people who should, and do expect the power of the kingdom to break in at any time. The age to come invades the present and God’s power is released. That is when healing appears. That is when anointing / empowering appears. That is when deliverance appears. The 5 step healing model, is only a model, which is based on how Jesus did it but essentially it helps us to get started. In summary we can and must teach our people models of new behaviours but they must be undergirded by being disciples of the things of the Holy Spirit, both formational for us and extending the kingdom for the lost world. We need to teach our people spiritual disciplines for transformation, and how to hear God and move in the power of spiritual gifts for extending the kingdom.