History of the Vineyard Movement

The Vineyard began in 1974 as a small Bible study in Los Angeles. It quickly grew making it necessary to start other home groups and a Sunday service called the Vineyard. In the next few years, thousands of people received Christ or various forms of ministry during the Sunday service as well as in the small home groups. Shortly after that, many went out to start other Vineyard churches in California, each having the emphasis on worship, relationships, healing and training. 

In the spring of 1982, John Wimber and several other pastors joined with the Vineyard. A short time later it became clear that God had called John to oversee, pastor, train and encourage the other pastors under him.In 1987 the various Vineyard churches formed a formal church association called the Association of Vineyard Churches (AVC). The churches are self-governing, but are overseen and encouraged on a voluntary basis by Pastoral Overseers. At present there are over 1200 Vineyard churches in more than 54 countries. God, however, has shown us not to seek to build the Vineyard, but instead to seek His Kingdom and to build His Church, to bless what He's blessing, to love what He loves, and to give ourselves away freely. 

Prior to 1995 there had been a number of very successful Vineyard conferences run in Australia. However it was not until 1995 that the first Vineyard churches were commenced in Australia. These were in Sydney, Perth, Adelaide and Brisbane. On the 13th March, 2003 the Vineyard churches of Australia were released and recognised as their own national movement and so the Association of Vineyard Churches, Australia was born. On this night Peter and Kathy Downes were commissioned as National Directors of the Vineyard and a new era was begun in the history of the Australian Vineyard

Vineyard Brisbane West

In February 2002 Graeme and Cecily Oxford were commissioned at Pine Rivers VCF to plant a new Vineyard Church in the South Western Suburbs of Brisbane.

A small team including several from the Pine Rivers Vineyard joined in the work.  Initially we ran as a home group on Sundays – with lots of eating (a tradition that has remained) – later a Sunday evening service was established at the Jamboree Heights State School and in June 2004 we leased the present commercial building in Sumner Park. October 2004 saw the commencement of a Sunday morning service to cater for the growing number of families with children.

Graeme and Cecily continue to lead the church with a team of others fulfilling many different functions.

The Things That Make Us Tick

           

At a Vineyard pastors conference in September 1992, founder John Wimber taught on 10 areas of ministry that were essential to any Vineyard church.

John called these areas the Vineyard Genetic Code because they are the common denominators that identify us as a family. A Vineyard experience typically includes:

Clear, accurate, Biblical teaching

It doesn’t matter if your teaching starts with the bible and applies it to life,  or starts with life’s situations and brings the bible to it…just be biblical.  I would want to encourage all of our pastors to have a solid biblical base, and a real heart for God’s word.  The bible isn’t there to back up our theories, it is there to build our life upon.

Contemporary worship in the freedom of the Holy Spirit

Worship is always a God-centred activity.  How we do it is not the central issue, but that we do it for him and are focussed on him is essential.

The gifts of the Holy Spirit in operation

Our sovereign God wants to move in our midst in sovereign ways.  We always try to make room for God to come and make manifest his gifts.  We also try to ensure that everyone gets to play in this and that it is not just happening up on the platform with the “big guys” doin’ the stuff.

An active small group ministry

The small group meeting within the church adds a dimension to discipleship in the local church that is indispensable.  The opportunity to share in a smaller and safer setting, to experiment with spiritual gifts and other ministry expressions, to ask your questions, etc. are more possible at this level than at a congregational level.

Ministry to the poor, widows, orphans and those who are broken

Compassion/welfare is such an integral part of our identity.  Of course this will be expressed in different ways in different churches, but it should always be their and be in action.

Physical healing with emphasis on signs and wonders as seen in the book of Acts

We don’t have to wait for a move of God to see healing happen.  It’s part and parcel of Kingdom life.

A commitment to missions - church planting at home and world missions abroad

Unity within the whole body of Christ; a relationship with other local churches

Unity is more than a passive agreement, it is active. 

Evangelistic outreach

The gospel command is clear…Go!  Let’s urge one another on in this.  Let’s not just be another church that moves the deck chairs (existing Christians) around but is passionate in recruiting others for heaven! 

Equipping the saints in areas such as discipleship, ministry, serving,  giving, finances, family, etc.

We need to give away what we’ve got.  The work of ministry is for all, and empowered and informed Christian living is every Christians birthright.  We need to give, give, give in equipping our people.