Appointed Times
In spite of escalating turmoil in our world, there remains one last, great outpouring of mercy during the end times (see Matt. 24:14; Acts 2:17).

This supernatural season of grace has been predetermined. It is an “appointed time” of the Lord. For those unaware, an appointed time is, in truth, an open display of the sovereignty and power of God. In it we discover with absolute certainty that nothing is impossible for God. For this is a season when God fulfills His will on earth, fulfilling in the process His promises, and the hopes and dreams of His people.

The Psalmist wrote, “But You, O Lord, abide forever, and Your name to all generations. You will arise and have compassion on Zion; for it is time to be gracious to her, for the appointed time has come” (Ps. 102:12-13). There is an appointed time coming for Israel, and an appointed time for you and me. If the Lord has promised, He will certainly bring it to pass. Recall: Abraham and Sarah had waited in faith for a quarter of a century for the promise of God. Finally, as they neared one hundred years of age, the Lord told Abraham, “At the appointed time I will return to you . . . and Sarah will have a son” (Gen .18:14). One year later, “at the appointed time” (Gen. 21:2), Isaac was born to aged parents!

While there are, indeed, appointed times of judgment (see Mark 13:33), the phrase most frequently represents a time, preset by God, when He reveals “wonders, plans formed long ago, [that unfold] with perfect faithfulness”(Isa. 25:1).

Demons may stand arrayed against the Lord; nations may align themselves to fight Him. It does not matter. He who sits in the heavens laughs. For He makes “all things [His] servants” (Ps. 119:91). Even His enemies’ plans for evil are reversed and made to serve the purpose of God (see Gen. 50:20; Rom. 8:28; Acts 2:22-23) .

If God gave you a vision, a spiritual hope or dream for your future, there will be an appointed time when that which God spoke comes to pass.

Thus the Lord assures us, “Record the vision and inscribe it on tablets, that the one who reads it may run. For the vision is yet for the appointed time. It hastens toward the goal and it will not fail. Though it tarries, wait for it; for it will certainly come, it will not delay” (Hab. 2:2-3).

If you have a vision or promise from God, that vision also has a time of fulfillment. Write it down and place it where you can see it every day. Though it tarries, wait for it. For it will certainly come to pass at the appointed time.

Appointed Servants of God
When the Lord manifests Himself openly in an appointed time, He actually moves through a power grid He established in hiddenness during the time of preparation.

His work appears suddenly, but its preparation may have taken many years. Either way, an appointed time flows through appointed people. He predestines the time of their breakthrough in advance, even as He works silently within their hearts in preparation.

Consider the Lord’s word to His disciples: “You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain” (John 15:16) .

Every disciple feels that, at some point, he or she chose Christ. Yet, the deeper truth is that God chose us before the foundation of the world and has been working in us. At the appointed time we choose Christ, but only after He chose us (see Eph. 1:3-5).

We could not even come to Christ had not the Father drawn us (see John 6:44).

Yet, He who chose us also appointed us to bear much fruit. The same power that worked surrender in us and then inspired our faith continues to work in our hearts throughout our days, appointing us to bear fruit.

The idea that we can just sit quietly in church is a deception.

You may look at your life and feel unfruitful. But God is not done with you yet. Do you believe God has chosen you? Then believe also that He has appointed you to bear fruit.

The Enemy’s Work
One may argue, “But I know people who were good Christians who have fallen away.”

Yes, but in many cases you will find that, at some point, they fell into deep disappointment about some failed spiritual expectation.

Disappointment is not just a sad, emotional state of mind; deep disappointment actually can sever our hearts from faith.

It is the enemy’s work.

Demonically manipulated disappointment can actually “dis-appoint” a person from God’s destiny for their lives.

I have known many who were doing well, moving toward their appointed destiny. The future God had for them seemed almost close enough to taste. Then they became disappointed in someone or something. By accepting into their souls this demonically manipulated disappointment, their faith turned dormant; a bitter winter took over their souls. It is here, even in the throes of disappointment, that the righteous learn to live by faith (see Hab. 2:1-4).

We all face times of disappointment. I went through a time when the promise of God seemed like a foolish spiritual fantasy. For nearly three years I had not been involved in pastoral ministry. No doors would open. God was doing a work in my soul to cause me to trust Him, but I felt abandoned and cut off from my calling. In a moment of abject honesty, I prayed, “Lord, You promised that those who believed in You would not be disappointed. Master, You know all things. Look at my heart. I am full of disappointment.” The Lord simply replied, “You’re life is not over.” Of course, I knew that. I was a healthy young man not older than forty. Yet, the spell of disappointment had flooded my soul with darkness, causing me to conclude erroneously that God was done with me.

Listen well my friend: Satan can stop our destiny if we accept the power of disappointment into our lives. Once we accept the heaviness of a deep dis- appointment, backsliding is often not far away. You see, dis-appointment cuts us off from our vision, and without a vision people perish.

Are you carrying disappointment in your heart? Renounce it. Forgive those who have let you down. Have you personally or morally failed? Repent deeply and return to your Redeemer.

Holy Spirit, I ask You to remove from my brother and sister the paralyzing sting of disappointment!

Beloved, the Spirit of God has come to release you of the effect of the dis-appointment. He reminds you, your appointment with your destiny is still set.

“The disciples came to Him, saying, ‘The place is desolate, and the time is already past; so send the multitudes away, that they may go into the villages and buy food for themselves.’ But Jesus said to them, ‘They do not need to go away; you give them something to eat!’ And they said to Him, ‘We have here only five loaves and two fish’” (Matt. 14:15-17).

I want to talk about how the Lord raises up a mature man or woman of God–the drives and attitudes that propel a person into a fully committed walk with Jesus Christ. It is essential to realize from the beginning that, when it comes to doing God’s will, both the person and God’s provision will always seem inadequate. Oh, you will have been prepared, somewhat. You will have studied and prayed, but not enough. You will have faithfully given of your time and finances, but nothing you do will be something you can confidently rely upon. Indeed, when you’ve done all you could, you will mutter to the Lord your equivalent of the disciples’: “We have here only five loaves and two fish.”

Yet, to know that you are inadequate is a tremendous advantage in spiritual growth. It is a milestone en route toward true spirituality, which is born of dependency on God, not human self-sufficiency. Once a person knows he is inadequate, he will not waste years discovering it.

Not a day goes by that I am not aware of my inadequacies. Besides struggling with “feelings” of inadequacy, I know I actually am inadequate. I know the very best of my efforts, in and of themselves, are totally insufficient. The moment I think otherwise, I guarantee failure for myself.

While the Lord has many ways to inspire my spiritual growth, the greatest seasons of increase come almost in spite of myself. The process begins with the Lord revealing some task or need that is both absolutely necessary and totally impossible for me to fulfill. My first reaction is to pray, “Lord, raise up someone who’ll do the job.” But then, when no one else shows up, I realize He wants me to step forward. As I do, I soon hear Him say the words He spoke to His disciples, “You give them something to eat.”

Sometimes, I hide in the “familiar” tasks I know I can accomplish, but a time of reckoning comes. It usually is a time of pressure or stress that, beginning with the rediscovery of my frailties, ends with me broken and waiting upon the Lord. It is right here, as I am contemplating the pitifully small “five loaves and two fish” which I am offering Jesus, that He says to my heart, “Bring them here to Me.” And here is where the miracle of grace begins. For as I surrender myself afresh into His hands, a new dimension in my walk with God starts to unfold, one of supernatural multiplication.

“He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up toward heaven, He blessed the food, and breaking the loaves He gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave to the multitudes, and they all ate, and were satisfied” (v.19).

Whatever you give to Jesus He will bless and break. A true disciple always carries these two seeming contradictory characteristics. We know His wonderful, undeserved blessing; and we are broken of pride, self-sufficiency and boasting. He lets us know assuredly that, as Christians, we have one source for all of our power. The sooner we realize our effectiveness does not originate in us, but in Christ, the quicker we will experience the miracles that He produces. Indeed, when He reveals to us our weaknesses, it is only because He is preparing us to receive more of His power into our lives.

Consider: When Jesus performed the miracle of the loaves and fish, He and His disciples were already weary and needed strength (see Mark 6:31). Added to this came the distressing news that John the Baptist had been beheaded. The Lord was seeking to take His disciples to a place where they could “rest a while.” Yet, great multitudes came, perhaps over twelve thousand men, women and children. It was in this very circumstance of weakness that He performed this great miracle of grace.

As it was with Jesus, so it is with us: It is when we sense our weaknesses most vividly, that God can use us most mightily! The Lord will continually present to us tasks that we have never done before. He will require of each of us to give our all, even as inadequate as we seem. There will be no “knights in shining armor” in God’s kingdom; our armor will have many dings and dents. No, no perfect Hollywood heroes will ride to save the day; just wearied saints who look to God and, in weakness, find Christ’s strength. This, indeed, is the essence of God’s kingdom: divine greatness manifest in common people.

In these days ahead, the Lord is going to show you a need that will seem absolutely beyond you to perform. Your natural response will be, “I’m just an average person with limited resources. I can’t do what He’s asked me to do.” Yet, if you will be still, you shall soon hear your Master’s voice quietly, confidently saying, “Bring the need to Me.”

Do as He commands, for as you give the insufficiency of your skills and your pitiful provisions to Him, He will begin to bless and break you, and then multiply what you give Him miraculously. In all my years of ministry, I know of no transforming grace greater than that which comes when, in spite of our inadequacies, we obey God in the face of the impossible.

1. STEP ONE: THE INTERVIEW (“Where does it hurt?”)
A. Conducted on two planes
1. Natural
a. Ask the person what they think is wrong, where it hurts, etc.
b. As they talk, try to read not only what they are saying but how they are saying it (facial expression, tone of voice and body posture).
c. Look the person in the eyes. Focus. Don’t be distracted by what’s going on around you. Listening is hard work!
d. Process what you see and hear according to all your past experience in working with people.

2. Supernatural
a. Dial down and tune into the Lord as you do the above.
b. Ask the Lord for the root cause. Listen for words of knowledge, words of wisdom and discerning of spirits.

B. This is not a medical interview.

C. The interview is over when you’ve reached a diagnostic decision (see below) and sense the Lord’s direction on how to proceed.

2. STEP TWO: DIAGNOSTIC DECISION (“What has caused this condition?”)
A. It could be caused by natural factors
1. Living in a fallen, sinful world (e.g., virus, accidents, etc.)

2. Sins
a. Sins they have committed (e.g., fornication leads to VD)
b. Sins committed against them (e.g., incest leaves emotional scars)
c. A combination of the above (e.g., cancer caused by bitterness against an alcoholic father)
d. Inherited sin traveling along family or social lines (e.g., failure to find work caused by being programmed to fail by their father)
e. NOTE: It is estimated by physicians that up to 80% of people’s physical problems have a psychosomatic root (e.g., ulcer caused by self-induced stress).

B. It could be caused by supernatural factors
1. Afflicting demons (e.g., bad dreams, sudden depression)

2. Controlling demons (e.g., chronic sickness, compulsive behavior)

3. Curses
a. Magic
b. Bloodline conditions visiting the 3rd and 4th generation
c. Pronouncements from authority figures (e.g., doctor’s diagnosis, parent’s opinions, etc.)

C. It could be caused by a combination of any of the above.

D. Diagnosing demons
1. Our general rule of thumb is not to cast anything out that isn’t talking to us or obviously manifesting. In our experience they usually use the person’s vocal cords but with a definite personality switch. We have heard of them speaking with different voices altogether. They will use loud, frontal behavior, vile language, speak in tongues, quote scripture, try to intimidate, etc. Don’t dialogue with them except to find out their function to help in leading the person in repentance.

2. Sometimes they won’t talk but will avoid eye contact by the eyes rolling back so all you see is white. Ask the person to look at you. If they can’t, it’s probably a demon trying to avoid confrontation with authority.

3. We have also seen the demons cause contortions in the body posture, bending it this way and that. We’ve heard them make animal noises, animal movements, and have smelled foul smells coming off the person.

4. With spirits whose assignment is to afflict in some way, the Lord will often give the gift of discernment and allow us to see them. We have seen faces, dark patches, and forms on people.

5. We do not want anything being dealt with as a spirit unless the manifestation or discernment is at this level. Suspecting there may be a demon isn’t enough to go on. Never go digging around.

3. STEP THREE: PRAYER SELECTION (“What kind of prayer do I pray?”)
A. Prayer directed toward God
1. Petition
a. Pray the Lord’s prayer. This is what it’s for!
b. Invite the Spirit to bring the ministry of Jesus
c. Ask for healing

2. Intercession
a. Pray for the person
b. Pray in the Spirit (i.e., pray in tongues if you have the gift)

B. Prayer from God
1. Command of faith

2. Pronouncement of faith

3. To devil/demons
a. Rebuke (“Silence !”)
b. Bind (“I break your power!”)
c. Expulse (“Out, in Jesus’ name!”)

4. STEP FOUR: PRAYER ENGAGEMENT (“How are you doing?”)
A. Pray your selected prayer(s). Pray with your eyes open. Look for indications of the Spirit’s presence. Ask the person if anything is happening. Take note of what’s happening in you.

B. Observed phenomena on the person being prayed for
1. Hot flashes in certain parts of the body

2. Tingling sensations

3. Tenderness and tears

4. Brokenness and sobs

5. Stiffness in certain parts of the body

6. Trembling and shaking

7. Falling down under the power of the Spirit

8. Being in a trance

9. Electrical current

10. Light-headed

11. Tired, weary

12. Radiance on the face

13. Ripples or movement on or under the skin

14. Laughter and joy

15. Deep peace

16. Heavy breathing

17. Moaning and groaning

C. Observed phenomena on the person(s) praying
1. Sensations of warmth, especially in the hands

2. Tingling, especially in the hands

3. Slight trembling of the hands

4. A sense of anointing, power

5. Quiet, objective knowing

6. An explosion of power/electricity coming out of your hands

7. A quiet sense of the Spirit’s presence

8. A sense of detachment as if you were a third party watching

9. Sometimes NOTHING AT ALL. This is where we operate out of who we are in Christ and the authority he gave us to forgive sins, heal the sick and expulse demons.

D. If you sense the Spirit’s presence, give Him the “Amen!” “Thank you, Lord, for being here!” “More Lord!”

E. When in doubt, ask questions
1. Some people are programmed to fail. You may have to do counseling here before you pray again (then or later).

2. Some people are so out of touch with their own bodies you might have to probe a bit.

F. If nothing happens, ask the Lord if you should try again.

G. Demons
1. Sometimes they resist talking, cooperating, or coming out.

2. Call the person back to consciousness and have them repent of any sin that relates to the demon or what you are getting from a word of knowledge. In our experience, the demon’s reluctance to come out is related to their right to be there. Often, when the root is taken care of, they just leave.

3. Sometimes when they come out, it can be messy (shrieking, coughing, writhing, throwing up etc.).

4. NOTE: Just because there is noise and mess does not mean there is a demon. Often when there is a loud release, it is the escape of bottled emotional pain.

H. When do you stop?
1. When they get healed!

2. When nothing seems to be happening.

3. When the Spirit tells you to.

4. When you, the team, or the person gets tired.

5. STEP FIVE: POST-PRAYER DIRECTION
A. Help the person process what just happened.

B. Share any encouragement, exhortation, or council the Spirit may have given you.

C. Direct them to follow through on repentance for any sin that the Spirit brought to light during ministry time (e.g., restitution with a family member).

D. If healing has not occurred or is incomplete, affirm and encourage them to keep seeking because God wants to heal.

E. Avoid the following problems
1. Don’t give personal advice.

2. Don’t condemn a person for not getting saved or healed

The mountains are moved by My spirit and by My power. So why is it
that you look at the mountain that blocks your path and you say to
yourself “I cannot move that”? Of course you can not! You were never
expected to. It is always My spirit that moves the mountains.

Do not look at the obstacles that lay before you. Look rather to Me,
for I am able to move all mountains and I am able to deal with all
obstacles. You cannot do it in your own strength, and you were never
expected to. So lean on Me and draw from My strength.

Watch Me and see how I will glorify My name in your situations. I have
permitted obstacles to come before some of My own. For others, I have
actually caused them to come, that they might be forced to put their
trust wholeheartedly in Me.

The bigger the obstacle, the larger the measure of faith that will be
granted to you, if you come to Me and ask Me for it. Dear child, I
desire to show you how capable I am. I desire to demonstrate to you
that I am trustworthy. And I want you to look to Me, not to your own
resources.

This is a time and a season where I am causing many of My children
to learn to walk by faith. That is why I am allowing the obstacles
to come before you.

I desire that you come to Me for direction, and I desire that you
wait on Me for My timing. My timing is not your timing. You almost
always want it NOW rather than in My timing. So change your way and
trust Me to know the times and seasons. Trust Me to work My glory in
each of your situations.

Child of Mine, My glory and transformation do not come without a price,
for I demand your complete commitment to Me. I expect total obedience.
I expect you to cooperate with Me as I work deep in your hearts and
souls to mold you into the image of My Son. But in return for giving
Me lordship in your life, you will see an increase in your ability to
hear My voice clearly. You will see an increase in My anointing upon
you. You will see yourself walking in a larger measure of My authority.
You will see the mountains that are before move into the sea, so that
they no longer be an obstacle before your path as you walk in My ways.

So, do not look to the mountains and do not look to the obstacles.
Look to Me! Then you will see Me glorify My name in your midst.

“Not by might, not by power, but by My spirit,” says the Lord of hosts. Zechariah 4:6

Introduction

There are several answers to the question, “Why Vineyard?” Historically, Vineyard is the fruit of revival. It goes back to the “Jesus Movement,” starting in the United States in the late 1960’s. Through it over three million converts came into the church, and Calvary Chapel in Costa Mesa, California exploded, eventually giving birth to the Vineyard. Vineyard is also the consequence of John Wimber’s charismatic leadership, bringing alive not only the message of the kingdom, but also the ministry of the kingdom in “signs and wonders.” Vineyard continues to grow by practicing Biblical values, offering “culturally current” worship, preaching the gospel, building community, praying for the sick, reaching to the poor, opposing injustice and planting churches internationally. It still fosters personal and corporate renewal, seeking, in John Wimber’s phrase, “to love the whole church.” Where Vineyard prospers it is also because of its clear, central kingdom theology.

What is Theology?

In its strictest sense, theology is the science (logos) of God. Before the Enlightenment it was defined as absolute confessional truth. Dogma was usually equated with revelation, transcending the Bible itself and infallibly interpreting it. This was the task of the authoritative tradition and teaching of the church. With the Enlightenment (18th century), however, theology was judged by reason and the laws of nature (created by nature’s God and as unchanging as he is). Doctrine became relative to reason and had to be interpreted in its historical context. With the end of the Enlightenment (the Modern period) and the rise of Post-Modernism, the intellectual elite dethroned reason as absolute and asserted that there was and is no universal story (no ‘meta-narrative’) which offers a comprehensive picture of reality. Theology is now to be done with out the absolute foundations of either reason or revelation.

For evangelicals, however, “Theology begins with the critique of philosophy” (Karl Barth). There is no controlling philosophy, such as idealism, romanticism, existentialism, Marxism, Feminism, Post-Modernism, or any other “ism”which establishes its presuppositions and framework. Barth holds that theology is both a humble and free science. It comes, not to dominate, but to serve the living God and the cause of his kingdom. It lives in response to the “God who speaks for himself.” It is our response to his Word and his Spirit. Since the gospel creates the church, the revelation of God creates the experience of God. The Vineyard lives in response to that revelation which has broken in upon us in Jesus Christ.

The Theological Structure of the Vineyard

The Vineyard’s “Statement of Faith” represents mainstream, historic Christianity. It is fed by a number of sources. First, the creeds of the Church Fathers. We confess the Trinity, one God in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and the two natures of Christ incarnate, both fully divine and fully human at the same time (God and Man).

Second, as heirs of the Reformation, we agree with Luther, “He only is a theologian who can distinguish between law and gospel.” Abandoning salvation by works or salvation mediated by the church, we hold to Pauline “Justification by Faith” alone. Like the Reformers, we concur that “Popes and councils can err.” Thus we accept the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, the Word of God written, as the only absolute authority for the church. This (sola Sciptura) is the final rule for faith and practice And like the Reformers, we know that “still our ancient foe, doth seek to work us woe” (Luther). Spiritual warfare is our lot in this world. While we live in Christ’s kingdom, we do battle with Satan’s kingdom, knowing that the victory has already been won. As Luther sings, “Let goods and kindred go. This mortal life also. The body they may kill. God’s truth abideth still. His kingdom is forever.”

Third, we embrace the themes of the Evangelical Awakening of the 18th century, led by John and Charles Wesley. We believe in the necessity of personal conversion to Christ through the “new birth,” authored by His Spirit, and personal holiness as its necessary fruit. The character of Christ and the works of the kingdom: reaching the lost, healing the sick, serving the poor, and seeking justice for the oppressed, come through this transforming work. As Detrich Bonhoeffer writes (in proper sequence), “Only he who believes can obey and only he who obeys can believe.”

Fourth, we are heirs of the “Great Century of World Missions” (the 19th Century), and believe that the “Great Commission” stands, making us intentional “missional communities.” Calls for conversion and church planting are not optional. As a movement, we exist to bring the nations to Christ.

Fifth, we are also heirs of the 20th Century Pentecostal/Charismatic renewals. We welcome this stream of the Spirit into the church, while remaining solidly evangelical in our theology. As our “Statement of Faith” confesses: “We believe in the filling or the empowering of the Holy Spirit, often a conscious experience, for ministry today. We believe in the present ministry of the Spirit and…exercise…all of the biblical gifts of the Spirit.” This leads to action: “We practice the laying on of hands for the empowering of the Spirit, for healing, and for recognition and empowering of those whom God has ordained to lead and serve the Church.”

Sixth, the “Biblical Theology Movement” instructs us. We see New Testament faith as fully “eschatological.” This means that we are not simply waiting for the End, we are living in it. The consummation of all things has already begun in the life, death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ and the outpouring of his Spirit at Pentecost. We live in the tension of the kingdom come and coming, “the already and the not yet.” We grow in sanctification and build churches knowing that the kingdom is here, but not fully here.

The Theological Story of the Vineyard

Our “Statement of Faith,” offers not only a clear theological structure, but also the story of Redemptive History (“Heilsgeschichte”). Perhaps anticipating Post-Modernism’s stress on stories, we too have a story to tell. It is this story of the kingdom, rather than, say, the structure of the Trinity (as in the Apostles’ Creed), which guides our Statement. It confesses the One God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, as the true, eternal God, who is also the creator and ruler of all things. It then immediately moves to Satan’s heavenly revolt and his counter-kingdom now infecting this good earth. Through his temptation, our original parents “fell from grace, bringing sin, [and] sickness…to the earth.” As a result, “Human beings are born in sin, subject to God’s judgment of death and captive to Satan’s kingdom of darkness.”

But God still rules his universe. As Luther said, “Even the devil is God’s devil.” God therefore intervened to reverse the effects of the Fall by establishing his unconditional covenant with Abraham, promising blessing to the nations, by delivering Israel from bondage in Egypt, and by giving the law through Moses. Its purpose is to convict us of sin and bring “us to Christ alone for salvation.” Later, God makes an unconditional covenant with David, promising an heir, seated upon his throne forever. This is fulfilled in Christ, the incarnate, eternal Son who comes from his line and reestablishes God’s kingdom over Israel, and then extends it to the nations.

With the Apostles’ Creed, Jesus is confessed as God’s Son, “conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary.” But our “Statement of Faith” not only speaks of his incarnation and atonement, but also of his kingdom ministry. “Jesus was anointed as God’s Messiah and empowered by the Holy Spirit, inaugurating God’s kingdom reign on earth, overpowering the reign of Satan by resisting temptation, preaching the good news of salvation, healing the sick, casting out demons and raising the dead. Gathering His disciples, He reconstituted God’s people as His Church to be the instrument of His kingdom.” This is crucial to Vineyard identity. Jesus preaches and ministers the kingdom, trains his disciples to do the same, and passes this on to every generation of the church. We stand resolutely in this line.

For the “Statement of Faith,” the ministry of Jesus climaxes in his death and resurrection. The meaning of his death is expressed classically: “In His sinless, perfect life Jesus met the demands of the law and in His atoning death on the cross He took God’s judgement for sin which we deserve as law-breakers. By His death on the cross He also disarmed the demonic powers.” Jesus is now the reigning King: “The covenant with David was fulfilled in Jesus’ birth from David’s house, His Messianic ministry, His glorious resurrection from the dead, His ascent into heaven and His present rule at the right hand of the Father. As God’s Son and David’s heir, He is the eternal Messiah-King, advancing God’s reign throughout every generation and throughout the whole earth today.”

Next, the “Statement of Faith” speaks of the outpouring of the Spirit on the Day of Pentecost. “The Spirit brings the permanent indwelling presence of God to us for spiritual worship, personal sanctification, building up the Church, gifting us for ministry, and driving back the kingdom of Satan by the evangelization of the world through proclaiming the word of Jesus and doing the works of Jesus.” This ministry climaxes with Christ’s visible, glorious return, Satan’s destruction, the resurrection of the dead, and the final judgment. Then “God will be all in all; His kingdom, His rule and reign will be fulfilled in the new heavens and the new earth…in which righteousness dwells and in which He will forever be worshiped.”

Conclusion

The Vineyard’s “Statement of Faith” is also the Vineyard’s “Story of Faith.” Through the whole of Scripture, God is King, reigning through his kingdom. Our theology identifies our non-negotiables, the sweep of Biblical revelation from eternity to time, from creation to consummation. It focuses our identity and nurtures us in the truth. It protects us from heresy and idolatry, and steels us for suffering and persecution in this fallen world. It also gives us the “Big Story,” our “meta-narrative” to tell. As we confess our faith, and are caught up in its story, it enlivens our worship and becomes a weapon in our warfare, to bring down Satan’s kingdom, to subvert this world’s systems, and proclaim “Jesus alone is Lord.”

“The Big Story” of the kingdom intersects our little stories and we discover that we were made for this! As we live out this faith, in proclamation and demonstration, we contribute to the larger church. By “signs and wonders,” evangelizing the poor, healing the sick, and driving out demons, and contending for justice, we confront the secular mind-set and manifest God’s intention to fully restore this fallen creation when Christ returns. In this we also answer the question: “Why Vineyard?”

When looking back in what were the early distinctive’s that made the Vineyard what it was, was primarily our understanding of what the Christian life was. In the Quaker church in which John and I were saved, there was no higher call than to be a Christian. The man who led us to the Lord used to talk about the responsibility and the wonder that we walked around with the presence of God dwelling in us.

Also, in that Quaker church there was simplicity, and a lack of ambition. The man who led us to the Lord was a welder. The foundation of the church was everyday, simple people.They dressed down; they drove Chevy’s instead of Cadillac’s, even though some of them were quite wealthy. Anybody felt comfortable and welcome in that church. There was no great gap between the clergy and the laity. We didn’t even use those words in the Quaker church. The big thing was whether we would love people and how we led our lives before them, and whether our faith was real.

The truth is the Holy Spirit really began to visit us in the Quaker church. It sometimes sounds or comes across as if nothing was happening before this time, but that wasn’t the case. There had been an increased hunger in us for God and for his Word. But there was also a huge increase of hunger to worship. In the Quaker worship,they have what they call “communion”. It’s a time of silence, where they just wait and soak in God, unless someone felt like they had a song from the Lord,or a word, or even a teaching. If they felt like they had received something,they were supposed to speak it out. Every once in awhile someone would sing out some beautiful song or have a short teaching or some sort of revelation—though they would not have called it that.

So we were no strangers to the move of the Spirit. In fact the later outpouring was merely an increase of what had already been happening.

I believe our foundation, how the Vineyard was formed was by Quakerism. Most people don’t realize that; in fact they believe the Vineyard came from Calvary, when in fact, we’re Quakers.

When we look back and see God’s presence moving on us; forming us; worship had such an intricate part through all this. Over the years we’ve seen things change-shift, but from the very beginning we understood that worship wasn’t “for” anything, except for the Lord. Sometimes I get the feeling that we’ve shifted a bit too, “We worship in order for this to happen.” Whatever “this” is —a great move of the Spirit perhaps. But that truthfully is the opposite of what were doing in those early days. We were worshipping simply because God is worthy of worship. The wonderful things that happened were as a result of his presence. But we didn’t worship so that his presence would come; we just worshipped!

We didn’t even really know about trying to ‘make’ things happen, or “we’ll worship until the ‘big’ thing happens, or when the Spirit begins to move. That wasn’t why we were meeting together. We were meeting together out of love for God. It was odd to us that suddenly in the middle of John teaching a course at Fuller for seasoned missionaries [MC 510: Signs, Wonders & Church Growth] that the course would become world famous and we would become these great ‘healers’. That sure wasn’t what we were doing. That’s just something God did when he showed up.

But we somehow through God showing up; got this reputation, so many churches became or wanted to become Vineyards around that time, and that’s what their idea of the Vineyard was. But that was never what John and I set out to do. John used to say, “I do what I do. I preach the Gospel. I lay hands on the sick. Either God will heal them or he wont. I just do what I do, and God does what he does. Shame on me if I don’t do what I do, but he’s responsible for what he does or doesn’t do. We’re just following directions.”

John had this ability to see what was coming in the days ahead. So he would often prepare or warn us what would be coming next. Concerning the Vineyard, John used to always say that an outpouring has about a twenty-year life span. Then hinges will get too much in cement and we’ll start building monuments to ourselves. He said, “I don’t expect us to be any different. But the Lord is faithful, and he’ll pour out his Spirit again and again. It may not be here, but lets all be watching and listening, and as soon as that happens, let’s go where he is!”

John had a great respect and regard for the whole Church and believed that the Lord’s hands are on the whole thing. He knew it was possible for a movement to be sustained for hundreds of years. Look at the Moravians. But he didn’t have any huge concern that we had to protect anything. He really didn’t think it was that important. He figured our grandchildren would find where the Lord was pouring himself out if the presence of Jesus wasn’t here anymore.

Spring has finally sprung in our corner of the country. My wife and I took an early evening bike ride through our neighborhood. The trees have started to leaf and plenty of blossoms abound. As I was coasting down a gentle slope, I let the sweet wind overtake my senses. I delighted in this moment-this little gift from the Lord, and I thanked him for it.

The Lord has given us so much. The big things, such as His great plan through the sweep of history, the gift of His Son, our adoption as sons and daughters in His family, the incredible riches of our glorious inheritance. The little things, such as the blossom-scented breeze, a timely letter of encouragement from a friend. And the things in-between, such as our families, relationships, jobs, and all the ways we have been provided for.

When we gather together in worship, it seems to me that there is so much that we have to be thankful for–that we can praise God for. Yet, I am grieved at how disconnected some people are from this truth by the looks on their faces on Sunday morning, emotionally detached from everything. Occasionally, I am tempted to stop everything and yell, “Don’t you people get it?”. This would not be a very encouraging thing to do, so I do what I can through modeling worship, singing and speaking prayers, and exhorting them to draw these “bulletin readers” in.

There is another group of experienced worshippers that I think of as the “professionals”. Experienced worshippers have this tendency to rate the worship experience. “Wow that was really hot. God showed up BIGTIME!!” or “Ooo.. that was really pathetic”. What is our criteria when we measure worship? Is it how much God “showed up”? Is it the percentage of people still on their feet at the end of the worship set-with their hands raised? Is it how well the band played and the singers sang? Was it the level of “anointing” the worship leader displayed while navigating through the set? Is it how big the smile is on the pastor’s face? Is it how many “Wow, worship was awesome!” comments the worship leader receives?

All of this leads me to the question: What do we expect in worship?

How would you answer this question? There are variety of answers. I have been in the Vineyard now for over 15 years. Typical answers I hear from those in the Vineyard tradition is that we expect to experience the “manifest” presence of God in our worship and that we come to connect with Him. Many times we do experience His love, His touch, His healing, and so on. Sometimes we don’t.

I think it is a good thing to expect a visitation from the Lord in our worship times. But is that the reason why we worship?

Let me turn the previous question around. What does God expect in worship?

I really appreciate the story behind Matt Redman’s song “The Heart of Worship”. The nutshell of the story is that their church, Soul Survivor (in Watford, England), was going through a dry period, and it dawned on them that they had become “connoisseurs of worship, not participants of worship”, almost as if worship itself had become the object of worship, instead of God being the object of worship. They repented in a drastic way and Matt wrote “I’m coming back to the heart of worship, and it’s all about You, it’s all about You, Jesus”.

I believe that sometimes we have been guilty of making the experience of worship the object of our worship as opposed to making God the object of our worship. I think that us “experienced” worshippers can be in as much danger of “not getting it” as the bulletin readers.

So, what is worship? What does God expect from worship? And, what should we expect in worship?

One answer is from the church tradition that states: The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. This is a simple yet powerful way of stating what our whole purpose of existence is. There have been entire books written about this, and scriptures abound in supporting this whole concept. Simply put, I believe that we were created to worship God. The two most prevalent Greek words for “worship” in the New Testament are latreuo which means to “render honor” or to “pay homage”, and proskuneo which means “to kiss the hand” or “to bow down”. Notice that these are verbs, we are the initiator, and they are about giving, not receiving. I appreciate how John MacArthur, in his book “The Ultimate Priority”, puts it: “When we talk about worship, we are talking about something we give to God. Modern Christianity seems committed instead to the idea that God should be giving to us. God does give to us abundantly, but we need to understand the balance of that truth-we are to render honor and adoration to God. That consuming, selfless desire to give to God is the essence and the heart of worship.”

I think that when a person first discovers worship, we understand that it is a response to God for what He has done for us and what He is doing in us-we have gratitude in our hearts. We come to bless and honor Him. God meets us and blesses us with His wonderful presence. But what I have observed is that after a while we get hooked on the experience of God’s presence in worship. Now I believe that the presence of God is a wonderful thing, but I don’t believe that that should be our only motivation for worshipping Him. Our motivation should be to give to the Lord, not receive. We come to bless Him, praise Him, minister to Him, touch His heart, and lift up His name. When we do that we honor and reverence God; the latreuo and proskuneo of worship.

A helpful analogy is the sport of running. Running is something I have done off and on over the years to help lose some weight and get my cardiovascular system in shape. Many people get into running to achieve these benefits. However, after running a certain distance, the body releases endorphins into the bloodstream and once it hits the brain, we experience what is called a “runner’s high”. It’s that feeling for an hour or so after exercising that “life is wonderful”. There are some people who run solely out of the motivation to get the “runner’s high”, and this is usually involves running longer than is necessary to simply achieve cardiovascular fitness. What once started out as a desire to get fit has become a quest to get high.

What once started out as a response to God’s goodness by desiring to bless and thank Him has become a quest to get high on His presence. Now, again, I think it is wonderful to “bliss out” in the presence of the Lord. But, what happens when He doesn’t manifest His presence in this way? What is our reaction when God apparently doesn’t “show up”?

I believe that worship is not about God’s presence as much as it is about our presence. A good worship service has less to do with whether or not God showed up as much as whether or not we showed up. We are the giver in this transaction. God is the audience. The reality is that God is always with us. His presence is not the issue. Are we always present with Him?

It’s up to us whether or not we will delight in the Lord. It’s our choice. When we choose to delight in Him, bless Him, touch His Heart, and so on, then true worship happens.

Because worship is a choice we make or not make, the issue of sincerity comes up. What if we don’t feel like worshipping God? I am not proposing that we force ourselves to sing certain songs, adopt certain physical expressions, and in general “fake it”. But if we don’t feel like we can worship God, then we need to take inventory of what is going on in our heart and make the right choice about how to approach Him in honesty from whatever place our heart is in. I love Craig Musseau’s song “I Pour Out My Heart” where he writes “I pour out my heart for I know that You hear every cry–You are listening, no matter what state my heart is inÉ”

Since worship is about what we give rather than what we get, and since it appears that some people, including ourselves at times, just don’t get the picture, how do we get to the place where we are making the appropriate choice to delight in, bless, and exalt the Lord? I have three suggestions:

First, we need to recognize that worship is a lifestyle and not an event. An event mindset is one where we come to church and we expect God to show up for us and give us whatever we feel we need to make it through another week or to the next meeting. I know people who are “conference junkies” who go from conference to conference to get their next renewal fix. On the contrary, the Lord calls us to a daily lifestyle of devotion. He calls us to walk with Him. He calls us to “offer our bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God-this is [our] spiritual act of worship.” (Rom 12:1) We make the choice to be continually present with Him. If we make worship our lifestyle, then we come to our meetings prepared to give instead of expecting to receive. Worship becomes about our giving to God, not about His giving to us.

Secondly, we need to look at ourselves honestly and determine whether we are in this thing called the “Christian Life” for ourselves or for God. Sure, we signed up for God’s Kingdom when we came to know Him. But do we really live for His glory, or do we exploit the inherent benefits of the Christian life to better our own condition? If we look at ourselves honestly, I believe that the only proper response is to develop a lifestyle of daily repentance. That’s why Jesus commanded us to “take up [our] cross, daily”. We need to realize that self-enthronement is a beast that needs to be taken to the cross daily. And then we need to remember that we are sinners saved by grace.

Thirdly, once we realize we are sinners saved by grace, we are then reminded of how much God loves us, and what He has done to prove it, His only Son sacrificed for us. This produces in us an “attitude of gratitude”. We can’t stray far from the Cross before we start to become like spoiled and petulant children. We stay close to the Cross and we can’t help but be filled with gratitude. When I am ever aware of how much I have to be thankful for-the big things, the little things, and those in-between-I can’t help but come to the Lord with a desire to thank Him, bless Him, touch His Heart, and praise Him.

Let’s all stay close to the Cross and pass the message along.