Vineyard Core Values Culturally Relevant Mission Can I pray for you right now?
A successful entrepreneur is one who "identifies that future that has already happened." Peter Drucker the father of modern management
“The church exists for the sake of those who are exiled from God. We are called to bring the gospel of the kingdom to every nook and cranny of creation, faithfully translating the message of Jesus in language and forms that are relevant to diverse peoples and cultures.
The Vineyard seeks to plant churches that are culturally relevant in a wide variety of settings, both locally and internationally. Each Vineyard church is encouraged to reach those in its community not already reached by existing churches. To this end, we promote a creative, entrepreneurial, and innovative approach to ministry that is faithful to Jesus and expressive of his desire to reach those who are far away from God.’
“A significant part of our effectiveness as the Vineyard has been our ability to recognize cultural trends and then shape our articulation of the Gospel as well as our church forms to make the Kingdom life and message understandable and accessible to people in Postmodern United States.” Michael Palandro Southwest Regional Diversity Task Force Leader
“We have recently become aware of a significant cultural reality in the United States - that we are not a "melting pot" but a "stew pot." We are transitioning away from a dominant European background population and culture that could more easily shed its distinctives and become ‘American’. And we are moving toward a much more diverse population, whose very color and culture defy "melting" and now coexist in a multiethnic and multicultural stew. In this new reality we still stand together as Americans in one society but we retain much more of our ethnic and cultural distinctives.” Michael Palandro Southwest Regional Diversity Task Force Leader
‘…this shift has been fueled in part by a dramatic change in immigration. According to Rice University sociologist, Stephen Kleinberg, from 1492 until 1960 85% of all immigrants to America were from Europe. But starting in the 1990's 88% of all immigrants to America are coming from Asia, Latin America, Africa and the Caribbean.’ Michael Palandro Southwest Regional Diversity Task Force Leader
The nature of the gospel as "reconciliation" and the Vineyard value of being a reconciling community where, "(we) actively work to break down barriers of race, culture, gender, social class, and ethnicity."
The Biblical message in a passage like Ephesians 2:14-16 where the apostle Paul declares, "For Christ himself has brought us peace by making Jews and Gentiles one people. With his own body he broke down the wall that separated them and kept them enemies in order to create out of the two races one new people in union with himself, in this way making peace. By his death on the cross Christ destroyed their enmity; by means of the cross he united both races into one body and brought them back to God. What a pertinent message in a racialized society often divided by its differences and a pointer to the need for missional churches.
God’s missional call to reach people "from every race, tribe, nation, and language” (Revelation 7:9) within our own country that is becoming more and more ethnically diverse. As a movement and as local churches none of us wants to be marginalized to the point that we are relevant only to a shrinking population of Anglo non-Hispanics. This reality also stands as a reminder that as people of the Kingdom we can't afford to be identified with those primarily concerned to preserve the America that "was" but instead we want to be identified with God's agenda to love and reach the America that "is" and "will be." We are challenged to see the "sea that we swim in" as Americans not through the eyes of our US citizenship but our heavenly citizenship.
Our concern for the credibility of the gospel to new generations who are more and more culturally diverse. This highlights the need for multiethnic churches which show that life in Christ actually creates peaceful communities where people with significant differences can be reconciled to one another without losing valuable distinctives. It's possible that churches separated on the basis of color, class or culture will discredit the church and bring into greater question the relevance and power of the gospel.
H ow do we become relevant in our context?
“Relevance has been a buzzword in churches for the last couple of decades. To some it implies doing whatever it takes to culturally express the message of Jesus. To others it has negative connotations such as "watering down the Bible" or creating “church-lite" Dave Workman
"Do you want 'gospel rock' music and short sermons filled with humor? Are you looking for a church that has low enough standards so that your teens will want to attend? Do you desire a church that focuses on emotional issues instead of Biblical theology? Are you looking for such a place? Sorry to disappoint you! ...When you get tired of worldly churches, come and see us!” a church advertisement
"So the real question isn't about how we save the reputation of Christianity so that it looks good to everybody, but it's how can enough of us start to truly do the sacrificial things that Christ would do in a broken culture and in a world of broken, sinful people?” David Kinnaman UnChristian: What a New Generation Thinks About Christianity & Why it Matters
"Come out of her, my people, so that you will not share in her sins, so that you will not receive any of her plagues” Revelation "Escape from this corrupt generation!” The Apostle Paul
“Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?”
“I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some.”
The tension of living in faith …being a force NOT a fortress
“In many ways, the church missed it. It remained static when the world shifted. The language changed, the music changed, the media changed, and the church went into defense mode instead of missionary mode. Missionaries have outposts, not fortresses. Missionaries mix with the culture, not run from it. Missionaries love the people that are different from them, not hate them and call them names. Missionaries see their mission to heal, not defend. A force, not a fortress. The church in America needs to see itself as missionaries in a foreign culture. To expect the world to embrace our church subculture first and look like we do breaks every rule of good missional thinking. At its core, relevance is simply the practical expression of being missional.” Dave Workman
Hudson Taylor
Danger Zones Separatist———Conformist Jesus
22Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: "Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. 23For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you. Acts 17
"The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these."
“When I am with the Jews, I become one of them so that I can bring them to Christ. When I am with those who follow the Jewish laws, I do the same, even though I am not subject to the law, so that I can bring them to Christ. When I am with the Gentiles who do not have the Jewish law, I fit in with them as much as I can. In this way, I gain their confidence and bring them to Christ. But I do not discard the law of God; I obey the law of Christ. When I am with those who are oppressed, I share their oppression so that I might bring them to Christ. Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone so that I might bring them to Christ.”
“Mission is a concept that defines the very essence of the church and what she is to do in the world.” Bert Wagonner Former National Director of the Vineyard USA
What is "mission" in a post- Christendom world?
How does the church relate to the multiplicity of cultures in an age of diversity?
How does the church keep from being pushed into the mold of a culture that contradicts its message?
How can the church be relevant in its message and still be salt and light in a spoiled and dark world?
How do we keep from throwing away the proverbial baby of the Christian faith while dispersing of the bath water of Christendom?
What is "Christian culture" and is it a culture that transcends all local culture? How much of this culture is the last vestiges of Christendom?
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