Commonly Asked Questions About Adopting into the Vineyard

Q: Why do we insist on a lengthy process (18-24 months minimum) for adoption?

A:  Because the adoption process is primarily a relational process and relationships take time.  Before actually adopting churches as Vineyard churches we want to take the time needed for them and for the Vineyard.   Often pastors of churches interested in adoption want to move the process faster than this because they view adoption into the Vineyard as a solution to a problem or as a means to growth.  However, experience has shown that longer adoption processes work better.  Some problems only emerge with time (like key board members who oppose adoption, theological disagreements, internal church problems.)  It is much better to help a church through these problems while they are still in the adoption process.   Churches and pastors are happiest within the Vineyard when they are well connected relationally (in relationships tested by time.)  It is common for churches to go through a "honeymoon" period when they first encounter Vineyard, so the passage of time allows for a more sober assessment both the church and for the Vineyard.    Finally, we view formal adoption (receiving the church as a Vineyard) as the culmination of an inside-out process whereby churches receive the name after taking on and expressing the Vineyard identity internally.

 

Q:  Besides issues of identity, ministry, and theological compatibility, what are the key responsibilities of churches which join The Vineyard, a Community of Churches?

A: 1. to participate in the community that Vineyard Churches are seeking to build among churches (pastors attending the regional and national conferences; attending the monthly or bi-monthly pastors area meetings, for example).

2. to participate in the costs of doing business by contributing 3% of church income to the Vineyard national office. 

 

Q: What by-law changes are commonly needed for a church to adopt into Vineyard?

A:We ask new adoptions to include a by-law which gives an approval voice to any new senior pastor selected by the church.  Also, Vineyard is interested in having a fully empowered senior pastor in each local church, since the primary connection for the association is through the senior pastor.   Often churches which are shaped by congregational polity or by a polity that views the pastor as simply one of a board of elders needs to change their polity and by-laws to be approved for adoption.  Beyond that, the Vineyard wants to make sure that the by-laws of churches seeking adoption are functional, and provide adequate provision for resolving internal conflict. 

 

Q: What impact does adoption have on a church's name?

A: Vineyard churches are expected to include "Vineyard" somewhere in the church name.  Many Vineyards are either Vineyard Church of [name of city or area] or Vineyard Community Church of [name of city or area.]. Often churches who adopt into Vineyard wish to keep something of their old name.  While this is allowed, Vineyard encourages adopting churches to discern whether it is wise or not.  From the perspective of name clarity, names like Victory Vineyard or New Life Vineyard have the disadvantage of mixing metaphors, and are less comprehensible to those unfamiliar with Vineyard. People looking for Vineyard churches in a given town may wonder if churches named like this are in fact part of the Vineyard that they are familiar with.  

 

Q: What if a church which is currently part of another denomination wishes to join Vineyard? 

 

A: First of all, it is not our intention, nor is it part of our mission to grow by gathering churches which are part of another denomination.  For churches in this position we encourage openness with denominational leaders and respect toward the polity of the denomination on the question of affiliation.

In most cases, we prefer that existing affiliations be discontinued (and in proper order, respecting the relationships in the existing affiliation) before beginning the adoption process with Vineyard.  If we think a church is not handling these relationships with integrity and charity, we will not approve an adoption.

 

Q: What is the Vineyard policy with respect to ordination of women as senior pastors?

 

A: Vineyard churches are free, depending on the conviction of a given local church, to ordain women as senior pastors.

 

Q: What power does the Vineyard as a national association have over local churches?

 

A: The national association owns the trademark on the Vineyard name and reserves the right to remove permission to use the name for a given church. 

 

Q: What is the most common theological issue that needs sorting out before a church adopts into the Vineyard?

 

A: Churches which have either a Pentecostal or charismatic theology of Holy Spirit Baptism (as necessarily separate from conversion and signified by speaking in tongues) need to adopt Vineyard's "empowered evangelical" theology of the Spirit (open to Pentecostal experience but not adopting the distinctive doctrinal positions of Pentecostalism.) Similarly, churches from a conservative evangelical background need to adopt the Vineyard's emphasis on the gifts of the Holy Spirit (that such gifts are operative today.)