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Ordination | Talking Points, FAQs and Announcement
March 13, 2024
It is with tremendous excitement that we announce that on March 4, 2024, at Vineyard USA’s annual Leadership meeting in Orlando, an Ordination Process was ratified by a unanimous vote from the Leadership Council of Vineyard USA – the largest governing body of Vineyard USA consisting of all Regional, Area, and Association Leaders.
Attached you will find the text of the Ordination Process in the Handbook that was ratified. We encourage you to read it and watch the video above that explains the highlights and answers a few key questions that you may have immediately. We have also translated the video transcript into Spanish.
I am so grateful to Robb Morgan (Managing Director), the Ordination Lead Team, and the Vineyard USA Leadership Council. This ratification process received the input of more than 100 Vineyard pastors and leaders and culminated in a beautiful, unified commitment to steward the Vineyard movement into the future.
There is of course much work left to be done to sufficiently answer the questions at the heart of this process: What should a Vineyard pastor be, know, and do? and What should a Vineyard church be, know, and do? Over the next several months, you will receive further communication about our work in this area, including special sessions at the National conference this summer and at your Regional conference this Fall. In Q2 and leading up to the National Conference, you’ll be hearing more from the Ordination Team and me through the SKIM, webcast, and podcasts.
In the meantime, if you have specific questions, please submit them through this form. We also encourage you to reach out to your Area or Regional leader as needed.
Thanks,
Caleb Maskell and the Ordination Lead Team
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Highlights:
- Ratified into the National Leadership Handbook by unanimous vote of the Leadership Council on March 4, 2024.
- The Leadership Council consists of all Regional, Area, and Association Leaders.
- The Leadership Council does NOT include National Leadership Team members or Trustees.
- The Handbook is intended to govern the matters described therein. Changes to the Leadership Handbook shall be approved by the Trustees and presented in a timely manner to the Leadership Council for ratification.
- The policies and procedures contained within the Handbook are intended to clarify the relationship between Vineyard USA and Vineyard pastors and churches.
- The Ordination process will “grandfather” all Vineyard pastors ordained prior to June 1, 2025 through an attestation process.
- The Ordination process outlines a new cooperative process for pastors seeking ordination after June 1, 2025.
- As part of the implementation of this process, Vineyard churches will need to amend their bylaws to acknowledge the existence of the National Leadership Handbook and the policies and procedures contained therein.
- The content answering the questions at the heart of our ordination process – What should a Vineyard pastor be, know, and do? and What should a Vineyard church be, know, and do? – will be developed and clarified throughout the remainder of 2024 and the first quarter of 2025.
- The process of amending local bylaws will be supported by VUSA starting Fall 2024 and communicated at the regional gatherings.
- The “grandfathering” process for existing ordained Vineyard pastors will begin Fall 2024 and continue through Spring 2025.
- We will work towards full participation to be celebrated in the summer of 2025.
Discerning Vineyard Ordination
Key conversations and resources on leading a movement that lasts and the central questions of “What should a Vineyard pastor be, know, and do?”
Podcast Series
This episode of We Are Vineyard is the first in a series on ordination! Jay and Caleb Maskell (Associate National Director of Theology and Education) talk to Bruce Hindmarsh about what evangelical spirituality is, its context in the historic and global church, and how it’s relevant to our current world. As Vineyard USA is in a moment of grappling with questions of identity and history, Bruce helps us to understand the traditional roots of evangelicalism and offers some wisdom on remaining faithful to the founding charism of a movement.
Bruce Hindmarsh took his D.Phil. degree in theology at Oxford University in 1993. From 1995 to 1997 he was also a research fellow at Christ Church, Oxford. He has since published and spoken widely to international audiences on the history of early British evangelicalism. His articles have appeared in respected academic journals such as Church History, the Journal of Ecclesiastical History, and the Huntington Library Quarterly.
The recipient of numerous teaching awards and research grants, he has also been a research fellow at the Huntington Library and recipient of the Henry Luce III Theological Fellowship. He is a fellow of the Royal Historical Society and a past-president of the American Society of Church History. He was awarded an honorary Doctor of Letters degree by Crandall University in 2022.
He teaches the history of Christianity and spiritual theology, and speaks often to lay audiences as well as preaching in his own church and elsewhere. A former staff worker for Youth for Christ and founding director of Camp Cedarwood, he is an active lay member of an Anglican Church. He is married to Carolyn, and they have three children: Bethany, Matthew and Sam.
Show Notes:
John Wesley’s Christian Library: https://scriptoriumdaily.com/so-many-good-books-wesleys-christian-library/
John Wimber’s Pastoral Letters by Derek Morphew & John Wimber: https://www.amazon.com/Wimbers-Pastoral-Letters-Derek-Morphew/dp/B085RTT7G7
Amazing Grace: The Life of John Newton and the Surprising Story Behind His Song by Bruce Hindmarsh and Craig Borlase: https://tinyurl.com/bdfhms6r
Bruce’s website: https://www.brucehindmarsh.com/
Faith in the Wilderness: Words of Exhortation from the Chinese Church by Hannah Nation: https://tinyurl.com/mr2cwzu6
Fundamentalism and American Culture by George M. Marsden: https://tinyurl.com/bdemeene
Christ and Culture by H. Richard Niebuhr: https://tinyurl.com/4z67pep5
Ordination Lead Team
The Ordination Lead Team are helping to think through ways that this process can best serve Vineyard USA, contributing to our stability, clarity, longevity, fidelity, and inclusivity as a movement.
Resources
Seminary Now provides on-demand video streaming for learners continuing their education in leadership and theological studies. Find courses on taught by leading experts in Bible, theology, ministry, culture, and more.
Through Vineyard USA’s partnership, take ‘Basic New Testament Interpretation’ course with Dr. Nijay Gupta for free, 40% off Individual Annual Subscriptions, and 30% off Church Site Licenses.