WE BELIEVE...       

This is our condensed statement of faith, for the full statement, see

http://www.vineyardusa.org/site/files/about/statement-of-faith.pdf

Also see our theological and philosophical statements at

http://www.vineyardusa.org/site/files/about/theological-statements.pdf

1.   We believe that there is one living and true God, eternally existing in three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, equal in power and glory; that this triune God created all, upholds all, and governs all.

2.  We believe that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the Word of God, fully inspired, without error in the original manuscripts, and the infallible rule of faith and practice. 

Comment: By “faith and practice” we mean (a) our beliefs, (b) how we live our lives, and (c) how we do church. This means that the spiritual experiences like prophecies, dreams, visions, and impressions must be tested against what the Bible teaches.

3.  We believe in God the Father, an infinite, personal Spirit, perfect in holiness, wisdom, power, and love; that He concerns Himself mercifully in the affairs of men; that He hears and answers prayer; and He saves from sin and death all who come to Him through Jesus Christ.

4.   We believe in Jesus Christ, God's only begotten Son, conceived by the Holy Spirit.  We believe in His virgin birth, sinless life, miracles and teachings, His substitutionary atoning death, bodily resurrection, ascension into heaven, perpetual intercession for His people and personal visible return to earth.

5.  We believe in the Holy Spirit, who came forth from the Father and Son to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment, and to regenerate, sanctify and empower for ministry all who believe in Christ;  We believe the Holy Spirit indwells every believer in Jesus Christ and that He is an abiding Helper, Teacher, and Guide.  We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit and in the exercise of all the biblical gifts of the Spirit.

6.  We believe that all are sinners by nature and choice and are therefore under condemnation; that God regenerates by the Holy Spirit, those who repent of their sins and confess Jesus Christ as Lord; that Jesus Christ baptizes the seeking believer with the Holy Spirit and power for service, often subsequent to regeneration. 

Note on eternal security: We have no statement on eternal security.  We will not war over it.  We will receive both those that lean toward Armenianism or toward Calvinism.  A slight majority of Vineyard pastors hold to a gentle Calvinism.

Note on tongues:  We believe in the gift of tongues as found in 1 Corinthians  chapters 12-14.  We believe that tongues is an evidence of being filled with the Holy Spirit  but we do not believe like classical Pentecostals that tongues has to be the first evidence of being filled with the Holy Spirit.

7.  We believe in the universal Church, the living spiritual body, of which Christ is the Head and all regenerated persons are members.

8.  We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ committed two ordinances­ to the Church, baptism and the Lord's supper.  We believe in water baptism by immersion and communion open to all believers.

9.  We believe also in the laying on of hands for the empowering of the Holy Spirit, for receiving gifts of the Spirit, for healing, and for recognition and empowering of those whom God has ordained­ to lead and serve the Church.

10.  We believe in the personal, visible return of Christ to earth and the establishment of His Kingdom; in the resurrection of the body, the final judgment and eternal blessing of the righteous and endless suffering of the wicked.   

Note on End-times: We receive people with a  variety of end-time views. We will not fight over this. We do insist­ on the  belief in the personal and visible return of Jesus. A large number of Vineyard pastors, but not all, hold to  “historic premillenialism”  with a post-tribulational rapture,  rather than to “dispensational premillenialism” with a pretribulational rapture.