The Beginning of the Vineyard

Please note the articles are from different sources and
referenced as numbered.

[1] In his book Power Healing (Harper and Row), Wimber relates that on Mother's Day in May of 1977, he preached his first sermon as pastor of what is now called the Vineyard Christian Fellowship. Wimber's pastoral association with Calvary Chapel began in 1978 when he requested "Calvary Chapel covering" for his new group.

It wasn't long before Wimber began to categorize methodologies for healing, music ministry, leadership, outreach, evangelism, etc. All aspects of body life became studies of method.

Within a short time, Wimber brought on Sam Thompson, a licensed psychologist, as an assistant pastor in charge of counseling. Thompson developed the ministerial aspects of the Vineyard, combining psychological theory with charismatic practices. He taught how to look for signs of spiritual and physical problems, and how to deal with them. The emphasis was, and still is, on attaining spiritual power. The congregation would stand in circles, holding hands and commanding demons to manifest themselves in order to cast them out.

The church was growing in numbers, and had the outward appearance of a typical Calvary Chapel. Wimber's "signs and wonders" philosophy was developing and gaining adherents under the Calvary Chapel label. Concerned Calvary Chapel pastors began to ask Wimber about the reports of people levitating, being "slain in the spirit," engaging in aura reading, and other bizarre practices.

Wimber made two statements in defense of the manifestations at Yorba Linda on which Chuck Smith challenged him: 1) "God is above His Word"; and 2) "God is not limited by His Word." In other words, Wimber did not need a Scriptural basis for the manifestations.

Smith then offered the Calvary Chapel pastors the opportunity to either remain with Calvary Chapel and stress the teaching of Scripture, or follow after Wimber and stress manifestations. Many chose to follow Wimber, converting their churches to Vineyards.

The rest is history. The Vineyard has grown to more than seven hundred congregations in eight countries. They claim some one hundred thousand members. In 1982, shortly after taking over the Vineyard, Wimber returned to the Fuller Theological Seminary to co-teach with C. Peter Wagner a course entitled MC:510, "The Miraculous and Church Growth." It was a laboratory for experiments in signs and wonders.

Refs:

[1] http://www.rapidnet.com/~jbeard/bdm/exposes/wimber/john.htm