In this first of a four week series, Lloyd Rankin, former national director of the Association of Vineyard Churches in Aotearoa New Zealand, tells the story of the Vineyard in the context of global and local Church history. In doing so, he sets up the next three sermons which will reflect on questions like: what does it means to be 'Vineyard'? What does it mean to care for that "sacred trust" God has given us so we can offer it as a gift to the world and the wider body of Christ? And what does it mean for each of us to belong to such a people? At one level, to be Vineyard means to recognise that we carry and cherish similar values. For instance, our desire for intimacy in worship and an openness to the leading of the Holy Spirit in our gatherings. Perhaps it also means a willingness to be trained and equipped to carry on the work of Jesus (rather than leaving it up to the professionals). It probably also means a commitment to a life of service, caring for the poor in particular, and cultivating an expectation that the kingdom of God can break into the present moment bringing with it all the signs of Jesus' lordship... We don't always get these priorities right, or in the right order, but for the next three weeks we are going to explore some these values with the hope that we can remember once again who God has called us to be, and what he has called us to do.
