Vineyard History
The River is part of the Vineyard Community of Churches.
The Vineyard is a vibrant, fast-growing church movement that is known worldwide for helping people find a fresh experience with God in an informal, accessible setting. People attracted to the Vineyard often say they like it because it’s culturally-current, flexible and continually-refreshing.
The reason many members join the Vineyard is because it is culturally current, flexible and continually refreshing.
The Vineyard movement began in 1974 when a small group of people in the Los Angeles area focused on experiencing God as a living, life-changing person -- and not just a theory. By 1982, the rapidly expanding group had joined up with a young pastor named John Wimber. In the words of one magazine, Wimber was a "beer-guzzling, drug-abusing pop musician, who was converted to Christ at the age of 29 while chain-smoking his way through a Quaker-led Bible study."
Under Wimber, the Vineyard’s influence and appeal took off. Broadly speaking, he helped people find ways to explore, and get the most out of, a relationship with an active, living God. For instance, he helped make musical worship more accessible, he modeled how easy and straightforward it can be to pray for physical healing, and he showed how keen God is to get us involved in the things He’s up to.
The Vineyard movement has continued to flourish, attracting people from all walks of life. Today, the Vineyard movement consists of over 1500 churches worldwide, including over 600 churches in the U.S., as well as the music, books and resources of Vineyard Music.
Vineyard churches are known for their low-key, low-pressure environment that encourages people to "come as you are". Vineyard songs are now sung worldwide, supporting our vision to encourage as many churches and denominations as possible. More Vineyard history HERE.
