SANTA BARBARA VINEYARD CHURCH
WHO WE ARE
As people come in to this fellowship they come from various experiences and backgrounds, therefore they may have different needs depending on the season that they are in. You may at any point experience this fellowship as a family, an army, a school, a hospital, or a ministry of mercy.
A Family
Reconcile People With God & All Creation
Jesus is reconciling humans to God, to each other, and to the entire creation. We seek to partner with Him to break down divisions between Jew and Gentile, slave and free, male and female, socioeconomic classes and races. We long to be a community of hope that realize the power of the cross to reconcile what has been separated by sin.
An Army
Pursue Mission In The World
The Church exists for the sake of those who are exiled from God. We are called to bring the Gospel of the kingdom to all of creation. Our church aims to be an outpost of the kingdom of God, forcefully advancing His light and life into this dark and broken world.
A School
Make Disciples
Our Pastors primarily function as teachers, leaders, and trainers. We believe that the church is not called to be an audience but an active force in the world therefore it is a high priority for us to train every believer so that they are fully equipped to minister to their neighbor. Everyone should be equipped to cast out demons, heal the sick, and spread the gospel.
A Hospital
Administer Healing
Life in this fallen world will often leave us wounded and broken. As a spiritual hospital, we are equipped to bring Christ’s healing to emotional wounds that block people from achieving the fullness of their destiny. We have teams that minister to the whole person: body, soul, and spirit.
A Ministry of Mercy
Engage In Compassionate Ministry
We lean toward the lost and the poor with the compassion of Jesus seeking to confront injustice and bring bread to the hungry both naturally and supernaturally. We have an obligation before God to give of the abundance of mercy that we have received.
CORE VALUES
An Authentic people living in Obedience to God
and Honoring one another in a Community of Mercy.
01
Authenticity
We desire to be authentic with each other and with God, recognizing that we are simply clay vessels being used by Him. We are not interested in putting on a show or performance but instead are determined to be real in our struggles while focused on seeking and experiencing the presence of God and His love that is demonstrated through Jesus Christ.
02
Obedience
We measure our hearts and activity by the standard of God’s Word and historical orthodoxy.
We are committed to obedience to God regardless of the cost. We are acutely aware that this life is but a breath and we seek to live with eternity in our hearts. We seek to obey both Logos and Rhema: The Word and the Spirit. “We will obey You God whatever man may say, and whatever comes our way.”
03
Honor
We want to operate in a culture of honor recognizing that each life is sacred before God. We value Kingdom hierarchy while respecting each person’s ability to hear God and be subject to the Holy Spirit’s authority in their life. We recognize that we are called to hold each other accountable to the standards of the Word of God while leaving space for God to lead and work in the individual.
04
Community
The New Testament church was birthed in community, but this community’s purpose was not simply having friends for friend’s sake. This community was born through having a common purpose (the advancement of the Kingdom of God) and facing adversity (persecution) together.
We believe that true community is created when brothers and sisters labor together in bringing in the harvest, standing firm in the trenches, and fighting the battle against darkness on the earth. Through this comradery, victories can be celebrated and defeats commiserated. You will find community in this place as you put your hand to the plow and advance God’s Kingdom with us.
05
Mercy
God requires those who have been shown mercy to extend it to others. The impetus behind all of our activities is the mercy of God. We want to demonstrate God’s love and His restorative power in the world. We desire to compassionately minister among the marginalized, the lost, the poor and the outcast of society.
Revival was seen in Acts 2 when, by a visitation of God's Spirit upon the church, many lives were changed and the church experienced an explosion of growth as many were impacted and impassioned by the Spirit of God. We long to see revival come and all that we do is bent toward that purpose. We believe that as the Spirit of God manifests himself in an outpouring or visitation, that the church will be revived and come into her destiny as the light and hope of the world.
John Wimber's Testimony:
Heidi Baker's Testimony:
Bill Johnson's Testimony:
Hebrides Revival Documentary:
Asbury Revival 1970:
Excellent Book Resources:
When the Spirit Comes with Power - John White
Quenching the Spirit - William DeArteaga
Christian marriage is the spiritual union created by God in the book of Genesis in which a man and woman become “one flesh” in the image of the union of Christ and His church. As a result, Christian marriage begins with a Christian wedding ceremony during which the couple enters into a sacred contract with each other and with the Lord in addition to becoming legally married.
As a Christian church, we are committed to helping couples build Christ-centered marriages that will stand the test of time and leave a Godly legacy to future generations. Ordained by God, a true Christian marriage is created by Him and the vows made before Him are not to be broken.
“But at the beginning of creation God ‘made them male and female.’ ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.” (Mark 10:6-9 NIV)
Expectations of Those Who Desire to be Married at the Santa Barbara Vineyard
1. Commitment to Jesus Christ
We expect that both you and your fiancée will have made a serious decision to submit your lives and your marriage to Jesus Christ before participating in a Christian wedding ceremony at Vineyard Church of Santa Barbara. We expect that all who desire to be married at the New Wine Vineyard Church of Santa Barbara will be in agreement with the basic truths discussed in our What We Believe Statement.
2. Member of the Vineyard
To be committed to Christ involves being committed to His church. All who desire to be married at the Vineyard will be expected to demonstrate their willingness to pursue ongoing growth in their relationship with Jesus Christ by attending regular weekly worship services at the Vineyard and being an offical member of the church prior to their marriage. We believe that a Christian wedding is an invitation to the community of faith to help the newlywed couple by supporting them with their presence, prayers and encouragement.
“And all the believers met together constantly.....They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity - all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people.” (Acts 2:44-47, NLT)
3. Lifestyle
To be committed to Christ means being committed to living a Christian lifestyle guided by the principles taught in the Bible. For this reason, all who desire to be married at the Vineyard will be expected to agree to a commitment to sexual purity (abstinence) before their marriage, and a willingness to live in a separate residence from their future spouse prior to marriage.
“God wants you to be holy, so you should keep clear of all sexual sin. Then each of you will control your body and live in holiness and honor - not in lustful passion as the pagans do, in their ignorance of God and his ways.” (I Thessalonians 4: 3-5, NLT)
If you are already involved in sexual activity or living arrangements which are inappropriate for a Christian, the good news is that it is never too late to make changes and to begin doing things God’s way - even if you have been married before and/or already have children! We will be glad to help you discuss options that honor God and increase the chances for the lifelong success of your marriage.
4. Same Sex Marriage
The covenant of marriage was fashioned by God and was designed for the union of one man and one woman through a sacred covenant.
We respect the dignity and personhood of all humankind, but at the same time, we cannot alter the traditional definition of marriage, established by God, from the beginning of time.