values
16 Values of our Vineyard
Everyone shares some common values with someone else. Families, schools and companies have their own values. And so does a church. Our values help to explain the way we like to do things. We believe they bring reassurance and help create a culture for the church to flourish. You might be able to think of some more beyond these ones here.
- A place of grace
We want people to come as they are, whether they are young old, gay, straight, married, a single parent, divorced, had an abortion or got a criminal record. Everyone should have a chance to be loved and not feel judged. Change comes out of sweet surrender, not from a human pressure to conform.
- Non-religious
We want the church to be known as a relational place, not a place of religious behaviour of do’s and don’ts. That’s just like school!
- Teachable
We want the church to be a place where we are open to the Holy Spirit and see his direction as a power for drawing us closer to Jesus, and not as an ‘enforcer’.
- Character before gifting
We want humility to run like a name through a stick of rock from top to bottom down through every area of church life. It is always about humility before ability – however ‘called’ we think we are!
- People before programmes
We are more about getting the person finished (discipleship) before getting the job done (ministry). Quality of time before quantity of work always.
- Generosity unlimited
As freely as we have received his grace we want to freely give to others in gratitude for all that God has done for us. And, besides, it’s fun! We love to do small things with great love.
- Respectful to all
We want to be a place where people are treated as grown-ups and be trusted to make their own choices. We will offer guidance, but not heavy, controlling leadership. Yuk! Otherwise, we don’t speak in love, we speak in rules.
- Gentle honesty
We aim to honour and respect the person even when there are difficulties in a relationship. We want to be straight with our words, whatever the issue, never hiding behind piety or a ‘super-spirituality’.
- Being contemporary, but respecting the old
There’s much value in church traditions, such as symbolism, liturgy, hymns as well as celebrating festivals like Harvest. So we want to embrace all of the richness of the ancient church, but in a contemporary and non-religious way to reach all. But we do love walking in the footsteps of other saints’ experiences. Stops us getting lost!
- Unity with all Christians
We have great respect for all our local churches and their own traditions, and stand with them united. After all, we’re just one vegetable in the stew. However we believe it will take all kinds of churches to reach all kinds of people.
- Being real with God and one another
This is what converted our senior pastor Andrew and won him over. We want that to be experienced by all in the church. We want ‘authentic’ more than anything.
- Intimacy with God
We want to be a people who don’t stay distant in our relationship and experience of an almighty God. We want to create disciples who become true friends and followers of God.
- Biblical teaching with life application
We want to open the Bible’s story of eternal truth so everyone can hear God’s voice speaking to them. All teaching comes with a life application to live a life fulfilled in Christ.
- Space to be still
We want to bring a contemplative spirit to church life that provides peace and stillness in a frantic, fast-moving world. How else can we know God without being still enough to listen first?
- Passionate worship
We want our worship to come from the heart and be expressed to an audience of one. We love spending time in Jesus’ presence without an agenda. If we did nothing else, we wouldn’t care.
- Intercessory prayer
We want to be a people who seek God, seek justice and and act on his words. Intercession and prayer is a privilege, never a chore. Amen?