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A COMMON MISSIOLOGICAL FOUNDATION

This document expresses the current thinking of the Vineyard movement around the world regarding missions. Our understanding is evolving as we gain more experience in missions. We use the word “missions” to refer to cross-cultural ministry. Cross-cultural ministry is one expression of the mission of the church. The mission of the church is inaugurated and sustained by the Missio Dei. We join with the activity of God in the world. Our belief is that churches plant churches, and so our primary missions activity around the world is the establishment of new churches expressing the values of the Vineyard.

 

Local Church Based Missions (LCBM) – There is a common commitment to the local church as pivotal to God’s plan for world evangelization, and agreement that the responsibility that evolves from this cannot be relegated to others. LCBM does not preclude the sending of long-term, cross-cultural workers (LTCCWs), nor working with mission agencies where that is appropriate. The critical issue is that initiative, responsibility, and vision reside with the local church, and that each church’s efforts should be focused and strategic. Local churches need to coordinate and communicate what they are doing internationally with others both inside, and outside, the Vineyard movement.

Partnerships as a Key Strategy – Partnerships are groups of churches who join their strengths to develop the Vineyard movement in a nation or within a people group. Participation in a partnership allows churches of all sizes to be a part of ministering internationally. Partnership also expresses the collegial relationship between churches in different nations/people groups.

Establishment of Church Planting Movements – There is a commitment to the development of church planting movements by planting churches that will plant churches. With the commitment to develop new movements, there is a determination not to facilitate long term dependency by the churches of one nation on the resources (financial and otherwise) of another nation. It is possible to have multiple movements within a nation, each ministering among a different cultural group.

Development and Release of National Leadership – The commitment is to the development and release of leaders from within a nation or people group. While there exist differences in perspective and practice concerning the speed with which oversight should be given to “nationals,” the shared commitment is to do so in an expeditious manner.

Contextualization of Vineyard Values in Each Culture – There is a common commitment to the Vineyard values being contextualized in each culture where a Vineyard church is being planted. A common model of contextualization has not been identified nor embraced (missiologists generally identify seven main models of contextualization: anthropological, translation, praxis, adaptation, synthetic, semiotic, and critical). Generally, the expectation is that people within a culture will have the primary role in the contextualization of structure, and Vineyard values, in their culture.