A Vineyard Readin' List...part I

From time to time people ask me for resources that will help them understand the Vineyard movement or Vineyard theology. While the sources for gaining this kind of understanding are growing by the day (including numerous blog’s like this one) I thought I would compile a quick bunch or resources that I find helpful. And so, I present (in no particular order of usefulness or chronology)…

 A Vineyard Reading List : a baker’s dozen or so of books that will help you to understand John Wimber and the Vineyard movement.

1. John Wimber: Power Healing

Begin with the beginning. John’s first book, Power Evangelism is solid, but in my opinion, Power Healing has had a stronger, long-term impact on the Vineyard movement. The patterns and practices of the prayer model in this book have become the standard praxis in many Vineyard churches.  To understand the Vineyard’s approach to such things as physical healing, the power of prayer, and the relation of these practices to the theology of the Kingdom of God, this is must read.

2. Derek Morphew, Breakthrough.  To date, probably the best explication of the Vineyard’s theology of the kingdom. Written by a long time Vineyard pastor and theologian from South Africa, Breakthrough is the most academically oriented work so far. Morphew explicates the Vineyard’s kingdom theology by drawing on numerous sources that focus on the dominant leitmotif within protestant theology over the last 150 years: The doctrine of the Kingdom of God. However, his book is accessible to a lay audience and is highly readable.

Special mention: Don William’s Signs, Wonders, and the Kingdom of God

3. Bill Jackson, The Qwest for the Radical Middle. The unofficial “history” of the first twenty years or so of the Vineyard movement. Bill has been around the movement for a long time, and his perspective as one of the early Calvary chapel leaders gives him some unique insights into the attraction and energy of Wimber and the early years of the movement. Jackson’s history follows the birth of the Vineyard movement through the time of John’s death in 1996, with extended discussions of crucial periods in the formation of Vineyard identity: the separation from Calvary chapel, the interaction with Mike Bickle’s Kansas City Fellowship, and the Toronto outpouring. Jackson’s even handed treatment of many of these trying times in the life of the Vineyard brings a flesh and bones  realty to the complex and dynamic personality of John Wimber.

4. There are several biographical works about John Wimber that are absolutely crucial in understanding the Vineyard. The most significant of these is John Wimber: the way it was by Carol Wimber, John’s wife. This book has many fascinating details about John, including his childhood, his coming to Jesus, and his growth as a pastor, teacher, church planter and leader, all written from (mostly) Carol’s perspective.  Two other works provide some insight into Wimber’s teaching on many topics: Everyone Gets to Play and The Way In is the Way On. ­ Out of print and thus somewhat harder to find, but unbelievably insightful is a book edited by David Pychtes John Wimber: A Tribute. Pytches was a dear friend of Wimber’s who edited this collection of stories and impressions by friends and colleagues of Wimber. Folks such as Matt Redman, Bert Waggoner, Don Williams, Bono, and others all contribute. I actually don’t have the book in front of me now, but I seem to remember Bono in there. Might be a projection.

5. Alexander Venter, Doing Church

If you hang around a Vineyard for any length of time, you’re sure to hear talk such as centered-set vs. bounded set, as well as terms like values, priorities, purposes, practices…on and on. Alexander was an intern with John Wimber, and thus was able to observe John and the other Vineyard leaders as they taught and lived their kingdom lifestyle. In Doing Church, Venter basically details Wimber’s philosophy of ministry that is implicit in most Vineyard churches today. While some things have been modified since Venter wrote this book (for examples, the values themselves have been somewhat refined) the relationship between these concepts and their definitions still hold. In a sense, this book gives a peek “under the hood” of how many Vineyard churches operate, as most Vineyard pastors share the philosophy of ministry outlined in this book. So if you’re wondering what “Centered Set” really means, this is the place to find out. Venter’s other books are well worth the time as well: Doing Healing and Doing Reconciliation.

6. Gary Best, Naturally Supernatural.  

Gary is national director of the Vineyard Churches in Canada, and as long history of being a blood and guts kingdom kinda guy. Naturally Supernatural speaks to the Vineyard “style” of ministry- no hype, low key, but with BIG expectations of God’s showing up and bringing his kingdom. This book is not so heavy on the theological side, as Gary is targeting practical ministry applications- what it means to “do the stuff” Vineyard style.

7. Ken Wilson and Rich Nathan, Empowered Evangelicals

Ken and Rich collaborated on this book which in many ways, defines the Vineyard movement as a via media between the American Pentecostal churches emphasis on the power of the Holy Spirit and witness on the one hand, and the American Evangelical churches’ emphasis on the new birth, biblical fidelity, and cultural engagement on the other. Revised in 2009 to include relevant details of Vineyard identity that have emerged since the first publication of the book.

8.  Andy Park To Know You More.

Vineyard worship has spread to the global church- in fact, it has been noted that many branches of the church family know of Vineyard worship long before they know of the Vineyard as a church movement. Park has been a worship leader, songwriter, and teacher in the Vineyard for many years, and has written many Vineyard songs that have become ubiquitous in contemporary worship services across denominations. Park lays out an Vineyard philosophy of worship that is wholistic, participative, and Kingdom oriented. This philosophy of worship, Park believes, gives Vineyard worship both it’s distinct identity and distinct practice.

9. Don Williams, Start Here.

Don is an elder statesmen of the Vineyard, he was a Vineyard pastor and teacher for many years and a confident and theological source for John Wimber as well. Don has written this book as a discipleship primer from a Vineyard perspective. To a person new in the faith or new to the Vineyard, this book is an invaluable resource.

10. More authors…

This is where we get heavy, man. After a person has read through the previous list, if you are still hungry for more that means you have some serious personality disorders, and therefore are fit for more scholarly theological reflection. So at #10, I am going to cheat and list a number of works that are more academic in nature, but have proved to be sources for much of the thinking and reflection that is exhibited in 1-9 above.  So here goes:

George Eldon Ladd
Ladd was a tremendous influence on John Wimber and the early vineyard, although John freely borrowed and modified many of Ladd’s views. Ladd represents the culmination of Protestant Theologies’ two-century theological exploration of the kingdom of God which mostly began with Immanuel Kant.  Ladd represents the late 20^th century consensus that Jesus spoke of the kingdom as both immediately present and futuristic. 

Start with The Gospel of the Kingdom, which is the shortest work and lays out the basics. The Presence of the Future: the Eschatology of Biblical Realism delves more deeply into eschatology and Ladd’s argument that the kingdom of God has been fulfilled in the ministry of Jesus, but not yet consummated, i.e. brought to completion.  Hence, fulfillment without consummation or the already-not yet view of the kingdom.  Once you’ve waded through that, if you’re still hungry, Ladd’s magisterial A Theology of the New Testament has been a staple for a generation of New Testament students and theologians.

James Kallas
Wimber was hugely influenced by Kallas as he began to develop his views of demonic deliverance, spiritual warfare, and intercessory prayer.  Again, Wimber was a sophisticated reader: he freely borrowed, modified or discarded as he saw fit. However Kallas gave him a usable framework to begin to understand the nature of spiritual conflict.  Start by reading The Real Satan and The Significance of the Gospel Miracles.

Next time, we will visit some books that either are a bit more scholarly in nature, or that take things a bit further than this basic list.

Happy Reading!  

p.s. I have next list in mind, and several important books that i want to include, but what else do you see as being important to understanding either the Vineyard movement, or so-called "third wave" Christianity?