The Vineyard Christian Church of Evanston

These are the basic assumptions which we have developed over the years about how things work. We have assumptions about the character of God, about how churches work, about people, and about life. These assumptions express how we see and understand the reality in which we work. They give a certain “slant” to our ministry, values and goals.

Assumptions about God

Our view of God in ministry must be a God who is FOR us, not mad at us (reconciliation); who has forgiven us (justification); who has received us (redemption); and who has changed us and is now helping us to realize it (sanctification).

Assumptions about the Christian Life

Worship accomplishes something no other feature of human experience can. It renews us, orients us to God, increases our receptivity to God’s work in us, strengthens us, unites us, and helps us forget about ourselves and focus on God as the essential reality in the universe.

We cannot escape the conflict between the Kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan.

Suffering (i.e. trials, not necessarily illness) is a norm of life. Hardship produces perseverance and thus enhances Christian character.

We encourage everyone in the fellowship to be giving of themselves in some ministry on a consistent basis.

Giving generously and regularly to the work of God is a normal practice for the Christian. Having a heart of compassion for the poor, orphans and widows is normal for the Christians.

Holiness and righteousness come out of knowing and living out of our identity in Christ, rather than out of outward adherence to laws and regulations.

Discipleship is the process of following Jesus--we are disciples of Jesus rather than of men. Discipleship happens through relationship with Jesus, obedience to Him, and modeling our life after his. As believers gather together for teaching, training and encouragement in either small or large groups this discipleship can be enhanced.

Assumptions about the Church and Church Life

The primary mission and issue of church life is to help build and extend the kingdom of God (God’s rule)--not self-preservation or the perpetuation of church structures or programs.

Church life should equip people to live in and help build the Kingdom as Jesus described it.

Three essential elements or disciplines necessary for anyone to grow in this fellowship are:

Involvement in a ministry on a regular, ongoing basis (with either people, paper or things)
Involvement with and commitment to a housegroup/small group or Bible study
Consistent attendance at Sunday Celebrations

Each church is established by Christ for unique purposes and for a particular group, and should have differing forms of style and practice suited to that particular group.

Counseling should not be the emphasis of church life—equipping should be. Counseling does have a place in church life as one means of bringing healing and wholeness to the individual.

Each person in the fellowship is ultimately responsible for his or her own fellowship needs and follow-up. The church provides certain settings where this can happen.

Conflict with one another in the Body of Christ is part of the normal life of the church. Conflict within the fellowship is used by God to develop many positive qualities in Christians that are important and can’t be developed without conflict coming about. There is a right and a wrong way for Christians to deal with the conflicts that develop.

The local church needs to be able to grow. Without a consistent giving of time, money and energy the church will quickly become stagnant. The church needs to give itself away to the world. Also, to give consistently and generously as a church body to outside ministries and needs is a normal church priority.

Evangelism is primarily a function of sharing about Jesus in the course of everyday life. The prime locations for evangelism are our homes, businesses, schools and neighborhoods rather than the church celebrations on Sundays. (“Healthy sheep will naturally reproduce more sheep.”)

Leadership is a functional reality, not an appointment, democratic decision or reward.

The primary job of the pastoral staff is to equip, train and encourage the people in ministry.

Assumptions about Ministry

Quality leads to quantity in everything. The quality of faith leads to greatness of faith. The quality of care for people leads to more people, etc.

The primary source of ministry comes from personal devotion and prayer and should be a priority in our own lives and in our sharing with those to whom we minister.

The primary foundation for healing in all dimensions (spiritually, emotionally or physically) is LOVE, as outlined in 1Corinthians 13.

The Holy Spirit, with the church, is able, willing and free to break in and carry on His work in non-spectacular, non-manipulative and surprising ways.

Our aim is more to instill in people values that are consistent with the scriptures and that lead to chosen behavior consistent with the Bible than to enforce simple changing of behavior.

The grace and mercy of God change people’s hearts more powerfully than human or religious regulations.

One of the easiest groups to meet is the poor. As we go to the poor we come into a Kingdom reality that releases God’s power and favor, thus causing momentum within the local church.

Believers really want to obey Jesus. The issue of ministry is removing obstacles that keep people from being able to do what they want to do.

We confess our affirmation of the Apostles’ and Nicene Creeds, which we believe to reflect Christian orthodoxy and the clear teaching of Holy Scripture. In addition, as members of Vineyard Christian Fellowship of Evanston, we make the following confession of faith our own:

God
We believe in the one triune God, eternally existing in three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Who are co-eternal in being, co-equal in power and glory, and having the same attributes and perfection. (Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 43:10-11; Matthew 28:19; Luke 3:22; II Corinthians 13:14)
The Father
We believe in God the Father, the Almighty, creator of all the heavens and the earth, perfect in holiness, perfect in love, perfect in judgement, from whom the Son and the Spirit proceed. (Genesis 1:1, 17:1; Isaiah 5:16, 6:3, 43:15; Matthew 11:25; John 6:57, 8:42, 14:16-17; Romans 11:17; I John 4:16)
The Son
We believe that Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God, that He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary and is true God and true man. (John 1:2, 14; Luke 1:35)

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, as a representative and substitutionary sacrifice, and that our justification is made sure by His literal, bodily resurrection from the dead, and that His name and work are our sole means of salvation. (I Corinthians 15:3-4; I Peter 2:24; Ephesians 1:7; Romans 4:25; Acts 4:12)

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ ascended to heaven, where He is exalted at the right hand of God above all power and dominion, and ministers as our High Priest and Intercessor. (Acts 1:9-10; Ephesians 1:20-21; Hebrews 4:14, 7:25; I John 2:1)
The Holy Spirit
We believe that the Holy Spirit is a person who is with the church forever and who teaches the church and guides the church in all truth. The Holy Spirit gives varieties of gifts for the common good of the church and in service towards the world. The Holy Spirit continues to manifest Himself through the gifts as described in Romans 12:6-8; I Corinthians 12:4-11 and Ephesians 4:11-12. The individual believer is indwelt by the Holy Spirit, has his life in Christ and final redemption guaranteed in the Spirit, and is supernaturally empowered by the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit who convicts the world of sin, righteousness and judgement. (John 1:16, 16:7-11, 14:26, 16:13; Acts 1:8, 10:19-20, 16:6-7; I Corinthians 3:16, 12:4-11; II Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13-14, 4:30)

Scripture

We believe in the sixty-six canonized and commonly recognized books of the Old and New Testaments as inspired by God and inerrant in the original writings, and that they are the supreme and final authority in faith and life. (II Timothy 3:16; II Peter 1:19-21; I Thessalonians 2:13)

Depravity

We believe that man was created in the image of God, that he sinned and thereby incurred not only physical death, but also spiritual death, which is separation from God, and that all human beings are born with a sinful nature, and become sinners in thought, word, and deed. (Genesis 1:26-27; Romans 3:23, 5:14; Ephesians 2:1-3)

Judgement and Eternity

We believe in the bodily resurrection of the just and the unjust, the everlasting blessedness of the saved, and the everlasting punishment of the lost. (John 5:28-29; Matthew 25:45; Revelation 20:11-15)

The Church

We believe in the one, universal Church as the Body of Christ, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, the purchased people of God, the bride of Christ. The Church is built and established upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone. The Church is united in having one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father and one Head, Jesus Christ. The Church is all those who in faith look upon Jesus as the author and giver of salvation. God has called the believers in various places to join together into local churches as visible expressions of the Church in order to bring the power, the life, the character, and the authority of God into the lives of people. (I Corinthians 1:2 Ephesians 1:22-23, 2:19-22, 5:4-6, 5:22-32; I Peter 2:5-10)

Salvation

We believe that eternal salvation is solely the gift of God, and that all who in sincere contrition repent of their sins, believe the gospel and receive the Lord Jesus Christ by faith alone are born again of the Holy Spirit and become adopted sons of God. (John 3:2-5; Titus 3:5; Acts 2:38; Ephesians 2:8-10; Romans 8:16)

Second Coming

We believe in the personal, bodily imminent return of Christ in the air for His saints. (Matthew 24:30-31; I Thessalonians 4:13-18)