Our Mission Statement

“The fullness of life in Jesus Christ.”

We are family of believers that are fully committed to experiencing the fullness of life in Jesus Christ. In John chapter 10, Jesus tells us that he’s come to give us life to the full.

Sadly, there are many in the church today who have fallen into the “consumer Christianity” trap. They simply come to church to “consume” a church service like it’s some kind of product, they check off that box in order to not feel guilty for skipping church, and then they go home. Many in this habit don’t engage in their faith at all outside of one weekly church service.

We at BAVC are committed to pursuing the fullness of life in Jesus, which means not just studying the teachings of Jesus and his apostles, but also doing all of the things that Jesus did and taught. The fullness of life in Christ is not a consumer mentality, it’s a giver mentality. Christians are called to be servants, doers of the Word, not just hearers of the Word. We strongly encourage our BAVC church family to engage in their faith in many areas beyond just the weekly gathering – serving as a volunteer, joining a small group, participating in our service and outreach projects, sharing their faith with others, and giving financially to the church.

The Vineyard Genetic Code

John Wimber Founder of the Vineyard

John Wimber
Founder of the Vineyard

John Wimber, the founder of the Vineyard movement, offered several important principles, characteristics, and goals for Vineyard churches. John called this the “Vineyard Genetic Code,” the common denominators that identify us as a Vineyard family. 

  • Clear, accurate, Biblical teaching

  • Contemporary worship in the freedom of the Holy Spirit

  • Casual dress

  • Practicing the gifts of the Holy Spirit in a biblical and natural way (non-hype)

  • Active small groups available for everyone

  • Ministry to the poor, widows, orphans and those who are broken

  • A commitment to world missions abroad and a commitment to church planting at home

  • Unity within the whole body of Christ, maintaining relationships with other local churches

  • Evangelistic outreach

  • “Equipping the saints” in all areas of life and ministry

  • Praying for physical healing and for other signs and wonders as demonstrated by the Early Church in the book of Acts

Our Values

We are a people of the Kingdom of God who…

  • Partner With The Holy Spirit. We are not simply implementing the best church strategies and trying to accomplish what is humanly possible. Rather, our mission involves praying and finding power from God Himself to accomplish what humans could never accomplish on their own. We pray for the sick, we confront injustice, and we seek to hear the voice of God on behalf of others. This involves partnership with a Person beyond ourselves.

  • Experience & Worship God. The kingdom of God is not a geo-political territory, nor is it the people of God. Rather, the kingdom of God is a dynamic realm. When one enters the kingdom she/he experiences the dynamic reality which exists within the triune God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit. This means that the experience of the kingdom of God (and thus, the experience of God’s presence) is central to our faith and Christian life.

  • Reconcile People With God & All Creation. Jesus is reconciling humans to God, to each other, and to the entire creation, breaking down divisions between Jew and Gentile, slave and free, male and female. Therefore, we are committed to becoming healing communities engaged in the work of reconciliation wherever sin and evil hold sway. We seek to be diverse communities of hope that realize the power of the cross to reconcile what has been separated by sin.

  • Engage In Compassionate Ministry. We lean toward the lost, the poor, the outcast, and the outsider with the compassion of Jesus as sinners whose only standing before God is utterly dependent on the mercy of God. This mercy can only be truly received inasmuch as we are willing to give it away. We believe that ministry in Jesus’ name should be expressed in concrete ways through the local church. The poor are to be served as though serving Jesus Himself. This is one of the distinguishing characteristics of a church expressing the love of Christ in a local community.

  • Pursue Culturally Relevant 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 every nook and cranny of creation, faithfully translating the message of Jesus into language and forms that are relevant to diverse peoples and cultures. To this end, we promote a creative, entrepreneurial, and innovative approach to ministry that is faithful to Jesus and expressive of His heart to reach those who are far away from God. As the Apostle Paul said, we are ready to “become all things” (1 Cor. 9:19-23) to all mankind to see many come to faith in Christ.

To learn more about the Vineyard Core Values, you can listen to our Vineyard 101 teaching series, specifically, “Kingdom Theology,” and “Core Values.”

​ 

Our Statement of faith

We believe that there is one Living God, eternally existing in three persons – the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, equal in power and glory, who, together, created, uphold and govern all that exists.

We believe that the Holy Spirit inspired the human authors so that the Bible is without error in the original manuscripts to the original recipients and is infallible in matters of faith.

We believe that God created mankind in His image for relationship with Him and to govern the earth. Under the temptation of Satan, mankind was separated from God’s grace, bringing sin and death to the earth.

We believe that God sent His only Son, Jesus, into the world, conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. After living a sinless life and performing many miracles, he died on the cross to pay for the sins of the world. Jesus was raised from the dead on the third day, restoring believers into a relationship with God.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, who came to regenerate and empower for ministry all who repent of their sins and trust in Jesus. The Holy Spirit dwells in every believer in Christ and is their Helper, Teacher, and Guide. We believe in the exercise of all the Biblical gifts of the Spirit.

We believe that Jesus Christ commanded two ordinances to the Church: water baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Both are available to all believers.

We believe that God’s kingdom has come in the ministry of Jesus Christ and the ministry of the Spirit through the Church. It will be consummated in the triumphant appearing of Christ Jesus when there will be a final judgment and eternal blessing of the righteous, and endless suffering of the wicked.

We believe that every Christian is to be an active minister of the Church and is charged to reach out to others in grace and mercy and to make disciples of all people regardless of race, ethnicity, economic status, gender or any other distinction.

To learn more about Vineyard values and distinctives, check out www.vineyardusa.org.


Frequently asked questions

Hello! Pastor Mo here. If you’ve made it this far, you must have more questions! Since the Vineyard movement is still a somewhat younger movement (having originated in the late 70s), it’s not uncommon for me to come across those who are not familiar with the style and practice of Vineyard churches. I’ve compiled answers to some of the more commonly asked questions I’ve received about Vineyard beliefs and practices below.

What is the Vineyard’s position on ______ ? Some denominations have lengthy manuals of doctrine that spell out their theological positions on just about every debated issue within the Church. Calvinism, Molinism, or Wesleyan-Arminianism? Pre-millenialism, Post-millenialism, or Amillenialism? And so on. As some denominations become more and more specific with their membership belief requirements, it becomes harder and harder for these churches to maintain unity. The reality is that most churches have a variety of beliefs among their members, especially when it comes to what I call the “fringe” theological issues. These fringe issues are important, but not crucial. These are issues where it’s OK for some of us to agree to disagree, and yet still be unified as a local church body. It doesn’t have to be a priority to “pick a side” on some of these less important issues.

Instead, the Vineyard approach is to focus on the “main and the plain” of the gospel in our teaching. This means that Vineyard teaching prioritizes the core teachings of the Bible, as found in the statement of faith above. These are beliefs that are shared by most if not all Protestant Evangelical churches, of which the Vineyard is a part.

That being said, there are some divisive issues where it has become crucial for Vineyard leadership to provide clarity. Sound doctrine is essential for the health and success of the church (2 Timothy 4:2-4, Titus 2:1). Vineyard USA has issued various position papers that clarify the Vineyard’s position on these crucial issues. For less crucial issues, Vineyard Pastors often take the lead in directing their churches. You can read my approach to some of these issues below as well as the issues in which Vineyard USA has issued a response.

What does the Vineyard believe about alcohol? Views on alcohol in the global Church are quite varied. Some churches encourage their members to abstain from alcohol, some require abstinence for membership, and other churches simply encourage careful moderation when it comes to alcoholic beverages. Most if not all churches should agree that the Bible speaks very clearly against drunkenness (Ephesians 5:18).

Vineyard USA has not issued a directive regarding alcohol. In my experience, most US Vineyard churches do not teach or require abstinence, but some Vineyard members may practice abstinence. My approach as the Lead Pastor is to remain respectful and very sensitive to those who practice abstinence from alcohol. We do not offer alcoholic beverages at church events, and we offer grape juice instead of wine for Communion.

What is the Vineyard’s approach to politics? Vineyard churches strive for unity in the body of Christ (Ephesians 4:3). It’s no secret that US politics can be an extremely divisive subject. The political makeup of a given Vineyard church will vary greatly depending on the location and demographic of the area. In my experience, even in demographics that heavily favor one political affiliation over another, there is always a mix of political views and beliefs within a given church body.

As the Lead Pastor, I am committed to remaining as politically neutral as possible in my teaching from the pulpit. My job is to teach the Bible, not to impose my political beliefs on the church. That being said, the Bible speaks very clearly about certain issues that have become key debates in the political sphere. Issues such as protecting life in the womb and the importance of caring for the needy are Christian issues first, political issues second.

What does the Vineyard believe about women in leadership? In response to the message of the Kingdom, the Vineyard movement is committed to encouraging, training, and empowering women at all levels of leadership and ministry. Vineyard USA has published a position paper as well as other resources on this issue, which you can read by clicking the links below.

Some other resources that may be helpful for you on this issue as well:


What is the Vineyard’s position on same-sex marriage and LGBT issues? In 2014, Vineyard USA released a position paper entitled, “Pastoring LGBT Persons” (PDF). It’s a very well-written document on a very difficult and divisive issue. It contains a thorough Biblical exegesis on several key Scripture passages, and it addresses a variety of improper interpretations that have been posited by other movements. When you have time, I recommend reading it in its entirety, but since it is a longer document, let me summarize for you.

Regarding the LGBT community, the Vineyard’s position is described as “welcoming but not affirming.” This means that we as the Church, in the love of Christ, are to remain welcoming to all. No matter what circumstances a person may find themselves in, no matter what behaviors they may be engaged in, the gospel is a message for all. The love of Christ is to be shared with all.

Simultaneously, the Vineyard movement is committed to the truth of God’s Word, which speaks clearly about God’s design for marriage – a heterosexual union between a man and a woman in covenant with God. According to a proper interpretation of Scripture, homosexual activity is a sin. Additionally, we believe that each one of us are born genetically either male or female. To attempt to transition from male to female or vice versa is a rejection of God’s design.

Again, the path to Jesus is open to all. We remain welcoming to those in the LGBT community, but we are not affirming of all behaviors. Here is an excerpt from the position paper:

“In the Vineyard, we worship a God who is both completely Holy and completely Love. We follow a Savior who is radically inclusive, welcoming everyone with wide open arms, and One who is also radically demanding, calling all who come to him to ‘pick up their cross and follow him.’”

You may have heard this truth before: Jesus loves us just as we are, but he loves us too much to leave us as we are. Jesus said in John 14:15, “If you love me, keep my commands.” The call to follow Jesus is not an easy one, and it often requires great sacrifice.

This can be a very complex issue, so please contact me (Pastor Mo) if you have any questions or need someone to talk to regarding LGBT matters and faith.

How does the Vineyard baptize new believers? The Vineyard doesn’t have a set policy or procedure for water baptism, but generally, most Vineyard churches will baptize by full immersion. However, if someone would prefer to be baptized a certain way (pouring or sprinkling water on the head for example), you can talk it over with me. A baptism is a public declaration of your decision to follow Jesus. We baptize new believers in obedience to Scripture (Matt 28:19-20) and also because Jesus himself was baptized. It is a beautiful symbolic act that represents new life in Christ.


What does the Vineyard teach on the baptism of the Holy Spirit? Vineyard USA has not spelled out a detailed position on this, and depending on which Vineyard pastor you ask, your mileage may vary. Pastors in the Vineyard movement often come from a variety of different backgrounds. Many come from other Charismatic movements, and some come from Spirit-filled Evangelical churches. There is a wide variety of beliefs about the “baptism of the Spirit.”

However, I have found that many Vineyard pastors I’ve talked with share what I consider to be a very balanced approach. We teach that all believers receive the Holy Spirit the moment they receive Christ as their Savior (the indwelling of the Holy Spirit). We also acknowledge that some may experience a powerful filling of the Spirit at another point in their Christian walk (an empowerment of the Spirit for ministry). This moment is often marked by a strong sense of God’s presence and may often be accompanied by a manifestation of spiritual gifts. This moment, especially if it is the first time a believer has experienced this, is sometimes described as a “baptism of the Holy Spirit.” John Wimber taught that there could be many “fillings” of the Spirit throughout a person’s life, not necessarily just one watershed moment. John did not emphasize the importance of an initial baptism experience, but instead encouraged us to always be seeking a fresh filling of the Spirit.

Many Vineyard pastors also acknowledge that not everyone has a profound “baptism in the Spirit” experience. Sometimes the Holy Spirit comes in power very suddenly, like a bucket of water being dumped on your head. This is most common for those who have lived through a season of Holy Spirit revival. Some may have a “baptism” experience at a conference or a worship night. For others, the Holy Spirit may come more subtly and slowly, like a sponge slowly soaking up water. There are many who have not experienced a profound “baptism” experience, but they still have received powerful gifts from the Holy Spirit and practice them regularly. If you’d like to know more, you can listen to this teaching from our Vineyard 101 series, “Spirit Baptism and Tongues.”


What is the Vineyard’s approach to speaking in tongues? Some denominations teach that the gift of tongues is the initial evidence of receiving the Holy Spirit, meaning that if you have never spoken in tongues, you have not yet been filled/baptized with the Holy Spirit (this is called the “initial evidence doctrine”). Some denominations even go so far as to say that if you do not speak in tongues, you do not have the salvation of Christ. The Vineyard does not affirm either of these beliefs.

Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 12 that the Holy Spirit gives spiritual gifts to us as He wills, “There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them” (v4). To one, the Spirit gives a message of wisdom, to another, gifts of healing, to another, a gift of prophecy, and so on. Paul then clarifies that there are diverse gifts within the church, and each of us functions as an important part of the body of Christ. At the end of chapter 12, Paul asks several rhetorical questions: “Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret?” (v29-30). No. All are not teachers. All do not have gifts of healing. All do not speak in tongues.

For more on the initial evidence doctrine, this essay from Mark McNeil may be helpful, “Is Speaking With Tongues the Initial Evidence of Spirit Baptism?” (PDF). This excerpt from Witness Lee’s “The Work of the Holy Spirit,” may also be helpful. You can also listen to this teaching from our Vineyard 101 series, “Spirit Baptism and Tongues.”

When it comes to the practice of the gift of tongues in our services, we follow Paul’s guidelines in 1 Corinthians 14. During our time of worship or during prayer, those with the gift of tongues are encouraged to sing and pray in tongues quietly to themselves (v28). In the case where the Holy Spirit gives a prophetic word out loud through someone’s gift of tongues (v5, 13), we will pray for and ask for an interpretation, so that the church may be edified.

We have a prophetic ministry team that has received training on how to best serve the church with their prophetic gifting. I work directly with this team so that we can use our gifts in a way that honors God and builds up the church. Sadly, the gift of prophecy can sometimes be misused or even abused within churches. In order to prevent this, we generally do not invite our members to share words of prophecy with the church unless they have been through our prophetic ministry training. If you have an interest in prophetic ministry, get in touch with me. I would love to meet with you!

Do you still sing worship songs from Hillsong, Bethel, etc? Recently, there’s been some controversy surrounding Hillsong Church, a megachurch in Australia. Allegations and scandals have come to light, and many are shocked, angry, and heartbroken. Many churches are even asking, “Should we still sing worship songs from Hillsong in our worship services?”

Additionally, Bethel Church in Redding, CA, is also no stranger to controversy. Some in the greater church community have raised concerns about certain questionable practices and teaching at Bethel. Some have also questioned whether they should continue to sing worship songs from songwriters under the Bethel Music or Jesus Culture labels.

Depending on how deep down this rabbit hole you want to go, questions could also be raised about Elevation Worship or Northpoint Worship, as Pastors Steven Furtick and Andy Stanley have also encountered vocal criticism about their teaching at times.

All of these churches have one thing in common – their exceptional worship ministries. Each of these churches have very gifted songwriters that release powerful and effective worship songs under their associated labels: Bethel Music, Jesus Culture, Hillsong Worship, Elevation Worship, etc. These labels are also producing some of the most circulated songs in the church today. Currently, much of the CCLI top 25 song list features artists from Bethel, Hillsong, and Elevation. For the time being at least, it appears that the controversies surrounding these churches have not significantly affected the reception and use of the songs from these associated worship music labels.

Perhaps the level of success and distribution (Christian radio, YouTube, etc) that these labels have achieved has created some separation between the church and the label, at least in the eyes of the common listener. Many who appreciate or utilize Hillsong and Bethel music may not even be aware of the churches behind the labels or any of the controversies. Some published songwriters on these labels have little to no association with these churches other than the distribution of their songs through the label. For some, “Bethel Music” and “Hillsong Worship” have simply become another “Integrity Music” or “Sparrow Records”. In the past, few questioned the practices of a songwriter’s label or parent organization. Labels were simply a means to an end for songwriters. Today, more are starting to question these connections, but for now it seems that the majority of the greater Christian community will continue to embrace songs from Bethel and Hillsong artists, among others.

We at BAVC have also decided to continue utilizing songs from these artists. These are not issues that we take lightly, and the decision to continue singing Hillsong and Bethel songs has been a prayerful one. If at some point in the future, a significant portion of churches begin to move away from utilizing Hillsong or Bethel songs, we will prayerfully reconsider our approach as well. Each song we choose to sing in our worship services is vetted carefully, and we remain committed to singing songs that wholly reflect the truth of God’s Word.

Please know that our use of worship songs from Bethel, Hillsong, or any other church-associated music labels should not be seen as an endorsement of that church’s beliefs or practices. Ultimately, our goal is to find songs that honor God and bring him glory, and these songs can come from many different sources. Please contact me (Pastor Mo) with any questions about this.

What Bible translation do you use at your church?
There are lots of great English translations of the Bible available, and many of our regulars use a variety of different translations. Most tend to prefer the translation they grew up with. I grew up with an NIV Bible, and I continue to use NIV for most of my teaching and Bible study. It’s very easy to read, yet still reliably accurate for a more dynamic translation.

When cross-checking tricky passages, I’ll utilize ESV or NASB which are well known for their more literal translations. A pastor on our teaching team likes to teach from NKJV. I encourage those in our church to use multiple translations in their personal Bible study.

Do you have a question that’s not addressed here? Please send us a message through our contact form, and I will be in touch with you soon.

~ Pastor Mo