"I am the Vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me, and
I in
him, he bears much fruit; for apart from Me, you can do nothing."
- John 15:5
In 1974, the Lord brought together several musicians meeting together in Calvary Chapel in Costa Mesa, California, to begin a new ministry called the Vineyard. The first meeting began as a small Bible study group in the home of Chuck Girard (from the musical group "Love Song"). Soon, other Vineyards also began with similar priorities:
- Worship
- Relationships
- Personal and Outward Ministry
Those who make up the church include:
- Musicians
- Students
- Homemakers
- Military personnel
- Professionals and...
- Others whose lives have been changed by God's love and mercy
In 1982, John Wimber (from the musical group "The Righteous Brothers") led the Vineyard Movement into an extensive and fruitful relationship with others:
- American denominations
- The Church of England
- Churches in Europe and Africa
- Underground Churches in Europe, Asia, and China
In the winter of 1993, the Vineyard became a denomination called the Association of Vineyard Churches. The number of Vineyard churches in the United States has grown to over 600 in just under 30 years and continues to add to that number each year.
Pastors Andy and Sharon Meade along with several other families planted Vineyard Community Church in the winter of 1994. Andy and Sharon are both ordained and have been in the ministry for 18 years. For the past 14 years they have co-pastored Vineyard Community Church - Virginia Beach. With a worship attendance of 1300 and with nearly 300 first time decisions for Christ each year, Vineyard Community Church is among the largest churches in Virginia Beach and one of the Association of Vineyard Churches' most evangelistic churches.
America's Church of the Week
Vineyard Community Church also received recognition in 2001 as one of the nation’s best protestant churches in a study sponsored by the Lilly Endowment and was recognized as "Church of the Week" by CBN in
2005. |
Check us out at cbn.com
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Before starting Vineyard Community Church, Andy and Sharon served as assistant pastors under Todd Hunter for three years at Vineyard Christian Fellowship - Virginia Beach. Andy received his Bachelor of Arts of Religious Studies from the University of Arizona in 1986. In 1992 he received a Master of Divinity and a Master of Education from Regent University, Virginia Beach, Virginia. Sharon received a Bachelor of Science degree from Old Dominion University in 1984 and received a Master of Education in 1987 from Regent University, Virginia Beach, Virginia while also serving as adjunct education professor at Regent University.
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