Ranges Community Church

Floating around the blogosphere especially in the USA has been Sam Storms ‘evolution’ of the Vineyard Churches position on women having senior roles in leadership. I thought that I would post it here as I know there are a few Australians Vineyarders who would be interested.

“John Wimber, who gave leadership to the Vineyard until his death in 1997, wrote an extensive article entitled, “Liberating Women for Ministry and Leadership” (I want to thank Vineyard pastor, Paul Bradford, for bringing this article to my attention and for providing me with a copy of it). Although that title might suggest that Wimber was an Egalitarian, the substance of the article points in another direction. “I believe God has established a gender-based eldership of the church,” wrote Wimber. “I endorse the traditional (and what I consider the scriptural) view of a unique leadership role for men in marriage, family, and in the church.” Wimber proceeds to cite Ephesians 3:14-15 in pointing out that “this [view] ultimately reflects the hierarchy of the Trinity.”

His conclusion is clear and unequivocal: “Consequently, I personally do not favor ordaining women as elders in the local church…”

 This position of John Wimber has now changed within the Vineyard church in the USA…

“In response to the message of the kingdom, the leadership of the Vineyard movement will encourage, train, and empower women at all levels of leadership both local and trans-local. The movement as a whole welcomes the participation of women in leadership in all areas of ministry”

You can read the complete article on Dr Sam Storms web site. It is a good read and you can see the evolution of ideas in the Vineyard movement.

Personally I have no problem of women in Leadership at all levels. I have always found it amazing that in Australia the pioneers within the Pentecostal movement where mainly women, yet sadly today there are hardly any senior female leaders in pentecostal churches….