HISTORY

After John Wimber's death on November 17, 1997, Todd Hunter became the National Director of AVC (The Association of Vineyard Churches) from January 1998 - May 2000. Todd interviewed many leaders of Christianity in the United States. After all his study he came up with a plan to take the Vineyard Movement to the next step. To flatten out the structure and have the pastors to report to the APCs (Area Pastoral Coordinator) only. The APCs would report to the National Director. It was a great plan for spiritual entrepreneurs like us. If one was uncomfortable without a large structure then it wasn't so great. By late 1999 the numbers were in, the large structure folks were in the majority. Todd being a church planter and evangelist resigned. He said he loved the people in the Vineyard Movement but that he wasn't a manager. He is now a Bishop in the Anglican church.  Below is the important document: The Columbus Accords. We left off the business section that was for the Board and Council.

This document is one of "the charismatic moments" of the Gadsden Vineyard. It's in our DNA, our history.

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DEFINING THIS MOMENT: 
Take the Best and Go!

The AVC-USA Columbus Accords

Unanimously Affirmed by the AVC-USA Board and Council

Third Draft - April 27, 1998

Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. Matt. 28:19-20

Introduction 

This is a defining moment. As we navigate this time of transition following the death of our founder, John Wimber, we believe that the Holy Spirit is leading us to agree together concerning the following priorities. 

We Must Reframe the Corporate Culture of AVC-USA 

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Heb. 10:24 

• We are called to be a force of spiritual revolution, not a stagnant institution. Therefore, we aim to take the counsel John Wimber gave us to take the best and go. 

• We are called to promote Spirit-led catalytic ministries that are expressed through the gift-mixes of our leaders. 

• We are called to promote and encourage leaders who serve for the greater good with an other-focused altruism. 

• We are called to embrace change as the necessity of growth and Kingdom effectiveness; we validate our past, but we refuse to become mere museum directors. 

• We are called to earn the reputation of giving people the opportunity to grow. 

• We are called to create an environment where people can do without feeling threatened, restrained, or made to jump through unnecessary hoops in order to fulfill the dream God 

has put in their heart. 

• We are called to produce an environment where demonstrated purity and character are valued as highly as charisma and rhetorical skills. 

Our focus should not simply be what is Vineyard? It should be: 

1. What is biblical and consistent with Kingdom theology? 

2. What is righteous and ethical? 

3. What facilitates the Vineyard mission of church planting, evangelism and renewal? 

4. What is in harmony with our values, priorities and practices? 

We Must Recognize Freedom Within AVC-USA 

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free…But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.  
Gal. 5:1, 13

Everything is permissible - but not everything is beneficial. Everything is permissible - but not everything is constructive. 1 Cor. 10:23

• Freedom is a God-given gift that we affirm and celebrate. 

• Freedom in the Vineyard is not a total absence of restraints, but being released from that which unduly hampers and frustrates our ability to follow God and fulfill His purposes. 

• Freedom is not an end in itself; it is given for the purpose of fulfilling your God-given potential and for facilitating the spontaneous expansion of the Church (cf. Roland Allen; 

Eph. 2:10; Matt. 25:14-30; 1 Cor. 3:10). 

• We are determined to resist the routinization of charisma by maintaining our radical dependence upon the presence and power of God and the administration of the Holy Spirit. We renew our commitment to letting God be God. 

• We affirm the freedom to risk failure for the sake of following God. Everyone is free to discover what the Father is saying and doing. 

• When the mission and values are compelling, powerful inner restraint and motivation is produced. We, therefore, do not need a lot of external controls if our mission is clear. Our greatest desire is to help those who buy into our mission to fulfill the Great Commission in the spirit of the Great Commandment through the empowering of the Holy Spirit. 

• Our churches need to be free to find resources, help and encouragement throughout the Body of Christ. Our Kingdom passion outweighs our desire for institutional survival. 

We Must Sharpen the Focus of Mission Within AVC-USA 

The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor. Luke 4:18-19 

However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace. Acts 20:24 

• Clear focus on our mission is the key to continuing to be a vital, potent movement. 

• Our mission provides boundaries for directing our resources and guidelines for making decisions about what we keep and what we abandon. 

• Our mission must be measurable and measured. There are three objective measurements we identify as most germane to our mission: 

1. Are we developing responsible, reproducing, Kingdom-oriented, Spirit-empowered disciples? 

2. Are we developing responsible, reproducing, Kingdom-oriented, Spirit-empowered churches? 

3. Are we helping to renew other churches that want to do the same thing? 

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• JRW (John Wimber)
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• Vineyard's True North
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•  "What God did on the mountain top, with committed, experienced practitioners who desired and expected Him to visit, He wants to do back home. History has shown that it won't happen through teaching and sermons alone, but through instruction, orientation, modeling, apprenticeship style training. And, not as random events, but frequent, on-going gatherings to be trained, equipped, and led into practicing in a high-risk clinic setting. The Word doesn't say, "Read and see", but "Taste and see that the Lord is good." Sermons and series won't do it, as valuable as they are. Jesus did all that he did while the disciples watched. He had them do it with him. He had them do it while he watched. He sent them out to do it. No shortcuts for those of us whom JRW challenged back in the day, and no short cuts now. I pray that we will re-value and re-establish what made the Vineyard great and effective. It's difficult, takes commitment to the long haul, but pays off tremendously. Carve out the time, open the doors, turn on the lights, teach it from scripture, model it to the people, bring them alongside, determine to do it until Jesus returns. God is good." 
• - Danny Daniels, July 22, 2013 Facebook Post