What if Jesus was Serious?

Posted on January 26, 2022 by Andy Wood

What would happen

if we actually lived as if Jesus was serious in his famous Sermon on the Mount? How would our lives change if we actually lived out Jesus’ teachings in those three chapters in Matthew? What kind of impact would the church have if we learned to “go the extra mile”, or “turn the other cheek”, or practice “enemy love” (Matt 5:39, 41, 44)?

The English poet G. K. Chesterton (1874-1936) famously said, “The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting. It has been found difficult; and left untried.” Many approach the Sermon on the Mount this way. They understand it to be a list of ideals that that are impossible to attain. They think the incredibly high standards only serve to remind us how much we suck and need help – a way of God rubbing our noses in the fact that we really don’t measure up.

While we do need grace (lots of it these days!), my hunch is that Jesus was actually serious (besides the hyperbole and humour he clearly used) about his teaching. He intended for his followers to actually give it a go. The crowds who had gathered to listen to him seem to agree. Matthew records that they were amazed because Jesus taught with real authority – quite unlike the religious teachers among them (Matt 7:28-29). Jesus was articulating truth about the Kingdom of Heaven and our role in it as we follow and obey him.

So, what would happen if we took Jesus’ teaching seriously? My guess is that we would have remarkably different lives, we would be a remarkably different church, and we would have a remarkable impact on our neighbourhood(s). My suspicion is that this is exactly what our world needs right now – Jesus followers who actually take Jesus at his word.

This is exactly what our world needs right now.

Over the next year we’re going on a deep dive to discover just what life in the Kingdom of God looks like as Jesus laid out in the Sermon on the Mount. We’re going to gather with the crowds to hear Jesus teach. We’re going to pay special attention to the areas the Holy Spirit is nudging us. We’re going to follow Jesus more closely in our life together as we follow the Spirit’s lead. There will be good stories to tell as a result.

Are you ready?!

Getting Ready:

We’ve divided the Sermon on the Mount into four parts (using Charles E Moore’s categories in “Following the Call: Living the Sermon on the Mount Together“):

Part 1 – Kingdom Character. This section is all about the kind of people who are blessed in the Kingdom of God. Known as the Beattitudes, Jesus flips common understandings upside-down.

Part 2 – Kingdom Commands. This section outlines some of Jesus famous re-framing of the law. He attempts here to get to the heart of the matter.

Part 3 – Kingdom Devotion. This section is about three acts of worship: almsgiving, prayer and fasting. It contains the Lord’s Prayer.

Part 4 – Kingdom Priorities. This section is a collection of wisdom and warnings.

1. Read it – a lot.

Matthew chapters 5, 6 & 7. We will be using Matthew as our primary text, but Luke 6 also records what is referred to the “Sermon on the Plain”.

It will be helpful for you to read these passages regularly. Make them part of your regular devotional focus. Meditate on them. Chew them. Marinade. You get the idea.

2. Engage together.

I’d also like to encourage you to engage the scripture together. Whether that is in a weekly House Group, a Triad, or some other setting, this teaching is meant to be corporate. One resource that is particularly helpful and accessible is this book: What if Jesus was Serious?: a visual guide to the teachings of Jesus we love to ignore by Skye Jethani.

If you’re a House Group Leader, contact the office – we have a copy for you!

We begin Feb 2022.

Call to Prayer & Fasting: Jan 13 – 23

Posted on January 12, 2022January 12, 2022 by Andy Wood

Reposted from Vineyard.ca:

The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and His ear attentive to their cries
Psalm 34:15

“When we join as a family across the country to fast and pray, we collectively turn our hearts and minds towards His Spirit. It’s like a vast array of solar panels moving in unison as the sun arcs across the sky. We soak up His light, His warmth and in turn receive the power to keep moving forward during uncertain and fearful times”.
Cathy Graham VC Spiritual Life Coordinator

Prayer allows us to be ready to cooperate with what the Spirit of God is initiating and where God is moving. It helps to align us with His way, with His heart, with His purpose. It enables us to stay in sync with the wind of His Spirit, helping us navigate the winds of life, of culture, of change, even when we’ve hit the doldrums where our own sails can feel so empty. It’s in this place of prayer that we gain perspective and catch a fresh glimpse of the One who has called us His own, something which we so need now!

It is critical for us in the Vineyard that our engagement in prayer is from this deep place of rest. Hebrews 4 makes it clear that from this place we approach the Throne of Grace confident that we will receive all that we need. Charis Rousu, who with her husband Nathan are our National Catalysts in the area of prayer, which we lovingly call PULSE, reminds us as we enter this time that as we do this together, “we practice surrender and devotion to the One who fully knows and fully loves.” This is so critical in shaping our perspective. Our prayers are not transactional, designed to get guaranteed results. Neither are they formulaic.

Though prayer touches a variety of expressions, “petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving” as noted by Paul, it is born and sustained in the exchange of unabashed love and devotion. As Jesus told us, we are not engaged in empty repetition, nor are we to be hypocritical – as the Greek illumines, “play acting” – as we pray, but to be deeply authentic. Real. Relational.

As we all lean into this time of waiting and listening beginning the morning of the January 13th-23 contact your local Vineyard Canada church to find out how you can participate.

Grace & Peace
David & Anita Ruis

What are we doing at WCV?

There are two invitations:

1. Engage personally. We are inviting everyone to 10 days of personal prayer and fasting. Here are some resources to help you engage in fasting and prayer:

Fasting Basics
Here is a sermon entitled “Why We Fast: an invitation to fasting & feasting” which provides more insight into the spiritual discipline of fasting.

2. Engage together. We will be meeting together for corporate times of prayer and worship both online and in person at 782 Main St. (25 people max).

Thursday, Jan 13, 7pm
Sunday, Jan 16, 7pm
Thursday, Jan 20, 7pm

The Zoom link to participate online will be sent in the Here@ newsletter on Thursday Jan 13.

What are we praying for?

This season of prayer is primarily dedicated to bringing ourselves before the Lord to ask for a fresh and renewed sense of the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives and community. We pray, “Come, Holy Spirit!” in every area of our lives.

Honest Advent

Posted on November 25, 2021January 12, 2022 by Andy Wood

It seems like this Christmas season, perhaps more than any other in recent memory, God is inviting us to peel back the layers of glittery seasonal branding and get honest and gritty about what God-with-us means in our hurting, broken and beautiful world.

This Advent season join us as we explore the shocking nature of the Creator of the universe showing up in the womb of a 1st century young woman. We will ponder this wondrous act of vulnerability. We will marvel at this brazen act of love. We will place ourselves in the story of redemption that began in a climate of tension, upheaval and uprising.

We will allow a young peasant woman’s simple shaky “yes” to point the way forward amidst our own confusing and disorienting times.

Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.”

Luke 1:38

Let’s awaken to the wonder of God-with-us as we follow Mary’s lead and say:

Yes to God…
Yes to Mystery…
Yes to Love…

This is gritty and real. And powerful.

It’s what our world needs.

It’s what we need.

Join us Sundays as we explore an Honest Advent.

Nov 28 – Andy will explore Mary’s “yes”.
Dec 5 – Celebration Service
Dec 12 – Krista will help us pay attention like the Magi.
Dec 19 – We will engage the wonder of the incarnation through music, art and interactive stations.
Dec 24, 6pm – Christmas Eve Service – “A Light is Given”
Dec 26 & Jan 2 – We will have shortened services (no Kid’s Church)

The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone.

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.

John 1:4-5

You might want to include this new release from Vineyard Worship in your Christmas soundtrack this year. Enjoy it on Spotify, Apple Music or Youtube. You can get it here.

Sundays, 10am

In person at 782 Main St. (masks and physical distancing required)
Streamed live on Facebook
Viewed afterwards on Facebook or on our Sermon page.

Download the Honest Advent Artshow Guide – Dec 19, 2021 Gathering

This series is based on the book “Honest Advent” and on art by Scott Erickson.

www.scottericksonart.com

@scottthepainter

Community Catalyst Invitation – Nov 24

Posted on November 18, 2021December 1, 2021 by Andy Wood

We’re coming up to our second Community Catalyst event (Wed, Nov 24, 7 – 9pm). It’s been awhile since our last (and first) gathering back in May. That pesky little virus has certainly hindered our momentum in building these into a regular rhythm in our community. So, allow me remind you why we’re doing this, and how we see these Community Catalyst events being key in our unfolding WCV 2.0.

You might recall that these events are designed to Encourage, Equip and Envision catalysts in our WCV community. Catalysts are people who make stuff happen – leaders, influencers, servers, volunteers. In other words, they are people who have said, “I’m in” and are keen to pursue the mission God has given the WCV community to live out.

Everyone’s invited but especially leaders and those curious about leadership and service.

Once we get into a rhythm these will be times of re-articulating the mission God’s called us to pursue. They will be times of equipping and teaching. They will be places in which different ministries of WCV will be able to cross-pollinate and work together. They will be times of prayer and encouragement.

Speaking of equipping and encouraging, we’ve chosen to start these events with a series of teachings from Brady Wilson (author, speaker, innovator, leader of Juice Inc, Vineyard Canada National Team member). This is a gift to our community from Vineyard Canada.

The goal of this teaching is to bring a level of understanding and revelation around what makes us tick – what makes and keeps us energized – how God uses the way each of us has been uniquely wired to influence those around us in positive, Kingdom centred ways – how to love each other well. This teaching has the potential to dramatically shift they way we live our lives, how we operate in the teams we are part of as well as in our church community.

You may recall from our previous gathering in May with Brady, as well as when Sherry and Andy spoke a few weeks later (Sunday June 13) about the 5 Core Driving Needs and how God meets us in them:

In God we are Secure.
In God we find Belonging.
In God we are Free.
In God we find true Meaning.
In God we have Significance.

We hope to see you there on Wednesday evening. There will be some review and some new material – focussing especially on application. Bring your House Group if you regularly meet on that day.

We will be in person in the sanctuary.

Wednesday, November 24, 7-9pm

For planning purposes, please take a moment to register on Eventbrite here.

Pumpkins and Pirates…pictures and recipe!!

Posted on November 3, 2021November 3, 2021 by Lani Wiens

We had a great time on Sunday with our Pumpkins and Pirates event. It was really fun to see all the costumes and the pumpkin carvings were fabulous! We learned that there are all kinds of treasures to be gleaned from the depths of a pumpkin.

God chose us, he cleans us up and he transforms us so that we can shine the light of Jesus to the world.

If you weren’t with us or didn’t get the handout with the pumpkin seed recipe…here it is:

Easy Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Ingredients:

cleaned (de-goopified) and dried pumpkin seeds from one pumpkin
1 tablespoon butter or oil of your choice for every cup of seeds
kosher salt, pepper, garlic powder to taste
add in some other spices: rosemary, paprika, seasoned salt (omit kosher salt), curry powder, chili powder

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350F.
Toss the seeds with the oil or butter and the spices you’ve chosen
spread seeds in one layer on a cookie sheet
place the cookie sheet in the oven. About seven minutes into cooking, stir the seeds around.
Toast the seeds until they’re crunchy and golden, about 15 minutes. (Test a cooled seed to make sure they’re crunchy and not chewy!)

Want the full download? Go to Family Life – Gospel Pumpkin

Community Catalyst Training

Posted on October 28, 2021 by Andy Wood

Our next Community Catalyst Training is coming up November 24, 7 – 9pm.

The goal of these Community Catalyst events (there are three a year) is to create a space for the WCV community to be encouraged, equipped and envisioned.

To put a finer point on it, we want those involved in the Community Catalyst meetings:

1. to encourage each other with connection and fun
2. to equip each other with relevant training
3. to envision each other to what God is calling us to

Our first training event was held back in May when we had Brady Wilson lead us in some brilliant interactive training around energy. Sherry and Andy reinforced what we learned at that first event on Sunday June 13 (you can review that sermon here.) We learned about our core driving needs and about how in Jesus we have true belonging, freedom, significance, meaning and security.

For this next training we will continue to lean on Brady’s wisdom and input. We are going to continue to look at how to unlock energy in ourselves and those we serve. We will dig deeper on how to connect with others on what matters most in order to accomplish the mission God has given us. We will learn how to apply what we’ve learned in our everyday lives.

Some of the content will be review from our first training session, but we will primarily focus on taking it deeper and application. You can take this training even if you missed the first one. If you were at the first one, this training won’t be redundant (there will be some review).

We are planning on this being an in-person training event. If restrictions change, we will adapt as necessary.

To get a taste of some of Brady’s teaching, you can watch his Ted Talk entitled “How to Fix the Exhausted Brain”:

Sign up now!

(this takes you to an Eventbrite sign up page – this will help us plan accordingly)

This training series is made possible by the generosity of Vineyard Canada’s leadership development initiative (Sherry is on this team).

>>Wednesday, November 24, 7 – 9pm<<

November Jouth and Youth Calendar

Posted on October 28, 2021October 27, 2021 by Lani Wiens

Managing the New Health Orders

Posted on October 7, 2021 by Andy Wood

Most of us are aware by now that there are new public health orders that came into effect Oct 5 and will remain in effect at least until Oct 26.

The new orders will not impact our regular Sunday gatherings because the number of people we can accommodate is well within the limits set out by Manitoba Health – even with the extra space requirements due to physical distancing.

So for our Sunday Gatherings we will continue to welcome everyone who is able to come and we will continue to require mask usage and physical distancing between households.

The new orders will have a more direct impact on our Home Groups. Please be in touch with your Home Group leader to determine how your group will be following the guidelines.

For our Baptism Sunday (October 10) we are expecting more people than normal because those who are getting baptised will have friends and family coming to support them. We will have an overflow section on the second floor available in case there is no more room in the main sanctuary. It will be a good morning to show up early. 😉 It will also be a Sunday you won’t want to miss!

With these new orders, and with Covid in general, there is a huge potential for division, distrust and dissension. At the same time, there is tremendous opportunity for grace, listening and active loving one another across differences. We will continue to follow the provincial guidelines as required – and we will continue to care for the most vulnerable amongst us. We will continue to try to foster an atmosphere that is respectful and loving of all people – a safe place. We really want to put into action what the apostle John encouraged – that we follow the example of Jesus who laid down his life for us (John 13:34, 1 John 3:16). What does it look like for us to prefer each other, to offer our lives to one another in this time? Can we be the kind of community that is like Jesus who gave up his divine privileges to become human (Philippians 2:7)? Can we be the kind of people who hold our rights loosely with the primary goal of loving each other as we love God? This seems like our great opportunity in these times of division, discord and virus.

Photo by Hannah Busing on Unsplash

Choose Your Own Adventure – Kids Church Calendar (October)

Posted on September 29, 2021 by Lani Wiens

Ahoy mateys! We’re about to set sail on a grand adventure!

We’ll be learning this verse with our shipmates this month! CLICK HERE to learn the sign language for this verse.

Navigating life is a tough business, these are the skills we’re picking up this month:

October 3 – Week 1 – I can be wise by not choosing sides (favoritism)

October 10 – Thanksgiving and Baptism (NO Kids Church)

October 17 – Week 2 – I can be wise by choosing my words carefully

October 24 – Week 3 – I can be wise by choosing to do good

October 31 – PUMPKINS AND PIRATES EVENT – a Sunday morning mainstage event for the whole family, dress up in your pirate-y best, bring your pumpkin and carving gear and strap in for some great sailing!

*Kids Church is available online (live through Zoom) and in-person. If you are planning to visit us in either capacity please contact our office for more information.

Jouth-Youth Activity Calendar for October

Posted on September 28, 2021September 29, 2021 by Lani Wiens

It’s hard to believe that the leaves have turned and pumpkin (or apple) season has arrived. Please see the calendar below for Jouth/Youth activities for the month of October.

Due to the small size of our Jouth/Youth team, we’re asking parents to take turns helping out at our Jouth and Youth events. A current Vulnerable Sector Check is mandatory, if you’re not sure when yours expires please check with the office, we’d love to help you get an up-to-date one. Thanks in advance for your cooperation.

Jouth – Fear+Busters – God is bigger than our problems, my faith is stronger than my fear!

Youth – We Are One – (wk 1)Diversity was God’s idea! (wk 2)We are ALL equal! (wk 3) Open hearts lead to open doors!

Winnipeg Centre Vineyard

Worship . Community . Justice

Community Catalyst Invitation – Nov 24

You may recall from our previous gathering in May with Brady, as well as when Sherry and Andy spoke a few weeks later (Sunday June 13) about the 5 Core Driving Needs and how God meets us in them:

In God we are Secure.

In God we find Belonging.

In God we are Free.

In God we find true Meaning.

In God we have Significance.