Show Notes: 

Listen to sessions from some of our Regional gatherings: https://vineyardusa.org/2023-regional-conferences/

Financial Well-being of Pastors Initiative: https://vineyardusa.org/financial-well-being-of-pastors-initiative/

Evangelical Covenant Church: https://covchurch.org/

2024 Better Together Conference: https://bettertogether.vineyardusa.org/

In this episode of We Are Vineyard, Geno Olison, leader of our VUSA Black Pastors and Leaders Association, shares a devotion he has prepared on the theme of Love from 1 John 4:7-14, Romans 5:8, John 3:16, followed by the song “Behold,” the title track of Vineyard Worship’s newest album release, created in partnership with Heaven and Earth, Vineyard Columbus’s worship and songwriting community.

We’ll see you in February 2024 with new episodes!

Show Notes: 

Behold

Heaven and Earth Worship

Vineyard Worship

Vineyard USA Associations

In this episode of We Are Vineyard, Kirk Yamaguchi, leader of our VUSA Asian American Pacific Islander Association, shares a devotion he has prepared for the third week of Advent on the theme of Joy from Philippians 4:4-5. We’ll then hear the song “This Joy” from Vineyard Worship!

As a reminder, we’ll be taking off the month of January, but we’ll be back in February with our regular interviews!

Show Notes: 

This Joy

Vineyard Worship

Vineyard USA Associations

In this episode of We Are Vineyard, Rubén Quintero, leader of our VUSA Hispanic Association, will be sharing a devotion he has prepared for the second week of Advent on the theme of Peace from Luke 2:13-14, followed by the song “Shalom” from Vineyard Worship’s album “This Joy.”  

As a reminder, we’ll be taking off the month of January, but we’ll be back in February with our regular interviews!

Show Notes: 

This Joy

Vineyard Worship

Vineyard USA Associations

In this episode of We Are Vineyard, Melanie Forsythe-Lee, leader of our VUSA Women’s Association, shares a devotion she has prepared on the theme of Hope from Isaiah 11:1-10, followed by the song, “O Come O Come Emmanuel” from Vineyard Worship’s newest album release “Behold,” created in partnership with Heaven and Earth, Vineyard Columbus’s worship and songwriting community.

As a reminder, we’ll be taking off the month of January, but we’ll be back in February with our regular interviews!

Show Notes: 

Behold

Heaven and Earth Worship

Vineyard Worship

Vineyard USA Associations

In this episode of We Are Vineyard, Jay talks with Tish Harrison Warren about Advent. They discuss the beautiful ways that observing the church calendar provides intentional points of connection with the Holy Spirit, and how it affords the chance to learn the entirety of Scripture by working within the story communally throughout the year. Tish also talks about how the season of Advent not only connects us with the waiting of the past and the places where we’re still waiting for Jesus to come today. 

Tish Harrison Warren is a priest in the Anglican Church in North America. She is the author of Liturgy of the Ordinary: Sacred Practices in Everyday Life (Christianity Today‘s 2018 Book of the Year) and Prayer in the Night: For Those Who Work, or Watch, or Weep (Christianity Today‘s 2022 Book of the Year). 

Currently, Tish writes a weekly newsletter for The New York Times and is a columnist for Christianity Today. Her articles and essays have appeared in Religion News Service, Christianity Today, Comment Magazine, The Point Magazine, The New York Times, and elsewhere. 

For over a decade, Tish has worked in ministry settings as a campus minister with InterVarsity Graduate and Faculty Ministries, as an associate rector, and with addicts and those in poverty through various churches and non-profit organizations. Now, Tish serves as Writer in Residence at Resurrection South Austin. She is a founding member of The Pelican Project and a Senior Fellow with the Trinity Forum. She lives with her husband and three children in the Austin, Texas area.

Show Notes: 

Advent: The Season of Hope by Tish Harrison Warren

Register now for Better Together!

In this episode of We Are Vineyard, Jay talks with David Parker about growing up as a troublemaker in an irreligious home and the backward way he came to know Jesus. David shares about building a church where people feel comfortable bringing their loved ones, some practical ways to make your church more welcoming to unchurched people, and why he loves having a church filled with non-Christians.

David Parker is Pastor Emeritus of the Desert Vineyard Christian Fellowship, an outward-focused church in the high desert of Southern California. Over its 45-year history, the Desert Vineyard has pursued a vision to connect with its community and culture in a way that has produced a diverse and fruitful congregation. 

David has a B.A. in Ancient History from the University of Missouri and an M.A. in Theology from Regent College, Canada. He has been a featured speaker for the past 35 years at worldwide Vineyard and New Wine conferences.  David and his wife Nancy have a loving marriage of 47 years and a close family of four adult children and five grandchildren who live in the western parts of Mexico, Canada, and the United States.

Show Notes: 

David Parker’s sermon at Arvada Vineyard 11/5

Knowing God by J.I. Packer 

Register Now for Better Together!

In this episode of We Are Vineyard, Jay chats with Christian Dunn about how well the church cared for his family during a hard time in his childhood, being empowered to lead a youth group as a teenager, and launching a youth conference that drew hundreds of teens. They discuss the value of fluid spaces that church members can move in and out of for connection and training and the relational magic that happens before and after structured church meetings. Christian talks about the biggest changes he’s noticed in youth ministry over the last years, the things he’s praying for right now in Vineyard Youth, and some thoughts for senior pastors. 

Christian, and his wife Mandy, live with their four amazing kids in southeastern Pennsylvania. He worked in youth ministry for 20+ years before planting CityLight Vineyard Church in 2017. He has had the pleasure of serving as the leader of the East Region for over a decade, and is currently serving as the National Youth Director. He is the author of “Finding the One: How Dating Prepares You For Marriage” and “More Than Spectators: Empowering Teens for Ministry.” 

Show Notes: 

Redpoint Podcast 

In this episode of We Are Vineyard, Jay talks with Marshal Prewitt about growing up in an enthusiastically Christian household in the early 90s and the positive ways that shaped him. Marshal shares an experience where he decidedly dedicated his life to serving the Lord, following a prophetic word to an internship in New Zealand, and learning quiet intimacy with the Lord in prayer rooms. Marshal talks about discovering the need for pastoring and relationships to accompany the prophetic and finding his home in a Vineyard church where he was further shaped by the faithful steadiness of his community and leaders. Finally, Marshal shares some thoughts on the full-circle moment he finds himself in.

Marshal Prewitt is the lead pastor of Vancouver Vineyard Church in southwest Washington and is the VUSA Regional Leader for the Northwest Region.

Show Notes:

Vancouver Vineyard Church

In this episode of We Are Vineyard, Jay talks with Raymond McDonald about being born to teenage parents, how the race issues in his church taught him that Jesus is not limited by the beliefs of humans, and the influence of his praying grandmother who continually reminded him of the pastoral call on his life. Raymond shares about wrestling between a life of rock’n’roll and pastoring, the Lord’s relentless pursuit of him, and the prophetic occurrences that finally made him decide for the Kingdom. Raymond also talks about some of the ups and downs he’s experienced during his years in the Vineyard and why he’s sticking with it. 

Raymond McDonald is the new Regional Leader for the Gulf Coast Region and has previously served Multiply Vineyard as a Regional Representative and a Church Planting Coach.

Raymond has been part of the Vineyard since 1991 when he came to Anaheim Christian Fellowship as a guitar player involved with Vineyard Music. After leaving the Anaheim Vineyard in 1996, Raymond and his wife, Teresa, planted the Vineyard Church of Conroe in January 2001. Raymond has been very involved in the city, serving on many boards as well as City Council.

He is also known in the Christian music world by the stage name the “Hon. Rev. Sleepy Ray”, and has toured and recorded albums with his band “Sleepy Ray and The Mighty Blood.”  Raymond and Teresa have been married for 30 years and have raised their 3 children and adopted 8 more and now have 7 grandchildren.  

Show Notes:

Hon. Rev. Sleepy Ray on Spotify