HISTORY OF THE CALVARY CHAPEL AND VINEYARD MOVEMENTS
The Vineyard Movement emerged out of the Calvary Chapel Movement
Calvary Chapel was founded by Chuck Smith in the mid-1960s. Its primary membership
base was countercultural dropouts who rejected established denominations
and sought a strong relationship with Jesus.
The Vineyard Church has emphasized healing while Calvary Chapel places the
most importance on evangelism and growth.
Chuck Smith advocated a more fundamentalist stance in his churches and thus
did not encourage expression of tongues, prophecy, and healing in public
worship.
In 1982 two pastors of Calvary Chapel congregations in Los Angeles (Kenn
and Joanie Gulliksen) decided to adopt the name Vineyard church because,
in contrast to other Calvary Chapel congregations, they emphasized gifts
of the Holy Spirit, speaking in tongues, healing, and prophecy in their services
The Vineyard Movement has employed a variety of names through its history
– Power Evangelicalism, Signs and Wonders Movement, Vineyard Christian Fellowship
and the Association of Vineyard Churches, and Third Wave
The Vineyard Movement considers itself to be the third wave of the manifestation
of the Holy Spirit. The first wave occurred during the Asuza Street, Los
Angeles revival in 1906, the second wave with the charismatic movement during
the 1960s.
In 1982 John Wimber, pastor of another Calvary Chapel church, and the Gulliksens
decided to merge their churches.
Wimber established the Anaheim Vineyard church, which is the headquarters
for the Vineyard Movement, and became the public spokesman for the Vineyard
Movement until his death in 1997.
Wimber suggested the idea of denominationalism at a pastors conference in
1988.
The Vineyard churches currently claims 500 churches in the U.S. and another
250 abroad with a total membership exceeding 100,000
TORONTO BLESSING
Origins
The Toronto Blessing derived from the ministry of Rodney Morgan Howard-Browne,
a charismatic preacher from South Africa, was born June 12, 1961
Howard-Browne says that he committed his life to Christ at age 5, and was
filled with the Holy Spirit at age 8. In 1979, while praying for hours seeking
a deeper spiritual experience, he challenged God:
"'Either You come down here and touch me, or I will come up
there and touch You,' he prayed in desperation. Suddenly, his whole body
felt like it was on fire. He began to laugh uncontrollably. Then he wept
and began to speak in tongues."
Howard-Browne claims he first experienced holy laughter in his meetings
in 1982
Howard-Browne pastored for two years at Rhema Church in Johannesburg, South
Africa, prior to moving to the United States in 1987. He became an itinerant
preacher, with small engagements, throughout the country.
In April, 1989, while Howard-Browne was preaching in a church near Albany,
New York, that the holy laughter outbreak began. Browne claims that he felt
a sensation like a heavy blanket coming over him. Soon people began falling
out of their seats, some laughing, others crying. From that point on, his
reputation began to grow.
He established the Rodney Howard-Browne Evangelistic Association in Louisville,
Kentucky. In the spring of 1993, Karl Strader, pastor of Carpenter's Church
in Lakeland, Florida, invited him to preach. Scheduled for a one-week appearance,
he was carried over for three more weeks.
Randy Clark visited the Carpenter Church during this time
The Toronto Airport Vineyard Church/Fellowship(TAVC/TAVF)
The TAVC began as a “kinship group” in 1987 and named a full-time pastor
in 1992
The Toronto Blessing began on January 20, 1994 at the TAVC
RandyClark delivered a message at the Toronto Airport Vineyard Church during
a nightly prayer meeting. After he finished speaking people began to cry,
laugh, leap, dance, and even roar as a result of what the church calls "a
move of the Holy Spirit.”
Unlike more traditional Pentecostal behavior (i.e. speaking in tongues, dancing,
falling out) people began to make animal noises, see spiritual visions, and
laugh hysterically.
In December, 1995 the TAVC was expelled from the Association of Vineyard
Fellowships and became the Toronto Airport Christian Fellowship (TACF)
Myth and Ritual
TAVF draws on biblical passages from Acts 2:6 & 12: "All of them were
filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit
enabled them...Some, however, made fun of them and said, 'They have had too
much wine.'
Physical manifestations (shaking, laughing, jerking, crying, prostration,
jumping, rolling, inebriated in the spirit, resting in the spirit, “birthing,”
speaking in tongues, roaring, shouting, barking) are understood as Blessings
coming from the Holy Spirit and are simply the external manifestation of
internal blessings that are going on inside the person. Most often the signs
are interpreted as God healing the person (being drawn closer to God, being
able to forgive past injuries, improving personal relationships, healing
physical and mental problems, healing emotional injury)
Services run three or four hours
Major Roles in TACF Services
Master of Ceremonies – Plays the role of an interviewer and tries to elicit
the “fruits” (the changes that God is making in the interviewee’s heart).
Music Team – Contemporary rock music is used to “Make a joyful noise
unto the Lord.” The opening music is loud and proclaiming what God is about
to do; later music is quieter worship songs, and during payer time the music
is intimate love songs to Jesus
Preacher/Speaker – Delivers a sermon for 20-30 minutes on a biblical
topic
Prayer Teams – Trained members of the TAVC minister to those who are
exhibiting the gifts
Controversy
Opponents, including many Pentecostals, argue that the activities taking
place at the nightly services are demonic, strange and should not occur in
the church. Others argue that the "Toronto Blessing" is a genuine manifestation
of God's Holy Spirit, in which people are receiving healing, joy, peace,
and faith.