VJN Summit a Historic Gathering, a Success!
Hard to believe that it’s already been a 2 weeks since our first VJN Summit in Chicago! Together, we lifted up one of John Wimber’s original exhortations to the Vineyard movement, “When we stand for social justice, we testify to the presence of the Kingdom.” Here’s a little snapshot of what 100 U.S. and Canadian Vineyard pastors and leaders experienced over two days of challenging, encouraging, and Spirit-filled conversation:
For some of the best soundbytes from the summit, search the Twitter hashtag, #vjnsummit:
- “Power is always to be given away, for the oppressed and marginalized. Jesus is down in the dirt suffering with us.” David Ruis, Vineyard church planter and worship leader
- “Mercy: to be personally attached to someone like a mother to her womb….Justice deals with root causes, mercy deals with the pain.” Rich Nathan, senior pastor of Columbus Vineyard
- “A true revolution of values will look uneasily on the glaring contrast of poverty and wealth.” Kathy Maskell quoting Martin Luther King., Jr.
- “Poverty is not just a lack of things. It’s a lack of access to systems of power; it’s alienation.” John McCollum, director of Asia’s Hope
- “The work of mercy and justice doesn’t necessarily produce immediate results…healing is not instant.” Scott Joellenback, Director of Finances at Urbana Vineyard
- “My apt used to be a brothel…” Amanda Neely, co-founder of Overflow Faith Community, speaking about her commitment to the South Loop Chicago neighborhood
- “We need to be Kingdom entrepreneurs!” Peter Wohler, director of Source MN
- “God asks you to give of what you have, not what you don’t have.” Dan Franz, pastor of Urban Ministries at Columbus Vineyard
- “Denial is the opposite of lament.” Steven Hamilton
- “People who struggle with the place of lament in worship (I assume) have never engaged with the poverty, suffering and injustice of the world.” David Ruis
- “The church should be on the front lines of environmental disasters….The solutions to these problems are long term the church has to be committed to see them through.” Tri Robinson, director of i61 Ministries
- “Don’t just be pro your-family, be pro-other-people’s-family.” Rich Nathan
- “How can you help prevent trafficking without working with survivors?” “Brenda Myers-Powell, sex trafficking survivor
Here are a few reflections from participants:
Tri Robinson, director of i61 Ministries (Boise Vineyard) ” This year’s first VJN summit meeting was for me a dream come true. It was clear by all who were in attendance that the value of Justice ministries has penetrated the greater Vineyard movement’s DNA. The meeting itself was a statement. It was not only a time of information gathering and awareness, but a time of collaboration and relationship building on the part of many committed Vineyard people who have given their lives to issues of injustice both nationally and globally. I give thanks to God for this landmark event and to the taskforce members who made it possible. ”
Earl Hampton, pastor of Grant County Vineyard (KY), “It has been a week and what a week from Chicago to the Appalachia. Let me first say what a wonderful and fabulous VJN conference. It was healing to the heart and soul to know how the church really does have a heart for God’s creation.”
Geraldine Roddie, lay leader at Trinity Vineyard in Houston, “I learned so much from the participants and it was great to have some space away from my normal life for a few days and the space to hear to hear from God on the next steps for our church and personally in the area of mercy and justice.”
Scott Joellenbeck, Urbana Vineyard, “We at the Urbana Vineyard are still processing the great summit. Well done, and we look forward many good things because of this first meeting.”
David Ruis, “I love [that] this tribe committed to being practitioners, not just theorists!”
If you attended the summit and would like to share your reflections, please email us at contact[at]vineyardjusticenetwork[dot]com.
Over the next month, we will be releasing exclusive video interviews with VJN Summit speakers and panelists, as well as video recordings of the 4 main plenary sessions.
