July 3,1991
Dear brothers and sisters of the Vineyard,
I need to leave the Vineyard for the following reasons:
1. Christians should be encouraged to be eagerly waiting & watching all the time for the return of Jesus Christ (PHIL.3:132-1, 1COR.13:12, PHIL.3:8,1:23). This encouragement is missing from the Vineyard because many people in the congregations are sick to death of hearing about Jesus coming back because of when the exhortation was abused in the 1970's and 1980's in Calvary Chapel, when pastors and other people would predict when Jesus was coming back and then Jesus didn't come back. This is a critical issue because the HOPE of the gospel message in the New Testament, which we are suppose to put our faith in and eagerly await and groan for, and which causes us bear fruit (MATT.3:8, COL.1:6) and to draw near to God now because we have peace with God to enter into the Holiest through Jesus dying on the cross for our sins, is the grace of being face to face with Jesus for eternity, which is to be brought to us at return of Christ when He raises us from the dead in glory (COL.1:21-23, 1:5, ROM.8:23-25, 2COR.5:1-4, HEB.11:1, 7:19, 6:19-20,10:19,23, ROM15:-2, IJOHN 3:2-3 & JOB 19:27 & 1COR.13:12, TITUS 2:11, IPETER 1:13, ROM.8:23-25, COL.1:27-28, 2THESS.2:14). Turning to God from idols, serving God, AND waiting for Jesus to come back, are the three main things Christians are suppose to be doing (1THESS.1:9-10). Jesus WARNED Christians with the threat of hell fire to be watching for His return (REV.3:1-3, 16:15, MARK 13:32-37, MATT.24:36-25:13).
2. The Vineyard/George Ladd theology on the kingdom of God. The teaching that God's 'spiritual kingdom' is on earth now is leaven that messed up my understanding of God's word until the Lord showed me the truth. I've talked with a few Vineyard pastors and have asked them about their interpretations of such passages as MATT.12:28, LUKE 11:20, 17:21, ACTS 28:31, LUKE 10:9,11, and MARK 1:15, and they said that Jesus, Paul, and the disciples, when it says that they were talking about 'the kingdom of God' in these scriptures, were speaking of the power of the kingdom by the Holy Spirit to heal people, a demonstration of God's love. In these Scriptures, I think Jesus was referring to Himself (MATT.12:28, LUKE 11:20, 17:21), and that Jesus, Paul and the disciples (MARK 1:15, ACTS 28:31, LUKE 10:9,11) were preaching ONLY the gospel about Judgment Day & the inheritance God has prepared for those who love God, both occurring at the 2nd coming of Jesus Christ (2TIM.4:1, LUKE 10:12, JAMES 2:5, HEB.12:28, 2PETER 1:11, MATT.13:43, ICOR.2:9, 2COR.5:5, 2PETER 1:4, COL.1:5, ITHESS.2:12, EPH.1:18).
3. I discern that John Wimber and Paul Cain's message about the coming Revival is NOT by the Holy Spirit. In the latest Equipping the Saints' magazine, in a conference advertisement on page 2, it reads, 'John Wimber's invitation (i.e. call): 'God wants to unleash a powerful outpouring of the Holy Spirit of an unprecedented magnitude. In preparation for the coming period of evangelistic harvest, God is looking for individuals who will commit to a lifestyle of purity and holiness unto the Lord." This is ANOTHER GOSPEL (2COR.11:4), and if anyone preaches any other gospel, let them be accursed (GAL.1:8). The Revival message presents ANOTHER HOPE to the church which we are called to put our faith in and get ready for. It is based on the assumption that JOEL 2:28-29 has not been fulfilled yet, which Peter said was being fulfilled in ACTS 2:16-18,33. I believe that God has been outpouring His Spirit on all flesh for the last 2000 years and that the 'prophesy' in JOEL 2:28-29 is referring to preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ and His kingdom (ACTS 8:12,26:31), and the disciples were waiting for the 'power from on high' (LUKE 24:49, ACTS 4:8,31) to preach the gospel when ACTS 2:33 occurred. 2PETER 3:11-12 & TITUS 2:11-13 say that we should be committing to a lifestyle of purity and holiness in preparation for the return of Jesus Christ - this is what John Wimber wrote in the Spring 1989 in 'Equipping the Saints,' just after Paul Cain first showed up to tell John Wimber that the Vineyard would lead the whole Body of Christ in the Big End Times Revival Preceding the Return of Jesus Christ, and that John himself would be the leader of the whole thing. Even if JOEL 2:28-29 hasn't been fulfilled yet, Christians still should not be resting their hope on Revival (1PETER 1:13), and the message that should be preached and emphasized (even to the Christians, 2TIM.4:1-3) is still the same: ACTS 14:22, 20:25, HEB.10:25 ITHESS.4:18, HEB.9:27-28, ACTS 10:42-43,17:30-31, REV.14:6, HEB.2:5, 4:1-2. Christians are suppose to be abounding in hope (ROM.15:13), abiding in hope (1COR.13:13, 1THESS.5:8,1:3), and encouraging one another 1THESS.4:18, HEB.3:12-14), and so much the more as we see the Day approaching (HEB.10:25).
4. I need to leave the Vineyard because my attendance confuses you and other people who hear my case for what is wrong with the Vineyard but see me still going to the Vineyard as if I support their
1) lack of continual emphasis of preaching the hope of the gospel,
2) teaching of 'the spiritual kingdom of God is on the Earth now,' and,
3) 'Get ready for the Revival' invitation from John Wimber.
I would be open to coming back to the Vineyard if you would:
1) emphasize waiting for Jesus to return equally with 'turning to God from idols' and 'serving God' (1THESS.1:9-10).
2) Confess as sin and repent from trying to justify not preaching the hope of the gospel all the time by saying that 'the Holy Spirit has different messages for the church in different seasons,' or that 'Vineyard is for mature Christians,' or that 'the conferences are for those who already have the foundation' - NONE OF THIS WISDOM IS IN THE BIBLE' The 'meat' is
a) to DO God's will (JOHN 4:34), and
b) the things that God has prepared (JN.14:3, 2COR.5:5, ROM.9:23, MATT.25:34, HEB.11:16, EPH.2:10) for those who love Him (ICOR.2:9, HEB.5:11-14,6:9, JOHN 16:12-14).
3) Confess as sin that those of you who took a place of authority over me were not watching out for my soul (HEB.13:17) when you misled and wrongly encouraged me in (either by speaking to me about these things or remaining silent when this cancer was being spread)
a) the 'spiritual kingdom of God on earth' doctrine,
b) John Wimber & Paul Cain's invitation concerning the 'soon and coming Revival.
4) Confess as sin that those of you who took a place of authority over me were not watching out for my soul (HEB.13:17) when you failed to encourage me daily (HEB.3:12-14) with the hope of the gospel, something I was obviously moved away from since I never talked to you about it but instead talked about ministry, marriage, San Jose, and the Revival.
5) Confess as sin that you acted in pride against me (a 'babe') by trying to cover up your sins with justifications and/or denials of what happened in the Vineyard, and/or not admitting earlier that I was right when I wrote you to rebuke and correct you in your sins against me and my friends and the rest of the Vineyard.
6) publicly denounce 'John Wimber's invitation' in the latest 'Equipping the Saints' issue as 'another gospel'.
7) teach 'the kingdom of God' in the Bible to refer ONLY to:
(a) God's heavenly habitation from which He has from everlasting soverignly ruled over the earth (DAN.4:17,34, PSALM 48:1-2, 47:2,7,8, ACTS 17:26) and in heaven.
(b) The Day of the Lord (MARK 1:15, LUKE 10:9,11) which will occur when Jesus returns (IPETER 2:6, MATT.21:44, DAN.2:35,44, ISAIAH 2, 2PETER3:7,10, LUKE 17:22-37, 19:11-27),
(c) the inheritance of the saints, to be received at the resurrection of the just (DAN.12:1-2,13, HEB.12:22-29, JCOR.15:50, DANIEL 7:16,22,27, EPH.5:5, JAMES 2:5, MATT.25:34, ROM.2:6,7,10,16, ROM.14:17 Righteousness: 2TIM.4:8, MATT.13:43, PS.37:6, IS.61:3,11,21,32:16-18, peace: IS.55:12, PS.37:l1, and joy: 16.35:10, PS.16:11, and we can serve God in these things now (ROM.14:18): , PHIL.3:9, 1JN.3:7, ROM.15:13, 1PETER 1:8],
(d) Jesus Christ (1PETER 2:6, MATT.21:43-44, DAN.2:35,44, MATT.12:28, LUKE 11:20, 17:21, ICOR.4:20--1COR.5:4, MATT.16:19, 16:18-20).
Jesus is the Light of the world (JOHN 6:12,11:9,12:35-36, REV.1:16), who came down from the heaven (JOHN 3:13) to bear witness of the kingdom of God (LUKE 4:43, MATT.4:17,23) in heaven (JOHN 18:36) and on earth (MATT.16:28-17:5, LUKE 9:27, "ARK 9:1), and had authority to forgive sins and judge and give eternal life to whoever the Father gave Him (MATT.9:6, LUKE 19:9, 23:43, JOHN 17:2,6-19,6:39-40, 5:22,27, 13:3, LUKE 10:22, ACTS 10:42 & MATT. 28:18), who then died on the cross for the sins of the world (1JOHN 2:2), was buried (1COR.15:4), and rose again on the third day (ACTS 10:40), and after talking about the (b) and (c) kingdom of God for another 40 days (ACTS 1:3), was carried up into heaven (LUKE 24:51) to the right hand of God (HEB.10:12-13), from there having authority (ACTS 26:16, COL.1:13) and power (EPH.1:19, 1PETER 1:5) in those people on earth 'WHO HAVE FAITH IN HIM, and having power and authority over angels and authorities and powers (1PETER 3:22, EPH.1:19-231 MATT.28:18). The Father has out under His own authority (ACTS 1:7, MATT.24:36) the Day (ACTS 17:31) Jesus is waiting for (HEB.10:13), the Day Jesus will receive a kingdom (LUKE 19:15, DAN.7:13-141 REV.2:27, PS.110:1-2) and come back with His kingdom (2TIM.4:1) to gather together in the clouds those who are eagerly waiting and ready for Him (1COR.15:50-52, MATT.24:30-31, 1THESS.4:13-17, EPH.5:27,32, COL.1:22-23, HEB.9:28, MATT.25:10-13, 1THESS.5:8) and then return to the earth as King with those saints who loved His appearing (2TIM.4:8, ICOR.1:7-8, REV.19:11-16, JUDE 14-15, ITHESS.3:13) and overcame the beast (REV.20:4) to judge the earth with a rod of iron (LUKE 19:15, DAN.7:14, PSALM 2:8-9,15.9:7, 2TIM.4:1, ACTS 10:42, ROM.2:16, ICOR.15:25-26) with His saints (MATT.19:28, DAN.7:16,22,27, REV.2:26-27, 3:21, HEB.2:5, ICOR.6:2-3) for '1000 years' (REV.20:4, 2PETER 3:8) until He puts an end to all rule and authority and power (ICOR.15:24, DAN.2:35,44), which is when He will then deliver the kingdom of God to the Father.