http://www.vineyardamsterdam.nl/ en-us RSS feed Vineyard info@vineyardamsterdam.nl (Vineyard) http://www.vineyardamsterdam.nl/nieuws/ash-wednesday Ash Wednesday derives its name from the practice of placing ashes on the foreheads of people as a sign of mourning and repentance to God. We will repeat this tradition at the service, and invite everyone to practice fasting from something during lent.]]> Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:00:00 +0100 info@vineyardamsterdam.nl (Vineyard) http://www.vineyardamsterdam.nl/blog/making-room-for-god
I’m not sure about you, but very often I feel like I get crowded out of God’s life. So many things are pushing me away from God. I often start to wonder where God has gone, but then I realize it isn’t God who has gone, but me who has gone! What we need is to make room for God by elbowing away all of the busy thoughts and activities that keep us from his presence. It is my prayer that Vineyard Amsterdam will be a community that makes room for God. When we give God a place to meet with us as individuals and as a community, I believe we will start to see his miraculous work in our lives and in our city!

Here is what I propose… let’s take the season of Lent and make room for God in our lives. Lent is the forty-day season between Ash Wednesday and Easter that Christians have used to learn how to pray. Each week at Meeting Point, we will look at what the Bible teaches about how to make room for God through prayer. We will also offer several practical ways that we can grow together in prayer. This Lent, I invite us to go on a prayer journey together. Let’s make room for God, and see our lives and our church grow larger and richer in God’s love.]]> Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:00:00 +0100 info@vineyardamsterdam.nl (Vineyard) http://www.vineyardamsterdam.nl/nieuws/lenten-bible-readings-with-nt-wright Lent for Everyone is a devotional created and written by N.T. (Tom) Wright. For each day of Lent, there is a reading chosen from the Gospel of Matthew, plus a reflection by Wright. These readings have grown out of a project encouraging Lent reading in Northern England. This is the second in a three-volume series based on the Revised Common Lectionary of the Church of England.]]> Wed, 22 Feb 2012 00:00:00 +0100 info@vineyardamsterdam.nl (Vineyard) http://www.vineyardamsterdam.nl/blog/a-poem-for-as-we-prepare-for-lent Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:00:00 +0100 info@vineyardamsterdam.nl (Vineyard) http://www.vineyardamsterdam.nl/nieuws/want-to-get-more-connected Welcome to Vineyard Amsterdam! If you've just started coming around, there are a few ways you can get more connected to other people in the church. On each of the following pages, you'll find conact information for people who can help you find out more.

Welcome Lunch: Every couple of months on Sunday afternoon after Meeting Point, we host a Welcome Lunch. Join a few pastors and leaders from the church for a free lunch at Cafe Baton, just upstairs from where we meet for worship, to get to know others who are new to the church in a smaller, casual setting. Our next lunch will be hosted in March.

Connect Groups: Connect Groups meet on different evenings around the city. You are welcome to visit a group a couple of times to see if it's a good fit for you, and to visit more than one group if you would like to.

Newcomers Course: The Vineyard Newcomers Course is is an opportunity to hear more about our history, our beliefs and values, our vision for the future, and what church membership means at Vineyard Amsterdam. We don't expect that everyone who comes to the course wants to become a church member, so if you'd like to come in order to find out more about the Vineyard, but aren't sure about making this your church home, you are welcome to join. Our next course will be in the spring.]]> Fri, 27 Jan 2012 00:00:00 +0100 info@vineyardamsterdam.nl (Vineyard) http://www.vineyardamsterdam.nl/blog/share-offering Mon, 16 Jan 2012 00:00:00 +0100 info@vineyardamsterdam.nl (Vineyard) http://www.vineyardamsterdam.nl/blog/who-do-you-say-i-am
Who Jesus is should effect every part of our lives: how we deal with our finances, what we look at on the computer, how we speak to our children, how hard we work at our jobs, how much we allow ourselves to be consumed with worry or anxiety, what we post on our Facebook status lines and how we spend our time (just to name a couple of things!).

The claims of Christ should also effect every part of our heart identities: how we ask for and receive forgiveness, how we find emotional healing, how we access peace that is above our life's circumstances, how we become centered in Christ in our minds, hearts and souls. And fundamentally, how we find our rest in Christ, in His claims, and in the presence of God through the Holy Spirit.

It's not always easy to pull the huge, esoteric, eternal attributes of God into the practical corners of our lives... and that's why we are doing this together. But the more we come together in community to remind one another of who God is, of the things Jesus talked about as He was revealing God to the world, the more we're able to see that for all of the largeness of God, Jesus "moved into the neighborhood" to show us how this life is supposed to work, and how our souls are meant to find their center.]]> Fri, 11 Nov 2011 00:00:00 +0100 info@vineyardamsterdam.nl (Vineyard) http://www.vineyardamsterdam.nl/blog/connect-groups-to-help-each-other-remember
As I reflect on why I go to Meeting Point every Sunday, why I am involved in a Connect Group, and why I want to be part of the "beautiful mess" called Vineyard Amsterdam, I can think of many reasons, but the first thing that comes to mind is this: I need to be reminded…

I need to be reminded of who God is… That He is a God of love who loves me and is involved in my life. That God exists and that He is real, (even if I sometimes forget that)! I need to be reminded also of who I am and can be: That I am a beloved child of God… loved and wanted, and a man created in God's image. I also need to be reminded of the story of God: His dreams and His plans. I need reminded about what he did and what He wants to do, and how I can be a part of His plans and dreams.

What do you need to be reminded of?

If we look at the Bible and at the culture in Biblical times, we find that the act of remembering was very central. It was an important part in the life of an Old Testament believer that he knows the deeds of God and His commandments (Numbers 15.37-41). The Gospels repeatedly speak about remembering the words and actions of Jesus (Luke 24.6,8). And the apostles were aware of the importance of keeping alive these memories for others (2 Peter 3.1-2).

Let us remind each other about God, His love and power, His promises, the big story He is telling from creation into eternity! Let us remember this so we also are increasingly energized and encouraged to take part in the great story of God!

Mark

P.S. Do you need to be reminded? Check out the various Connect Groups and come along on Sunday at Meeting Point! I hope to see you then!


]]> Mon, 19 Sep 2011 00:00:00 +0200 info@vineyardamsterdam.nl (Vineyard) http://www.vineyardamsterdam.nl/blog/reflections-on-our-retreat “Everybody gets to play.” One of the things that I loved about our time together is how much fun we had together. I love that in our community it’s not just the ‘spiritual’ things that count, but that we are seeing everything we do as spiritual, including dancing, singing songs around the campfire, and playing spijker poepen! In saying, “Everybody gets to play”, John also meant that we have access to the Jesus sort of life and we all get to do the stuff that he did. This weekend, I saw a lot of us getting to play.

“The main and the plain.” By this, John meant that we get to do the stuff that we clearly see Jesus doing and telling his disciples to do. Including sharing life together, serving one another, encouraging each other, praying for healing, and worshipping our Father.  And when it comes to the Holy Spirit, we don’t focus on the strange phenomenon on the outside, whether it’s crying, shaking, falling, or whatever that feels strange and uncomfortable. These are not marks of spirituality. What matters is what lasts. Are we more hopeful, more loving, more filled with faith? If this is the result, then all the strange and uncomfortable stuff will not matter so much, because it will be worth it in the end.

“The now and the not-yet.” This is the mystery of the kingdom. While we pray for the Kingdom of God to come, it is not fully here, and we live in the mysterious tension of the now and the not-yet. Why is it that one person is touched and another not? Why one person healed and another not? We are not given the answers for these hard questions. The only thing we can do is rejoice with those who are touched by God, grieve with those who are still waiting, and continue to pray in hope and faith for one another. While today may not be the day, we continue to hope that tomorrow may be.

“You get it to give it.” Finally, I think of Eleanor’s encouragement to us to share God’s love with those around us.  This love of God, this experience of the Spirit is not for us alone. “You get it to give it!” So let’s not be selfish…let’s look for ways to share God’s love and power this week!

With affection, and til next time,
Eric

PS If you want to hear John Wimber tell his story (which is inspiring and funny!), you can download and listen to his message, “I’m a Fool for Christ, whose fool are you?” ]]> Thu, 08 Sep 2011 00:00:00 +0200 info@vineyardamsterdam.nl (Vineyard) http://www.vineyardamsterdam.nl/blog/practicing-silence
In a book called Invitation to Solitude and Silence, Ruth Haley Barton gives a wonderful picture of why God speaks to us so often about spending time in silence or reflection: Imagine, she writes, that we take an empty jar and scoop up some dirty Amsterdam canal water into it! Imagine that we take the jar and shake it up. What happens is that the water and the dirt and the trash and the mud all become mixed up as they swirl around in crazy circles.

Our lives are like those jars of water, writes Barton, and she contends that the practice of silence is simply the act of setting the jar down. We don't have to try hard to be quiet, we don't have think hard about spiritual things, we don't have to be able to meditate intensily on a particular Bible verse. All those things can be helpful, but most of all, the simple act of being still helps our lives to begin to settle. In the same way that a jar full of dirty water will settle if it's left alone, silence in the Lord helps us to calm our hearts and to remind ourselves that it is God who is in control!

If you have never tried out this idea, here are a few ideas to get you started:
1. Find a comfortable chair in a quiet space
2. Set your alarm for 5 minutes
3. Take a deep breath, and sit quietly for 5 minutes (if 5 seems too long, begin with 2-3 minutes!)
4. If you need help because you get easily distracted, try meditating on this famous prayer: "Jesus Christ, son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner." If your mind becomes busy, refocus using this prayer.
5. Try 'wrapping your day in silence' by doing this each morning and each evening for one week.

I want to encourage you to consider taking time to practice silence a few times as we approach Easter. In our quietness and rest, we are met by God, His power, and His presence!]]> Thu, 21 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +0200 info@vineyardamsterdam.nl (Vineyard) http://www.vineyardamsterdam.nl/blog/celebrating-gods-extravagant-grace
1. Cross-cultural team: Two and a half years ago God brough together a small team of American church planters with a small group of Dutch Christians. This diverse group of folks decided to work together to plant a new Vineyard church community in the city of Amsterdam. It's not always common to see cross-cultural relatinships work well, but over the past two and a half years we've seen deep relationships develop, as well as an integrated leadership team, church council, and preaching team for the church.

2. Intern program: We've really enjoyed the chance to have some young Dutch folks as interns... they get the chance to have real leadership and responsibility (and fun!) in the midst of a growing church plant, and we get the chance to learn from them, to listen to their ideas and experiences, and to gain from their cultural insights into how to best become a church for the city of Amsterdam. You can find out more about Huub, our current intern, in the column to the left... Mark Hage was an intern last year, and currently serves on our Church Council as he's finishing up school.

3. Church as family: It's been a great experience to be able to see things like baptisms and baby dedications in our church community! We're also enjoying taking time to build relationships with eachother - which is why we're having lunch together this Sunday morning (May 1) instead of our normal Meeting Point Sunday service. We come together on Sundays to worship God and to get to know Him better through teaching and prayer, but we also want to build up relationships in the church by providing a chance to discover community with one another. If you haven't checked out on of our small groups that meet around the city - this is a great way to meet folks in a smaller setting than on Sunday mornings.

4. VLI! Vineyard Leadership Institute started this past winter and we're thrilled that the first class ever in Holland is moving right along: studying theology, scripture, practical and pastoral ministry. It's a great opportunity for us to invest in the discipleship and development of folks in our midst with a heart for servant leadership, or who just have a desire to become more trained for an integrated life of ministry.

5. Alpha: Our very first Alpha Course just ended a month ago. We partnered with three other churches in the city and had a great time together over dinner and conversation about Jesus. We want to celebrate being a church where folks can feel comfortable wherever they are in their spiritual journey. We're also excited that folks feel comfortable being at Vineyard while they're still considering Christ and His place in their lives. We can celebrate being a welcoming community!

As you can see, there is lots to celebrate together! Each of us also has our own personal stories of friendship, growing friendships and communty, spiritual growth and healing to add to these above reasons to be thankful for God bringing us together in Vineyard Amsterdam. Let's be a community who never forgets to stop, refelct and worship in response to God's extravagant grace!

Warmly,
Julia Pickerill]]> Thu, 21 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +0200 info@vineyardamsterdam.nl (Vineyard) http://www.vineyardamsterdam.nl/blog/what-is-a-healthy-church
I think the growth in our community is a great thing. A general rule is that healthy things grow. Healthy plants grow. Healthy children grow. And it’s generally true that healthy churches grow. It’s a good thing that our community is welcoming to new people and inviting others to join together in following Jesus. It’s wonderful that people are responding. This gives me great hope! Having said that, I quickly add that there is more to growth than growing bigger. When people learn that I am an American, sometimes the first response is, “Are Americans really that fat!?” They have seen one too many documentaries on American eating habits! Bigger is not always better. There is more to growth than size. While I am excited that our church is growing, I am not satisfied. What we want in our community is healthy growth. So how do we measure health in a church? I’ll share a few things that I have learned over the years.

1. A healthy church is a place where people are deeply connected to God. When I was a kid, church was a place you go to on Sundays. The memorable part was getting in a family fight each week on the ride to church! As you know, church is not a building. It’s not a place you go to. It’s a people that we gather together with. It’s important that we recognize that a healthy church is only as healthy as the people in the church.  The question that always gets at this heart of this for me is, Am I moving toward God or moving away from God? Am I more loving or less loving than six months ago? More hungry for God or less? More kind or less? More responsive to Jesus’ commands less? More free of sin or less? Filled with more faith or less? Because if I am becoming more healthy person, then my church I will become more healthy.

2. A healthy church is moving from a crowd to a community. It’s great there are so many new faces are in the Vineyard. Now we have to do the hard work of building a community. The beginning of community is knowing and being known…really known. Not just the beautiful face on the outside, but the junk on the inside. And we know when we are doing the work of community when we actually have to do the hard work of the “one anothers”… love one another, forgive one another, bear with one another, serve one another.

3. A healthy church is a place where everyone is personally engaged. This means that you and I each have something to contribute in and through the community. You have talents. You have gifts. You have callings. You have the Spirit in your heart who is leading you to serve meaningfully in some way. Are you stepping out to use your gifts in the community?

4. A healthy church is full of people who give generously. Many churches are afraid to talk about money. But giving is an important issue to address because it is connected to God’s grace. When we have experienced God’s grace, we are free to give. It wouldn’t have made sense for the early followers of Jesus to give less than a tithe (10%). They had been touched by Jesus, and grace gave them the ability to do more than the law required, not less.

5. A healthy church is where people regularly share God’s love with others. The love of God spills out of our hearts into the lives of our families, neighbors, coworkers, and the city around us. A healthy church regularly asks the question, How can we be a best friend to our city? How can we see the power of God demonstrated in this city so that people are healed, relationships are restored, and hearts are full of hope? That’s what I want for our church… I want for the city of Amsterdam to say, We experienced the love of God through your love toward us!

When you read these signs of a healthy church, you might think, What church can actually do these things!? That’s too hard! It’s too good to be true. In a way it is! But in another way it keeps us pressing forward to be the church Jesus calls us to be. These are the marks of Jesus’ community that we read about in the book of Acts (the story of the early church). We have to ask ourselves what we do with the stories in the book of Acts. Are they for the spiritual superstars, or are they for ordinary people like you and me? I believe what we read about is not the extraordinary, but the ordinary. And if that is true, then these marks of health are not for great churches, but for normal churches like ours. They are not high standards for the super spiritual, but radical minimum standards for ordinary people like you and me. Let’s go be ordinary.

Groetjes,

Eric Pickerill]]> Fri, 19 Aug 2011 00:00:00 +0200