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Hey Vineyardites,

As we’ve been engaging with people across the country in contexts where we are “waiting on the Lord” and inviting the Spirit’s prophetic activity in community, we have noticed that there is a significant diversity of opinion and thought, even theology, around how we facilitate this in a healthy, biblical and safe way. Seeing how central these practices are to who we are in Vineyard and how vital it is to our ability in navigating our future together in Canada, we felt that it was prudent to create space across the country to come together to experience together who we are as a people of presence and how we engage with the prophetic nature of our worship and prayer, in community.

As we’ve been working on shaping what this all could look like, we kept referring to  it as the “Worship, Waiting and Weighing” Tour. The name’s stuck.

We love how Acts 13:2 captures the essence of what we are reaching for together, “while they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Spirit spoke.” 

A key element that we want to  explore together is  the posture and practice of waiting. Hosea, in Hosea 12:6, seems to capture our sentiment here beautifully, weaving posture, the call to justice and the need to wait for the Lord in a three-stranded cord, “Therefore, return to your God, observe kindness and justice, and wait for your God continually.”

And then there’s the weighing bit. Something of a lost art in much of the charismatic culture and celebrity driven models within the mega-church and non-denominational world. As 1 Corinthians 14:29-33 lays it out. “Two or three prophets speak and the others should weigh carefully what is said. And if a revelation comes to someone who is sitting down, the first speaker should stop. For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged. The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets. For God is not a God of disorder but of peace—as in all the congregations of the Lord’s people.”

The end game in it all is to equip us to be a people who discern well. Those who do not despise prophecy and its place in community, and yet have learned to keep it unclutured and anchored to the wisdom of the Father, the character of Jesus and the fruit of the Spirit.

A final thought taken from Hebrews 5:11-14. The key to maturity as followers of Jesus and building healthy communities that are able to discern truth, is that we need to be students of the way of righteousness, the path of justice, that is core to the entire biblical narrative. God setting things right. The work of the Father, the Son and the Spirit in “making all things new.” As we commit ourselves to being lifelong learners of this Way, that we will in turn foster mature communities that can tell the difference between good and evil and discern well.

Our desire is to carve out some space during the day together in order to facilitate dialogue and teaching around these practices. In the evening, we will gather together for worship and prayer as we lean into the posture of listening together that we may discern how the Spirit may be speaking to us and empowering us for ministry.

Looking forward to worshiping, waiting and weighing with you all! Let the kingdom come.

David Ruis

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