Reviews

Book Review

The Way In Is the Way On: A Compilation of the Talks and Writings of John Wimber
Edited by Christy Wimber

This little book is a priceless addition to the other resources - tapes, CDs, DVDs - of John Wimber in action as a teacher and leader of the Vineyard from its earliest days. In The Way In is the Way On, Christy Wimber has through her editing captured John at his most concise as he taught the Vineyard and the wider church the things he felt most passionately about - obedience, grace, the importance of knowing God's Word, worship, the already and the not yet, power healing, and more.

It captures, as well, the unique way John taught, mixing straightforward teaching from scripture with stories of that truth in action. He was always quite willing to "tell on himself ", giving us a model for failure as well as success, lowering the bar so that any believer with a heart willing to take risks could not only learn the truths but "do the stuff."

The following is an experpt from The Way In Is the Way On.

One evening there was a meeting at our house, when the church was just beginning, and the power of God was being poured out on us and we didn't know what it all meant. To be honest, we didn't know what to do with this power. So we asked Juan Carlos Ortiz, who had been brought by a friend, if he had some wisdom for us. We knew (or at least we thought) that he was a Pentecostal and therefore had already been around this block a few times.

He took us aside and looked at us soberly for a long time, as if to determine whether we seriously wanted advice or not. Finally he spoke:

The Pentecostals have always had wonderful celebrations and glorious meetings.

We have spent the power on our glorious meetings and celebrations. My advice to you is to use the outpouring of the Spirit in doing good for the poor. Spend the power of God on helping the poor.

This wisdom really hit Carol and I both. And from the beginning we felt this reality. If we ever ignore the poor and needy, we're as good as dead as a people. We have our instructions. (And you know what? We've found that when we take care of the poor, we have some mighty fine celebrations, too!)

DVD Review

Stories of the Vineyard: A DVD Interview with Carol Wimber

This is as close as we are going to come to sitting around our spiritual grandparents' feet and hearing the family stories. Carol has done a wonderful job of going back and telling us how John arrived at some of the things he taught the rest of us, the experiences he had, the "inside scoop" on how things came about. While Bill Jackson's book, Quest for the Radical Middle, gives us a linear history of our movement, this DVD lets us experience it as it was lived. This would be a great item for every Vineyard pastor and planter to watch, to show to leaders and people alike. For those who were born and raised or came into the Vineyard after John's death, this is a unique way to hear the family stories and understand our roots as a community of faith.

These two resources, along with the DVD I'm a Fool for Christ, Who's Fool Are You? are worthwhile additions to the collection of anyone who wants to understand from the Wimbers themselves what makes the Vineyard unique. Reading and watching, we are called once again to our particular strand in the great tapestry that is the whole church, and we are inspired once again to follow Jesus at least in part by watching how John Wimber did it.

Related Resources

http://www.doin-the-stuff.com/

"If we ever ignore the poor and needy, we're as good as dead as a people. We have our instructions."

—John Wimber