Date: 18-Apr-1995 06:03pm EST
Subject: Rodney Howard-Browne; Vineyard
Jenni, thanks for your note inquiring about the relationship, if any, between Rodney Howard-Browne and the Vineyard.
Before I answer it, I just wanted to let you know that I answered your earlier message of April 8, but I was having technical problems at the time, so I do not know whether you received my reply. My answer was that we did not make it to the meetings at the Manhattan Vineyard, but that if we do finally get there, Kathryn and I will be sure to try to look for you--I'm pretty sure that I would recognize you.
Now for your question. Yes, Rodney and the Vineyard do handle things quite differently, and the differences are both stylistic and theological. While it is the case that Rodney does things that the Vineyard would never endorse, it is also the case the the Vineyard does things that Rodney would never endorse. The relationship that exists between Rodney and the Vineyard is simply that they are, as far as I know, the two most powerful streams in North America of what God is doing right now. I think God is emphasizing through this that what He is doing now is not a matter of theology, or of style, or of affiliation, but that He is simply doing a sovereign work through different, imperfect vessels.
Here are a few specifics: Rodney always teaches on giving before taking an offering, and his teachings along these lines have tended to be heavily oriented along the lines of what is normally taught in the Word of Faith Churches, i.e., give, and it will be given to you, pressed down, shaken together, etc. Of course, the problem with proceeding in this manner is that it can easily give people the impression that one's purpose in teaching about these things is not to help people to learn to be generous, but rather to finance the ministry that is talking about these things. It would certainly seem that, at the very least, practices of this kind do not succeed in avoiding the appearance of evil.
Rodney comes from the Word of Faith Movement--this is what he trusts, so this is what he is flowing in. But, of course, the Word of Faith movement does have its weaknesses. It emphasizes faith, which is good, but one must always be careful not to emphasize one thing so much that one's teachings become imbalanced.
Rodney, on the other hand, is uncomfortable with the Vineyard for many reasons. First of all, in the Vineyard, the leadership allows things to happen that Rodney would not like to see happen--for example, roaring like lions. At one point, this was upsetting enough to him that he almost made a formal pronouncement against the Vineyard. And he also feels that it is important that only a VERY few people lay hands on others. The Vineyard, on the other hand, although careful about this, allows much more body ministry.
The relationship between the Vineyard and Rodney and his associates is, and has always been, tenuous. Last year, in Providence, Oregon, a Vineyard pastor named Denny Kline invited Sam Dalin, a close associate of Rodney Howard-Browne, to come and minister in his church. This caused a lot of stretching for both of them, and for the people of the VCF in Providence. Everybody was able to stretch far enough that God did move mightily, but it took a few days, and a lot of stretching, both for Denny Kline and for Sam Dalin. But I think Sam may have gotten some flack from Rodney, and Denny from John Wimber, for this.
Sam Dalin has wanted very much to interact more with the Vineyard leadership, to bring correction both to himself (and Rodney) and to the Vineyard on various issues. He has made some progress on this, but only some.
When Randy Clark wanted to host CATCH THE FIRE in St. Louis, at one point, Rick Shelton, a close associated of Rodney Howard-Browne, offered to let him do this in his enormous church. However, due, I think, to the huge number of registrations, the conference was finally scheduled to take place at the King George Hotel there in St. Louis. This is coming up next month, May 3-6--you should try to get there if you possibly can.
So, there is cooperation on an informal level, but, yes, there are definitely two separate vessels that God is using structurally. However, I would be wary of any "warnings" by members of one of these vessels against the other. We all have our imperfections and shortcomings, but we should all be mature enough to separate the precious from the vile, and to receive the precious from whatever vessels God may be using to dispense His grace, annointing, and gifts. This was shown to us by example in the person of Randy Clark, who, despite his theological differences with Rodney, went to Rodney's meetings in obedience to God. God then honored him by using him to bring the anointing to Toronto and beyond.
When Rodney fails to avoid the appearance of evil (by preaching about money all of the time), I just ignore it. I receive what I can, and ignore that which seems improper to me, trusting that God will deal with him in His time if what he's doing is inappropriate. Similarly, if there are things that happen at Vineyard meetings that don't seem quite right to me, I don't let that interfere with what God might be trying to do for me, and for others, trusting Him to guide the leadership, as appropriate. I know for sure that if I myself were leading the meetings, the imbalances would probably be a lot worse.
Here's an interesting sidelight--Patti Richey has mentioned that David Minor of Coudersport, Pennsylvania prophesied years ago that there would, at some future time, be an outpouring of the Holy Spirit, and that there would be two winds of the Holy Spirit involved, one of faith, and one of love.
Thanks for writing. Keep in touch. God bless you!
In His Love,
Richard
RRISS@DREW.EDU