According to a report from the Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood, the national board of directors of the Vineyard churches denomination has adopted a set of guidelines opening the door for female pastors. The Vineyard is the largest third wave charismatic group, founded by John Wimber in 1984.
The guidelines ask Vineyard members, including those who reject gender egalitarianism, to “bless” the ministry of women in the role of senior pastor in Vineyard churches. Theologian Wayne Grudem, a former member of the Vineyard movement, responds that asking those who hold to a complementarian view of gender roles to “bless” such a thing is asking believers to sin.
Grudem says:
“Under the guise of ‘mutual respect’ I believe the Vineyard leadership, by this policy, will drive out the pastors who are most faithful to the teaching of John Wimber and most faithful to the Word of God itself,” Grudem said.
“With sadness and regret I now expect that compromise with the spirit of the age will soon follow in other areas of Vineyard teaching as well. I sincerely hope that the Vineyard will reverse this policy.”
I am still hoping for evidence to prove me wrong in my assertion that feminism is winning the gender debate among American evangelicals, but the Vineyard downgrade doesn’t help.
