Who we are
Who we are!
The Yorba Linda Vineyard began officially in September of 2006. Our story is amazing! How the Lord began to speak to people from all over, by giving them dreams and visions of what God was about to do in Yorba Linda. By the time our church began, the Lord had spoken to Sean and Christy 39 times, from different people and places, encouraging them that this was indeed the Lord. We started with around 25 people (including kids), who heard God and came together, hungry to see what God was about to do, and passionate about not missing any of it. We were all so excited, knowing we were co-laboring with God on a mission!
We immediately began to meet as a church on Sunday mornings, but our first gathering, we went around a business complex and cleaned bathrooms. We knew that what God wanted was to have us be a people with an outward focus, reaching outside the walls of the church. In a sense, it felt like He was looking for people willing to get their hands dirty. Since 2006, we have gone from Hurless Barton Park to the Tommy Lasorda Field house, to where we now meet, Rose Drive Elementary School. Carol Wimber installed Sean & Christy and commissioned them early on, and then again on February 25, 2007, the Vineyard's Regional Leader came and corporately blessed our church. We love that this took place on what would have been John (Wimber's) 73rd birthday.
Sean and Christy have been in the Vineyard Movement since the beginning, back in 1977. Both of them came out of the Friends Church, a Quaker church here in Yorba Linda. People often think the Vineyard Movement came from a Calvary Chapel, when in fact, we are Quakers at the root of who we are, and Vineyard roots are Quaker roots. Sean and Christy grew up next door to each other and were married in February of 1990. Since then, both worked for Vineyard Ministries International, as well as Vineyard Music for many years. In 1997 Sean began 'Doin' The Stuff,' a ministry that contains John Wimber & other materials from around the world. We have recently made our church site the main avenue for John Wimber information and materials, and at this point continue to have Vineyard Music distribute materials. Christy ran Vineyard worship conferences and training for many years under VMI, and then Vineyard Music when it was birthed.
For the last 11 years Christy has also been working with John Wimber's materials, releasing many products, including a book back in 2006 made of John's writings/teachings, entitled "The Way in is the Way on." Her second release, Everyone Gets To Play" was released in early 2009. She also just finished working with Regent University as they now have a full library of John Wimber teachings from throughout his ministry. Christy has traveled for many years, preaching at various conferences and retreats and currently has been working with CBN and Gordon Robertson on the 'Spiritual Gift's' webcast. Sean and Christy have two children, Camie Rose and John Richard.
The YLV has great vision to not only reach and serve our communities around us, but also we have great passion to encourage those around the world through relationship. We love our heritage in the Vineyard, however we love the whole church, and anticipate so much of what the Lord wants to do now.
Who we are, is a group of people hungry for God, and for community. Who we are, is a people that desire not to just do church; but to rather be the church. We know it's God's plan and He said he will build the church; and our job is to reach out, serve and bless our communities.
[For more information regarding our values and priorities see our homepage]