A Brief History

This Local Church

Vineyard Christian Fellowship began in 1984 as Praise Fellowship. It first met at the YMCA under the leadership of Reverend Bill McKenzie, the founding pastor. It became New Covenant Community Church when the property at the current location was acquired in 1986. In February of 1991, Rev. McKenzie resigned and in June of the same year, the Right Reverend Jack Johnson was hired.

In January of 1995, a fresh move of God occurred here. Many in the congregation were touched and revived by the presence of God. Worship music from the Vineyard was a catalyst for this outpouring along with several visiting ministers who came along at this time.

Jack decided to see about officially becoming a Vineyard because of their particular style of ministry, and in order to have a greater accountability to others of like faith. The congregation and church board agreed so in January of 1996 the name was changed to Vineyard Christian Fellowship of Springfield.

It is said you don’t become a Vineyard, you discover you are one. That accurately describes what happened here. Vineyard churches have a strong emphasis on worshipping God and compassion. They value the gifts of the Holy Spirit and encourage the appropriate and balanced use of these gifts, expecting signs and wonders to occur. The Vineyard style is purposely informal, low-key, non-hype, non-glitzy and non-manipulative.

• SEEKER INSENSITIVE

We want to say we are Seeker Insensitive. Our hope is to please God not men, then He can draw those whose hearts are available to Him. We are not into building a large congregation but we are into true spiritual growth, and being known to one another, and walking in the light of God’s counsel and direction to us as one segment of the Church universal.

THE PROPERTY

Pisani’s

‘N Ferno

P.T.’s

Praise Fellowship

New Covenant Community Church

Vineyard Christian Fellowship of Springfield, IL

Vineyard Christian Church – A Contemplative Community

If restaurant (you eat there), and bar (everybody knows your name and you find solace), are metaphor for church, then the history of this land has something to say. We’re not sure how the “once controversial” nightclub fits except to say that there is a necessary repentance and conversion experience required before one can come into relationship with God.

In September of 1984 what used to be P.T.’s topless dance club became Praise Fellowship. (See related article. State Journal Register, Springfield, IL; Friday, October 31,1986, P.T.’s has been born again – as a church) Believe it or not, one of the former names of this building was “N Ferno”. Somehow, we find this all great theater and still feel a bit more comfortable in this setting than we would in a cathedral. The original stone fireplace remains a permanent fixture in the sanctuary but the altar replaced the old dance platform.

Founding Pastor’s Vision – William McKenzie
Excerpts from “New Covenant Community Pastoral Vision” Statement written around 1993

“My goal has been to establish and equip God’s people after the simple model of Christianity seen in Jesus and His Disciples.For too long the emphasis of Christianity has been away from the possibility of deep and lasting personal transformation, and towards the business of the “Christian Institution”. Members are given lots of tasks to complete, but are not given much guidance or encouragement toward the real inner work of the soul’s development…to teach and lead others into the inner journey of faith in God where we encounter mystery instead of mastery.

The contemplative tradition is rich with stories of common people encountering God in uncommon ways. Our church’s mission has always been to aid individuals in finding a balance between the compelling personal responsibility of one’s own journey with God, and the necessity to forge true Christian community. Rather than stand in the shadow of the American Mega-churches, New Covenant Community has sought to stand in the shadow of the cross of Christ and strive to grasp it’s full meaning. Rather than attempting to comprehend God with our intellect, our hope is to apprehend God with our whole hearts.”

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