Vineyard Columbus - Westerville — Local services in Columbus

I absolutely love Vineyard! I grew up in a Nazarene Church, and although the church was small, they only did outreach when they did mission trips. What I love about Vineyard, is that the outreach is for the community too. Yes they do mission trips, but they try to work with the community where they are! And there are so many different volunteer opportunities!

I also love the teaching that happens every Sunday/weekend! All of the pastors are well-educated, and continue to educate themselves. They teach not only directly from scripture, but they dig into the historical context, the language, and how to relate it to today's society. It is well thought out and can speak to people wherever they are in their spiritual journey.

The worship service has a combination of upbeat and slow. The people are all incredibly friendly... And most important to me, DIVERSE!

IT IS SO HARD TO FIND A CHURCH THAT REPRESENTS ALL PEOPLE! Vineyard decided a long time ago that it wanted to be a church of all nations... So I can walk into the front lobby and hear different languages being spoken, All races, all ethnicities, and yet you can still feel the love and acceptance everywhere! For the first time in my life, I don't stand out in the middle of the crowd. I really think it's what heaven's going to look like anyways, so we might as well practice it here on Earth.

Yes the church is massive! But that's what small groups are for... That's what volunteering is for... That's what finding your niche is for. It's finding a group that you belong to, to make the church seem smaller and more intimate. They provide all the opportunities and the teachings, it's up to you to take the step to make this...

I've been to many singles events here but only one service. Here's the thing about the Vineyard: I have spoken with many members over the years, and they all are zealous. However, they know very little about the God of the Bible. Among those with whom I've spoken, several examples stand out:

A woman who claimed only Jesus's words in the Bible are inspired. A woman who was shocked when I explained that Roman Catholicism isn't Biblical Christianity. A man who knew nothing about the gospel and informed me that such information is too deep for the average Christian. A woman who bristled when I attempted to briefly explain the Protestant Reformation and informed me that she would not accept being labeled as Protestant. A postmodernist who claimed we cannot ever discern whether someone is a Christian no matter what they say, since only God can judge the heart. While this is technically correct, we can be very confident that those who exhibit no evidence of a changed life and profess heretical views are highly unlikely to be saved. A woman who is strongly pro-choice.

I also know that in 2008, the Vineyard hosted a politically liberal conference on social justice that may have been aimed at convincing evangelicals to vote for Barack Obama.

I'm sure there are many sincere Christians who attend, but the Vineyard's appeal seems to be that it's comfortable, emotional, big and glitzy. This isn't a place for nurturing sanctification. Check out some of the five-star reviews...great gift center, nice play area, etc. ..sounds more like a shopping mall than a place of worship!

I do appreciate them hosting events for singles, but I will never buy into their...

Came here for a community event and was told that women were not allowed to go to the basketball event. Okay! That’s fine I’ll wait for my friends out in the common area. Was then approached by another man snd was asked who I was with. I said I am here for the basketball session and he asked for the name of who I was with. I simply said I am just waiting for the basketball session. I eventually gave in and told him the name and the worker proceeded to go tell my friend that I needed to leave, and women were not allowed. He was told that I was not allowed to be in the building at all during this “free community basketball session”. I have been to a lot of community events and sessions and never have I even heard that women aren’t allowed in the gym, so the idea that a woman was not even allowed in the building is laughable. I am honestly upset by not only the rule (which is absurd), but more so by the way I was disrespected and ignored by staff. They would only acknowledge me through my friend and I would truly expect so much better from followers of Jesus’ teachings. If you are a woman or respect women, I would think twice about coming to any events at this “church”. It appears to be one of the fake churches where they read only what they want from God’s word. I hope He guides them to understanding basic respect...