How We Got Here

In the midst of the Jesus people movement in southern California a group of wounded and disenfranchised leaders from a southern California church met in a home group with only two objectives: worship Jesus, and pray for one another. The group grew to about fifty people in a matter of months, and a former keyboard player with the Righteous Brothers named John Wimber emerged as their leader. About that same time, Kenn and Joanie Gulliksen moved to Los Angeles to plant a church that they eventually named "The Vineyard." One of their early converts was a musician songwriter named Keith Green.

In May of 1977, John Wimber's home group became part of Calvary Chapel with an attendance of 150 people. In addition to teaching at Fuller Evangelical Seminary, John Wimber was designated as the first Pastor of the group. A young couple who had a vision for planting a church with the contemporary format of Calvary Chapel and The Vineyard were invited to intern under John and Carol Wimber. Toward the end of their internship, along with another couple who had the same desire, they prayed for the Lord to direct them to where the new church plant should be started. They knew that the Lord had told them to go East, and after each had prayed independently, they all came back together, each one with the same answer from the Lord - West Virginia. After finding West Virginia on the map, they continued to pray, and once again the Lord spoke clearly - Wheeling! And so it was to be -- Todd and Debbie Hunter were the first church planters sent out from John Wimber's church.

Vineyard Christian Fellowship of Wheeling was started in the Fall of 1979 when Todd and a friend first arrived in Wheeling knowing only one person in town. That person was a young college girl who had only been in town one week prior to their arrival! She called her roommate's mother and arranged for the weary travelers to spend the night in East Wheeling with "Ma" DeBias. They were soon joined by their wives and as the weeks and months passed, Todd and Debbie began inviting college age students over for dinners and get-togethers in their living room in the form of our present day "kinships." Their very first convert was in Debbie's college Bible study at West Liberty State College. As the fellowship grew, they began meeting at the YWCA, then for a brief time at the synagogue, and eventually at the Wheeling Country Day School. The church remained at the Wheeling Country Day School for almost fifteen years. In 1988 Todd and Debbie moved on to plant another Vineyard Church and John Rasz became the senior pastor and still leads the Wheeling Vineyard today. Construction of the new Vineyard facility began in June of 1996, and the first service was held in the new facility at 135 Waddles Run Road in January of 1997.