Back in 1998, Kevin Prosch and the Peppercorn Band stayed with us in the Redwoods of California. Our community was full of young hippy kids and rastas who had given their lives to Jesus and were getting off drugs and starting a new life. The Peppercorn Band and Kevin totally rocked. Great energetic worship. Just the ticket.
Over the last 12 years or so, we have found ourselves partnering with Vineyard and Pentecostal churches all over the place. Sometimes, especially in Germany, the young emerging churches were helped along by the Vineyard. As well as this, some of our biggest supporters and sponsors have been and still are Vineyard church people and leaders.
I dont see a disconnect. But others do and so there are interviews and blog discussions about the relation between the new stuff thats going on and the Pentecostals, and the Vineyard. Still worth a read.
Johnathan Stegalthis morning:
“So the most recent episode of Homebrewed Christianity includes an interview between Kevin Prosch and my friend Mike Morrell. I hadn’t ever heard of Kevin Prosch, but his experiences with the early Vineyard, pre-IHOP Mike Bickle, other prophetic worship music, and his influences on what became the worship genre as a whole are fascinating, and the episode tells stories of these things.”
Kevin has seen plenty of ups and downs since he and his band came through our town in the 90’s, but he seems to have bounced back. He is a tremendous musician who has left a great legacy already. Check out the interview:
The Fascinating Life and Music of Kevin Prosch: Homebrewed Christianity 77
A question rather than a comment: Was the place in the Redwoods called “The Land” in Redding? I ask because I lived and served as the overseer of a similar place in Honey Dew (a small community in the mountains above Eureka).
Certainly that’s valid, and I’ve always appreciated the openness with which you refer to Pentecostals and Vineyard folks and such. It may be that I should have narrowed things to the States? Certainly there are exceptions, like the Peppercorns (which I’d agree with you are certainly what you would have called emerging) or the Source in MN.
But in the States, at least, there is more often a disconnect in that it can be hard for underground/alternative/emerging folks these days to bring in experience of the Spirit – whether it’s because of previous bad experiences, specific theologies, a genuine desire to avoid individualism and other excesses, or other reasons.
And certainly it’s hard for most Pentecostal/charismatic folks in the States to move into these directions, as shown by the Peppercorns’ reception once they were playing in bars and writing songs that weren’t necessarily worship songs. It doesn’t seem that it went over very well for them.
I’m really surprised and interested that you don’t see a disconnect, so apologies if I’m rambling on how I’ve seen it – it just seems so rare that the two flow together, in my experience.
It’s good to hear that the Vineyard has been open to partnering with and supporting you along the way. We weren’t so lucky in our neck-of-the-woods and ended up having to leave our Vineyard church in order to be able to do what we felt God was calling us to do.
Damien, its a big world and each church is different. One Vineyard church [not Vineyard church any longer] stopped working with us because they said our [baptist] DNA was not Vineyard enough for them. But they were the exception.
I would say in regards to the German scene, that the Pentecostals (through Foursquare who have invited me on numerous occasion to speak to their leaders) and the Vineyard have been the most significant supporters of the emerging church in that country.
In the USA, and Johnathan you have probably seen much of what i have seen also, worlds seem to grow apart from each other but at the same time, and the charismatic divide is still significant in places where there are enough christians to enjoy the luxury of such a division.
The Source – Peter Wohler was also a friend in the mid nineties and the network we have been connected with for 15 years is run by Trevor, a Pentecostal from Vancouver. Our roundtable events are always a mixture of the various streams so yes, it seems pretty normal that we all hang out and work together outside the USA. Dang. Even Calvary Chapel people work with us over here.
I dont see people using the “charismatic” label anymore but a lot of us, whether we came though the charismatic movement or not, have ended up on the same page on a lot of things like and our language is pretty much the same.
wow. i just read through my last comment and couldnt make head nor toe of it. a problem when you type faster than you think.
michael. it was “the Land” and it was in Leggett. Same one. Run by the Prodigal Project who were partnering with us in Haight Ashbury, San Francisco
Our family moved there for 3 months to set up the training program for all the young people. We were the first ones. Our daughter Hannah was born during that time.
That’s true, it is much easier to grow apart when there are lots of us. I’ve always envied the European stories you tell that often seem to miss out on that 🙂
And yes, Trevor is a wonderful person. He/the Underground Railroad are the reason I know of you at all, from 2001-ish.
dude, come away with us for a trip and see the real scene. honestly. you can camp with us.
Oh man, is that an open invitation? My family has a trip to Europe in our not too distant future…
OK……… I Love me some Prosch…….. always have… saw him a bunch at Morning Star…. and Stephen from Songs of Water is now in touch… that brought back some warm memories. I’ll listen to the homebrewed later.. when i get some down time.
Yup Yup Yup… on Vineyard and Emerging…
xocat
Wow, lots of intersections in this post/comments for me…
Having been in the Vineyard now for 14 years I’m very familiar with Kevin Prosch. Although I’ve never met him, his music – including with the Peppercorns – was a big influence on me.
Also, when I was on staff with the Vineyard in Park City, Utah we would host Cathy and the folks from the Prodigal Project every year on their way through town with the concert series. They were always following Phish, or Mickey Hart and ministering to the shakedown culture on those tours.
I think Jonathan is largely right about the disconnect in the states, although I think that is changing quite a bit in the wake of subtle shifts in the Vineyard.
Fun post Andrew, thanks : )
I was on tour when word of Kevin’s downfall was posted (by him) on his website. We were really shocked and saddened, as Kevin had had a great impact on all of us (although I tended to hang out more with his bass player, Tony Green — birds of a feather…).
One comment thought, in hindsight 11 years later — I never could get over my bemusement when the Peppercorns would do “Brown-Eyed Girl” in a worship set, and all the people around me would raise their hands and call it the most anointed worship they’d ever experienced.
It was just odd. I love the song, but seriously, it’s NOT a worship song.
Vineyard: we’re not perfect, but I like us. 🙂
And I still like Kevin’s music. Glad he’s back at it again.