Athens Vineyard Church

The Athens Vineyard began in January of 1999, in a living room in Holly Hills, meeting on Wednesday nights. We were being sponsored and supported by the Atlanta Vineyard. We all had a dream of creating a place where God was worshiped intimately and passionately and his kingdom was made available to people who asked. Our heart was for the people of Athens, that they would find their satisfaction in Him alone. In a word, what we were dreaming for, was life.

By October of that same year, needing a larger place to meet, we moved to Sunday nights, and started renting the gymnasium at Timothy Road Elementary School.

We held two big events that year. James Ryle, an author, Vineyard pastor, and a Promise Keepers founder/speaker, and John Paul Jackson, an author and prominent leader in the prophetic, spoke to crowds of Athenians and stirred up interest in this new church that was getting off the ground.

On March 13, 2000, the Vineyard officially ‘launched’ when we held our first Sunday morning service. In the hot summer of 2003, we moved to Ware Street, and cooled off in our first air-conditioned building.

Over the next several years, we’ve increased the size of our staff leadership with a part time worship leader and a children’s ministry director, and a full time associate pastor. We also rented an additional 3000 sq. ft. of space directly across the parking lot, which houses our children’s and youth ministry, additional office space, a prayer room, and storage.

This church has developed into a wonderful place of authenticity and acceptance. We value being real, and emphasize honesty and openness, rather than putting on a ‘Christian face’ and pretending life is something it is not. We recognize the only way people can be so open, is if they feel safe to be so. Therefore the Athens Vineyard encourages attitudes of mercy for people’s brokenness and acceptance of people where they are, while promoting healing and growth toward wholeness in relationship with God.

Similarly, in our openness to the ministry of God’s Spirit, we try to value the person and their feelings. We emphasize gentle and encouraging prophetic words, staying sensitive to what may embarrass or offend. Even in our hope for freedom in worship, we try not to perform acts which may draw attention to ourselves or distract others in their worship. For example, we love dancing, flags and banners in worship, but we generally make a place in the rear of the church for those expressions. From time to time, we hold special meetings for worship where we encourage others to explore some of the more expressive forms of worship.

This is who we are, and we are constantly being more and more transformed into who God is making us to be.