Vineyard National Gathering 2026
People of the Spirit: Formed by Presence. Sent in Power.
John 20:19–21
What a joy it was to gather again as the Australian Vineyard family of Churches!
Building on all that God began among us on the Gold Coast last year, stepping into our 30th year in Australia, we came with a deep hunger for more of His Kingdom. And He met us. Across the gathering, we saw the generous love and power of the Holy Spirit being poured out. There was worship, biblical teaching, prayer and ministry. Most of all, we encountered the presence of Jesus together.
A Culture of TRY
We were greatly encouraged by the teaching of Jordan Seng from Bluewater Mission, a Vineyard church in Honolulu, Hawaii. Jordan challenged us to step out of the familiar and join Jesus more wholeheartedly in His Kingdom ministry. He reminded us that our work as followers of Jesus is to help “bring the order of heaven into the earth.”
He spoke about faith as something we put into action. A willingness to TRY. We don’t simply believe what Jesus taught. We learn to practise it, stepping out and trusting Him as we go.
One of my favourite challenges was Jordan’s invitation to become “Workshop Churches,” not “Showroom Churches.”
A showroom presents everything as finished and polished. A workshop is where people learn, practise, make mistakes, grow and try again.
That’s the kind of church we want to be! A place where people learn to follow Jesus by doing what He did: praying for the sick, listening to the Holy Spirit, loving our neighbours, sharing the good news of the Kingdom, and stepping out in faith together.
As Jordan put it, “What makes people trust your church is not success but authenticity.”
What a great reminder that we don’t need everything worked out before we take a step of faith. We simply need to be willing to TRY with Jesus.
Jordan’s new book, Life of Try: A Practical Guide to Faith That Makes Things Happen, is expected in early 2027.
You can find out more at lifeoftry.com
Jordan Seng – Bluewater Mission
(A Vineyard Church – Honolulu USA)
We were incredibly blessed by Kathy Downes and Rev. Dr. Tania Harris, who brought powerful teaching on being formed by the presence of God and living in a dynamic, conversational relationship with Him. The Holy Spirit moved powerfully through their words and ministry times. What a gift they were to us all.
| Kathy Downes Rev. Dr. Tania Harris Journeystone Pastoral Supervision God Conversations |
Encountering the Presence of Jesus
Our time together, was marked by spiritual hunger and a fresh, renewing work of the Holy Spirit. A genuine sense of consecration came upon the Aussie Vineyard. We were reminded that God has set us apart for His Kingdom purposes, in Australia and beyond our shores.
The Worship Teams led us in worship of the Lord that expressed both wholehearted praise, a deep heart-cry for more of God and intimacy. We were especially glad to sing a number of home-grown songs written by creatives from across the Vineyard. The Holy Spirit met people in ministry. We saw physical healing, the gifts of the Spirit in operation, and people responding to God’s love in deeply personal and life-transforming ways.
One guest captured what the gathering meant to them:“The three days personally gave me an experience of the stories of the early disciples I read from Acts and stories of spiritual renewal I heard from my pastoral leaders as a young person. Came out of the gathering with my heart on fire and overwhelmed by God’s love!”
And one of our young people shared something that particularly encouraged us:“When I get home, I want to get baptised. It’s time for me to make my faith real and let people know I’m for Jesus.”
These are the moments that remind us why we do what we do. We long to see people encounter Jesus, respond to His invitation, and discover what it means to live as His disciples in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Prayer Room, Community Dinner & Meet Ups.
The afternoon Meet Ups (workshops) gave people space to explore ministry topics, share stories and learn from one another. A wonderful community dinner, a delicious Brazilian BBQ and the Prayer Room all made room for connection, friendship and meeting with God.One of our great encouragements was seeing the number of young adults, youth and children grow again on last year’s attendance. A generation is discovering Jesus, experiencing the Holy Spirit, finding their place in His Vineyard and stepping into the mission of the Kingdom. That gives us great hope.
We want to be a family of churches where the next generation is always welcomed into the room, discipled, equipped, released and given opportunity to grow in all that God has for them.
Thank You, Vineyard Family and Friends.
Nichole and I want to say a huge thank you to everyone who worked behind the scenes and served so generously. To the worship and technical teams, welcome and hospitality, prayer, children’s and youth ministry, administration, and all those who handled the practical details: you gave your time, gifts and energy, and it made all the difference. Thank you for helping create a significant moment in the life of the Australian Vineyard.
Last weekend, back in our local Vineyard church, we took time to hear testimonies from those who attended. It was wonderful to hear people share about encountering God, experiencing the power of the Spirit, and being reminded of the gift of belonging to a family of churches across Australia and beyond.
Video & Audio
We hope to make the main sessions available on the Vineyard Australia YouTube channel and Spotify in the coming weeks, so keep an eye out.
Formed by His Presence, Sent in His Power
As we step into this next season, we are deeply encouraged by the fruit God is growing in His Australian Vineyard Church.We are a people formed by the presence of Jesus and sent in the power of the Holy Spirit. We gather to encounter Him. Then we are sent into our homes, workplaces, neighbourhoods and communities to carry His love and make His Kingdom known.
There is still so much ahead as we stay close and keep up with Jesus’ leading: healthy local churches, more people to reach, more leaders to multiply, more churches to plant, and more of the next generation to equip and release.We believe God is inviting us to keep saying yes. Keep showing up. Keep praying. Keep loving. Keep having a go at the things Jesus calls us to do. Try.
Lastly we want to thank everyone who gave so generously with the Offering that was taken to support the rebuilding and caring efforts of our Vineyard Himalayas family in Nepal. $10,263- given. These funds will be administered by Vineyard Canada who have a great working relationship with the National Directors & Team of Vineyard in Nepal. Thank you Vineyard Australia.
Much love and gratitude,
Kirk & Nichole Delaney
National Directors, Vineyard Churches Australia
