Vinia FAQs

Vinia FAQs

1. What is Vinia?

Vinia is a diverse family of leaders and churches on mission together to engage, develop, and empower leaders who bear lasting fruit for kingdom movement.

At our core, we are committed to abiding in the Vine, bearing much fruit, and the kingdom of God. We believe that leadership begins with the transforming work that God is doing in us before anything else. Our being precedes are doing! We realize that apart from God, we can do nothing!

Vinia leaders include young adults who are learning to lead more confidently, and seasoned ministers who are continuing to strengthen their leadership. Confident leadership flows out of our character (heart), convictions (head), and competency (hands).

Fruitfulness is the result of our connectedness spiritually to God, personally to our family, friends, and neighbors, and professionally to the leaders and team around us. We lead in any opportunity with internal clarity – knowing who we are, why we are here, and where we are going. Every Vinia leader has a clear sense of personal calling and a written life impact plan which focus our life.

Organizationally, we belong to the Missionary Church and have been around for over one hundred years. Our churches and ministries share in a common statement of faith and practice, and together we support and strengthen one another. We embrace seven tools that grow our leadership confidence and leaders around us.

2. Why and how did we come to change our name?

For nearly one hundred years, we were called the Western District of the Missionary Church. (Technically, we became the Western Region about fifteen years ago.) Most often we’ve been known as MCWD, or the “Western District.”

A few years ago, we started our second century. Our Strat Ops Team recognized that God was calling us to impact and influence thousands of leaders, extending beyond our geographic identity as the “Western Region.” We believed that we needed a name that reflected who we are as a diverse family of leaders and churches on mission together—something more than a geographic label.

We explored dozens of names that might reflect our identity. We focused our attention primarily around the passage in John 15 where Jesus describes Himself as the Vine and we are the branches abiding in Him. Our Executive Director investigated many names that were rooted in this metaphor of the Vine—and we came to embrace the name Vinia. For our leaders and churches, Vinia provides a picture that encompasses our commitment to abiding in the Vine and bearing lasting fruit.

3. Are we still part of the Missionary Church?

We most certainly belong to the Missionary Church. This will not change. We are deeply connected to both its history and vision.

4. How does VINIA support and strengthen me as a leader?

  • COACHING: Working with a VINIA Coach – you will find greater focus and clarity after your first session. And you will accelerate your progress toward your goals after just 90 days. Start with a coach today!
  • CHURCH LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE: Enrolling in a CLI course. Increase your ability to lead with biblical convictions. Gain a deeper understanding of God’s truth. We offer classes online with other leaders and on demand so you can learn at your own pace. Sign up today.
  • VINIA LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE: Registering for our VINIA Conference on May 24-25, 2022 at Living Oaks Church. It’s a great way to connect with other Vinia leaders, strengthen your skills, and clarify your focus. Why not bring your leaders with you to help them grow too?
  • WORKSHOPS: Accessing VINIA Workshops to grow your skills as a leader. Our Coaching Workshop will improve your skills at listening and asking questions and so much more. These three days will impact your ministry for the rest of your life. We also offer one-day workshops and online workshops to raise your leadership capacity – and the skills of your leadership team. Schedule a call to learn more.
  • COHORTS: Investing in your friendships in 2022. You need friends who will strengthen and sharpen you to live out your calling. Start or join a VINIA Cohort in 2022 and deepen friendships that will last the rest of your life.
  • FARM SYSTEMS: Building your Farm Systems. By improving your disciplemaking engine and leadership trellis – you will always have enough disciplemaking leaders in your church or organization. VINIA will help you establish a reproducing process to double or triple the leaders around you.
  • LIFE PLAN: Writing your Life Impact Plan. Imagine what might happen as you regularly reviewed your 10-year plan and took action each week (or even daily) to achieve it.  And what if all the leaders on your team had the clarity they needed to fully live out their calling? We will take you through a 2-day or 8-week process to write down your dreams and personal goals, and help you pursue them.