1) Why Is Vintage Called “Vintage”?!

Vintage has two layers of meaning, both holding deep significance for us. First, if something is termed “vintage” today, it’s seen as both old & new, possessing contemporary appeal as well as treasured timelessness…so too, we believe, is the necessity to present the unchanging truths of Jesus in ways that translate into our culture today.  Second, vintage means “of the vine,” so our name is a constant reminder that all growth, ministry, success, & life we experience as a church have – at their source – Jesus at the center, Who said of Himself; “I am the vine, you are the branches. Apart from me, you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)

2) Is Vintage Affiliated With Any Particular Denomination?!

Vintage was planted by a non-denominational Church called Heartland.k10 in Olathe, KS in 2004. When we launched out on our own &  took on the name Vintage Church we looked extensively at aligning with several denominations & missions groups. Eventually, though, we opted to remain non-denominational, as we felt it was the best expression of who we are as a community.  We are convinced this was the best way for us to accomplish our mission in Lawrence…

3) What is Vintage’s Leadership Structure?!

We acknowledge that the Head of Vintage Church is Jesus Christ. From a human perspective, we are led by our Steering Team (“Elders” in church language) of which our Pastors serve as chairmen of the board. Additionally, we have many gifted members who serve on our Leadership Team (“Deacons” in church language) who run the day-to-day ministries & lead all the groups & teams in our Church. In the unlikely event that Vintage encounters significant issues at the Steering Team level, we have a group of Overseers (“Bishops” in church language), consisting of a team of seasoned, regional pastors who have outside authority to navigate us through any internal situations that might arise.

4) Why Does Vintage Meet @ 5:30pm Instead of The Morning?!

Vintage began as the Lawrence branch of a multiple-site church called Heartland.k10. At our inception, we existed as one Church in two locations &  combined our resources by doing one service in Olathe on Sunday mornings & bringing the same service (teaching, music & programmed elements) to Lawrence on Sunday nights.  What we quickly realized was that, at least for us, Sunday evenings seemed to be the most strategic time to host our weekly worship gatherings, for a number of reasons: students are out late on Saturday nights & like to sleep in on Sundays; families are forced to juggle weekend commitments like athletics & often go on weekend trips; rental facilities are more available on Sunday evenings than in the mornings. To answer succinctly, though, we began evening services by necessity, but we now meet Sunday nights @ 5:30pm @ Central Junior High School by choice & we love it!

5) Why Does Vintage Meet @ Central Junior High-School?!

(i.e. “When Will Vintage ‘Grow Up’ & Get Its Own Building?!”)

We’re so glad you asked! For starters, we have no idea when we’ll have a permanent facility, & to be honest, we’re not sure we want one. Why? Because being @ Central helps us see that the Church is people, not a building, & we’re fortunate to continually be reminded of this reality. Additionally, @ Central gives us a front-row seat into what it looks like to serve the community of Lawrence itself. We have the unique ability to be a missional community in Lawrence by being Christ’s representatives to the students, teachers & administration of Central, & through this, to potentially change people’s opinions of Jesus & the church in our city. Finally, Vintage is a young church that thrives on putting our limited resources (time/talent/treasure) towards real-life ministry instead of pouring it into bricks & mortar. While we can’t say we’ll never own our own building, we can say that we’re perfectly content @ Central Junior High School. (You can, however, feel free to stop by the Vintage offices located @ 600 Lawrence Avenue Suite E1 to visit us in the rented office space we share with two other friendly tenants!)

6) Is Vintage an “Emerging” or “Emergent” Church?

We understand that, because of our music, dress, & the mix of both old & new traditions we exhibit in our Sunday Night Services, some have labeled us as an “emerging” or “emergent” church. Since these terms are next-to-impossible to define, we like to define ourselves as follows: We are wholeheartedly committed to the belief that our church must be a missional community in Lawrence & will do everything in our power – under the guidance & power of the Holy Spirit – to reach, love & transform our increasingly secular, post-modern & post-Christian culture for Christ, while at the same time maintaining the purity of the orthodox Christian faith in belief & practice. For further clarification, please see the Beliefs page…