This interview with Carol Wimber was done by Christy Wimber in June 2002 and is reprinted from Doin' the Stuff with the permission of Christy Wimber. 

I asked Carol a few personal questions regarding the beginnings of the Vineyard Movement as well as some insight into daily Christian living and the great things she been able to be a part of in her lifetime…this is what she had to say….

Q: Why do you think it was that God chose you & John to lead the Vineyard?

Carol: I think the way it goes is this: God is going to do this wonderful thing…do we want a piece of the action? He starts by pouring out His Spirit and he invites us in. Why He chose John and I to lead? I haven’t got a clue. 

I can think of twenty reasons why He should have chosen some people more qualified, but when I try and figure out what qualities in us made us eligible; I come to a dead halt. I do believe the Lord would have started it all 14 years sooner than He did if I didn’t ‘quench’ the whole thing…but that’s another story.

Q: What do you think is the primary importance of fellowship amongst believers?

Carol: We are the CHURCH! Jesus inhabits His CHURCH! He gives gifts to His CHURCH! He’s coming back for His CHURCH! Living the Christian life is not a solo flight. We need, we desperately need, one another. We are one body and we are connected to one another for eternity. If my hand is in trouble my whole body hurts…

The way that God chose to grow us up is in the midst of our fellowship with one another. He places us in a group and we must decide to love and commit ourselves to that group. We consider them family…brothers and sisters- the good, the bad and the ugly. They are a part of us and we are a part of them. We are all “fellows in the same ship”. If we saw the body correctly we surely would pray with more integrity for the family.

Q: What did John mean by “Doin’ the Stuff?”

Carol: Doing the things that Jesus did and continues doing…Preaching the good news, healing the sick, casting out demons, feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, and raising the dead. Loving what Jesus loves, loving the whole entire church.

Q: What does worship mean to us in the Vineyard?

Carol: It seems to me that worship is a Christian’s natural response to our Creator and Savior. It is what Jesus gets out of this whole thing. Everything else is for us. He gives us everything and we give Him the worship due His name. Worship is a means of grace that He gives us to nourish our soul and spirit. Without worship we would dry up and starve to death.

When we worship, illusion fades and our attention is on Jesus. Spiritually we are lifted to that perfect reality where Jesus is the center of history, time and eternity and all of us in heaven and earth are together acknowledging his Lordship. Like in Revelation; the angels, the four beasts, the elders, the martyrs, those Old Testament dudes, and the ones we love already with Him and US! It’s the ultimate party!

Q: What do you believe are some key elements in growing up in Christ?

Carol: An understanding that this present world is just a journey we are making to our real home….So we don’t become entrenched and bogged down with the issues of this world. You know…”the lust of the eyes, the pride of life, ambition, glory, wealth, beauty, praise, youth, possessions and success". You can save yourself a lot of grief just remembering that you are just ‘passing through’. This world is just a getting ready place. Live your life for an audience of one, remembering that nothing else matters but what He thinks, and then…. act accordingly. You’ll know the process has started when you quit blaming others for your situation and begin to take responsibility for yourself. And in no time at all you’ll find yourself all grown up.

Q: In this stage in your life, when you look back, what do you think has been one of the best investments you have made?

Carol: Being real with the kids. Putting the religious bag aside and praying for them with my whole heart and soul. Telling them the truth. Repenting to God and to them when I spilled my anger out on them. Knowing I don’t have to be right all the time. Loving who they are and not holding them to who I thought they should be. Love is always the best investment any of us can make in a life.

Also, giving my time. Time I spent and spend with the kids and grandkids I know is a growing investment. The times I really listened to them…when I heard what they were saying. The times I refused to be distracted by anything else and it was just us together…this child and me. A lot of good eternal ‘stuff’ was and is transferred to them in these/those times.

Q: What would you say to a new pastor and his wife planting their first church? What advice would you give to encourage them?

Carol: Hmmmmmm…By the time you go out to plant a church, obedience to the Lord should be a habit and the church plant is just one more step on the path He is taking you down (or up). The big deal in our lives, John & I, was when we surrendered our lives to Jesus with the understanding that He would use us any way He saw fit. John used to say we were just “change in His pocket, and He could spend us any way He wanted to.”

We were blessed, excited and scared when He had us sell our house and move to Yorba Linda. We were very scared and blessed only by faith when the Lord had John quit his life career. We were surprised and greatly blessed when our family and friends came to the Lord and Bible studies started. We were suspicious but blessed and obedient when John was asked to join the staff at the church. John used to say, “The way on, is the way in”…nothing changes. The pattern is the same. Keep doing the things you have done. If He called you, then He will do through you whatever He pleases…. Planting a church, or leading a child to Jesus, speaking to thousands or taking care of the babies. It’s all the same to the Lord, and it’s His call.