Vineyard affirms that humanity is fallen, spiritually alienated from God, and unable to save itself. Original sin has corrupted human nature, resulting in a universal bent toward sin and rebellion. All people need the redemption that God offers in Christ. This is a standard evangelical affirmation and is not a distinctive of Vineyard's teaching.

In Vineyard's pastoral framework, the brokenness of human beings — emotional, relational, and spiritual — is taken seriously, and the Spirit's ministry of healing and transformation addresses this multi-dimensional brokenness. The expectation of inner healing, a significant Vineyard ministry emphasis, flows from a realistic assessment of how deeply sin and its consequences affect human persons.