Affirms
No prohibition; prayer for healing and medicine are complementary
Vineyard has no prohibition on blood transfusions or any other standard medical care. The movement's emphasis on divine healing is understood as complementary to medicine, not a replacement for it. Wimber himself affirmed the use of medicine and sought medical treatment personally. Vineyard trains its members to pray for healing while also encouraging them to pursue appropriate medical care.
Vineyard explicitly distances itself from Word of Faith teaching that views seeking medical care as a lack of faith. The movement holds that God heals both directly (miraculously) and through the instruments of medicine and doctors, both of which are gifts of God's providence.
Key Distinctions
- Official position:
- permitted — no religious prohibition on blood transfusions
- Scriptural basis:
- Acts 15:29 understood as dietary rule, not medical; love of neighbour supports medical care
Scripture References
Sources
- Vineyard USA Statement of Faith
- John Wimber, Power Healing