The Network is an international group of churches known for planting new churches by recruiting college men, training and developing them into leaders within the group.Nicholas Gutteridge,

History The Network was started by Steve Morgan in 1995 when he established Vineyard Community Church in Carbondale, Illinois.Darlene (Dee) Parsons, Morgan and 50 members of his Carbondale congregation moved to Seattle in 2004 to found Blue Sky Church.Les O'dell,

In 2006, Steve Morgan removed Blue Sky Church from the Vineyard Association alongside several midwest Vineyard churches to officially birth the Network as an international group of churches focused on planting new churches, and the Carbondale Vineyard was renamed to Vine Church.Marissa Meador,Warren Cole Smith,

Network Churches within the United States Year founded Church City State Left Network1995Vine ChurchCarbondaleIllinois2002Foundation ChurchBloomington-NormalIllinois2004Blue Sky ChurchBellevueWashington2006Clear River ChurchLafayetteIndiana2008High Rock ChurchBloomingtonIndiana2011Brookfield ChurchAthensOhio2012Hills ChurchPullmanWashington2013Rock Hills ChurchBowling GreenKentuckyCedar Heights ChurchState CollegePennsylvania2015Oaks ChurchMuncieIndianaSummit Creek ChurchEugeneOregonValley Springs ChurchCorvallisOregon2016Vista ChurchSan Luis ObispoCaliforniaVida Springs ChurchGainesvilleFloridaNorth Pines ChurchKalamazooMichigan2017Christland ChurchCollege StationTexasJoshua ChurchAustinTexas2018Rock River ChurchSan MarcosTexasBright Field ChurchDekalbIllinois2019South Grove ChurchAthensGeorgiaHosea ChurchRaleighNorth CarolinaMountain Heights ChurchMorgantownWest Virginia2020Ascent ChurchBlacksburgVirginia2021Isaiah ChurchMadisonWisconsin

Network Churches outside the United States Church Church Year founded Country2018Roots ChurchTaipeiTaiwan2022Stoneway ChurchReading, BerkshireUnited Kingdom

Controversy Criticisms against the Network include their college recruitment practices, teachings on the role of women, dismissal of claims of abuse, and the authoritarian leadership style as reported by former members.

Also, the qualifications of Steve Morgan, the Network founder, as a pastor have been questioned because of his arrest in 1987 for an alleged sexual crime.Josh Shepherd, The Former Vineyard officials who knew Steve Morgan during his ordination into the Vineyard association have issued statements denying knowledge of his arrest.

See also Association of Vineyard Churches

References