Kenn Gulliksen: The Beginnings of the Vineyard | legacy - GARDENS OF HOPE

«Legacy - Gardens of Hope» - the story continues...
We want to find out, what Christian communities of the future look like. With our gaze pointed forward we include experiences from the past 40 years into these thoughts as a legacy. For that we have asked longstanding leaders to share their valuable experiences with us. You will find their video contributions released every two weeks in our series LEGACY.
"Kenn and Joanie Gulliksen are the founders of the five first Vineyards. They led people like Larry Norman, Bob Dylan, Keith Green and many more well-known artists to faith. Later on Kenn and Joanne passed the leadership of the Vineyard movement on to John and Carol Wimber. Kenn was my personal mentor for two years. He called me on the phone every week and supported me in building the Basileia Bern which would later be called Vineyard Bern, Switzerland. Kenn and Joanie are synonymous with the spontaneous working of the Holy Spirit. Their biggest desire is for the powerful ministry of the Holy Spirit to constantly repeat."
Martin Bühlmann

[@kathyg1754]

I just watched this today which is two years later. I was baptized by Ken in early 70’s in the Ocean at Corona Del Mar. I was only 19 or twenty years old. I attended Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa. Ken was my favorite pastor. I now live in Oceanside Ca and visit Grace Vineyard here now and then. I’m Catholic now but enjoy going there because of the friendliness and acceptance that Ken talked about. God bless you. I enjoyed this video. Come quickly Lord Jesus!

[@jillstanclift9664]

I was one of those 'regular people' who came to the friday night concerts at the church in the valley in the mid 70's, week after week after week, because I loved the music. I loved singing the songs with whichever artist was leading. As the months went by, I realized I could no longer sing the words ' when I get to heaven gonna walk with Jesus, when I get to heaven gonna see His face' as I wasn't a believer so certainly wasn't gonna 'get to heaven' - so I just changed the words to 'IF I get to heaven......' so I wasn't a hypocrite. I started going to Brent and Happy's home church and asked tons of questions and read the new testement while I was riding the 'extra car' (aka the bus!), and finally told God if He was really real, to show me, and I would serve Him all my days. And He did. I RAN down front to accept Jesus as my Lord when the alter call finally came the next friday night. And 46 years later I am still so grateful that God called me into His family. Soon we were meeting on the Santa Monica beach at Life Guard Station 15 and I was one of those that was baptized in the ocean. GREAT MEMORIES that fill my heart with gratefulness!!! Thank you Kenn Gulliksen for your faithfulness to follow the calling God put on your life and to preach His Word and bring so many of us into the kingdom- including me. What a treasure to stumble upon this video tonight and hear how the Vineyard started. I am so grateful my friend Esther invited me to go to the concerts so long ago and that I encountered Jesus through your ministry. God BLESS YOU and Joni!

[@irondawson]

Kenn, nothing has impacted my life more then my time at the Vineyard,Thanks Kenn!

[@pcease]

The most humble and down to earth brother in Christ I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. Why did God use him? Because he was AVAILABLE.

[@matthiaskarcher1040]

Thank, Ken Gulliksen, for this insight. Thank you for your dedication, humility and example. God has blessed faithfulness over the many years. It is a privilege to continue to run this race. With love for God and neighbor at the core of what you do. Really strong! God bless you!

[@margaretperrin7845]

Kenn. will always and forever be "my pastor", as I have proclaimed fondly over the past 50 years many times, as absolutely no one could ever fill his shoes, save Jesus of course! He spoiled so many of us with the incredible true love of Jesus. I will lbe singing and rejoicing the loudest, when we all reunite in heaven grated once again together in His love with and for one another who were so blessed by this humble servant of God. All my love Kenn...Peggy

[@bealivingmiracle]

I hope that Kenn continues sharing the legacy of the Vineyard and include when John Wimber joined in ministry.

[@lysa6377]

Kenn, thank you for your faithfulness. I so loved your sharing the roots of our history. You and Joni are like a paintbrush in the hand of God expressing his beauty and his love to a lost world, creating, modeling and showing leadership. You have blessed and given room to so many leaders in the faith. Thank you.

[@patriciavantine9010]

I used to attend your Friday Study at Calvary and have been so blessed by what God did and continues to do through you!! I know it's all Jesus, but thank you Kenn for being an open and willing vessel!!

[@kenngulliksen1572]

Thank you so very much! I'm blessed that God used me - greatest joy of my life! Blessings - Kenn

[@dennykepler2879]

This is a 100% accurate explanation about the birth of the Vineyard...! I went to the School of Discipleship in Reseda ( of all places ). Bob Dylan and I became good friends there. He had already recorded "Slow Train", but he was really seeking his Jewish roots and wanted to release another Christian album, and asked me to show him at the School Store every album, in my opinion, that was the "best of the best" Contemporary Christian Music: Each & every cassette that I recommended he grabbed ( ie. The Second Chapter of Acts, Phil Keaggy, etc. ) and he literally walked out of that store with a couple dozen different cassettes !!! We kept in contact for a good year or so afterwards. He invited me & my wife Kathleen over to his office on Main St in Santa Monica. We talked music, about his girlfriend, Mary Alice, & the Spiritual opposition that Stevie Nicks & Tom Petty had against his conversion... How pleased was I to hear a doctrinally sound, high-powered, unfiltered album, "Saved" come out just a few months after my fun encounter with Bob @ The Vineyard School of Discipleship bookstore in Reseda, California !!!!

[@692MOM]

Hi Denny, thanks for your comment about Bob.

[@trentoo9404]

Wonderful to hear Denny. As a young teenager growing up in Wagga Wagga Australia who was a Dylan fan his conversion helped me open up to considering Christianity more- six years later I would be born again and now forty years later it’s the most life transforming eternal decision I’ve ever made.

[@JeffMcLain]

Thank you Kenn for this history, and a blessing.

[@dennykepler2879]

I remember being at the "Valley Vineyard" with Bill Dwyer & Paul Emond, who Kenn entrusted to continue the Lord's work as he ( Kenn ) focused more on West LA... "It was not a "split" when the Vineyard went initially from one primary meeting place to two..." No, it was a "multiplication" was the official ( and accurate ) word !!! And the Valley Vineyard is still going strong today !!! R.I.P. to Keith Green who's "Last Day's Ministry" began at the Valley Vineyard... Thank You Lord Jesus for the vision and ministry that you started through your vessel Kenn & Joannie Gullickson !!!!

[@trentoo9404]

Wonderful testimony and glorious history of Gods revival moves- God bless you Brother Ken

[@irondawson]

I attended Friday night I think on Bundy.I also attended the first Discipleship school, and the Sunday beech.ministry,Sunday night Church in the Valley.Portola Jr High school on Sunday Mornings.I also attended Brent Rue services in Lancaster It goes on. Since then I was a missionery in Mexico for 8 years

[@pilotblueca007]

God bless you

[@billmorrow1378]

Awesome video Ken! You and I were a lot younger but no where near as good looking as we are now. 😂 Gods richest blessing on you and Joanie.

[@lynneeify]

I have treasured every word !

[@donaldwaller445]

Donald Waller Kenn, I believe it was on September 12, 1981 I got a phone call to "come to church tomorrow." Next day, at Emerson, because of your love, I heard from your lips how much Jesus loves me. It was all over - fahgetabboudit. Almost exact 20 yrs. before 9-11. I met my wife there, at Pontius at Tennessee. Last year, almost 20 yrs. after 9-11, we escaped from NYC. I got that wife to within 4 blocks of another Vineyard in Tyler, Texas. But I lost her to the "River". So - Kenn: Your words for Him have changed lives for eternity. Thank you 3 times. (Now: the tears.)

[@kenngulliksen1572]

Overwhelmed by your generous words! And deeply touched. Thank you for your kind memories!

[@CrosswayVineyard]

Thank you for sharing this, blessings from Vineyard family in central Ohio! 🙂

[@prayerforceone]

Thank you, brother! Encouraging message. God bless you for your faithfulness. I used to pastor a Vineyard church in Rochester NY.

[@taproot6225]

Wonderful God given story of a magnificent work of God to the whole of the church. Maybe the mother church can be taken back from the demonic thief at the mother vineyard where John Wimber et el taught us all about the various ways the Holy Spirit enjoys moving with us. fight back & take what belongs to God and the Vineyard.

[@jms4406]

Kenn, Thank you for sharing your stories...they were encouraging to me. I became a Christian at 16yrs old in a juvenile detention center, and I remember first seeing you on the keith green documentary that came with a cd I got. I became a nurse eventually after painting houses for several years. As a nurse I worked hospice as an on call night crisis nurse that would go out to the homes and manage peoples pain and family crises. Needless to say I saw lots of death. Internally I longed to see the power of god and I was constantly looking, but discouraged. Eventually I got worn out and ended up on 3 heart medications and antidepressants felt entirely alone. I became agnostic after seeing a 4 yo die of a glioblastoma. Eventually after changing jobs to inpatient hospice I was able to lose 45 lbs and get off all meds. I've worked as an ICU nurse now for that last 5 yrs I worked through the pandemic as our unit became a covid ICU. Many died, but my cousin who almost died on our unit of covid was healed...and shockingly I was the agnostic that hugged and cried with him while he was laying in his hospital bed. I was only allowed in their because I was working on that unit that night. I didnt even pray for his healing but others were my uncle is a pastor. I just told him I loved him maybe I was their prayer conduit or something. This made me interested in god again as I could barely listen to anything about god up to this time. I tried very hard to figure it all out, but ended up mentally exhausted and disillusioned. Prior to my cousin being healed I ended up pursuing astral projection thinking it would be fun and a good stress reliever. Ended up having a deceased person talk to me and ask me to give his mom a message. Thought nothing of it until I crossed paths with her on his birthday without knowing his birthday in advance. This experience both scared and surprised me as I had been not believing anything was there. Anyway I figured you probably dealt with people mentioning these experiences back in the day. I still long for god everyday. Take care kenn..Jimmy

[@valeriealmaguer4747]

Are u willing to buy a Bible at Walmart? Beautiful Bibles for 21 dollars soft brown cover, large print, New King James Version. Read everyday commit to 30 minutes daily ask Jesus to help u accomplish this ask God to fill your heart w Love for Jesus, ask to be filled w Gods spirit (Holy Spirit) pray for Jesus to make himself real in yr life. Sin no more ask Jesus to help U.

[@zerosparky9510]

Saw Kenn one time in Sept 1988. God Bless

[@SteBros]

Thank you Kenn for sharing and praying for me. I’m blessed, enthused and invigorated. I haven’t known much about the vineyard, how powerfully God has moved. It reminds me of my younger days newly filled and overflowing with Agape love, my Saviour and God Jesus Christ. I looked for your phone number because I wanted so much to talk to personally. I couldn’t find it so this comment will have to do for now. God bless you.

[@TonyValdez-ru2kf]

This is a brief synopsis and history of the Vineyard movement by this humble and distinguished gentleman and father and humble disciple of the Way...

[@janselbrede7602]

Great! -Jan Selbrede

[@gardenreel]

Great👌

[@kenngulliksen1572]

Yes, He is! Thankyou for your reply!

[@klausbisch4878]

Super super

[@kenngulliksen1572]

How very kind, Klaus -thank you so much! Blessings as you enjoy Jesus! Kenn

[@klausbisch4878]

@@kenngulliksen1572 hello kenn Thanks for your Response, bless you Jesus