Full Interview: Melody Winderweedle

Full Interview: Melody Winderweedle

From Spoiled Fruit: Faith & Power by John Williamson

August 18, 2025 · 1h 18m

About this episode

Melody Winderweedle discusses her removal from church leadership for advocating integrity and inclusion amidst a scandal.

Episode Summary: In this powerful and unfiltered conversation, former Vineyard pastor Melody Winderweedle shares her story of being quietly removed from leadership—not for misconduct, but for daring to lead with integrity, inclusion, and pastoral care. In the wake of a high-profile abuse scandal, Melody pushed for transparency, advocated for LGBTQ inclusion, and called out systems of control and exclusion. The response? Silence. Retaliation. And a door quietly closed behind her. Her story is not unique—but it is rarely told so publicly. This interview is part of a continuing effort to surface the voices that churches like to bury. We also contextualize this episode with recent developments at Duluth Vineyard—including internal concerns about new council appointments, allegations of spiritual coercion, power alignment, and a past relationship involving a minor. Despite public promises to be trauma-informed, the church’s actions suggest a troubling return to platforming loyalty over accountability. Meanwhile, when asked for comment, Vineyard USA National Director Jay Pathak declined to respond—deferring instead to regional leaders. Once again, responsibility is passed down rather…

People in this episode

Guest: Melody Winderweedle

Topics covered

  • leadership
  • integrity
  • inclusion
  • pastoral care
  • transparency
  • LGBTQ inclusion
  • abuse scandal
  • spiritual coercion

Keywords

  • Vineyard
  • Duluth Vineyard
  • Jay Pathak
  • power dynamics
  • accountability

Mentioned in this episode

Places: Vineyard

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