Mark 2 / July 24 - mixing the old with the new...

Okay, so by now you’ve noticed the completely different layout of the site and you’ve probably also noticed that everything I have put on the blog in the last 18 months is gone. I lost it all today, but a little work and 3 hours later and I have a new blog host and layout.
In Mark 2 I want to draw your attention to verses 21 and 22.
I have lived out the truth of this passage.
I remember going to a workshop while attending the Preaching and Teaching Convention at Ozark Christian College in Joplin Mo. I went to the seminar because the guy leading it was an instructor at Boise Bible College where I had attended several years before.
The workshop was about the future of the church, where it was going and how we as leaders and pastors could prepare for what changes lie ahead. I recall distinctively that he said, any church older than 50 years was going to die in the coming years unless it went through a major overhaul of leadership and in all cases (or maybe most) the church would have to close and reopen under a new name, new leaders and maybe even a new building, if it wanted to survive.
I remember this so vividly because the church I was preaching in was over 130 years old and we were doing an incredible job of reaching new people for Christ and were drastically changing the image of the church in the community, at least among some. So, I went up and told the workshop leader about this church and how well it was doing and the leadership and everything and I basically got a, “that’s nice, but it won’t continue-in the end it won’t work, it can’t.” I left that workshop very frustrated with this man.
About 4 years later I resigned and I am afraid that his words may ultimately ring true.
You see, I was trying to outwit Mark 2:21,22. I was trying to infuse the old (traditional) wineskins with fresh new wine and while it lasted for awhile, while we were filling them up, when the new began to ferment the wine skin couldn’t hold it. It wasn’t the older folks fault. It was mine. I tried to do what couldn’t be done. What Jesus said, couldn’t be done. When I left that church and began to seek God in regards to my future this passage really hit home.
I was met with the decision. Do I try to go into an older established church and try to do what I believe God has called me to do as a preacher? Or do I get a new wineskin to put the new wine in? Ultimately (and obviously) it was a new wineskin for new wine. And what I learned was that it isn’t pouring new wine into old wineskins that is the problem, you can pour lots in there and it holds, it is when that new wine (or the new people-if you are following the metaphor) begins to ferment, to stretch, to try their wings and get comfortable that you begin to have the big problems.
In the end it was better for the kingdom for me to leave and find new wineskins. And guess, what! You are the new wineskins (not that you are a bunch of drunks!) you are the ones who will begin to test your wings and mix together and ferment in the faith. Together we get to become a drink offering to the Lord.
So how do we keep from becoming old wineskins? There are a few tricks. We keep looking for ways and means to expand, to push ourselves to get out of our churchy comfort zone and engage the world around us. And, just like one of our core values says, we remain always willing to try anything and risk everything to win anyone with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
I hope you are willing to ferment with me for God!
(boy that was a strange one!)