“And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and the wine is lost, and so are the skins; but one puts new wine into fresh wineskins.”
- Mark 2:22
An old, and oft-repeated, cliché says, “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over, and expecting different results.” That would be much funnier if it weren’t so true – especially in the church. Whether it’s style of worship, the music in worship, or whether it’s the long-cherished traditions tightly to which we cling, the church at times has been drug kicking and screaming. Why, one can almost see the heel marks in the ground!
And change? Generally, we don’t like that! When asked what a great truth I learned in seminary was, after a bit of thought I said that the greatest truth I learned is that what is normal about life is that it’s abnormal. It’s chaotic and at times seeming to be out of control. Change? Not me! I prefer the comfort of my routine. And then someone (often the pastor, isn’t it?) raises that ugly word. Let the fun begin!
What an interesting way to start a “Pastor’s Corner," you may say. What’s the purpose you may ask? Simply, several weeks ago the Staff-Parish Relations Committee was meeting about the results of the recent questionnaire. The more I listened, the more excited I became. A portion of the conversations revolved around two most essential questions for the church: How do we get more volunteers, and how can we get more people involved.
The above quote from Jesus quickly came to mind. The church, when seeking new ways, often retreats into old ways of doing things, hoping that this time it’ll catch the proverbial lightning in a bottle. Won’t happen, hence the cliché repeated at the beginning. We know this, and yet we still are most reluctant to try new ways, to step out of our comfort zones.
A seminary professor, in talking about the church, said that in the coming millennium (this was in 1994) for the church to be what God has created it to be, it will have to venture out into unknown and uncharted waters. In essence, as she said, it will have to leave the last buoy marker far behind in its rearview mirror. Scary, isn’t it? For most churches, it’s enough to stay near shore. And for some, leaving the ship tied to the dock while keeping the ship in ship-shape order is the work of the kingdom.
So, what’s with all of the above? At the most recent Council meeting, I was asked if I might share some of my thoughts. I said okay. For the next few weeks, I’ll do thought. These are my thoughts and in no way constitute any sort of “this-is-the-way-we-have-to-go” kind of thinking. I write it only as a conversation starter. All I can safely say is that God’s call and claim on us as the church of Jesus Christ continues. We have to decide what that means for us. I welcome your thoughts and conversation. See you on the journey.
Grace and peace,
Mike
September 7, 2014