Search for a Spiritual Home (Part 1)

 


In Mark 2:18-22 Jesus's speaks of putting new wine in old wineskin, but what about old wine into new wineskins? What happens? Nothing? And that was the impression I got when I visited a church last Sunday whilst looking for a new spiritual home. The church gave the impression via its social media that it was upbeat, modern, and progressive and that impression stayed with me when I entered and took my place in the pews. That impression evaporated as soon as the service began: everyone, apart from the visiting speaker but including the pastor, mumbled to the point they might as well have spoken Klingon; there were numerous sound issues and the words of songs projected onto a screen were left behind by the actual singing in spite of having 3 people behind a well appointed AV desk; the worship group itself was extremely well appointed and was replete with backing singers yet they played a monotonous dirge whilst the drummer tap, tap, tapped on the edge of a drum, and the worship leader mumbled his instructions. The "kids section" on prayer was circa 1990's with 10 minutes of instructions, 5 minutes of running around, and 30 seconds (I kid you not) spent in prayer. 

I reflected as I stood there trying to keep up with the songs and thought, "what do you call a church trying to be New Wine-esque and failing?" Old Wine of course. 

So what happens if you put old wine into new wineskin? Nothing of course. 

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