Fresh Wineskins: A Challenge for Continuing Education

It has been about a month since my last blog post, which saddens me greatly.  But, it does mean that I have been busy fulfilling this great calling to ministry in other ways! What I have been thinking about a great deal, and recommitting my efforts to, is that of Continuing Education.

³⁶ Jesus also told them a parable: ‘No one tears a piece from a new garment and sews it on an old garment; otherwise the new will be torn, and the piece from the new will not match the old. ³⁷And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the new wine will burst the skins and will be spilled, and the skins will be destroyed. ³⁸But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins. ³⁹” ’
^* --Luke 5:36-38

In the passage referenced above, Jesus declares that the kingdom he is ushering in is greater than any other before it.  What Christ was teaching was brand new, it was radical.  Jesus' ministry and teachings are built upon the foundations created by the prophets that came before him but his teachings cannot, and will not, conform to the traditional patterns of the law and piety that have previously occurred. 

In Jesus' time, goatskins were used to hold wine.  As fresh grape juice was fermented within the skins, the wine would expand and thus the new wineskin, which was pliable, would stretch.  However, a used wineskin, that had already been stretched would break.  A challenge for us as Christians, particularly when it comes to congregational life, is to be ready for new skins and new wine.  We love our traditions, familiarity and comfort are paramount.  Thus, we often fight to preserve our old wineskins.  You might argue that aged wines are more delectable than new wines.  Fair enough.  But, what happens when you've used up all of your portion?  What happens when the supply from which you draw becomes soured over time?  You cannot simply begin to pour all of your new wine into the vessels as they currently sit.  No, you must be at the ready with new skins to accommodate the new wine. 

An important commitment for leaders in ministry--whether for pastors, educators, youth directors, chaplains, elders, deacons-- is continuing education.  In the same way that you would want your physician to be up to date on the most current medical procedures, you want your spiritual leaders to be open to deeper study of the Scriptures and learning new ways to engage in ministry.   I like to think that as church leaders, our time spent in Continuing Education--whether away at a conference, or reading the books in our libraries--helps us to let go of the old and be remolded into new wineskins.  It renews our spirits and refreshes us that we might be vessels of Christ's good news! The education that we receive is then fermented into nourishment for those around us who thirst in their lives. 

I can certainly do a better job of engaging in continuing education.  It is difficult for me to travel very far for a long period of time and leave my young family behind. But I can certainly continue to read and share in thoughtful dialogue with my peers.   Because you see, I find that we can never know all there is to know about God.  So, lifelong learning is a really important part of being a Christian.  I desire for my congregation to embrace this truth.  I hope each of them will engage learning more about our faith in a way that is meaningful to their spiritual journey.  As I ask this of them, I commit to doing the same.    I don't want to become old and stale.  The present culture in which we reside demands that we open ourselves up to new experiences. I don't want to break under the pressures of a changing world, I want to be strong enough to stretch and grow with it. I want that for my faith. I want that for my Church.  I want to take every opportunity presented to me to experience the new things God is doing in my life, my community, and the world.  What about you?