old wineskins or new?

Sometimes I think older generation christians dont actually want younger generation christians coming to their church.

Everything about some churches seems to be always geared for oldies and theres never anything new there, and books are still on bookshelves from 1984, everything looks tired and run down, and there really is just nothing to interest or relevant to anyone who isnt retired. Plus they always do the same things because thats just the way its always done.

Then these churches then kinda complain their numbers are dwindling and wonder why nobody aside from themselves ever visits cos even the floral arrangments are dusty and dead and their garden (if they can be bothered to have one) is full of weeds.

What do you think?

I think as a millennial that might not be the worst thing.

Our faith is a relationship with a person, not a place we go once a week to try to make ourselves acceptable to Him.

which is why people young people now dont even bother going to a church building cos they cant afford the costs of maintaining the church building. When those already attending inevitably ask them to help pay their bills. Who needs those old wineskins, if we try to enter them they would just bust open
since they are so fragile. We could just worship at the beach. Sure theres sand, but at least its free and we dont need to pay to go. And it gets refreshed each day with the tide....

Cant walk on water or even be baptised in some church buildings as its just too much to fit in their schedule. I always thought its such a pity few church gatherings are outside in the summer at least, if they want an open heaven as is prayed for no point putting a roof over people.

an observation

older people insist that everything be the same as when they were young, and see nothing wrong in using something that was well loved and familiar, but younger people, children, cannot relate to everything being old and dusty and stale. They insitinctively go for the new and shiny cos they know its fresh and pure and will work.

When older people insist children use hand me downs, or eat leftovers, children do feel shortchanged.


I often think how God makes all things new. One shouldnt insist we always keep the old. He is into renewal and transformation. He is the God who transfigures and resurrects. He doesnt put a patch on some old tatty pairs of jeans and say its as good as new...He gives us a fresh pair.

I think you need to visit my church. We sing the old songs, and we also sing the new songs, and if anybody complains about music that is not from their generation, they must do it quietly because I don't hear it much.

I would also make the observation that just because something is new does not make it automatically better, and just because something is old does not make it automatically inferior. Of course old doesn't necessarily mean better either... you have to take each on a case-by-case basis.

Yup, that means you actually have to THINK about stuff instead of automatically accepting or rejecting it because it is old or new!

I always wondered to the meaning of that verse. Like I get the literal of “you’re born again so you’re a new man with new spirit,” but I had another thought. It talks about the new wine making the old wine skin break. Could it be trying to do the things people see Christians do, just the forms, without actual salvation isn’t sustainable? The weight of all that works and all that fluff makes the person basically combust?

Just a thought.

yea could be.

Wine represents the Blood, which is Life.

When we come to Jesus in spirit and dtruth we are reborn to a new life……….from here you should understand why the new wine will not keep if we remain in the old wineskin.

interesting thing is when people do become born again they often wont fit into already established churches. I think many of us have had that experience.

when the disciples became born again they were chucked out of the synagogue. Their faith was too radical for the old school.