We returned yesterday from our week in Bournemouth at the UK Vineyard National Leaders' Conference. It was a great time. I've come away with a much clearer idea of my future direction. I'll blog some more soon, but for now something Andrew Jones said in this months Next Wave magazine that really struck me. It's on the issue of how 'established' Churches approach alternative ways of doing church:

"You should keep your church intact, but allow new structures to arise. Preserve the old wineskins, since they are keeping the old wine mature and that pleases God. If your people like church the way it is, let them have it. You can never catch up to emerging culture, and trying to transition all the way will spill too much wine. So why bother? Much better to allow the next generation to create new structures that make sense to them. You want life and growth, and they want freedom to spend their energy on the things of God. So send them out with your blessing to chase the Kingdom and support it. They understand the new scene more than you, so bless them and cover their backs." [read more]