Image via WikipediaThe following is a quote from Brian McLaren from a collection of essays entitled Ancient Faith, Future Mission (Canterbury Press, 2009).  In the essay, there is this interpretation of the stewardship of the "wine" with which we've been entrusted through our use of "wineskins."

“If we believe that the fresh wine of the gospel is ever fresh, then we will realize that every wineskin is destined to serve for a while and then be discarded for the sake of the wine. When the old container grows rigid and inflexible, what are the church leaders to do? They have three options I believe.

1. Wait until it’s too late. Wait until the wineskin ruptures and the wine is lost. 

2. Throw out the old wineskin when it’s too early. If we discard the old wineskin before we have a new one in place, ready to receive the wine of the gospel, the wine will be likewise lost. 

3. Develop the new wineskin while the old wineskin is still working, so that the wine may be transferred before the old wineskins burst.”

My friend (like "actual" friend and not just someone I've heard about) Jon Disburg has a great blog post about this quote and United Methodism on his blog.