Church Life

Rick Warren: ‘You Can’t Put New Wine in Old Wineskins’

Denomination’s most prominent pastor on Bob Reccord’s resignation.

Christianity Today April 26, 2006

I don’t know all the details or reasons for reactions to Bob’s leadership, but, regardless, I do know this: You can’t put new wine in old wineskins. When you try to do that, the skin bursts, and somebody gets blamed. The sad symptoms we see in so many Christian organizations, churches, and denominations today are caused by a number of theological, cultural, and structural problems that are deeper than just personality issues. The causes are both systemic and endemic, and should surprise no one who has been watching the past 25 years. We will either have another genuine Reformation, or the American church will eventually go the way of Europe. Nothing less will solve the problem, so I’m praying and working as hard as I can for the first option.

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