New Wineskins: Refreshed & Challenged
by John Nuzum
The New Wineskins Conference has a special place in my heart. The Holy Spirit uses the conference to refresh and challenge me.
The worship is top notch, the testimonies are heart rendering, the talks are well done, you get to meet people from all over the world, you make new friends, and the food is not bad either.
We hear first-hand how our brothers and sisters in Christ are being slaughtered in places like Africa, and the American media never mentions it. New Wineskins helps to refocus on what is going on in other parts of the world and encourages me to pray.
This year Pastor Salomon Evens of the Lacroix New Testament Mission, Haiti attended with me, and he was blessed too with a better understanding of what is happening in places like Nigeria and South Sudan. He was blessed being at New Wineskins.
It was a wonderful experience for both of us, and I encourage everyone to attend, especially the clergy of our churches at the next conference three years hence.
The Rev. John Nuzum is the Pastoral Associate at Church of the Holy Spirit, in Leesburg, VA.
by Jim Oakes
To me, the most fun (and inspiring) part of New Wineskins is being able to sit down for a meal or coffee with literally anyone you meet and find a connection. There are so many people out there giving so much for the Gospel of Christ, and it is truly amazing to be able to connect with some of them! I loved the experience!
Jim Oakes is the Past Chair of the Board and Acting Secretary for Five Talents and a member of Church of the Holy Spirit, Leesburg, VA.
by Mark McNickle
I agree with Jim: An amazing part of the New Wineskins culture is that everyone is encouraged to sit down at a table full of strangers and talk with them about how they are involved in ministry. For an introvert like me, it’s important that there’s an implicit permission to barge into a nearly full table of people.
Over the years, I’ve talked to missionaries from Southeast Asia who were working with indigenous women, teaching them weaving and sewing skills they can use to support their families. While direct witnessing is illegal, singing songs while working and sharing personal testimonies about why God called them to such a faraway place to help strangers is a pretty strong witness to these women.
Another time, I was talking to a missionary, and it turned out another couple at the table had a complementary ministry in another country but had many lessons learned to share. It’s also exciting to learn from regular folks how they found a ministry at New Wineskins that spoke to their hearts and inspired them to become supporters.
The plenary sessions were inspiring—listening to great teaching and powerful ministry testimonies. The 90 different MAP talks provided snapshots of mission strategies and shared best practices from parishes across the ACNA.
Seeing bishops and archbishops from across the ACNA, GAFCON, and the Global South come together in worship was moving. I loved hearing ++Steve share how it thrills him that the biggest conference in the ACNA is a missions conference!
Mark McNickle is a member of Church of the Holy Spirit, Leesburg, VA.