With my last name being Wine, I have been repeatedly connected with the beverage. Therefore, Jesus’ parable of wineskins has attracted my attention. In it He spoke of the danger of pouring new wine into old wineskins because the skin would burst as it fermented, and both would be wasted. I’ve desired to be a unique wineskin that could regularly receive ‘new wine’ and not explode. In fact, one of my core values has been ‘life change” in my own life and facilitating it in others. Those who have known me well have commented that I do continue to change. I want to share tastes of the new wine the Holy Spirit shares with me through His Word hence the blog name ‘My Wineskins’.
Blog
What is Faith For?
Faith is hard for us to define in practical terms. Therefore, there is a great assortment of definitions assigned to faith. Some have faith in themselves, their wisdom, wealth, position, or in a set of creeds, a worldview, an organization, or their hero. I’ve been pondering exactly what is the purpose of faith? Why did …
Good vs Best
I find great encouragement as I look back and reflect on how the Holy Spirit has guided, protected, and empowered me. I’m awestruck by the miracles (occurrences that are completely beyond my capacity to achieve) He worked through me. To be candid, I’m also in awe at how so much happened when I was not …
Lost Virtue
When things are not going well in significant areas of our life, like weather in light of crops, finances, health, relationships and the like, one of the common spoken or unspoken questions that pop into our mind is why isn’t God answering my prayer. I am doing everything I know how to do (fasting, praying, …
About
My name is Bob Wine, and I’ve been married to my wife Connie for 55 years living mostly in Nebraska. We have two daughters who love God, one married with four girls and two boys and four grandchildren, and the other daughter is a widow with two boys.
My dad “planted” new churches, so I know the struggles that come with that lifestyle. I began vocational ministry in 1966 helping my father plant a church in So California. I received my License to Preach in 1968, graduated from Bethany Bible College (Santa Cruz CA) in 1969, and was Ordained in 1974. I served in a pastoral staff position (music and youth) in California and Oregon for nearly 10 years, and then as a senior pastor in Ainsworth and Kearney Nebraska. While pastoring the New Life church family for over 33 years, I also served as a Nebraska Presbyter for 20 years and a Regional Presbyter for 10 years before being elected as the Nebraska District Superintendent in April 2013. I retired in 2020.
Beyond loving God and His Word with everything within me, my top five core values are leading ‘life change’ in my own life and others; integrity and authenticity; excellence in all I do; balance in theology, practical Christianity, and lifestyle; and discipleship that is intentional, strategic and practical. John Maxwell’s test scored me as a Strategic Leader. My ministry strengths are administration, teaching, and counseling.
Ministry to me is not a job; it is “my reasonable service” of love as modeled by our Lord. Fulfillment of Christian living is found in living this self-giving model, not in self-gratification. I have a firm conviction that we as church leaders must not just educate the intellect or behavior of those we serve. Rather than shaping their behavior, we must shape their heart and equip and mobilize them (Ephesians 4:12) to do their ministry in the highest quality manner they are capable of doing. Therefore, my goal is to create an environment where the lid on the willing, hungry and/or marginalized individual who genuinely loves God with their whole heart is lifted and given an opportunity to develop “people smarts” in order to experience the greater joy God desires for them while serving in their God assigned task. At the same time, my goal is to build up stronger leaders and inspire them to invest in the lives of the hungry blossoming leaders.