The challenge of reimagining

Having been involved in the leadership of new churches as well as those that have been around for many decades, I have observed there is a big difference between imagining and reimagining. Reimagine assumes that we are working in an established church and are going through the process of thinking through the issues of how the church came to where it is and finding a new direction for the future. But with that process of reimagining comes all the baggage of history, traditions, and experience both good and bad. There is a temptation to think that the easy way out is to start with a fresh slate and imagine a whole new way of being church without anything to hold up the process. Reimagining the church is a huge challenge but I am convinced it is not impossible. When Jesus said to Peter "upon this rock I will build my church", he added that "whatever you lock on earth will be locked in heaven, and whatever you open on earth will be opened in heaven". I have a feeling that we have been given a key to unlock some doors and allow the winds of change (I think I'm mixing my metaphors a bit) to come in and refresh the church.