Inside Anne Rice's vampire series is an important missional lesson for churches. Lestat as a vampire had lived well past his generation and was having difficulty with the transitions of the culture. He no longer understood and connected with the people around in. In order for vampires in this situation to survive (according to Rice's novel, many vampires choose death when they no longer can find a place in the world around them), a vampire will find a person who embodies the new ideology and make them a vampire. The older vampire will spend time and learn to connect with the culture through this relationship. With Interview with the Vampire, this is what Lestat did with Louis.
At lunch I met with a church pastor who in his 50's wanted to reach a younger crowd. He identified a worship leader who embodied the very culture he wanted to reach. This pastor mentored this young leader and allowed them to plan and lead a new worship service. The pastor preached but let the style be dictated by the worship leader, and what resulted was a highly effective service in reaching a new generation of believer. The new service reached a greater un-churched population and resulted in a shift in the make-up of the church.
