In pastoral work, boomers and busters receive a lot of attention. But what about the generation that preceded both of them?
In Sun City, Arizona, a mecca for active retired adults, we’ve learned how to reach and motivate the builder generation. We’ve had to. Grace Bible Church is essentially a one-generation church-those 65 and older. Here are several myths-and the corresponding truths-about ministry to “older” folks.
Myth 1: Retired means retiring from ministry
The truth is that retirees are motivated by the same thing as younger generations: the chance to invest themselves in meaningful ministry. We emphasize the assets senior adults have to invest:
Productivity.
Retired adults have a reservoir of experience. Many of us have grown up with a biblical value system instilled in childhood. We are more in charge of our time than we’ve ever been.
Self-confidence.
We have no need to impress anyone, so we’re not afraid to share our failures. One wonderful thing about retired adults is that there is no pecking order based on what one does for a living. We’re all has-beens! That frees mental energy for ministry.
Motivation.
Some retired adults have made poor decisions. For example, some made career a priority over family. The ministry of a church offers them, in a sense, a second chance to make their lives count.
Patience.
Not all of us become more patient with age, but many do. The changes in our lives have come not in weeks but in decades. The ability to think long-term allows us to overlook short-term discomforts.
Myth 2: Retirees need to be entertained
Most of us have discretionary time, but not “free” time. We’re not looking for something to fill our calendars. We don’t need a sack lunch and a bus trip to the zoo to keep us happy. We want a reason for being that’s bigger than golf or gardening or sight-seeing.
Our congregation supports missionaries generously, but we do more than send checks. The future of missions will be through older adults who can join short-term missions at their own expense.
We have a number of retired preachers in our congregation, so instead of Sunday school, we run three semesters of Bible classes on both Sunday and Tuesday mornings. There is a thirst for Bible study among us. We want to grow intellectually.
Myth 3: Retirees want distance from the young
In our congregation, grandparents often have to travel great distances to spend time with their grandchildren, but most make the effort. Why? Because we believe in the biblical model of elders teaching the younger generation, and we want to influence our grandchildren for Christ.
Something important is lost when interaction between older and younger is cut off. In many families, children can be influenced to a greater degree by their grandparents than by their parents. Grandparents can offer unconditional love and a listening ear. We’ve lived long enough and seen enough to be shock-proof. Also, grandparents aren’t as vested in the relationship, so we can be more objective.
Myth 4: Retirees have spirituality figured out
Statistics say that senior adults are unlikely to come to Christ. We like to disprove that statistic. We’ve developed a four-week evangelistic Bible study that we present to unchurched couples around their kitchen table. Our philosophy is:
- Win friends
- Gain their confidence
- Earn the right to share your faith.
The sign above our exits reads, “As you pass through this door, you enter the mission field.” We’re determined to win friendships, because in our stage of life, everyone is going to face a crisis sooner or later. One fellow said, “Boy, my retirement years were going to be my golden years. They have been. I just didn’t know it was my doctor who would get all the gold.”
Not long ago, Pastor Robert Warren challenged us to be available for the purpose of God. He extended an altar call, something we don’t do frequently. The front of the church was packed that morning with men and women who have walked with Christ for sixty or seventy years.
The only problem: once we kneel to pray, someone has to help us back up!
Robert Warren was pastor of Grace Bible Church in Sun City, Arizona, for many years. Jared Gerig was founding pastor of Grace Bible Church. John Cottone was a corporate pyschologist and is now a leader at Grace Bible Church
1997 by Christianity Today/Leadership Journal.
