Bridging the Generational Gap
Last Sunday my family and I attended a United Methodist Church in a nearby community. My grandmother attended this Church up until her death in 1995.
The Church is pastored by a retired couple in their 70’s. The wife does most of the preaching and she preached the Sunday we visited.
The only children in the Church were my own! There were 4 or 5 people under the age of 50, but everyone else was retirement age and older. Most were women. My wife commented that this Church was a good example of the fact that women live longer than men.
Much of the discussion on the Internet relating to the Church and ministry focuses on young adults and youth. Few would disagree that the emerging Church movement is primarily a young adult movement. Emergents like me, at age 50, are the exception rather than the rule.
How do we bring the declining, dying Methodist Church and the youth, young adult oriented Church together? Is it even possible?
Is this divide really all about music? Or is it more than that?
The Methodist Church we visited must bear the responsibility for losing two whole generations of members. Where did they go?
There is an immaturity present in some youth/young adult oriented Churches. They surely would benefit from having some gray haired, old geezers around. These battle scarred warriors of life still have a part to play in God’s Kingdom.
The American Church is often divided by age. Many Churches now have separate services, with each service catering to the "needs" of that particular group of congregants. Different strokes for different folks. Is this "good" for the Church? Does it build Church unity? Surely, each generation has something to offer the other?
What are your thoughts?
February 6th, 2008 at 4:56 pm
Hey Bruce,
Just some quick thoughts…
I think every generation does have something to offer. However, with that said, it’s hard for the older generations to accept change as ‘perfectly normal’ and not as ‘the world creeping in to the Church’. Too often change in style is seen as change away from Biblical Authority, or Jesus, or God-centeredness. As the culture changes, and new generations emerge, so does Christianity and how it is expressed within that culture. Surely Muslim Christians worship in a totally different way than an American Mega-church. Why? Because of culture, and differing generations.
Now, God is timeless, and trans-cultural, true, however we know that God knows every detail of human life, and in Scripture He has expressed Himself to people and cultures in different ways, at different times. Why? I think He did this to be an example to us, as usual. A burning bush for Moses, the then sheep herder. A Warrior with a drawn sword for Joshua, the conquering Hebrew. A blinding light and booming voice for Saul, the Christian hating unbeliever. I could go on and on, but you can see God always choses a way to communicate with us, based on what we would connect with, understand, and comprehend, even though it’s totally unnecessary! Why? As an example, I think.
So I find it perfectly legitimate to get down on the level with people, and relate to them in a way that’s engaging to them.
Now, at my church, it’s pretty traditional, and it has old people, middle aged people, young people, and children all alike. What we do to cross those generational gaps is to have a little something for everyone, while having the pastors teach that it is acceptable to have differing tastes, but that it’s not sinful to like this style of worship music over that style. We do contemporary songs, hymns, traditional worship songs, what have you. We preach expository sermons, subject orientated sermons, etc etc. All different types, for different times, and different situations, and for different needs in our local body. I think it works pretty well, actually.
Unfortunately, some in the older generations, or even younger generations, cannot accept differing styles, different ways of relating, no matter what you say to them. Sometimes it’s best just to let sleeping dogs lie.
All I have to say is that, if God did it, why shouldn’t we?
Thanks Bruce,
Joe
February 6th, 2008 at 5:13 pm
I think that as long as we approach church with the attitude of “how can my needs be met here?”, we will always have generational divides. The churches that I’ve seen where it seems to be less of an issue are ones where the members seem to be most concerned about serving others. If we are truly serving others, “getting fed” on Sunday morning seems to become less of a priority.
I will also say that the church I’ve been to personally that seemed to have the smallest generation gap was a primarily African American congregation. It seemed that the younger people there truly respected older people, and the older people truly cared for the younger ones in a way I haven’t seen in a lot of churches. I think it was because it’s a tight-knit community for the most part.
February 6th, 2008 at 5:16 pm
Joe,
I guess I am of those older geezers who is quite happy in most types of service. I love the hymns but I love rock and roll. I love expositional preaching but I also love narrative preaching. I find much to commend in the Greek Orthodox service and in the charismatic service.
The most important issue for me is…..does the Church body demonstrate the love of Christ towards one another, to those who visit and to those outside the Church.
The biggest failure I see here in NW Ohio is that the average Church doesn’t give a rip about people. It is possible to visit some Churches and have no one speak to you. It’s as if you are invading their little club.
I love being around youth and young adults. Their energy and vibrancy is refreshing, albeit challenging at times
But, I also enjoy listening the the old saints and I find their stories and life encouraging.
When a Church has multiple services we usually choose the contemporary service. I guess too much of the 60’s and 70’s in my blood…..like them guitars and drums
Bruce
February 11th, 2008 at 10:49 am
Personally, I’d like to see for everytime “immaturity” is brought up broadbrush about the “young” christian that “intransigence” and “self-important inflexibility” is brought up for “the older” christian. (or being controlling, or whatever.)
After working in ministry, and observing my father’s ministry experience, and listening to the horror stories of others in ministry, the entrenched, dug-in, control obsessed “olders” did far more damage and hurt more lives than the occasional agitation from “youngers” in any given church.
The difference today is that “youngers” will just leave and find a church/start a church that will be open to them (right or wrong). They won’t lay down and take it (which is right).
It’s not disrespect of “elders” to ask them to own their part in the mass departure of their children and grandchildren from their churches. (In many cases they left running and screaming.)
It’s not disrespect to have all people regardless of age acknowledge that we will all die and we can’t hold onto these faith communities like they “belong” to us.
And if it is seen as disrespect then that’s a clue as to why whole generations have been lost–and I don’t blame them.