How Senior Adult Churches Can Reach Young Families

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@stephenmorton6180 4 ай бұрын

To reach the community - that is the key. Thank you

@geraldpolmateer3255 4 ай бұрын

These are some things I have seen in churches - A fourth grade girl who was memorizing scripture and asked her mother to help her. It wasn’t long and her mother decided to follow Jesus. - A 16 year old high school student who started a Bible study on the campus. - A fifth grade child telling her friend about Jesus right in front of me. - A lady who started teaching children how to cook. - A lady who started a tea time in the community. - A 70 year old blind lady who started reaching those who were not Christians in the community. - A man who started two Bible studies in the community as the result of doing a simple survey. - A 65 year old lady who started taking children to church. - A lady in her 30s who made sure the older ladies in the church were contacted by someone each day. - A few 70 and 80 year old ladies in the church cleaned the home of another lady who was unable clean her own home. - 40 year old lady who started teaching young girls how to cook in the apartment complex where she lived. It wasn't long and their parents came to learn and contribute. - A man reached a neighbor by simply getting to know his neighbor. If an old man says it can be done believe him. If a young man says it can't be done, don't believe him. I am 70 and not long ago I told an older person that he may be retired but not expired. The older I get the wider the age range of the men I meet with. I would suggest that people are not so much interested in what the church has to offer, but how interested the church people are interested in the new person. Excuses get nothing done. The last time I heard an excuse I pointed out to the person the opportunities he had. One of the things I do is to have the men I meet with to tell me about the people in a public place. Usually I get a look of bewilderment. Then I tell them most of the people are lost and without a shepherd. I met with a man and realized he had never been in a healthy church. So he did not know what a healthy church looked like. He changed churches and is going to a healthy church. His demeanor is changing. Recently I asked him if he saw the Holy Spirit working in the life of the pastor and he said he did. I asked him how long it took him to realize that. He told me it happened in the first sermon. I explained to him how that changes his brain for the better. Character is far more important than giftedness. Young people are looking for genuine believers in a healthy church. Ministries are led by selfless people who are one with God. Awhile back I spoke with a former missionary about emotional development and how to encourage that through discipleship. The man I spoke with told me they developed a tool to determine if the applicant was ready, needed some help, or not gifted. Years ago I changed universities. At the church I first attended was a man who was 55 who not only greeted me but was interested in me and my spiritual condition. I asked him if we could meet about nine months later. The man was a tremendous help and encouragement to me. Eventually I worked for him and then for one year I lived in home before my wife and I got married. He was a man of tremendous skill and a tremendous believer. He taught me the business he was in and how to handle business situations. I knew him for 20 years until he died. I called a friend of mine to tell him the man had died. His immediate response was what will (the name of the city) be without him. "In an exhaustive biblical study, theologian Jonathan Edwards (1703 -1758) wrote about how often Scripture describes people who do things for God without having a life with God. Characters such as Balaam the Old Testament prophet, Judas Iscariot, and Saul were all engaged in what most certainly would have been considered effective work for God by their communities, but without having an authentic connection to him. The only mark of genuine spiritual maturity and ministry effectiveness, Edwards concluded, is the outworking of agape--- self-giving love for God and others.' That is the one quality of our lives and leadership the devil can never counterfeit. And the source of that agape love can be found only in a life of loving union with God." (Peter Scazzero, The Emotionally Healthy Leader, p. 119) I find in meeting with men I find out about how they think and what they are struggling with. Most of the people (including church staff) in church are struggling with something. So we are people who are struggling and realizing our need for God while we often feel isolated from others thinking they have it all figured out.

@SamSRainer 4 ай бұрын

Great thoughts! Thanks for commenting.