Bill Hulsey, Executive Director of the Forum, a Louisville, Ky. retirement community, recently shared some eye-opening statistics about aging. Maybe these stats were of particular interest to me because I turn 72 in a couple of weeks. But they illustrate why future church leaders need to be intentional about ministering to their elderly.
- In 1900 the average life-expectancy was 49. One needs to take into account the fact that the infant mortality rate was much higher a hundred years ago. But, even so, it’s obvious that people didn’t live as long as they do today.
- In 1935 life expectancy was 63. Social security was enacted that year. The plan was for it to “kick in” two years later than the average life-expectancy. It’s easy to see how the government’s numbers were expected to work.
- In 1964 life expectancy increased to 70. Medicare was enacted around that time and little attention given as to how it would be paid for. No wonder the social security fund is quickly drying up.
- Now, in 2015, the average life expectancy is 78.7 years. Baby-boomers are hitting the culture like a tsunami. Those over 65 now make up 13% of the population in the U.S.
- It is projected by 2050 that the average life expectancy will be 86 for males and 92 for females. Those over 65 will make up 26% of the population.
These stats have obvious ramifications for our country. Someday soon politicians will have to face the reality that the entitlement programs for the elderly are no longer affordable and drastic adjustments are essential.
But I’m more interested in what this means to the church. Many cutting-edge churches today focus almost exclusively on reaching “millennials” – the 20-35 age group. Frequently they do so at the expense of senior citizens. The impression is left, “We are using music and designing programs to reach the next generation. If you don’t share our vision then you are being selfish and maybe you should find another church.” Those words are seldom verbalized that abruptly, but those over 55 get the message.
The church does need to do everything it can to reach millennials because fewer and fewer are believers. If we don’t find some way to evangelize the 20-35 age group our church buildings in America will soon become as empty as the church buildings in Europe. We can’t let that happen!
In a healthy church the older folk need to sacrifice for the younger. Pastor Gene Appel related that one of his older elders at Central Christian in Las Vegas was asked, “Do you like that loud, wild music?” He said, “No. I don’t like it at all. But do you see those young people on the first three rows who are really into it? They are more important than my preference in music.” The Apostle Paul reminds us, “Love is not self-seeking.” (1 Cor. 13:5)
But the visionary church must also welcome and nurture those who are older. Jim Collins in his book, “Built to Last” wrote about, “The genius of the ‘and’.” His premise was that often the choice isn’t between two contradictory alternatives but two options where both ideas can be included with a little creativity and effort. The good shepherd takes care to nurture and feed all his sheep not just the young lambs.
I’ve attended a few churches where there are almost no older people and the result is a vacuum of wisdom and resources. The Apostle Paul counseled his understudy, Titus, that the older believers were to teach the younger men and women how to live and what to believe.
The healthy church of the future will need to be a multi-generational church. It should do everything it can to reach millennials while also ministering to aging baby-boomers. That means a variety in music styles and programming. The old heads need to learn to sing the upbeat praise choruses and the youth need to learn, “The Doxology” and “Rock of Ages”. Deuteronomy 28:50 underscores that principle stating it’s, “A hard-faced nation who shall not respect the old or show mercy to the young”.
A healthy church gives deference to younger people while teaching them to respect the older. Millennials also need to learn that, “…its not all about me.” Leviticus 19:32 counsels, “You shall stand up before the gray head and honor the face of an old man and you shall fear your God.” Older people are to be respected for their wisdom and honored for their steadfastness.
Many in our society fear the aging of Baby-Boomers, concerned that they will become a burden on society and empty the coffers of pension plans and overrun the health care systems. Wise church leaders should welcome their aging as a source of opportunity and resources. Job 12:12 reminds us, “Is not wisdom found among the aged? Does not long life bring understanding?”
If in a couple of decades one-quarter of the population is going to be over 65 years of age, the visionary church should find ways to evangelize and disciple the older generation. That’s where most of our resources, wisdom and inspiration will come from. They will provide the infrastructure to reach the younger generation, and assure the Church of Jesus Christ, which is “Built to Last,” continues to grow and fulfill the Great Commission. And that’s the most important “genius of the ‘and’.”
Follow @BobRussellKY on Twitter
