July 1, 2024
Climbing the Mountain Together
As the church heads into the future, we may be overlooking one of our greatest resources: senior adults. . . .
Articles for tag: Aging Population
August 22, 2019
THE BIG CHALLENGE FACING SMALL CHURCHES (2): Rural Churches
By Clark Bates We received a friendly welcome when we entered the Christian church in Beaver City, a small town in rural Nebraska. The service that morning was upbeat, the prayers sincere, and the preaching biblical . . . but where were the people? The sanctuary was large enough to accommodate 150, but that morning only 25 people huddled into one section of pews. After the service, my wife and I spoke with Treg and Beth about the challenges facing the congregation. They shared about the decreasing population of the area, explaining that young people move away for college and
August 22, 2019
Leading through Rural Church Challenges
By Jim Estep When I hear the word rural, I have flashbacks to my childhood. Not because I was raised on a farm, but because I watched Green Acres, Petticoat Junction, and The Beverly Hillbillies while growing up. I found those shows humorous, but they weren’t documentaries of life in rural America. Elders in rural congregations face many challenges their counterparts in urban and suburban churches do not, but country churches can be very vibrant and successful. Declining Population The rural population has declined over several generations. It’s common for once lively rural communities to now be half their previous
January 29, 2019
Transformational Trends
By Kent Fillinger Since transformation is a main theme of this issue, I decided to explore three trends that are reshaping culture and will likely re-create the look and feel of our churches. My goal is not to stir up controversy but to change the questions we are asking in order to spark new conversations among church leaders. The Single Situation “Half of Americans ages 18 and older were married in 2016, a share that has remained relatively stable in recent years but is down 9 percentage points over the past quarter-century,” according to the article “8 Facts about
February 25, 2017
The Cry of the Elderly
By Bob Mize Their needs are outpacing our resources. But the church can help. Four decades ago, Frances Schaeffer, in How Shall We Then Live?, forecast that the next throwaway segment of our society (after aborted babies) would be the elderly by euthanasia. Physician aid-in-dying, or assisted suicide, is now legal in the states of Washington, Oregon, California, and Vermont. Schaeffer”s gloomy prophecy has become reality. The elderly are becoming viewed as a dispensable segment of society. Christians should work to make sure this doesn”t occur. This devaluation of our seniors is serious, but equally concerning is that their needs
May 21, 2016
How Will You Adapt to the Decline in Senior Adult Ministries?
By Michael C. Mack Studies point to a steep decline in senior adult ministries in churches. “As the large baby boomer generation moves into their older years,” says Thom Rainer, president and CEO of LifeWay, “they will resist any suggestion that they are senior adults, no matter how senior they may be.” Churches must be prepared to adapt to this new reality. If they continue to minister to senior adults as they always have, says Rainer, they are headed for failure. In February we asked Best Practices readers, both in print and in our Facebook group (www.facebook.com/BestMinistryPractices), “What are you
December 15, 2011
The New Old: Are We Ignoring One of America”s Largest Generations?
Amy Hanson explores four characteristics of baby boomers that churches need to understand as they rethink older adult ministry, reach people in the second half of life, and mobilize them for meaningful service.
May 17, 2009
What Church Leaders Need to Know About Ministry to Aging Baby Boomers
Amy Hanson offers practical guidance for ministry to older adults, encouraging churches to rethink age-based programs, promote intergenerational involvement, prioritize evangelism and spiritual growth, and create meaningful opportunities for service.
December 2, 2007
Older and Wiser: Strutting or Striving7
Gary Weedman encourages senior Christians to view retirement as an opportunity for continued service, following Paul’s example of leaving the past behind and pressing toward what lies ahead.
