“I believe the children are our future.”
Famous words sung by Whitney Houston and a more infamous Randy Watson.
These words have been repeated since the beginning of time by teachers, businesses and especially skeezy politicians. (Usually the baby kissing kind) While I totally agree that children actually are our future, I sometimes worry other generations are slowly being left out of our thinking. If you have fulfilled all of your potential and are now on your downswing in life, we overlook you. Sometimes we don’t just overlook you, we discard you. This has been a consistent theme in our community as I see greedy landlords taking advantage of the old and enfeebled only because they can. In the same way, if you grew up listening to Bing Crosby and laughing at Bob Hope, most churches are going to think of you as a lost cause. I believe this is wrong. Consider a few of the verses in the Bible that speak of the aging…
Psalm 71:9 says: Do not cast me off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength is spent.
Proverbs 20:29 The glory of young men is their strength, but the splendor of old men is their gray hair.
The truth is, while many around us are dying apart from Jesus and we should have tons of concern for the next generation, there is currently an entire generation LITERALLY perishing in nursing homes who need to hear about the love of Jesus.
If they become believer will they become a dynamic leader in our church? Probably not.
If they become a Christian will they give lots of money? Probably not.
If they came to our church, would they make us “cooler.” Heck to the no.
However, salvation changes a person’s identity and eternity, even if it comes in the Autumn years.
So what do we do as a church?
I’m not sure. I believe since our church is growing, at some point we will need to add a new city group (missional community). What if a city group decided to adopt a local elderly care facility? What would that do? Well, it would not grow our church.
But it might grow the Kingdom and that is enough for your pastor.
You got this Church,
Pastor Dale
