Living Elders in a Dying Church
by Dr. Martha Stinton
As a Boomer, I’m realizing that our culture is telling me that I have limited parameters in engaging society. As a former Jesus Freak, I’m resisting that idea with all I’ve got. Society tells us when to retire and what to do to be happy. But retirement is not meant to be just about travel, hobbies, and eating healthy, right?
Martha teaching at Magdala, Israel (2018). Photo courtesy of Martha Stinton.
Coming from the Jesus Movement, I still remember with great clarity the excitement of evangelism and ministry. Witnessing at my office in California, ministry training in England, and summer mission work in Ireland, how I loved serving the Lord through my testimony and meaningful service in church.
But what has happened in aging? Most of my contemporaries keep busy with family, friends, hobbies, and church groups. I do that too, but find I need more; meaningful work fills and satisfies me. My career in education has lead me to develop a teaching ministry through both the church and community. In this third third of life, I want what I do to count. So that means the eternal and the lasting rise to the top of my priorities.
Church Work?
I don’t have the physical energy that I once had, but I’m not ready to be put out to pasture. I'm more than just a church member at this stage of my life. We all have slowed down physically, but hey, that doesn't mean retiring from more active ministry. Fulfilling ministry can be achieved through many ways; inside the church, in the community, and even in short-term mission work.
Rick and Martha at the Baby Moore dedication (2016). Photo courtesy of Martha Stinton
Scripture tells us we’re not done yet; no specific chapter and verse, but observations from the New Testament believers. There’s no talk about retiring from meaningful ministry. Romans 16 lists many women and men of all ages that the apostle Paul found invaluable to his work. In the Old Testament, Isaiah 40:31 implies we can continue to find new strength as we wait and hope in the Lord, no retirement!
Society doesn’t recognize the value of aging, and many of our American churches reflect that belief. A case in point: a pastor friend once said of her very large church,
“We don't know what to do with the older people who attend.”
I was not surprised by the comment, as most large churches cater to younger people. I’ve discovered that many of us need to personally recognize that we have value beyond the false assumption that there’s nothing significant for ‘older people’ to do. But, unfortunately, we need to be convinced. Half the battle is the personal conviction that we have something valuable to offer, and we do. What is it, exactly? It is who we are and who we have lived for throughout our life!
Boomer Relevancy
Keith Green (circa 1975). Image courtesy of DesiringGod.org.
Our churches need their Boomers in order to stay relevant and healthy. They need the ministry of encouragement to, and by the elderly, they need the ministry of compassion that seniors can bring, they need grandparents for emotional stability needed by younger church members – especially the millennials. But most importantly, they need to see us living out our faith and finishing strong in a rapidly changing culture. Titus 2:1-5 reflects the power of role modeling and the value of teaching life skills to the next generation. What is more important than a ministry showing our young believers how to live and breathe the faith through all of life? The next generation has plenty of Bible teaching; what they yearn for is to see it in action; they yearn for authentic faith tested by time. In I Corinthians 4:15-16, the apostle Paul exhorts the younger, newer believers to imitate him as he follows Christ!
Living as Elders
As Boomers (and beyond), let’s activate our first love again, be the people Jesus called us to be fifty years ago! It seems like yesterday, doesn’t it? Listening to some of my favorite artists from the movement helps my heart recapture the zeal. With a renewed heart, take a spiritual gifts and passions test again or for the first time. See how God has currently wired you for His work - His ministry!
Let’s also pray and be open with God about our heart condition. Ask the Lord for help: for courage to pursue a ministry, for creativity to begin one, or just for a good spiritual friend. I need courage as my confidence drops with aging; I ask for vision and creativity, knowing that God doesn’t see my age, but my life. When I know my passions, I am more confident to pursue a ministry knowing that it is God who has placed it on my heart for this time in my life and the life of the church. When we fulfill our ministry calling, we will become a “Paul” in our church that is full of Timothys, waiting to be entrusted with the Faith. (2 Tim. 2:2) That’s eternal and lasting.
The church desperately needs its elders to engage in ministry to stay relevant.
The watching world secretly wants us, the Jesus People, to show them that Jesus is still Lord.
Let us step up and remember our high call in Christ …. our churches need us.
Sacramento Spiritual Revolution Day (1971). Image courtesy of Fuller Archives.
Resources
We’ve created a free downloadable PDF to explore the article deeper. It contains discussion questions about the topic in general terms that will give you a jumping-off point for beginning a conversation.
The second page contains a way to see the topic from a biblical perspective.
And finally, to go deeper into the subject, we have chosen a few curated resources to explore from other authors’ and thinkers’ research or perspectives.
Read. Engage. Enjoy!
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
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