Facing the Generation Gap in Our Churches Today

I don’t know what your church looks like, after a usual Sunday service, but this is what I have noticed in a number of churches I have attended. This seems to be the general pattern in a number of conservative reformed churches.

The older members are sitting down drinking their coffee together. Moms are gathered around the nursery collecting their children after the service. The youth are standing in their respective circles. The ‘middle aged’ couples are scattered around, talking with their friends and family. The all but the youngest children are no where to be seen, for they are squirreled away in Sunday School listening to Bible stories they already know.

 

There are a number of ‘issues’ revealed here, one of them is the generation gap, the other is the discussion regarding the pros and cons of age-segregated church ministries. I want to focus in on the generation gap. What does this look like? Well, pretty much like the instance above. People within the church spend the majority of their time with others the same age. The generations are not creating bonds and ties. In a way, this is natural. We tend to have more in common with those our own age. But, for a healthy and strong church, it is essential that all ages mingle.

Imagine what knowledge the older members are able to pass on to the younger ones. Older people are full of wisdom and knowledge gained through one of the best teachers: life experience. Younger members are able to create joy in the lives of the older members. Share their passions and zeal, as well as serve and care for the older members.

Age-wise, the youth are really in the middle of the church. There are children and infants younger than them as well. Creating bonds with the children can lead into bonds that will last a lifetime, and strengthen the church in years to come. These children also have parents, parents who are often tired and very busy. The youth can step in there too. Serve families within the church, and at the same time glean much knowledge for later in life.

This isn’t just me talking, this is also what God has commanded. He has commanded this specifically in I Timothy 5 & Titus 2. In I Timothy 5 Paul gives us advice on dealing with, and working with those within the church, he pointed his teaching at Timothy, a pastor, but this can be applied to us all as well, specifically verses 1 & 2 which say, “Do not rebuke an older man, but exhort him as a father, younger men as brothers,older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, with all purity.” Titus 2 is even clearer. verses 1-10 explicitly teach how we are to act within the church. Verse 4 really brings out the command for the older members to counsel the younger members. It is addresses to women, but applies for men as well

“But as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine: that the older men be sober, reverent, temperate, sound in faith, in love, in patience; the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things— that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed. Likewise, exhort the young men to be sober-minded, in all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works; in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility, sound speech that cannot be condemned, that one who is an opponent may be ashamed, having nothing evil to say of you. Exhort bondservants to be obedient to their own masters, to be well pleasing in all things, not answering back, not pilfering, but showing all good fidelity, that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things.”

 

So, what should our churches look like after the average Sunday service? A couple youth sitting down and sharing coffee with the older members. Middle-aged men and women connecting with and mentoring the younger men and women. A number of girls and young ladies heading to the nursery offering to watch little ones, so their mom’s don’t have run after them. Children of all ages running around, interacting with everyone.

 

How do we change this and start bridging the gap? Ultimately this needs to come from the hearts of every family within the church.

Here are some suggestions:

- organize church gatherings which bring together all people of all ages within the church. A potluck supper combined with some fun sports, board games, and such is an amazing idea

-Invite people over to your house. It doesn’t have to be supper, dessert or a campfire is sufficient. Invite members from across the ages. Connect with them, create relationships with them. Discuss important topics with them.

-Simply walk up to people you don’t know so well and ask them how their week was. You go to church with them every week, and drink coffee made in the same coffee percolator. They are standing a walking distance away. Connect with them.

 

I realize that the latter picture is rather idealistic, but it can be at least partly attained. I have been in churches where this actually happens, it takes time and effort and an intentional move towards getting to know everyone within your congregation.

 

What are you doing in your congregation to bridge the generation gap?

Dusting Off Friendships

Today I was {finally} dusting my room, which consisted of dusting numerous picture frames. Each of those pictures encapsulate a memory, or a good friend. As I was dusting off my Gillespie Class picture from a couple of years ago I realized that sometimes there are people in our lives we forget about. People that made an impact on our lives or needed a friend. People we spent time with, and who our lives wouldn’t be the same without.

I realized that there was more than my room that needed dusting. There are some friendships that need dusting too. Messages and e-mails need to be sent. Because people and relationships are important.

I also realized that, not only do a couple relationships with people need to be dusted off, my relationship with God needs to be dusted off too. Because I don’t read or study His work enough. Because I don’t talk to him enough. Sitting in church on Sunday and reading your bible without thinking about it doesn’t count. I am completely failing in that relationship.

But, God NEVER fails. He never needs to dust off His relationships with anyone. He is unchanging, unmoving and always there. He is there for us failing, floundering individuals not matter what happens. What comfort we can take from that fact!!!

Do you have some friendships that need to be dusted off? People you haven’t kept up with? A coffee date that needs to be made?

What about your relationship with God? Could it use some dusting, some focus turned back to Him?

The Sacrament of Baptism

I want to start with the beginning of time...

God created the world, and established the covenant of works (Genesis 2:16&17) with man. The requirements of this covenant were: man could eat of any tree in the Garden of Eden except for the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If he did so, he would die. His relationship with God would be broken and he would struggle with sin for rest of his life.

Man shattered his end of the covenant, consequently falling into sin (Genesis 3). The perfect relationship he had with God was severed. Because Adam and Eve fell, all man is now dead in sin. We are completely insufficient, dependent and utterly unable to do any good in our own strength. We all deserve God's punishment and wrath for eternity.

However God, in His grace and mercy has another plan. This plan is called the covenant of grace (Genesis 3:15). God promised Adam and Eve, and through them all man, that He would send a mediator. A mediator who would be sent to come between Himself and man, taking the punishment for man's sin. This Mediator is Jesus Christ, the Son of God. If man believes in Christ, seeing himself as a worthless sinner in the sight of God, and seeing Christ as Savior, man is free from this curse of sin. Christ takes the blame, the guilt, and the sin. He came to die, so that we can be set free.

As a sign of this covenant to Abraham, God instituted circumcision (Genesis 17). All male children were to be circumcised as a reminder that they, as children of believers hoping in a coming Christ, were under this covenant. They were given the same promise as their parents were, and even though they could not understand it yet, they had a responsibility to believe in the coming Christ as Savior from sin as they became older. Parents had the same responsibility to believe, but also to teach their children about the coming Christ.
Years later, Christ did come. He overcame sin and death. He won the victory over Satan, so that we may be free from the wrath and punishment of sin. As New Testament believers we believe in a Christ who has come. We are not looking at shadows of what is to come; we can clearly see the glory of Christ's redemptive work.

The Covenant of Grace lives on between the Father and His people. The Covenant Promise continues to be given to children when they are conceived. The outward sign has changed (circumcision), and no longer holds significance, just as the ceremonial sacrifices. Nevertheless, God comes to us with the same promise (Acts 2: 38&39). Children of those who have taken hold of the promise and believe, are given the sign of baptism. Those who have been baptized have the great responsibility to plead upon that promise, and believe in Christ as our Savior from sin. God has promised to save those who believe from sin, and He will not forsake it.

The baptism of infants flows directly out of the Covenant of Grace. God comes to us while were are still sinners and promises salvation through Christ if we believe. This was signified in the Old Testament through circumcision and continues on throughout the ages; signified through the baptism of infants.

Ecclesiastes 12: 1-7

Last night in Youth Group we went over the last two of Ecclesiastes to conclude our study of the book. What hit me was the way that Solomon describes the process of aging. The words that he uses are poetry. The kind of poetry and use of metaphors that make me smile.

It is also a very good call to reflect on our youth, and what we are doing with it. We are called to heed the call of Christ, and live for Him, before we are too old. Why waste years of our lives serving ourselves when we can bring glory to God?

What are you going to do with your life while you still have the time and energy to do it?

 

1 Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth,
Before the difficult days come,
And the years draw near when you say,
“I have no pleasure in them”:
² While the sun and the light,
The moon and the stars,
Are not darkened,
And the clouds do not return after the rain;

These are the days when you are still young
³ In the day when the keepers of the house tremble,
And the strong men bow down;
When the grinders cease because they are few,
And those that look through the windows grow dim;

Weakness. Losing teeth. Losing eyesight
⁴ When the doors are shut in the streets,
And the sound of grinding is low;
When one rises up at the sound of a bird,
And all the daughters of music are brought low.

Your hearing is affected
⁵ Also they are afraid of height,
And of terrors in the way;
When the almond tree blossoms,
The grasshopper is a burden,
And desire fails.
For man goes to his eternal home,
And the mourners go about the streets.

Old people become scared and worry. They lose the desire to work. And finally we all die.

Next verse: Hair becomes grey

⁶ Remember your Creator before the silver cord is loosed,
Or the golden bowl is broken,
Or the pitcher shattered at the fountain,
Or the wheel broken at the well.
⁷ Then the dust will return to the earth as it was,
And the spirit will return to God who gave it.

A Change of Attitude (because I don’t know what else to call it)

I was doing some research for a school project, and came upon a statistic that said that only about 71% of Canadians have a full or part-time job. Now, I didn’t back that stat up with more research, but I think it is fairly close to reality.

This reality is incredibly sad. We live in one of the richest, well off countries in the world, and over 25% of our population doesn’t have any kind of job. Our literacy (ability to read) rates are not near as high as they should be either.

We can ask, “why?” We can try theorize about the how. We can blame it on the economy, the government or the number of new immigrants, anything. But, what is really going to change our country around?
It is called a change of mind. A mind of diligence and perseverance. A desire to learn and work and provide.

Attitudes need to be changed in all levels of society, from the poorest of the poor to the Prime Minister sitting on the seat in Ottawa.

And the only thing that is going to change those attitudes is essentially Christ. Naturally we don’t gravitate towards work. We are lazy.

So… starting the change? It starts with YOU, with ME. Sharing Christ’s love and gospel. Engaging in conversations and reaching out to people. Praying for lives and hearts to be changed. Having a vision of change.

The Wilderness vs. the Contentious Woman

The other day at lunch time Mom was reading from Proverbs 21. We were reading verse 19, which says, “Better to dwell in the wilderness, than with a contentious and angry woman.”

We have heard that verse lots of times… and the thought is repeated throughout Proverbs. We know what it means.

Well, in the mind of a ten-year-old boy who would live outside if he could, this verse took on a literal meaning. It went something like this…

“Of course. I want to live in the wilderness anyways, so why don’t I just forget about the woman? No woman will want to live in the wilderness anyways.”

Problem solved. The wilderness always wins.

You will never have to deal with a contentious woman if you just don’t have one? Right?

I love little people logic. Sometimes it just makes total sense…

 

It is also a warning for us though. Ladies, don’t ever be that woman. EVER. Men, be careful in who you marry. Don’t marry a woman who is going to get under your skin every day.

Gift Giving -White and Navy Blue Chevron Dress

A family in our church just had a little girl last week. I made her big sister a Navy and White Chevron Maxi Skirt in the spring, so I thought it would be fun if they could match. :) 

A white knit bodice and lined chevron skirt. I added gathers to the shoulders for a more feminine look. I tried something new by adding the opening at the back. I think I like it. The hem of the skirt is left raw, so the stretch is kept, and just to add a bit of extra detail. :)

In the end, I love how it turned out. Simple, yet super cute. The best part is that the sisters match, but aren't totally the same. 

Congratulations Adrian and Katie!!! May your little lady grow up to bless many around her. May she become a woman who follows the Lord. :)