August 2020 — pg. 15
girls had a woman in the church praying for them, even
if they didn’t know it. Teen girls who had never been to
church on a Sunday morning began to engage with church
for the first time; 50-, 60-, 70- and 80-year-old women
stopped by my office each week to tell me how they were
praying for their teen. One woman even took it upon
herself to begin praying daily for each and every teen in our
ministry by name. There was no division, no outrage, just
love.
I share that as just one example of the value that
intergenerational relationships can bring to a church body.
Often we think our teens want nothing to do with the body
at large, but I’ve found that couldn’t be further from the
truth. Teenagers now, more than ever before, are searching
for a place to belong, and the affirmation of a church
family can make a lasting impact. We may even think
that our old folks want nothing to do with the younger
generation because they can’t understand that “new-fangled
technology.”
But the truth is that many of those folks are searching for
meaningful relationships that they may not have had for a
long time, and sharing life with a teen can spark a new joy
in their lives. My new goal in my ministry is to show my
teens they are part of a larger body full of rich traditions.
Likewise, I want to help the adults in my congregation
understand that beyond Sunday mornings there exists a
whole new harvest of disciples and leaders.
The body of Christ is meant to be a communal
experience. Look at what the prophet Joel foresaw about
the church to come: “And afterward, I will pour out my
Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see
visions. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will
pour out my Spirit in those days” (Joel 2:28–29).
The prophet predicted a church that crossed ethnic,
gender and generational lines. The more barriers we can
break down between the generations of the church, the
better off we will be for it. Not every broken barrier will
seem like a huge win. Sometimes the smallest gestures
speak the loudest volumes.
Senior pastors, your job is not simply an adult ministry
role. Acknowledge the teenagers in your body, even by just
learning their names. Nothing says “we see you and value
you” more than simply knowing someone by name.
Youth pastors, your job is not just to laugh with teens.
Seek out the adults in your church. Ask them to pray over
you. Ask them to join you in the ministry! Some of my best
volunteers have been 60-year-olds.
Worship pastors, your job is more than just engaging
millennials through the latest Christian chart topper.
Remember the hymns and traditions of your older
members, and teach them to your younger ones.
This is not a mission one staff position can accomplish
alone. It’s not even a mission the entire staff can solve. No
one person or group will be the golden ticket to grow our
churches. It will take a conscious and coordinated effort on
behalf of the whole body. If our churches cannot bridge the
generational gap within society who else can? +
“Teenagers now,
more than ever before, are
searching for a place to
belong, and the affirmation
of a church family can make a
lasting impact.”