Home Pastors Articles for Pastors Does Your Church Have Too Many Old People?

Does Your Church Have Too Many Old People?

Second, before you draw a conclusion, inquire.

If you’re not seeing many under-40s, is it indeed the church’s short- or narrow-sightedness? Have they reached out to the younger folks within their number? Have they offered classes, seminars, fellowship opportunities that are sensitive to their needs and concerns? Are they planning any? Are they willing? Or have they just given up?

I’m saying don’t assume.

What if you were to learn that the pastor had launched a number of initiatives that simply weren’t supported at the time—because the younger folks who were present at the time had other things to do, didn’t want to commit, didn’t like having to show up at a particular time, or a dozen other things? Or because there weren’t that many of them … yet the church was trying to serve them equally with everyone else? Or what if you learned that other outreaches/inreaches were either in the works, in the planning stages, or held in readiness for when there was actually someone to benefit from them?

Would that change your impression? If so, how will you know unless you slow down, take some time and ask?

Third, again before you draw a conclusion, remember the besetting sins of your own culture.

It is a consumer-driven culture. To their great shame, Christians look at the church as they look at retail businesses.

They expect to be catered to. They expect to bring nothing but demands and requirements, and they expect those demands to be met and seen to, now, on their timetable. Of them it could well be said, “I came not to serve, but to be served.” They don’t expect to commit, give, build, sacrifice, stay.

You walk in, a store doesn’t have what you want the way you want it, you walk out. As with Wal-Mart, so with church. Same-same.

You know, exactly like the Bible says.

The opposite of.