The Rule of Three allows a broad spectrum of intergenerational ministry to take place across the church – times where all generations are present like Sunday worship or church service projects and times where only three generations are present like marriage and family classes, weekday daytime Bible studies or brunches, book studies for retired individuals, and children’s/youth mission trips or weekend retreats.
How does this work?
It’s actually more simple than you might realize. All you have to do is simply ask, “Is this event/program/activity accessible to at least three generations?” And if it is, follow up with “How can we intentionally welcome at least three generations in?”
If a church can shape an environment where there is a multi-faceted landscape of intergenerational offerings, where there are activities for everyone to gather and activities for at least three generations to connect, that community has a much better chance of fostering relationships across generations and creating opportunities for generational discipleship and mentoring.
Let’s be honest: The Rule of Three is less a rule than it is a guide. It’s one helpful way for us to consider how we can be inclusive of all generations as we design spaces and places for spiritual formation. And if we keep in mind always that our goal is to help generations connect in order to build relationships that lead to discipleship, this is one way to ensure that first step of connection can happen. It’s a tiny shift, but a big one in how we grow our community.
This article originally appeared here and is used by permission.
