For years I have preached against becoming some niche church. I don’t want to pastor a “40-something” church, or a “30-something” church… I want to pastor THE CHURCH. The Church reflects a family, not just people my exact age with my exact income level, education level, and life circumstance. Yet, that is what we are starting these days, and have been for years.
Unfortunately, it’s on both ends. I now know of “60-something” churches. They don’t want younger families. They want the fall foliage tours and old time gospel sings. They want to talk about the good ol’ days.
We have a new form of segregation and it’s lousy. This article articulates it so much better. I am thankful for the church I pastor. We have a gamut of ages that ADDS to the life of the believer. I remember a few years ago when my oldest son was in high school and he asked one of our deacons who was my dad’s age to be a mentor. It added to my son’s life, and it was huge for that deacon.
Let’s do life together! It’s messy. That’s life.
Apprentice 2 Jesus 
part of the problem too is youth groups and children’s church – these things only perpetuate the segregation. Believe it or not, there are some so-called family churches out there that don’t have youth groups or children’s churches, the are multigenerational and every one sits in on the service together. Not sure how well that works with the little ones but I am sure it pushes the pastor not to preach too heavy or over (or under) everyone’s heads!
As I continue my journey into multicultural worship I find that I’m also dealing with issues of age as well. Each age group has a culture of their own: songs they like, traditions they hold onto, etc. We need to develop relationships with all people.
Great article. I agree with the fact of many churches that are age related, social related, race related going that way. Wow! it’s nuts. I like when I attend a church that has grade school to elderly folks in the congregation, sitting together hearing the same message. I like it when there are contemporary worship songs along with hymns from the song book of old. I like it when greeters, ushers, worship team, even the one who is giving the message is of different age, gender or culture background. One of the very first churches I attended when I became a believer was very multi cultural, social status mixture, age groups, and newbies and veterans of the Word. That’s church. It is so unfortunate that the church is segregated into groups based on said differences, it alienates fellowship so much, and God doesn’t and never wanted that at all. Jesus served all peoples. no matter what age, gender, race, rich or poor, sick or not. That is church. Examine Christ and we will know how church is really supposed to be.
Amen! Thanks for this, Dan. I just love it.