It stands to reason that a denomination named after its older members would have a lot of older members. Given that the word presbyter means “elder” we ought not be surprised to hear that the median age of Presbyterians is 58 and that 39% of our members are retired [according to Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Research Services.]
For all the talk about our failure to reach and mobilize young adults — a hobbyhorse I ride with regularity — many of our congregations have directed their efforts to make older adult ministry a specialty.
Some have developed that specialization by default, having lost the critical mass of children-through-young-adults needed to draw in new faces crowned with anything other than gray hair. Instead of scolding the empty seats, they have determined to provide the superior pastoral care, classical worship, thoughtful Bible study, and high impact mission service opportunities that mobilize and energize the elders among us.
Given that most of those booming non-denominational churches are gearing more of their ministry toward twenty-somethings, and given that the first baby boomer has filed her Social Security application — with 78 million more to follow over the next 30 years — a specialization in older adult ministry could generate membership growth if pursued effectively. In fact, given that our spurts of new member growth through the past century have often come from middle-to-older aged believers transferring here in search of a more intellectually stimulating and theologically nuanced faith than they’ve found elsewhere, the future looks promising for an upward growth pattern.
That’s all well and good, but to what end, simply to fill pews with folks looking to critique the sermon? Simply to collect higher offerings from individuals who may have accumulated some wealth over their years?
God forbid!
Many elders — teaching elders and ruling elders, pastors and bankers, ordained and unordained (yes, the word can be a title, but it also can be simply an age designation) — are enjoying a leisurely break from the daily grind that once drained them. But, some have decided to treat retirement not as a graduation but a commencement. They are serving on sessions and presbytery committees, as parish associates and treasurers, in local mission projects and overseas mission endeavors.
But a greater wealth, a greater elder wealth, still remains way too untapped.
If one word goes with elder in the Bible, it’s that characteristic wisdom. And the church, the Christian church in general, and PC(USA) in particular, is starving for a lack of it.
Now don’t tell anybody you heard it in these pages, lest our inbox overflow with counterarguments, but the young-ers in the church don’t know everything. Most of them know they don’t. Some of them will admit that fact, but usually only in the presence of a therapist sworn to confidentiality. The “never let them see you sweat” mentality belies the self-doubt and skill shortage they know are limiting them.
And don’t tell anybody you heard it in these pages, lest our inbox overflow with denials, but the elders in the church are not stuck in the 1950s. Most can read the signs of the times, and from their longer view, they can sort what’s really new — like YouTube — from what’s really a rehash of the old — like teenagers holding high ideals.
In fact, now that they’re liberated from maintaining institutions, many love to think and operate outside the box, even beyond the box. When invited to coach and mentor, they can affirm good intentions while offering creative alternatives; they can confirm great proposals while pointing out missing pieces; they can play the devil’s advocate in the service of the Lord. Their counsel can help avoid replicating dumb mistakes while facilitating effectiveness in personal living and Christian mission.
It’s high time for us to be matchmaking the mentors to those who need them, the coaches to the team’s front line.
Elders, who are you mentoring? Who are you coaching?
Young-ers, who are your counselors?
Church leaders of all ages, what structures do you have in place to foster such passing of wisdom from one generation to the next?
Let us engage!
–JHH
