I’ve noticed a trend in today’s church to separate age groups. Some churches provide praise bands and encourage more casual dress to reach the younger generation. Traditional churches sing out of hymnals. Some are set against changing comfortable rituals that cater to older folks. In many cases, the division happens at the same church with traditional and contemporary worship services at different times. Is there a new generation gap forming in our church families? Sunday schools, Bible studies, and fellowship activities are often divided into age groups.

A church filled with only older seasoned Christians will become a virtual nursing home. They may have access to a tremendous amount of wisdom, but no one younger to share it with. A church that caters only to the young will have plenty of enthusiasm but will suffer from the lack of encouragement and knowledge born out of experience. Just as a biological family is made up of babies, children, teens, adults, and grandparents, so is a healthy church family. There’s nothing wrong with having activities aimed at different age groups as long as the church also finds ways to bring generations together so everyone can benefit.

Scripture tells us all ages should be respected. Every age has something to offer and every person is precious to God. God places all types of people in a church to work together for his kingdom. Through prayer and thought, churches should seek out ways to build bridges of opportunities for all generations to bond together in the love of our Lord.

Recently our church built a new sanctuary and new classrooms. On any given day, all ages could be found working together. Some of our retired men knew how to do the technical work, but needed the strength of the teens and younger men to lift heavy walls and carry big loads. Elementary-age kids were picking up scraps of wood and nails. Some of the older women swept sawdust and served food. All ages pitched in to help in different ways and now all ages feel like it’s their church.

In Kids’ Church recently, I heard a retired school teacher give a lesson filled with wisdom and advice to children who were the same age as her grandkids. I’ve also seen a young mom encourage a group of teenage girls struggling to stay sexually pure in a sexually explicit world. I saw a college age young man express appreciation for the example of faithfulness demonstrated by an elderly man whose wife died after more than 50 years of marriage. I’ve seen teens volunteer to help with repairs on a widow’s house. I saw a four-year-old girl hug an older lady who was having problems walking. With great confidence the child told her, “Jesus will help you feel better!”

Every age group is precious to God. When the disciples tried to keep the children from bothering their Master, Jesus was indignant and said to them, “Permit the children to come to Me; do not hinder them; for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these” (Mark 10:14, New American Standard Version). Joel 2:28 tells us, “I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind; And your sons and daughters will prophesy, Your old men will dream dreams, Your young men will see visions.”

Just as each member has a specific purpose in the body of Christ, so does each age group. We ought to encourage respect and unity between age groups, not separation.

We must make sure there is a balance of intergenerational ministry in our churches. That doesn’t mean we should throw out all the ministries that separate ages. We simply need to add or adjust some things so we can do more together.

We need a balance of worship, study, prayer, service, and mission in our church. And we should provide opportunities for all generations to share some of those things together. When different age groups get to share in all aspects of living for the Lord, we can all grow from the interaction.

Some churches encourage everyone from kids to seniors to participate in worship together. Other congregations have separate services for adults, youth, and children. Perhaps after singing praise songs in one voice to the Lord in the sanctuary, the kids could go to Kid’s Church in another room.

People of all ages can help feed the homeless or do a service project that will minister to someone else. What about having a home Bible study where several families with children and adults meet together to learn from God’s Word? Think about the possibilities of special prayer services where young and old gather to pray. What if all ages gathered at the church to go on a prayer walk through the neighborhood?

It is a wonderful blessing to everyone involved when all ages work and worship side by side. Much is learned, shared, and accomplished. Respect and love grow as we interact. Not only that, it is a testimony to those who witness God’s love between his people of all ages. I’m sure it’s a blessing to God as well.

God knew us when we were being knit together in our mother’s womb. It is part of his plan that we grow from the time we are born to the time we die. We are still the same person, yet we are always changing. God is with us through every stage of life.

He desires that we all fit together in unity as his family. It is up to us to love others of all ages. It is up to us to find chances to mingle together in love. When we segregate by generations, we often miss out on the gifts he has given to people of other ages.

Each generation has a unique testimony of how God has helped them. God told us in Isaiah 51:8, “My righteousness will be forever, and My salvation to all generations.” It would be prideful if we think our generation is the only one to understand God or to see him at work.

The young are instructed to respect members of the older generation. They have earned their gray hairs. Many mistakes can be avoided by listening to their advice. On the other hand, the young should not be looked down upon because of their few years. God uses young willing hearts just as sure as anyone else. (Remember Samuel, David, King Josiah, and Timothy.) Jesus told us we should be more childlike.

God is our God, but he is also the God of those who lived before us and those who will live after us. In fact, we might see even more of his glory if we bridge the gap between age groups to praise our wonderful God who faithfully reigns from generation to generation. |L