Redd Alert

We need to be aware that the older adult group is growing.  By the same token we need to realize another statistic.

By 2010, 40% of the average North American Congregation will be over 50.

Therefore, not only does the church have to plan ministry for older adults (65-74), maturing adults (75+), but also for middle adults (50-64) for their numbers are growing.

As a result, the church must develop ministry ideas and ministry opportunities for three church groups.

We also need to strengthen inter generational relationships among children, youth, busters, boomers and builders.

Builders must realize that significant living is necessary in the second half of life.  God is giving us more years and energy to serve while the church needs to develop communication tools to reach each targeted audience.

How do we get started correctly in Older Adult ministry?

Here are some principles that apply to all 50+ groups.

1. Find, select, train leadership.
2. Begin an Older Adult, not Senior Adult, Ministry.
3. Develop a purpose statement.
4. Build a Senior conscience.
5. Get the facts involving your target group such as;

• Number of people over 50
• Homebound
• Number of males and females
• Needs and interests

Now we are going to enter a new paradigm for ministry.

The “Middle Adult” group do not perceive themselves as seniors and anything that remotely resembles an activity will repel them.

One indication is that they drive; they do not take the bus.  A new approach is needed.

In addition, most present senior groups are saturated due to the fact that after a few years together a group stays to itself and inadvertently keeps others out.

They only replace people not add people for the most part.  A new approach is needed.

Briefly, let us look at some characteristics of “Middle Adults”.

1. Middle Adults are at their peak of influence and possess great energy.  Sometimes, though they are leaders in communities, they are overlooked in church.
2. Their children are growing up and leaving home (empty nest).
3. They are looking toward retirement.
4. They are spending increasing energy in leisure time activities.
5. They are adjusting to aging parents.

During the next 18 years, someone in the U.S. will turn 50 every eight seconds.

That is because from 1946-1964, 76 million middle adults were born.  Yes, the middle adults are exploding on the scene.

The present senior group will not hold the key for outreach to the boomer.

In my estimation, there are some key connecting points that those of us who are up there (age 75) can discover that will help us with this population.

1. Connect with boomers in the church and community by participating in their activities periodically.
2. Discover boomer characteristics.
3. Give attention to expressed needs, interests, and concerns.
4. Reach non-churched boomers by building friendship bridges.
5. Enlist boomers to help you.
6. Begin to educate all generations about aging issues without using the word “senior”.
7. Provide internet resources for issue solving.

The boomers that I have interviewed in several churches have several values that may set them apart from other groups.

The four main values that surface in most congregations among boomers are:

• Boomers value family driven ministry (children involved).
• Boomers value freedom (retired but free to travel).
• Boomer value Biblical preaching (raised on absolutes).
• Boomers value respect when church decisions are made.

Much of the boomers group are part of the sandwich generation.

Now we direct our attention to the “Older” or as we are referred to, the “Elder” generation.

Life is a marathon not a sprint, and in our journey we have had experiences that required faith and endurance.

We have overcome depression, global war, technological change, and social upheaval.  Yet, we are still here and we still have something to contribute.

Celebrating with “Older” adults can be a joy providing the church utilizes their experience and skills.

Consider some activities and some ministries for “Older” adults.  Here are some things that can provide joy and learning in the lives of “Older” adults.

1. Older Adult revival – can be during the day if it involves a large number of people.
2. Older Adult Bible conference.
3. Older Adult VBS.
4. Older Adult retreat.
5. Older Adult monthly theme luncheons.
6. Older Adult historical site trips.
7. Older Adult week or month.

The next Older adult ministries are “service”.  Which would bring experience and energy for significant living in the lives of many older adults.

Many ministries are local ministries in the church and community.  This would be older adults ministering to other older adults.

• Visiting other older adults that are homebound or in assisted living facilities.
• Lunch partner with a homebound person weekly.
• Substitute caregiver that relieves a caregiver an hour or two each week.
• School helpers in or outside the classroom.
• Audiotape of Sunday’s worship service; deliver and listen.
• VBS in a nursing home.

Our next blog will focus on “Who do we get to do ministry?” Until then, journey well.

Lou

Possibilities for a growth producing Middle & Older Adult Ministry

Now that I have sparked your awareness of how many of us there are, let me create a setting of possibilities for a growth producing Middle and Older Adult church program.

The possibilities in most churches are tremendous. 

While there are many middle and older adults in the church today, there are millions outside of the church.  Middle and Older adult ministry is a great place for a church to proclaim the gospel and effectively carry out the Great Commission. 

Considering that older adults are one of the largest unchurched groups.  Here are five steps that have worked in effective Middle and Older adult church ministries.

1. They begin by identifying those adults 50 years and above, both in the congregation and in the community.  They develop a profile of both groups, listing needs, interest, family, marital status, mobility, skills, and hobbies. 
2. They organize a three month trial program for middle and older adults to assess interest, participation and possibilities. 
3. They raise congregational awareness about the opportunity for ministry and the church’s response to those over 50.
4. They consider the addition of a full or part time middle and older adult pastor.  In most churches there are twice as many over 50 as youth 13-19 years of age.
5. They provide opportunities for growth and development in the following areas:
   • Ministry Opportunity:  Giving time, experience, energy to others.
   • Spiritual Growth:  Continuing to walk in the Christian life.
   • Evangelistic Outreach:  Sharing the gospel with others.
   • Friendship:  Building relationships with others.
   • Education:  Continuing growth.
   • Fellowship:  Providing recreational and social activities.

This is a critical time for the church in America as more and more people enter the 50+ population.  These people have unique skills, needs, and hopes.  The church with the good news of Jesus Christ has the wonderful opportunity to minister to them.

Lou

In the last blog I introduced myself and explained what the Middle and Older Adult ministry would focus upon.  Now I would like to speak to you in regard to why it is necessary for the church to turn their attention to this particular age group. 

Let us begin by looking at the Age Wave in order to catch the middle and older adult awareness. 

The age wave began to break in the mid 1990′s as the first of 76 million U.S. baby boomers turned 50. 

Looking at this ever growing demographic the church needs to, if they have not done so, adopt a new paradigm in reaching older people beyond “happy time travel” and “covered dishes”. 

Church leaders need to recognize and tailor ministry to include;  

1. Middle adults 50 to 70. 
2. Older adults 70 to 80.
3. Mature adults 80 and over. 

Older adults that are in many churches are an untapped resource.  In my case, significant living is very important to me.  Most older adults have a yearning to do something significant with their lives.  May you ask the question, “What has your church done or is planning to do to provide significance in the second half of your older adult lives membership?”

Let me leave you with some facts in regards to middle and older adults: 

1. The number of people over 65 will be greater than people 18 and younger. 
2. They comprise 20% of the population. 
3. 87 million older adults are estimated to be alive by 2040. 
4. At present, if a woman survives to the ag of 65, she can expect to live on the average another 19 years, five which shall be years of dependency. 
5. For men, life expectancy after 65 is approximately 15 years, with three years of dependency. 
6. 34% of all Americans are 50 years of age or older. 
7. Every 7 seconds another person turns 50. 
8. People age 65 number over 35 million, representing one of  eight Americans. 
9. The projection of the “older” Americans is 20% by 2030. 
10. More than 200 Americans reach age 100 each week.

Now that we have become aware of the ministry need for reaching the middle, older, and mature adult population, we shall move to the steps of  how to organize a group in each church.  This will be covered in our next blog.

Lou

The Scope of Older Adult Ministry

Why?

The Great Commission is both timeless and ageless.  Many people have bought into the myth that there is some magical age at which one retires, even from Christian service.  Some churches unintentionally feed this myth.

The generations of older adults have a history of mobilizing to get the job done.  Why would they stop just because they become older?  If anything, becoming older is more of a reason to stay faithful to the mission of “The Great Commission”.  After all it is not the great suggestion.

What?

Older adult ministry must be about developing strategies for involving older adults in making disciples, maturing or growing believers thus multiplying leaders and ministries.

Who?

Older adult ministry should involve all older adults in ministry with, to, and through older adults.  Then ministries will target people of all ages.  As an example older adults may minister to children as they volunteer through a community public library.

How?

Older adult ministries will use the existing structure of the church’s Sunday School or other Bible study groups in order to help other ministry teams.

When?

Anytime, as older adult ministry can not and should not be limited to one event or meeting.

Where?

Anyplace, in the church, down the street, or around the world.

Now that we have answered: Why, What, Who, How, When and Where, what should we anticipate will happen in our churches?  Here is my take on this.

• Churches will see older adults come to know Christ as personal Lord and savior and follow Him in baptism.
• Churches will hear stories of how God has changed the lives of older adults and those to whom they reach and minister.
• Church will see older adult ministry leaders sending out older adults in service, as well as, seeing older adults discovering how they link their giftedness beyond the walls of the church.

Do not throw out what you are doing with that monthly meeting, just give it an enhanced focus.

Lou

Welcome to “Redd Alert”, a Senior Adult Ministry blog site

A little about the author: Lou Redd

“Redd Alert” is a brand new ministry vehicle for me and I want to welcome everyone to this ministry blog.

After Years of teaching school, and working with church youth (RA’s and Baptist Men) the Lord has opened the door and has called me into a full time ministry for middle and older adults (age 50+).

As of February 1, I began working with the Mid-Maryland Baptist Association with Director of Mission’s Joel Rainey, and the Baptist Convention of MD/DE (BCM/D) Missionary Ellen Udovich.

A little about the ministry:

With direction and power from our Lord, we endeavor to minister to the middle and older adult group (Seniors) which make up 40% of our church congregations.  In addition, it is also one of the largest unchurched groups in America.

With those statistics in hand, we desire to;

1. Develop church groups comprised of older Americans that will not only minister to their senior church members but also reach out to the senior community.
2. For each church to transform their older adults into outreach vessels through social and ministry multi-tasking.
3. To be informational.
4. Learn how the Department of Aging, the AARP and other Senior focus groups can provide information.

As you can see the possibilities are endless.

As one person recently asked me, “what is a middle and older adult ministry?”  my answer is that it is a plan for significant living in the second half of one’s life.   One may have had a successful career, but at retirement one wants to continue to do something significant with the rest of his/her life.

In reality it is a time of re-purposing one’s life and how one accomplishes that is dependent upon the church and its staff.

The coordinates of attitude, spiritual growth and Godly habits leads one to strategize a plan to turn aging into significance. The goal of middle and older adult ministry is to move that significance into an action plan of service to others in the church and the community.  The equation,  Aging + Strategy + Action = SIGNIFICANCE in the second half of life.

A few strategic avenues:

Through mission trips one can resist complacency.  Volunteering in your church, hospital, or soup kitchen will focus upon gifts, talents, and resources.  Basically that is what middle and older adult ministry is all about.

God’s word hold the key:

Psalm 73:24

With Your counsel You will guide me, And afterward receive me to glory

Isaiah 46:3-4

Listen to Me, O house of Jacob, And all the remnant of the house of Israel, You who have been borne by Me from birth And have been carried from the womb; Even to your old age I will be the same, And even to your graying years I will bear you, I have done it, and I will carry you; And I will bear you and I will deliver you.

1 Timothy 1:12

I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service,

2 Corinthians 4:16-18

Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day.  For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

Now that you know a little about “Redd Alert” I welcome any questions or suggestions that you may have.  Please feel free to send them to my email at singergosp@aol.com.

Please come back often, new blog updates will be posted monthly.

Until the next time, many blessings.

Lou