I would like for you to hold onto that thought until the next time we meet mainly because I would like to take this time for us to focus upon ourselves as we hit the new year head on.

New Year’s Resolutions?  How about rebooting yourselves instead?

I never do New Year’s resolutions; instead, I like to think of it as an opportunity to reboot.   And just like you have to reboot your computer ever so often, you must reboot yourself at least once each year.  In other words, you must evaluate or re-evaluate yourselves periodically.

Let’s do a 2011 Reboot

Beginning with me let us look at some things we can do to reboot as we begin 2011.

• Realize that church is not a noun; it is a verb.  Do something to improve the thing you have been complaining about.

• Break the Bible into manageable portions for reading purposes.  Do not try to read it all in one month.  Our goal is to let God speak to us thought His Word, not speed reading.

• Select a Bible study workbook that fits into your everyday work and family schedule.  Select one that fits your personality and lifestyle.  If you choose one that is a five-day-a-week study with daily homework, you will need to work at pacing your progress.

• Choose the right time that you can spend in prayer with our Lord.  It may be morning or night or at several intervals during the day.

• Take the time to take several families in your church, or church community under your care.   You  do not need to take on the whole world.

Stop and get your bearings

Before we leave this topic of rebooting, we all need to stop and get our bearings.  Beginning with Lou Redd we all need to ask the following questions prayerfully in the presence of God:

• What is one thing I could do this year to increase my enjoyment of God?
• What is the single most important thing I can do to improve the quality of my family life this year?
• In which spiritual area of my life do I want to make progress in this year, and what will I do about it?
• What is the single biggest time waster in my life, and what will I do about it?
• What is the most helpful new way I can help my church?
• For whose salvation will I pray most fervently this year?
• What single thing that I plan this year will matter in 10 years? In eternity?

So let us evaluate our lives, make plans and goals, and live 2011 with biblical diligence.

It is now time for us to leave the diner, and go back to work thinking about doing things with and through older adults.

Until the next time,

Lou

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Seniors are living longer and doing more in their later years than some people give them credit for.

Even in my own church some members are questioning why we are spending more for youth programs than we are for golden agers, and as I have stated before in my blog musings, seniors make up the larger percentage of our country’s population.  Even in our evangelistic outlook, seniors comprise one of the largest unchurched groups.

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Society, in general, fails to look at seniors as individuals with skills and knowledge based upon a wealth of experience and history.

Today, let us look at a group that church executives have identified as the “new old.”  They are the boomers that bring much to the church, but often are “unnoticed.”

When you look at baby boomers such as my daughters (early 50′s), terms such as old, elderly, senior, golden-agers, etc. do not seem to fit or describe boomers.  Many of these boomers, who were involved in youth ministry, are now entering their fifth and sixth decades of life.

So you may be asking what changes do they bring?

• Baby Boomers are approaching aging in a different way than the preceding generations  They have no desire to spend their retirement years sitting in a rocking chair or playing shuffleboard.
• Just as when they were young, they are interested in changing the world.
• They do not want to get old and are doing everything they can to stay healthy and look young.
• Even if they continue to work, they work at jobs where they can make a difference in society.

The church has bought into the myth that younger is better.

They believe that a growing church has a lot of young people, and if you have too many older adults that must mean that you are a dying church.

Instead, we have the potential to grow a church by increasing the number of older adults because millions of adults over the age of 50 are not Christians.

If we will be intentional about reaching these people for Christ, our churches will grow, especially when you consider that there are 78 million boomers, many of whom are not connected to the church.

As you leave the diner, think about the distinction of doing things with or through older adults rather than seeing them as just older adults.

I also want you to do something that is an option.  Look up Dr. Amy Hanson’s website www.amyhanson.org. She is a specialist in gerontology.  Her book, “Baby Boomer and Beyond: Tapping The Ministry Talents and Passions of Adults over 50,“  has provided much of the material for this blog.

Until next time, blessings.

Lou

During past tough economic times, according to a March 7th article in  Parade Magazine, there was a decrease in volunteering.  However, today there is a compassion boom of people helping others.

An exclusive new Parade Poll of 1008 respondents demonstrate that our nation is in the midst of a volunteering boom. Thus, this blog will deal with how and why so many Americans are working to improve our communities and the world.

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Public service has become more than a phrase or a school requirement in our country.

According to CEO, Patrick Corvington of the Federal Corporation for National and Community Service, public service has now become a way of life.

• Many people who are out of work are now volunteering to stay connected in their communities, as well as, help keep their job skills sharp.

Corvington also explains that 94% respondents believed that it is important to be personally involved in a course that they believe in and 90% said they are working hard to teach their children the importance of activism.

Parents are leading by example.

Parents are leading by example, talking to their children about issues and causes, and urging them to follow role models who are working for positive change.

It seems that compassion counts more than ever.

One of the respondents polled is an attorney who volunteers at an elder-care facility and takes his young daughter with him.  He teaches her that those out of the public view need attention.

What would you do if given a $100,000?

One of the questions asked  the 1008 Americans in the Parade poll was, what would they do if given $100,000 to donate to charity?  I have listed the top ten responses:

1. Food and shelter for the needy
2. Disease research
3. Disaster relief
4. Animal welfare
5. Youth programs
6. Poverty relief/job assistance
7. Education
8. My religious charity
9. Global environment
10. Public health

It seems that a lot of people have been reshaped for service as the “mindset of Christ” becomes the focus instead of our “me” focus.

As we have looked briefly at the why people are becoming involved in more volunteerism, let us now look at the how aspect of the respondents.

Making a difference.

Almost all of the respondents (98%) have engaged in at least one activity to make a difference.

• 91% to the hungry.
• 30% helped organize a fund raising event.
• 32% participated in service projects such as clean up at a local beach, park, or public area.
• 24% volunteers at a soup kitchen or food bank.

What do you think is responsible for this great change in our country today in regard to this boom in volunteering?

In my study I have found it is not what but who.

In today’s population, based upon the Parade Poll, there are three distinct types of Americans who are driving the change in our communities and country.

“Yeppies, Rapid Responders, and The Mission Minded”

Just as this 76 year old was glad to see  how the Boomers changed some of the ways we do church, I am now glad to meet the new groups which are the “Yeppies,” (Young, Engaged Problem Solvers), “Rapid Responders,” and “The Mission Minded.”

• “Yeppies” rely on social media and socializing to fuel their activism and volunteerism.  They have faith that individuals can solve social problems.  They are open to a variety of causes.

• “Rapid Responders” are not out to improve the entire world.  Their focus is more personal as their causes tend to stem from specific problems such as health or a neighborhood issue.  Responders often organize community events to raise awareness or money for the causes.

• “The Mission-Minded” consist of older Americans for the most part who are motivated by their faith.  To them, supporting basic needs like food and shelter is a faith duty.  They feel that the world’s problems can be fixed by faith groups.

There you have it in a few paragraphs, but I assure you, I shall study these groups in my future research.

Next time, we shall look at our diverse population.

Lou

One of the issues that surfaced, in more than one situation, is the absence of older adult leaders.

Most leaders are over burdened with other church positions and few churches have full time or even bi-vocational older adult pastors. Yet, by 2010 older adults (50+) will comprise 40% of church congregations.  In addition, unchurched older adults are one of the largest groups in our population.

What is the answer?

Before you answer, “oh well” perhaps the following materials may help those who feel led to lead older adults who are looking to find significance in the second half of their lives.

My aim is to help that someone who feels “led to lead” receive God inspired help as I did.  After all, it is the Holy Spirit that leads; it is not about us.

Let us look at what it takes to lead older adults (50+) whether you are a lay leader or a pastor that leads older adults.

Older Adult Ministry:

Church growth indicates that as a church expands it’s ministry it needs to expand its base of leadership.

Not all of these leaders need to be licensed and ordained clergy.

“Called to lead” is very important as God does not always call the trained, but trains the called.  Therefore, the called will meet the needs of the people they serve.

Whether the leader is titled as a pastor, minister, coordinator or facilitator, he must be called and have love for the people he serves.  His job description should have the following goals:

1. To work with and within the existing older adult existing ministry program to bring it into anticipation with the total church life.
2. To become involved with the individuals currently participating in the existing program to the point of identifying their specific needs (been there, done that, continue to do that).
3. To concentrate on outreach, evangelism, ministry, for the purpose of discipling people age 50 and up.
4. To initiate new programs of service within and without the church (i.e) meals on wheels.
5. To work with assigned Deacons in Family Ministry.
6. To bring to the pastor older adult needs that require his attention.
7. To provide comfort, counsel, and referral as needed during times of personal crises.

In the past people lived in a world that did not change very quickly from generation to generation.

Western society is now much different.  Our culture is not one of harmonious continuity from generation to generation, but rather one of abrupt change.

The Second Fifty Years:

The Association of Baptist Ministries With the Aging, reported an alarming statistic, “Today the greatest proportion of suicides are among the elderly,”

Since much senior suicide goes unreported, we have evidence of an overwhelming need that exist within the older adult population.

Therefore, the church has an obligation to seek and develop leadership for the “Encore Generation” (older adult) group.

• The local church has a responsibility to evangelize them.
• The church should be a support group for believing and non-believing older adults.
• The church should provide opportunities for older adults to serve within present and new ministries.

On our next blog, we shall look at some stress factors that cause older adults to be depressed and sometimes suicidal.

Lou