The Age-Integrated Church

The church of Jesus Christ must be a holy, united, loving community that is committed to God and what matters to Him. Therefore, it must be committed to age-integrated ministry; which is one of the most ignored of Biblical teachings. It is often blatantly, slickly, presumptuously ignored. It is a passion that I have become so convinced of that I've committed the past 10 years of my life to appealing to pastors, church leaders and church attendees to live like this. I have met so many people who have not been taught it but read it (and see it) in their Bibles and wonder why the church in the USA has become so age-segregated. Why have we? Because we have adopted and copied the education model prevalent in this country. Not a bad thing, but not something to build a church upon. We have copied an educational model with it’s theories and assumptions (which BTW educators will tell you are always changing!), rather than a Biblical one.

What exactly is age-integrated ministry? It is simply the church (and its households) interacting around its main priorities (God’s Word, prayer, fellowship, outreach) in an age-integrated fashion. Age-integrated is where generations interact often at home and church rather than splitting them up all the time. First and foremost, Christian education is to happen in and through each household on a daily basis. Order upon order, line upon line, little by little, through teaching and example. It's like learning a language, full immersionis best. Second, it must happen amongst the gathered church. Third, you have age-segregated ministry. But most churches put the majority of their paid and volunteer resources into something that is not meant to be primary. We should be putting our best ernegies and the majority of our resources into equipping heads of households to lead their families spiritually. Every pastor ought to be considered an intergenerational pastor; every pastor ought to be engaged in age-integrated ministry.

Why is age-integrated ministry so important to the health of the church? Because it is the way the faith is passed on most effectively. From parent to child, older to younger, older men teaching younger men, older women teaching younger women (Titus 2). Where do you see age-integrated ministry in Scripture? All the way through! It is assumed. It is also specifically alluded to – most familiarly in Deut. 6; Psalm 78; Joshua 24:15; Eph. 6:1-4 and Acts 2:39. Acts 2:39? Yes. "The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself." A hidden, often forgotten jewel that shows that it is not only for adults that the church exists – and as is shown elsewhere in Scripture, you don’t have to always split up the family. Households are meant to interact togethter around the things that matter most. Generations are not meant to be split up all the time as most churches do. The church must practice a balance of all generations worshipping, learning and serving together, fulfilling the Great Command to love God and the Great Commission to make disciples in and through present and future generations. We must be about equipping believers to follow Jesus at home, as a church and in the community.

Psalm 78:4 says "We will not conceal them from their children, but tell to the generation to come the praises of the Lord, and His strength and His wondrous works that He has done." You cannot do that in isolation. You must be engaged intergenerationally. At Grace we strive for a healthy mix of all ages worshipping, learning and serving together; bringing families together more; balancing age-segregated and age-integrated times. It will show in a balanced church calendar that reflects many opportunities for generations to interact. It will show not only in what we say but in what we do.

I realize I am speaking a different language than what most have experienced in the church. Many have been shown something quite different. This is important stuff! If the church doesn’t model it in body life its tougher to pull off in individual households. By God's grace and for His glory may His people engage in life and ministry that integrates all generations.