Posts Tagged ‘2011 conference’

It’s Here! It’s Here!

Remember that amazing thing that was said during that one session? Or, how about that joke at the beginning of.. was it lunch? maybe dinner. Feel like you might be missing something? Not any longer! Hear the great teachings and insights from The CASA Network International Leadership Conference 2011 all over again, or for the first time.

General sessions and workshops are available for $5.

To download audio, add the sessions you’re interested in to the shopping cart and purchase. You will then receive a transaction receipt by email with links to download the MP3 file(s). If you don’t see an email within a few minutes, check your spam folder. If you still do not see an email, or if you encounter any errors, please send an email to info@gocasa.org.

Go to the 2011 Conference Audio page.

 

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ILC—Anaheim 2011 CONFERENCE GLEANINGS

Pat Korieth, Gateway Church of the Nazarene, Murrieta, CA

 

They will bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh… (Psalm 92:14)

The J.O.Y. Council of our church sent me, together with Roger and Marlene Bowman and Lisa Watamura, to The CASA Network International Leadership Conference in Orange County last November. I want to thank them for giving me that informative and inspiring opportunity. The conference theme was Influencing the Generations – Refresh your mission. Reconsider your tactics. Renew your purpose. This puts it all in a nutshell – the reason for attending was to refresh and renew what the J.O.Y. Council could bring back to our church family.

Ward Tanneberg, President/Executive Director, CASA Network called us to be IN to listening to God’s call on each of our lives, IN to sharing the love of Christ with our peers, and IN to making disciples. Ward encouraged us to LEAD while we have strength, TEACH while we have influence, CREATE while we have wisdom, STIR the glowing embers of our peers, and LEAVE a light on for the next generations.

His opening remarks challenged us to begin the conference by asking God to let us each:

  • Be touched by ONE INCREDIBLE MOMENT
  • See ONE WORTH-IT-ALL THING
  • Hear ONE POWERFUL IDEA

My ONE INCREDIBLE MOMENT was from a devotional message given by H.B. London regarding the story of Mary anointing the feet of Jesus. She did what she could, with what she had and where she was. It was an act of worship. H.B. concluded by asking, “what could we do – with what we have – where we are” that can be used for Jesus to give God the glory. This was an inspiration to me to worship God in this way.

My ONE WORTH-IT-ALL THING was the theme of the conference, namely Influencing the Generations by relationships and not by an intergenerational activity or program. One way of doing this was presented in the Start the Conversation workshop by showing ways to create meaningful conversations through new listening skills, knowing how to ask powerful questions, and sharing life together. Powerful questions are those that reveal information for the benefit of the person answering the questions (not the asker). Workshop participants asked one another questions that stimulated clarity, discovery, insight, and action – not correction. We would like to bring this workshop to our church for all to benefit.

My ONE POWERFUL IDEA was that there are phases of retirement to help identify strengths and weaknesses in meeting the needs of our senior’s ministry:

  • (Go-Go) Active Phase – Engaged in life (e.g. volunteer, travel, leisure activities),
  • (Slow-Go) Passive Phase – Energy and health begin to ebb,
  • (No-Go) – Final Phase – Health problems that may restrict mobility, etc.

A chart would be necessary to categorize our J.O.Y. participants to design activities and outreach ministries according to this assessment.

 

Dr. Richard Gentzler, Jr., Director of the United Methodist Church Center on Aging and Older Adult Ministries, spoke on Faithful Aging: From Success to Significance. He stated that faithful aging means to move from being “self-centered to God-centered,” to recognizing that being older is a gift, and that aging is a part of God’s design. We should have a positive attitude about being old since growing older allows you to shift perspective towards God’s way of seeing things. Part of the role of the church is to enhance dignity and worth of every person as a child of God, provide support groups for grief and loneliness, address the multiple losses of aging and help the elderly find fresh meaning and purpose in life.

Dr. Chuck Stecker, President of A Chosen Generation, gave the analogy of “Passing the Baton,” a modern day term based on a relay race where the runner passes the baton to the next runner and the first runner must get out of the race. Dr. Stecker said that our nation and our churches have fallen into the unfortunate situation of losing far too many of our “seniors” who have a significant amount of time and experience to offer to younger generations. This is happening because we have fallen prey to someone wrongfully telling seniors to “pass the baton.” He further states “If you have bought into the lie and passed the baton, take it back! God will tell you when you are done.”

Missy Buchanan, author, columnist, and speaker gave ideas on how the church leaders can help older adults transition through the many changes that come with long life. She said aging is both a state of mind and a state of body, and it should be acknowledged that not everyone can be Betty White!  We should try seeing the world as they see it. Imagine the frustration of impaired vision, poor hearing, diminished strength and arthritis. The church can help older adults find purpose in each life transition by showing them how they can still be involved in ministry. She asks us to be creative in helping older adults see how they can still serve others, no matter what their situation.

Rod Toews, Pastor to Plus Ministry Peninsula Covenant Church and a CASA Network Board member gave a summary of his sabbatical for a survey of adult ministries around the country. In surveyed churches, 38% of the adults were 50+ in age. Eighty-four percent felt that the pastoral leadership demonstrated support for their ministry by the lead pastor teaching seminars, greeting and recognizing 50+ people, attending and staying through events or classes and also by inviting input from 50+ people.

Dr. Laura Carstensen, Professor of Psychology and Director of the Stanford Center on Longevity spoke on “Long Life in the 21st Century.” She said that, “The Center brings together the best minds in academia, business and government to target the most important challenges and solutions for older populations. Projects are designed to provide information to policymakers and business leaders, and bring them together with the research community. Their aim is to develop workable solutions to urgent issues confronting American as our population ages.”

Gleanings for the Hungry, a mercy ministry of Youth With A Mission, located near Fresno, CA, presented an interesting opportunity for outreach and getting involved. Its mission is to help feed the hungry of the world physically and spiritually. They produce dried fruit and dehydrated soup mix and distribute worldwide, using about 3,000 volunteers annually and many “senior” groups to assist them in food production. This mission may work best for younger people’s involvement.

 

There is so much more we experienced at this conference. We hope to be able to bring all we learned to the J.O.Y. ministry as we re-evaluate the needs and phases of our group and recapture a sense of purpose and meaning to our lives.

To quote Ward Tanneberg “Each person has a unique conversation with God. We are the language of God to reflect Jesus. God is not finished with us yet.” 

 

Pat Korieth is a volunteer with The CASA Network, connecting with authors for the Writers Panel and providing editing skills. We’re grateful for her time and her insights.

 

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Observations from a Youth and Family Pastor

David Fraze

 

Recently I had the honor of speaking at a 50+ conference.  A student ministry guy at a conference designed for 50+ year old participants?  Yep–it was awesome!  I was asked to present some material related to Intergenerational Student Ministry published with the Fuller Youth Institute, www.stickyfaith.org (check it out). I had such a great time with these wonderful and visionary church leaders who are part of the CASA Network, www.gocasa.org (Christian Association Serving Adult Ministries Network). Did I say it was awesome?

I knew only one person at the event (hey Bob) and had not even made connection with the director of the conference when I sat down to listen to the first session. I was drinking my coffee (as usual), getting comfortable with my surroundings, and then it happened. The message being spoken was the same message being delivered at today’s top student ministry conferences–students and young families need meaningful interaction with and mentoring from adult followers of Jesus–Intergenerational programming speak!  I was thrilled at the synergistic (fancy way to say synergy) message I was privileged to be a part. We (student ministers) are not alone!

 

Here are a few of the things I kept hearing, in no particular order, from various speakers, teachers and panel participants (again, you can hear any of these things at the student ministry conference of your choice):

  • The church “family,” not just mom and dad, share a responsibility in the spiritual formation of children.
  • Mature followers of Jesus have a responsibility to proactively seek ways to build relationships with today’s students and young families.
  • Intergenerational programming does not mean sacrificing age specific ministry but rather asking the question, “How can our existing programs be morphed to build relationships across generational boundaries?”
  • Intergenerational ministry is NOT another program.  It is a mindset.

I could continue to list the synergistic (I had to use the word again) messages but I mention these as a backdrop for the following comments.  Caution, these comments are going to be a bit preachy.

First, student ministry “experts” and “conferences” are not the only ones speaking prophetic words and predicting future programmatic trends for the Church.  To be clear, I am not one of these, but I run across a few student ministers that give little value or attention to the voice of older leaders and members of  our church communities–this is an arrogant and grave error in my opinion.

Second, I was thrilled to hear those who have me beat by more than a few decades of ministry say to their peers that they need to be “sages” for the Church and stop being “rigid” keepers of the statuesque–because statuesque is not working (all age groups and ministries grieve the fact that large numbers of our students walk away from Christianity after graduation from High School).  To the 50+ saints reading this, we “young-in’s” need your help in casting an informed (historically, theologically, socially responsible, etc.) future for our church communities and not have dark shadows of “the way it use to be” cast over our attempts to effectively minister to our generation–we really want to listen and dialogue with you!

And third, this experience strengthened my belief that Intergenerational ministry programming talk is much more than a fad used to start up the next national conference option, book deal and/or speaking circuit on ramp opportunity.  I believe it is a movement of the Spirit that is working to correct a programming methodology that has divided the church into age segregated silos (No, I am not going to unpack this here, but feel free to weigh in with your opinions here–the conversation will be fun).

I have spent a large portion of the last four years researching, rethinking, regrouping and re envisioning student ministry so that the flow of students exiting the Faith after graduation could be slowed and/or stopped. Some of the corresponding programmatic changes have been easy, others not so much. Still, through it all, the Intergenerational piece remains a part of all my programmatic discussions. Personally, I am so fortunate to work with a church family, leadership, peers, families and students that want to break down the generational silos. Even so, it was good to know we are not alone!

 

Question:  Understanding that every age group needs “their time” together, what are some of the obstacles faced when attempting to program over generational lines?  How have you worked through these obstacles?

 

 David Fraze is the Director of Student Ministries at The Hills Church of Christ in North Richland Hills, TX. He has served as a curriculum director for Summer Camp at Lubbock Christian University and as an adjunct graduate professor of youth and family ministry. Learn more about David Fraze at Fuller Youth Institute, or read his blog: dfraze.blogspot.com.

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From our Alliance Partners at Fresh Horizons

In August 2011 Fresh Horizons hosted two conferences for those embracing the new wave of ministry to those in life’s second half. Tauranga in New Zealand’s North Island was the host city for the first New Zealand Conference of this kind in the country. A local board working in cooperation with Fresh Horizons Australia staged a fantastic event over two days that drew close to 100 pastors, church leaders and interested Christians from around New Zealand. The following week Caloundra City in South East Queensland hosted their second Australian Conference with over 60 leaders, ministers and interested Christians from as far away as Victoria attending.

Both conferences benefitted from the insights of keynote speaker Ward Tanneberg (USA) who focused on the topic “Influencing the Generations”. A variety of relevant electives were offered and well received that included the topics “Jesus and women in today’s world”, “Positioning and equipping your church to reach and mobilise baby boomers” and “Accentuating the positive.” A valuable feature of both conferences was the panel of practitioners who are successfully involved in second half ministries. New Zealand’s panel featured Tom Frew, a Baptist pastor whose entire ministry focus is on building a vibrant congregation of over 50s. Nan Kingston-Smith focused on health and fitness while Denise Whitehead is involved with the Tauranga City Council exploring the concept of global age friendly cities.

 

Fresh Horizons is a Kingdom focused ministry established to inspire, educate and equip active Christians to engage in a ministry and evangelism with Baby Boomers and beyond. Learn more at www.freshhorizons.org.au.

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A challenge to Senior Pastors and Church Leaders

John Thill

 

The conventional wisdom of the modern day church says, “The future of the church rests with the young.” Driven by that assumption, many churches have chosen to focus their ministry on children, youth and young families. Sometimes this assumption translates into the neglect or the outright rejection of ministry to people who are considered ‘old.’ Some would go so far as to say that ministry to older people is wasted and the resources we have should be spent on the young.

Has God played a cruel hoax on us by promising that we would “live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you if we obey his commandments” (Exodus 20:12)? Yet when we arrive at a stage of life where this becomes a reality, some churches see such a person as excess baggage. Perhaps it should be required of every senior pastor to consider at what age a person will no longer remain a key ingredient of ministry, and to explain the reason for such a decision.

The practice of segmenting congregations into age groups and, in some settings, limiting ministry to the ‘young’ often misses the purpose of building the Family of God. “Although I hope to come to you soon, I am writing you these instructions so that, if I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God’s Household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth” (1 Tim. 3:14-15). It appears that Paul in I Tim. 5:1-16 is speaking directly to how we should live together inter-generationally.

 

The theme for some seems to be “ministry to the whole person for part of your life.” Yet God calls us for the whole of life. The amazing thing is that we all share one thing – we are all aging. To the person who fears aging, who does not want to be with older people, who wants to stay young and die quick, the plan and purposes of aging and the high calling of fulfilling Scripture is missed.

One generation will commend your works to another, they will tell of your mighty acts. Psalm 145:1-7

O my people, hear my teaching; listen to the words of my mouth. I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter hidden things, things from of old – what we have heard and known, what our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their children; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, his power, and the wonders he has done…so the next generation would know them, even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children. Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget his deeds but would keep his commands. Psalm 78

Remember the days of old, consider the generations long past. Ask your father and he will tell you, your elders, and they will explain to you. Deut 32:7

We are in danger of repeating in the 21st century what happened in Israel. “…Joshua died at the age of 110. After that whole generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation grew up, who knew neither the Lord nor what he had done for Israel. Then the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord and served the Baals” (Judges 2:6-14).

As we grow older, Psalm 71:17-18 must be our prayer: “Since my youth, O God, you have taught me, and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds. Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me O God, so that I can rest in my retirement for I have done my part.” Of course, the verse reads differently “….till I declare your power to the next generation, your might to all who are to come.”  To those who are “old and gray” – to what degree is this our desire? To the leaders of the Church – to what degree do we encourage and enable this ministry among those who are “old?”

 

For the Church to ignore, devalue or reject the ‘old,’ the absence of the ‘elder’ will mean that we refuse God’s call to honor those who have walked before us. We will have removed God’s means for reminding and encouraging us to trust him as we remember who he is and what he has done. We will have set up a pattern of demeaning the “old” that affects us as we grow older. We will have put away the very means God designed for ministry to the young to be effective – “…ask your elders and they will explain to you.”

Leviticus 19:14 makes the point: “Do not curse the deaf man or put a stumbling block in front of the blind…” Why not? The deaf can’t hear or be effected by our curse. The blind can’t see to bring a charge against us. Why not have fun at his expense? Leviticus gives the answer, “…but fear your God. I am the Lord.” The young, especially in our culture, will not honor this command unless someone is there to teach them the “fear of the Lord.” What does it mean to fear the Lord? What are the results of fearing the Lord? What are the results of not fearing the Lord? Why is fearing the Lord the beginning of wisdom (Psa. 11:10)?  “…ask your elders and they will explain to you.” 

Of course, this presupposes that the ‘elder’ knows how to answer the question – therefore the need for ministry to the ‘elder.’ Equipping, encouraging and challenging them to “declare God’s power to the next generation.” It also demands the church have at its core  an intergenerational, Biblical understanding of the family of God, and create in its ministry an intentional, effective and practical means to bring the generations together.

 

For those who would minister to and through ‘elders,’ we must bring the message of Exodus 9:16. “I have raised you up for this very purpose – that I might show my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” If the Church does not have vital, credible, and radiant ‘elders,’ we have little evidence that our faith really works or any hope of finishing well. So we must ask, “What are we doing ‘to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ’” (Eph. 4:12-13). Ministry to the ‘mature’ is not entertainment, maintenance or appeasement. It is rather valuing, challenging and equipping as stated in these passages of Scripture. We must call the older person to declare and validate the power, promise and purpose of God to the younger generation; to people worthy of Deuteronomy 32:7, and create the means to do so.

Within the Church that would minister to the young, where in fact the future of the Church does reside, there must be a clear understanding of God’s plan that enables the generations to be together; learning, serving, correcting and encouraging one another. If we do not heed the instructions of the verses above and so many others that say the same, we will continue to see the “snare of the culture” (Exodus 34, Romans 12) rob the young of the “truth of God” and the future of the Church will be lost (See Josh McDowell – “The Last Christian Generation” Green Key Books 2006).

Within the Church that would minister to the whole person, there must also be ministry for the whole of life. What is the basis to say we only minister to the young – for that matter when does a person cease being young? When does old begin? Should we honestly declare in our mission statement, printed materials, and church programs that when you reach a certain age, be it 40, 50, 60, 70+, you no longer have a place in the family of God as represented in our local body? The Biblical insanity of such a position is obvious but too often ignored in the attempt to do what we think will make our church we grow numerically.

 

Admittedly, some people 50+ are a better example of what not to be than a model of trusting God and living vibrantly in his truth. That means part of our ministry must be to challenge, equip and call our ‘elders’ to be what God intended them to be. We need to have people in the second half of life who understand what Moses said in Exodus 33:15:  “Then Moses said to him (God), ‘If your Presence does not go with us do not send us up from here.  How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?’” It is my prayer that when the ‘elders’ we minister to and through enter any aspect of the church people will say: “When those people enter it is like Jesus comes into the room.” Exodus 34:29 says it all: “His face was radiant because he had spoken with the Lord.”

The ‘elders’ of the Church, and I’m not simply referring to the ‘office’ of the Elder, should be the builders of “God confidence” among the rest of the church. “But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us” (2 Cor. 4:7-12). “You have been my hope, O Sovereign Lord, my confidence since my youth” (Psalm 71:5). It is the ‘elder’ who can declare the truths of Proverbs 3 in a world that puts confidence in all the wrong things. It is the ‘elder’ who can declare with unique credibility and power the truth of Proverbs 3: 25-26, “Have no fear of sudden disaster or the ruin that overtakes the wicked, for the Lord will be your confidence;” and “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit” (Jer. 17:5-18).

For the Church not to nurture this kind of ministry, there is a lack of depth to its life, a missing testimony of longevity, and frankly, a betrayal that God cares about us at every stage of life. Unthinkingly, we say to every person, whatever their age, there will come a time when you are no longer important to God or us. It reveals an ignorance of God’s Word, an immature understanding of what the church was created to be, and a diminishing message to every member as we each grow older. It is like a husband saying to an aging wife, I don’t want you anymore; I want a new “young” wife. I think we can be grateful that God deals with us as His bride so differently than we often treat each other, especially as we age. I wonder what God will say to the Church if we declare by our actions, “Lord, when your bride got old, we divorced her, moved her to a place of dishonor, neglected her, and silenced her?”

 

Am I being too strong? No! There are many churches these days that have remarkable ministries to and through maturing adults. There are lots of models as to how to have a ministry like this, but if a church’s mind set is “the future of the church belongs to the young and therefore we do not have and sometimes don’t even want a ministry to people in the second half of life,” this incomplete understanding of the Church needs to be challenged. It will result in a ministry whose people will be “infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. “Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work” (Eph. 4:14-16).

Evaluate the practice of your church and the world view from which it comes. Is it possible we have listened far more to the world than the Word, to the devil than the Deliverer, to our flesh than the Fresh Wind of the Spirit?

 

John Thill is Pastor to Mature Adults and Intergenerational Ministries at Rolling Hills Covenant Church.

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The Elephant

by Missy Buchanan

 

There’s an elephant in the room.  It’s enormous, and many church leaders are ignoring it because they don’t know what to do about it. It’s time to look the elephant in the eye.  The church is aging quickly, and senior adult ministries are struggling.  Whew.  It’s been said.  Now can we talk about it?

The trend is nothing new.  Church leadership has known for years that people are living longer and that congregations are graying.  There’s been lots of talk about how to get younger leadership involved as a way to reinvigorate the church. But few people seem to be considering the far reaching implications for ministry to the fast growing population of senior adults.

Jack Phelps, Associate Pastor at Crestview Baptist Church in Georgetown, TX, knows the issues well.  There are more than 500 senior adults in his congregation in a city known for its retirement communities.  “ I truly believe that the greatest challenge facing churches today is simply understanding that the population is graying and that church memberships are graying at an even faster rate.”  “Though most churches have a minister responsible for a youth program, few have a minister assigned to the seniors.  Almost none have a minister who is trained to do so,” continues Phelps, whose seminary degree includes a concentration in gerontology.

Aubrey Patterson, retired minister and currently the chaplain at Rest Haven Funeral Home in Rockwall, TX, agrees, noting that many churches have a pastoral care minister whose title includes senior adult ministries.

“The problem is that these pastors are stretched thin, trying to minister to congregants of all ages who are ill or hospitalized plus regularly visiting the homebound and senior care residents.  Add to that organizing senior adult fellowship events and retreats, Sunday School classes and Bible studies.  It’s no wonder the church needs to seriously rethink how it is doing senior adult ministry.”

No doubt, church leaders would agree that ministry was not intended to be done by professional staff alone.  Both Phelps and Patterson enthusiastically recount how senior adults are great at caring for other seniors who are less able — a ministry of seniors caring for seniors.  But as the population of elderly explodes, there is concern about whether or not the church is equipped to handle the surge and the complexity of issues.

Dr. Richard Gentzler, Director of the Center on Aging and Older Adult Ministries for The United Methodist Church, suggests one problem is that many congregations are afraid of being labeled as dying churches if they emphasize senior adult ministries. But Gentzler maintains that churches without senior adults are missing a great resource of wisdom and life experience.

Patterson agrees, adding that some churches also make the mistake of lumping all senior adults into one ministry.  “The needs and abilities of an active 70-year old are quite different from a homebound 88-year old.  It is not a one-size-fits-all ministry.” Even defining senior ministry by age can miss the mark since physical abilities, not age, tend to identify senior adult subsets.  Gentzler refers to the subgroups of senior adults as the go-gos, the slow-gos and the no-gos, perhaps providing a more realistic way to discuss the unique needs of each group.

 

Tim Washburn, Senior Adult Pastor at First Baptist Church of Jackson, Mississippi considers reaching the Boomers as one of the greatest challenges facing the church.  “People in their fifties and sixties typically reject the notion of aging.  They especially resist cutesy ministry names that try to disguise the senior identity.  Getting this group plugged in and keeping them from feeling old is going to be a real challenge for the church in the near future.”

Even so, boomers are already faced with issues involving their own aging parents. Much of Phelps’ ministry involves helping families navigate real life concerns about older loved ones.  What should be the church’s role in helping Dad give up the keys to the car?  How do you convince a weary spouse that she needs more care for her husband with Alzheimer’s?  How can you help siblings work together in the best interest of their older family members, especially when there are unresolved issues that fester up in times of crisis?

Then there is the issue of unchurched seniors.  Patterson says his position as a chaplain has brought to light a surprising number of older adults who have no church home at all.  “Many are struggling with deep spiritual issues and are longing for relationship with someone who will just sit and talk.”  And what about newly planted churches with few or no senior adult members?  How will they respond to the needs of older adults in the community?  Or what about churches with small memberships and only one pastor?

 

Certainly the church can no longer ignore the elephant in the room.  Effective senior adult ministry will take more than good intentions to meet the spectrum of challenges and opportunities. Phelps believes that creating a true Biblical model of an intergenerational church should be the top priority.

“At my church in Georgetown, TX, we encourage social interaction between age groups and serving one another.  The youth serve as waiters at the senior adult banquet, and the senior adults serve over 20,000 meals and snacks to the 1,000 children attending our summer camp.  Our young children create hand made greetings cards that our weekly visitation teams delivers to shut-ins.”

Washburn concurs that serving one another is key. His church’s senior choir sponsors a Christmas party at the church for almost 700 homebound and nursing home residents, helping with decorations, food and transportation.  He also notes that it is vital to find ways to keep older adults connected to the church.  “We are exploring ways to use the Internet to keep our seniors in residence centers connected to their Sunday School rooms.”

It’s true that the elephant in the room stirs up a lot of complicated issues, but the scriptural mandate is clear.  It’s time for the church to start talking seriously about senior adult ministry.  It’s time to ask the hard questions and wrestle with the difficult answers.

It’s time to eat the elephant.  One bite at a time.

 

Missy Buchanan writes a monthly column, “Aging Well,” for the United Methodist Reporter and hosts Aging and Faith with Missy Buchanan on Blog Talk Radio.  She has also written for many publications including Presbyterians Today, Christian Association Serving Adults Ministries and Good Morning America’s spirituality page. Read more at www.missybuchanan.com.

Reprinted with permission of the United Methodist Reporter, www.umportal.org.

 

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Update for ILC–Anaheim Conference

For those signed up, and all who are still thinking of joining us!

Enjoy your time in Anaheim while at the CASA Network International Leadership Conference! There are any number of places to see and adventures to try in the Orange County area. Take some time to connect with other ministry leaders, colleagues and friends over meals, or talking a stroll on the boardwalk. Check out the websites listed below for ideas of what to do and where to go, and look for discounts to nearby restaurants and activities.

Activities, free and almost free:  Visit Orange County

Special rates when you show your badge:  Deals and Discounts

Don’t forget: attendees staying at the Doubletree Hotel Anaheim receive a discounted rate of $99 per night. 

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Dreams are Powerful Motivators

off the rockersDr. Charles Arn

Provided by CN Building Adult Ministries Resource Center

 

Senior adults in most churches have more available time … give more financially (one study indicated seven times more) than younger members … have years of valuable experience working in the church … don’t go “church shopping,” nor do they often move their residence … their work quality is high, and church loyalty solid.

There’s only one problem.  Many seniors have given up on the idea of getting involved. And worse, many churches have given up on them, too.

 

Out of the Rocking Chair

So, how do we tap into this bountiful resource of human spirit?  What can church leaders do to help senior adults out of their rocking chairs and back into active ministry?  Here are some suggestions:

#1: Help senior adults re‑capture a dream.

Sherwood Wirt, author of I Don’t Know What Old Is, But Old Is Older Than Me, opens his book with the following comment: “The number one problem facing older people today is not aging itself. Nor is it a diminished income, or dependence on relatives or loneliness, or mental depression, or unhappy memories, or fear of death. The number one problem with us older people, as I see it, is a lack of vision.”

How do senior adults re‑capture a dream? The first step is to help them focus their attention away from themselves onto someone or something else. Dreams journey beyond oneself. Help seniors find a cause to support, a person to mentor, a mission to pursue. For “… unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it abides alone. But if it dies it brings forth much fruit” (John 12:24).

Next, integrate the pursuit of the dream into a ministry of the church. If there are dreams in the hearts of some seniors for helping young children get a fair start in life, work with the seniors to begin a parent effectiveness training course and adopt-a-grandchild program. If some seniors dream of learning new skills, begin a series of stimulating courses open to members and non‑members alike. If some dreams are for seeing friends reached for Christ, develop a friendship evangelism training strategy.

Solomon’s words of wisdom apply particularly to senior adults: “Without a vision, the people perish.”

 

#2: Help senior adults discover and use their spiritual gift/s.

Senior adults who have found and are using their spiritual gifts have discovered that,  a) they are more productive in their Christian life, and  b) they are happier and more fulfilled.

There are numerous books and discovery guides to help senior adults (and others) discover their gifts. The value of such a process is substantial:

  • Retirees find identity in their spiritual gift/s, even though their occupational identity has been taken from them.
  • Those using their gifts are more effective and productive.
  • Unity among members and harmony in the church are by‑products of people using their gift.
  • More significant ministry can be accomplished in a church.
  • More senior adults will be involved.

 

#3: Help senior adults do “kingdom work” rather than “busy work.”

Kingdom work is activity that touches lives for Christ and the church. Busy work is activity for activity’s sake. Seniors, more than most, know the value of time.  And their time, more than most, is limited. Consequently, older adults want to use the time they have as productively as possible. Folding bulletins, arranging chairs, and stuffing envelopes may be important to the functioning of the church, but it is not a very effective way for senior adults to touch people’s lives.

The Church of the Nazarene in Pasadena, CA has focused on deploying seniors in kingdom work. They have developed a “Helping Hands” ministry that is managed entirely by their retirees. Needy families in the Pasadena area come to receive food and clothing, and the members they come in contact with are the seniors. Another ministry of the church is “Heart to Heart,” where members scheduled for open heart surgery receive a visit from a senior adult who has had heart surgery themselves, who serves as a reassuring counselor. A widow support group brings together people who have recently lost a spouse with those who have experienced this loss earlier. These are examples of “kingdom work”–work that is significant and fulfilling.

 

#4: Involve senior adults in short‑term tasks rather than long‑term roles.

In our research, we have found that one common characteristic of older adult men and women is that they prefer short-term tasks over long term roles. A short-term task may be anytime from three weeks to six months. It might be serving on a task force to raise money for a missionary. It might be organizing a greeter training program. It could be organizing a small Bible study group for new retirees. But there is a singular goal with an identifiable completion date. In contrast, many churches have one, two, even three year terms on various boards or committees. And some positions (such as Sunday School teacher) often sound like life sentences. Senior adults value flexibility. They want the freedom to leave for weeks or months at a time. They don’t know what health situations may change their mobility. And they want to participate in tasks they can see through to completion.

 

#5: Recognize achieving senior adults. 

How do you reward and praise your senior adults who are willing to get out of their rocking chairs and back into the mainstream? Positive reinforcement is one of the most powerful motivators for continued behavior. Public affirmation. Private gratitude. Notes of thanks. Words of praise. Seniors know the value of their time. Do you? And do you thank them for it?

One side benefit in frequent public affirmations is that the more seniors are thanked for their involvement, the more those uninvolved members will see what their peers are doing. Anyone — of any age — is influenced by what his or her peers are doing. Through public affirmation you are trying to “get the ball rolling” and build momentum that will become self‑perpetuating in senior adult involvement.

 

 

Dr. Charles Arn serves as Visiting Professor of Outreach and Christian Ministry at the new Wesley Seminary in Marion, Indiana. He completed his master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Southern California, majoring in Instructional Design and Technology. Learn more at his website: www.HeartbeatMinistries.net.  

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conversation

As a pastor, I know that many Christ followers experience more guilt than success when it comes to fulfilling Jesus’ Great Commission in Matthew 28:19. Especially the part about, “Go and make disciples.” It was not a request, not an optional volunteer opportunity to somehow work into our busyness. It was a command. Something Jesus seemed to think was part of our spiritual DNA. So why do so many of us feel so guilty about something so important as this?

In his book Mentor Like Jesus, Regi Campbell states, “Life doesn’t happen in church. Church can prepare us for life…but life happens at home, at work, on vacation, in our neighborhoods. If we’re going to share a ‘piece of our map’ with the next generation, for their benefit, then we must be out on the road with them, doing life together. The lessons get taught in the context of everyday life, in everyday situations, through the wisdom of God planted and nurtured in the life of one of his more mature kids.”

When it comes to “making disciples,” the reality is, Jesus didn’t say, “tell” them. He said, “make” them. He was in essence saying, “Start the conversation. Build a relationship. Invest more time with fewer people.”  He didn’t leave us a success formula or an impossible task. Nothing is worse than to be handed a job you aren’t suited for, one in which you are bound to fail. Jesus would never do that. Yet he gives a command with the expectation that “making disciples” would be our normal lifestyle ingredient.

So the question is, how have we been tricked into believing that making disciples is too hard, too presumptuous, someone else’s responsibility? Like Moses, we have said, “O my Lord, I am not…eloquent…I am slow of speech and slow of tongue…please send anyone else whom you wish to send!” (Ex 4:10,13). (It was following this rather pathetic plea that the Lord became angry with Moses. Just saying.)

The truth is, “making disciples,” whether it’s with our children, parents, grandchildren, neighbors, co-workers, students on campus, business clients, or just about anybody, is often more about “listening” than “telling.” More about knowing how to ask good questions than having all the answers. It’s about stirring the glowing embers of faith and value in our peers and leaving a light of hope on for the next generation.

 

Influencing the Generations.

With this in mind, the CASA Network introduces an exciting new Coach/Mentoring workshop, Start the Conversation – ‘Leaving a Spiritual Legacy,’ in which key coach/mentoring skills are married with the desire we all have to share life with those that Jesus wants to love through us. Workshop participants learn key coach/mentor skills, including how to listen effectively, how to ask powerful questions, the COACH Model™, how to maximize the potential in others, and how to create more meaningful and supportive conversations as leaders, family members, co-workers and friends.

Start the Conversation will not make you a professional coach or mentor. It is a uniquely designed, intergenerational workshop for seniors in high school to seniors in life (ages 18-88), providing key coach/mentor skills that you and those you serve as pastor, teacher, husband, wife, parent, student or friend will use every day to build up, strengthen, encourage and share life together. In this fun and highly interactive workshop the mystery of “making disciples” is stripped away as fulfilling Christ’s command becomes an everyday life experience. Each STC participant receives a workshop manual.

Start the Conversation will be introduced at the ILC—Anaheim Leadership Conference, November 9-11. For an STC brochure and information about hosting this workshop in your church, denominational group or parachurch organization, contact info@gocasa.org or call 888.200.8552.

That’s right. It’s time to stir the glowing embers in your peers and leave a light on for the next generation. Let’s Start the Conversation and Influence the Generations!

 

 

 

 

 

Ward

 

 

WHERE IN THE WORLD IS WARD?

2011

Sept 24 – The Intergenerational Challenge – Denver, CO

Oct 18-20 Mount Hermon Fall Adult Conference – Mount Hermon, CA

Nov 08 – CASA Network Board of Directors – Anaheim, CA

> Nov 09-11 - ILC-Anaheim – The CASA Network International 50+ Ministry Leadership Conference

 

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If You Have Passed the Baton…Take It Back

 Dr. Chuck Stecker

 

If you say something long enough and with a sufficient certainty in your voice, soon others will repeat it as fact without giving it a second thought. Now with the internet, anyone can launch an idea, quote or concept without any justification.

Think about all that we have heard that gets repeated as fact. Things such as “God helps those who help themselves” and “God will not give you more than you can handle.” One of my favorite totally unmerited statement centers on the idea of “Passing the Baton.”

“Passing the Baton” is a modern day term based on a relay race. There is no Biblical basis for this flawed concept when it is applied to leadership development and relationships. Consider for a moment that when a runner in a relay race passes the baton to the next runner, the first runner must immediately do three things:

1. Quit running
2. Step off the track
3. Get out of the race

If the runner continues to run even after leaving the track, the runner is charged with “pacing” and the team is disqualified.

As a society, we have bought into a lie and confused the “baton of engagement” with the “mantle of leadership.” Virtually every study that I have read indicates that one of the greatest needs of young men and women is the continued investment into their lives of older men and women.

There is a very clear biblical basis for training up new leaders and trusting their leadership. I would go as far as to say that as older men and women, we should not just trust the leadership of younger men and women, but we should be willing to serve under their leadership.

We find our nation and our churches have fallen into the unfortunate situation of losing far too many of our “seniors” who have a significant amount of time and experience to offer to younger generations. This is happening because we have fallen prey to someone wrongfully telling seniors to “pass the baton.”

Never have our churches and our nation needed our seniors more than we need them today. Clearly our roles need to change. We may not be able to physically do the same things we could do 10 or 15 years ago. We may lack some stamina for other things as well. Yet, years of experience should not be lost because someone was told to “pass the baton” by a person who has failed to consider what that actually means.

I am a senior and my life mission is to raise up leaders in all generations. To do this, I must stay engaged. God is not done with me, and I refuse to let others bury me until God is ready to receive me. Please do not tell me to “pass the baton” unless the message you want to relay is that I no longer have any value.

If you have bought into the lie and passed the baton, take it back. God will tell you when you are done.

 

Dr. Chuck Stecker will be sharing more on this topic at the upcoming Leadership Conference in Anaheim, November 9-11.

Chuck Stecker is the President and founder of A Chosen Generation. Chuck is an ordained minister of the Gospel with the Evangelical Church Alliance and has earned a Doctorate of Ministry specializing in Christian Leadership. As an Army Lieutenant Colonel, Chuck served on the Joint Staff in the Pentagon. After his retirement, he served with Promise Keepers. In 1997, Chuck launched Mission Capable Men, and A Chosen Generation in 2000. Learn more on his website, www.achosengeneration.org. 

 

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