In Favor of Multi-Generational Ministries

Traditionally many churches are split into ministries based on age groups or life situations. So you will have children’s ministry, teen ministry, student ministry, married, singles, etc. While this makes sense in a way (people with common interests or schedules), the long-term impact does not seem to be very positive. It leads to various groups being cut off from one another and having a very limited life and spiritual experience.

Years ago, a friend of mine, Dave Pocta, started advocating for family ministries where the kids and the parents would be together. Dave tends to be innovative like that. I remember the pushback and the criticism. Move forward two decades, and actually, Dave was proved right, and more and more churches in my former fellowship follow his ideas. For several years, I was on the Youth and Family Service Team of our global church, and I witnessed firsthand the benefit of parents and children being together, of elders being involved with the youth, etc.

You have heard me bemoan the toxicity of many campus ministries. Young people leading young people without much supervision. Or ministers who have not raised children to adulthood trying to lead without the necessary wisdom. I have advocated for years for mature campus shepherds. Of course, those shepherds need to be empowered, otherwise it is just lip service. And if you know me, you also know that I am a big proponent of raising up young leaders. but we do not raise young leaders in a vacuum. They need mentoring and support.

In 2014, I took over the leadership of what was then called Youth Corps, which is a volunteer trip program around the world. The trips were designed for young people, and young people only. A couple of parents brought up the idea of having moms and dads join the trips with their kids, so we started doing that. Then singles decided they wanted to be on those trips too, and not be segregated on trips solely for singles. And then seniors wanted in. So we ended up what was called Volunteer Coprs, an all-generations service trip. And lo and behold, it became our most popular trip by a long shot. The trips were still led by young people, but they had the assistance of more experienced Christians to support and mentor them. So everyone wins!

I see more and more the benefit of mixing the generations. Everyone learns from everyone else. The young benefit from the wisdom of the old, and the old benefit from the energy and healthy questioning of the young. As I have shared many times, I have learned so much from the youth. They keep me on my toes, and they challenge my thinking in a good way.

And that is one added benefit to the house church model. In a small group, everyone worships together. The young are not pastured out to ministries which way too often turn abusive, due to immaturity. The parents and older folks are there to maintain respect and boundaries. I suspect that the faith of young people raised around older Christians will be longer lasting. Maybe not as “exciting” in the short term but certainly more rooted and grounded for the long term.

Anyway, we are learning as we go, but at least let us not keep making the same mistakes. If something is not working or is a cause of trauma, let us be humble enough to re-examine, question, brainstorm, and change!