Embracing the Small Church - An Intergenerational Church

The bouncy music booms through the speakers as kids, students, and adults of all ages wave their arms, jump and sing “Jesus is my superhero, you’re my star, my best friend…” Smiles, laughter and joy fill the room as we all participate in active worship with our Kids Praise Team.  All ages sitting around tables sharing a celebration meal together during an Easter Brunch, July BBQ or Thanksgiving Dinner.  When we, of all ages, partake of communion, serve alongside one another, learn, play and worship together we embrace being an intergenerational church.

If you attend a smaller congregation (100 or less) you can often look at the larger church across the street and long for its successful programs: high-energy kid’s ministries, or cutting-edge youth programs, parent resources, elderly adult activities and trips, or single adult programs. They may be staffed by called, full-time pastors and leaders who create dynamic ministries and programs for each generation.

One advantage a small church has over larger program churches is being an intergenerational church. To honor, value, and celebrate each generation, as well as, to worship, connect and serve together of all ages. We truly become the church family that God calls us to be. The Apostle Paul affirms our kinship relationship with one another in 1 Timothy 5:1-2, Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers, 2 older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity.  Being fewer in number gives the smaller congregation more flexibility and ease to participate in church life together. The needs of each generation become our responsibility and not just the responsibility of full-time staff.

Within our family we have a responsibility to one another to show respect, love and care for each age-level needs. 50 years ago, Jim Rayburn founder of Young Life said, “It’s a sin to bore the kids with the gospel”. Our youth and young adults face many challenges to faith and morality that we (older adults) have never had to deal with. Single and married adults have distinct needs. Parents are burdened by over-committed schedules, unbalanced family budgets, and multiple jobs that drain their emotional, spiritual and physical resources. Mid-to-older adults face many relationship, career, health and family challenges as well. We all have distinct needs and hopes, but when we recognize the needs of the other generations we can then best reach out and serve one another with respect, love and care.

As a Pastor I am encouraged when I witness the whole family, joyfully worship, connect and serve as one. I am encouraged when each generation sets aside its preferences, fully engages in intergenerational praise and worship, develops friendships across age-levels and serves one another. I think God, our Father, smiles in affirmation over his family during those times. Embrace the small church and the joy we have in being an intergenerational church.