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August 4, 2008
Senior Adult Ministry Self-Assessment
Evaluate the effectiveness of your church's ministry among older adults.
1. Does your church maintain an up-to-date data bank or information service on older adult services in the community?
___Yes ___No
If yes, please describe:
2. Does your church currently offer regular support services and resources to elder caregivers in your congregation? ____Yes ___ No
If yes, please describe:
3. Does your church currently offer classes to seniors in your congregation on how to age successfully? ___Yes ___ No
If yes, please describe:
4. Does your church operate a systematic home visitation program for elderly shut-ins? ____ Yes ____ No
If yes, please describe:
When we talk with leaders of older adult ministries in churches, we consistently hear a comment something like this: “How are we going to attract the younger people? Boomers just don’t seem to want to be a part of our seniors group.”
Our answer: Most likely you’re not going to bring the Boomers into anything that looks or acts like a “seniors” ministry. It’s going to have to be unique, compelling, and maybe even revolutionary!
The Baby Boomers, referring to those adults that were born sometime between 1946 and 1964, is a generation unlike any other. Defined by the historical, political, economic, and social events of its youth, this cadre of aging adults may be chronologically qualified for the Seniors Ministry, but it’s fairly safe to say that they aren’t rushing to join.
Many individuals within this generation are still searching for truth, meaning, and a reason for their existence. One need not look far to find books, articles, and websites written by Boomers who are struggling with transitions into a new phase of life. It is clear that opportunities for ministry are abundant and significant.
So how do we minister to Boomers? How do we begin to break through the walls of denial, indifference, arrogance, rebellion, and fear that seem to surround this generation? How do we share Christ with a people group that is known for spiritual exploration and tolerance? How do we meet the needs of Boomers who are facing unprecedented changes? How do we break the code?
As a result of working with Boomers in our own church and with leaders of 50’s+ ministries in other churches and denominations across the country, we have begun to identify some code-breakers.
July 14, 2008
Why Aren't More Seniors Being Reached?
Four reasons why evangelism of senior adults has been unsuccessful.
Both research and experience tell us that churches are essentially unsuccessful in evangelizing secular seniors adults. The graph below, from one recent study,* makes the point dramatically:
In our experience, there are at least four reasons why evangelism of senior adults has been unsuccessful. These areas must be readdressed before significant results will occur:
July 14, 2008
The Power of a Generation
Adult ministries that are open to new ideas and provide opportunities for meaningful service will be in a position to flourish.
A very popular question among those who are involved in older adult ministry (OAM) is, “Why can’t we get the Boomers involved?” When the question is presented to Boomers, a common response is “Why would we want to be involved in that?” While the Boomer response has many layers in it, one of them is the presence of generational differences between those who are currently involved in an OAM and those who are becoming chronologically eligible to join but choose not to do so. Understanding the generational perspectives can be a powerful tool in building a more comprehensive and effective OAM.
A generation is a group of people who were born during the same period of time (usually a 15–20 year span) and have experienced significant events at approximately the same point in the life cycle. Their shared experiences are then used to develop a lens through which members of the generation see the world and respond to the circumstances around them.
• Born between the years of 1946 and 1964
• Approx. 78 million alive in 2005. In the 18 years prior to the Boomers, which are labeled the Builders, there were 49 million births
• 11,000 Boomers turn 50 or 60 each day (one every seven seconds) which equals over 4 million each year
• First Boomers eligible for Social Security in 2008
• First Boomers turn 65 in 2011 and the number of 65 and over will increase dramatically during the 2010-2030 period with twice as many 65 and over in 2030 than there were in 2000, growing from 35 million to 71.5 million and representing nearly 20 percent of the U.S. population
• By the year 2025, Americans over 65 will outnumber teenagers by more than two to one
• The U.S. Census Bureau projects that the population 85 and over could grow from 5.3 million in 2006 to nearly 21 million by 2050 which is when the youngest Boomers will have turned 85
• Life expectancy during the twentieth century went from 48 to 78 years of age
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