Building Adult Ministries, Leadership for Adults Over 50

It is becoming quite popular for people to move into a 55+ adult community when they retire. Most large metropolitan areas, as well as smaller communities have recognized this trend and are responding with unique living environments for the active retiree. Del Webb, the nation’s leader in building active adult communities, found in a survey that 59 percent of baby boomers plan to relocate upon retirement with 7 percent of those considering a 55+ living community.¹

These communities are marketed as resort style living with golf courses, recreational activities, and fitness centers. But what about the spiritual lives of the thousands of adults who live in these communities? Some churches are taking a serious look at the importance of evangelizing and ministering to older adults where they live.

A Church Inside the Community
Community Christian Church, in Naperville, IL, a multi-site campus based church, has one of its sites in Carillon, a 55+ living community in the Chicago suburbs. It began with the vision of one woman who lived in Carillon and wanted to have church services in the clubhouse. Getting approval for this was difficult but eventually they began having monthly worship services. Not long after, Community Christian learned of the need, embraced this ministry, and started weekly services. In May of 2004, Earl Ferguson (pastor of Carillon) moved with this wife Pat into one of the homes inside Carillon. Earl recalls, “I had just finished a 38 year ministry and was searching for what God had next for me. My first response when asked to be the Carillon pastor, was no! I was not interested and did not want to live in a community where everyone was 55+!”

God had other plans for Earl and Pat, who is the creative arts director for the campus. Since moving into the community and taking on the leadership role of the church campus, attendance at Sunday morning services has grown from 50 to 150.

One of the challenges that the church faces is that they cannot invite people that live outside of Carillon to join them. The Carillon Adult Master Association insists that the clubhouse be for those that live inside Carillon. The leaders of the church do not let this discourage them. Earl laughs and says, “We have a mission field of 3,600 people, all who live in Carillon.”

Small groups are a foundational part of the ministry and this is often the entry point for a person’s involvement with the church. Earl says, “We have as many people in small groups as attend church services on Sunday morning.” Currently there are 13 groups. Many of the people living in Carillon have come into a saving relationship with Christ or found their way back to church through the small group ministry. One of these men, named Bob, had owned his own business and traveled all over the country before retiring and moving into Carillon. Earl shares, “We invited him initially to a small group and we could practically see his eyes begin to open to the message of the gospel. Bob was baptized when he was 80 years old and told his friends and family, ‘All my life I’ve known something was missing and now I know what it is.’”

Church members living in the community
Not all churches have the opportunity or the ability to plant a church inside a 55+ living community. However, there are other ways to reach those living inside these neighborhoods. First Evangelical Free in Fullerton, CA, is very intentional about training their church members who live in these communities to be involved and visible. Rosalyn Encarnacion, Director of Senior Adult Programs says, “We encourage our church members to be apart of the Home Owners Association or to be active in the crisis response teams in the communities. When they are in leadership, they notice the homes and the individuals who need help. At this point, the church’s ‘family fix it ministry’ can step in and serve the people.” From this, the older adults are invited to a social activity at the church and begin to develop relationships with others who can tell them about Christ. “We also will help someone who is moving out of the community and into an assisted living facility or nursing home. This can be a very difficult time for people, especially for those who don’t have family. We will often help them pack and even host a garage sale for them while one of our church members takes them out to lunch or a movie.”

Older adults and church leaders are discovering the great importance of integrating into 55+ communities across the country. Much like missionaries who move and settle in a different country, churches that are willing to invest time and resources into these communities are seeing people come to Christ and grow in their relationship with Him.

¹ http://www.seniorjournal.com/NEWS/Features/3-06-18delweb.htm. June 18, 2003 Baby Boomers Worried About Money for Retirement