Evangelism in the Second Half of Life

Dr. Charles Arn, Provided by CN Building Adult Ministries Resource Center

Both research and experience tell us that churches are essentially unsuccessful in evangelizing secular seniors adults.  The graph, 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:


1. The church’s outreach emphases have traditionally focused on youth and young adults.  The church, like the world, has placed a heavy emphasis on youth.  In research conducted in 500 churches, we found that 8 of 10 churches had youth directors (volunteer or paid), but only 1 in 75 had a senior adult director!

Now, it is certainly important to have an effective youth program.  But it is equally important to have an effective senior adult program.  Churches should emphasize both.  Unfortunately, ageism (discrimination against older adults) occurs in many churches.  It is now time for a more balanced emphasis.


2. Evangelism strategy for older adults must be significantly different. Market research of how and why older adults determine to buy a product is finding that from middle age on, adults actually process information and perceive the world differently than in earlier years.

Marketing research has found that older adults

  • buy from people they trust;
  • resist “hard sell;”
  • want a clear understanding of benefits;
  • demand a quality product.

Would not the above characteristics apply to making a faith commitment, as well?  Most evangelism strategies do not take these issues into account.


3. Outreach does not take into account “windows of receptivity” in older adults. Again, research has shown there are times in people’s lives when they tend to be more open to becoming a Christian … and there are times when those same persons tend to be resistant to the Gospel.  Effective evangelism for senior adults follows Christ’s command to “turn your eyes to the fields that are ripe

[receptive] unto harvest.”

Those times when most older adults are most receptive to a change in religious commitment are during transitions in lifestyle.  These are the times when people realize their traditional answers to issues of life and death are not satisfactory.  It is when people sense a need for alternative answers that they are most open to Christ’s message.  Senior adult groups growing through “conversion growth” understand this principle; those that are not growing have missed it.


4. The church does not provide adequate group options for seniors to become involved. It is critical to realize that senior adults are not one “homogeneous group.” They have different interests, lifestyles, concerns, needs.

Again and again we hear newly retired persons say, “I don’t want to be part of that group of old people” (referring to the present senior adult group).  The answer?  Start new groups!  Expect to see three, four or more senior groups in those larger churches with an effective senior ministry.  Each group will be slightly different, with each reaching a different piece of the mosaic.  (See the new book Catch the Age Wave 2nd ed. for help in starting new groups for senior adults.)

Reclaiming a Nation, Arnell Motz, Winnipeg: Trinity Western Press, 1990, p.163.