By Ward Tanneberg

Since being asked to help lead CASA in 2008, emphasizing the idea of the intergenerational church (interGen for short) as an integral part of 50+ Ministry has been the direction in which we have pointed our efforts. We changed our name to The CASA Network (Christian Association Serving Adult Ministries) to better describe what we were becoming. A matrix of pastors and educators, church and parachurch leaders, single adults and married couples, all in our middle and later years, networking to enlarge the voice and values of maturing Christ followers everywhere, challenging the glaring apartheid of ageism in the church.

The longer we’ve been at it, the more important that focus has become. Aging boomers are now taking the place of “the greatest generation” with whom CASA started out 30 years ago. The first wave of Generation X can be seen on the horizon. Change is happening.

We struggled much longer than we should have, attempting to ‘name’ older adult ministries in churches. Boomers resisted the ‘senior’ tag, and ‘Golden Oldies’ never quite fit either. I began to think I was back in high school, trying to decide what to name my senior class. Eventually, I began calling us what we are as Christ followers, or should be. Men and women at midlife to age 69 are young elders. Those 70+ are master elders. Surprisingly, this seems to work for most.

‘Elder’ is a term found often in scripture and is a word not only denoting age, but wisdom and respect as well. Being a young elder suggests a maturing wisdom with many active, purpose-filled years still ahead. A master elder is someone recognized as more than just being “old.” He or she is a repository of life experience and spiritual depth. Someone to respect and admire. Someone you might like to know better, to share life with.

Still, today’s church as a whole remains generationally divided. Society is displaying a rapid and divisive cultural shift, and the church silently goes along with it, as though it is inevitable. Much like someone standing in front of a window with newly minted AARP card in hand, staring in frustration at her reflection in the glass and determined to resist the aging process or at the very least, she ignores it as long as she can.

It is the 40/50 Window: 40% of the population in western world nations–as well as China and Russia–are now or soon will be 50+ in age. Forty percent. Four out of every ten. Those 85+ are the fastest growing age segment. In a few short years the 85+ will be a demographic equivalent to the population of New York City. How can we look the other way with an age wave as powerful as this sweeping over the world? This is going to dictate the way we do church and society for years to come!

The 21st century church is hardly ready for this age tsunami. Slowly, we are seeing once more the value of interGen lost. But we have yet to fully grasp the upside of 50+ men and women already here, as a transforming part of interGen ministry mix within the family, the church, and the world at large.

The 40/50 Window ministry is of more Kingdom value today than ever. You and I helped lay foundations of faith in villages, towns and cities the world over. We tried to capture and preserve the vision God gave those who came before us, while raising an eyebrow or two over the way we were doing it. Now it is time for us to recalibrate our personal goals and boundaries, to invest out of our strengths, and to make choices that will wipe out generational divisiveness and link our hearts together again as one. It is time to become a young elder or master elder.

It is a new day. The Son is rising, bringing light and life and hope for yet another gospel planting, another soul harvest. We cannot remain the “me” generation any longer. There is too much at stake. This day is about you and me only in part. It is really about blending our unique Kingdom voices with those of our peers. It is about daring to live as young and master elders and make a discipling difference in word and deed with the generations who follow after us.

I’m in!

 

Ward Tanneberg served as a pastor for 35 of his more than 55 ministry years. He became president/executive director of CASA 50+ Network in 2008. He speaks and writes to 50+ and intergenerational ministry leaders and is the author of several inspirational novels.