By Ann Maniscalco, Special to the Message
NEW ORLEANS – Churches that try to create a one-size-fits-all senior adult program are not considering the diversity among the 55-plus age group, said Amy Hanson, Ph.D., at a recent four-session event at NOBTS.
Hanson is author of Baby Boomers and Beyond: Tapping the Ministry Talents and Passions of Adults Over 50.
In the “Ministry with Boomers and Beyond: Re-tooling our Ministries for Maximum Impact” session, Hanson divided aging adults into three groups: the “young-old” (ages 55-74), the “old-old” (ages 75-84) and the “oldest-old” (ages 85-plus). She said the focus of this particular conference would be on the youngest group.
“We must rethink how we do senior adult ministry and even create new ministries and programs to reach the 78 million Baby Boomers who do not want to participate in the traditional seniors’ potluck luncheon or bus trip,” Hanson said. When planning ministries and programs, she suggested covering the bases of physical health, mental health and engagement with life, while being careful to always include the faith perspective.
The second session focused on “Service: the Linchpin of a Successful Ministry”. Using Psalm 92:14a (“They will still bear fruit in old age”), she showed that Time + Experience + Resources = Significant Kingdom Impact. Helping both the Boomer and the Builder generation believers find meaningful opportunities is vital, she emphasized.
In “The New Old: Trends of Effective Boomer Ministries,” Hanson pointed out characteristics unique to the Boomer generation, and ways to plan programs and ministries that would pique this age-groups’ interest and promote participation.
She encouraged the enlistment of Boomers in the planning process, and emphasized providing opportunities for service while addressing current needs and life issues.
“Breaking Down the Age Barriers: Practical Ways for Becoming an Intergenerational Church” was the title of the fourth session. Noting that “we live in an age-segregated society,” Hanson discussed barriers to and benefits of intergenerational ministry. She then gave seven strategic methods to promote effective cohesiveness among the generations.
“God has given Amy some great insights into the Boomer generation,” said Jeff Ingram, Adult Ministry Strategist for the Louisiana Baptist Convention. “[This group] has always brought change to the church and ways of doing ministry. Research also shows that Boomers may become more spiritually sensitive as they grow older.”
Ingram said he sees these implications as a great opportunity for the church, and added that he hopes “this seminar will start a movement of more effectively reaching and ministering to this age group.”