We put a lot of attention into evangelism and discipleship for children and young people. This includes events and programmes for the young people themselves but also resources to help[ parents. We recruit children’s and families pastors and youth workers to help with all of this. But are we missing something, or some people.
It is striking, first that we have seen what is being called a Quiet Revival with many in Gen Z willing to come to church or read the Bible, often with little external prompting. Younger people seem open to the Good News at the moment, perhaps because they have experienced the full fat version of secularism and discovered that it doesn’t satisfy. Then, secondly many involved in evangelism note that the over 60s are both the missing generation and the most hardened to the Gospel.
Thirdly, from a pastoral perspective, one of the great challenges that many in our churches face is the care of older parents or indeed more widely being part of caring/medical professions which involve high levels of exposure to frailty and death. Yet where are the training courses preparing us? Where are the seniors’ pastors seeking to evangelise and disciple the boomer generation whilst also equipping the next generation down to love, care for each reach aging parents? Where are the innovative evangelism programmes designed for Gen X and above?
Perhaps this is where we need to be focusing.
Faithroots 