One of the most valuable resources in our churches is our senior women. They are our grandmothers, parents, parents, friends, etc. These women have had years to build their relationships with the Lord and endure many trials and moments of elation in life. They are full of wisdom and grace.
Are you one of these cherished seniors in your church? Do you sometimes feel you want to connect with the younger generations, but aren’t sure how?
You may worry that the young people in your church don’t want to hear what you have to say or that you’re too old to make a difference. This is not true. You may not realize it, but they need you more than you think.
So many young people go through difficulties in life and aren’t sure how to handle or how to pray or talk to God about it. This is where you come in. Consider these next ideas and see which one stick out to you. Pray for God to give you opportunities to put them into practice!
1. Give Advice
If you are talking with someone and they are having a problem, ask if they would like your advice. If so, give it. You may offer a solution or an angle that they hadn’t thought of before.
2. Spend Time
Make friends with the younger generation in your church and spend some time with them. This could be going out for coffee, spending time with them during church events and workdays, or meeting for lunch somewhere.
3. Lead a Bible Study
Offer to lead a Bible Study and invite a mix of older and younger members to join you. This way, you will have a mixed group of ages where everyone can study the Word together, give insights, and get to know each other.
To make it a more relaxed atmosphere, offer to hold it at your home or that everyone meets at a local coffee shop. Bible studies serve the purpose of believers learning about God together and also getting to know each other better.
4. Volunteer
Spend some time volunteering for a favorite cause. You are bound to find lots of young people volunteering at different organizations and businesses. Some may know the Lord and some may not, but this is a great opportunity to make friends and let the Lord lead you in sharing advice and wisdom, witnessing, praying with or for someone, etc.
Pray and ask the Lord to guide you to the right places to volunteer. He will lead you to the place where you will have the most impact. This could be at a children’s center, animal shelter, homeless shelter, etc. Each time before you go, pray over your shift and ask him to show you the people that need him most.
5. Pray with Them
If you have a small group of younger friends, pray with them. This is especially effective on a one-on-one basis. Take the time to reach out to each person via email, messenger, or phone and talk about how their week is going. This way you can find out how you can pray for each person’s issues specifically right then and throughout the week.
6. Pray for Them
Take the specific requests you may have learned about in your small group of friends and pray for each person every day. Pray for the younger generations at your church. Pray for our youth nationwide and for them to come to know Jesus, whether it’s re-dedicating their faith or knowing Him for the first time.
7. Nurture Their Faith
Help the younger generation in your church nurture their faith. If they are a new Christian, recommend a Bible reading plan or devotional so they don’t get overwhelmed. Offer to do a one-on-one Bible study with them so you can help answer their questions.
Share about a Christian nonfiction book that you have been reading that has impacted you or offer a book you have read that will help with their situation. Recommend a sermon for them to listen to, whether it’s from your church or another Christian leader that you enjoy. Recommend a song that they can relate to or that will lift them up. There are many ways to nurture someone’s faith. You just have to listen to figure out the best way to do it.
8. Mentor Them
This is a great way to connect with young people. Think about your talents and what you enjoy and then find someone in your congregation who enjoys the same thing. Teach someone to cook or bake, how to garden, write a book, etc. While doing so, get to know each other and see if a friendship forms.
9. Provide Wisdom and Perspective
Because young people have little life experience, things can get overwhelming. This is where your wisdom and perspective can be a calming, solid answer during chaos.
You realize that the experiences you have gone through count. If you know someone is going through a rough time, is having trouble deciding, or needs some perspective on something, reach out. Chances are, you may have gone through either the same situation or something similar.
Learning how you handled it, how you talked to God about it and trusted him with it, and what the outcome was on the other side will show them that even though things don’t always turn out as we wish, it will be okay. That God has them right where they are and won’t let go.
10. Recognize That the Younger Generations Need You
It may be easy to think, “Oh, I’m too old, they don’t want to listen to me.” This is far from the truth. In pouring into these sons and daughters of Christ, you are safeguarding the witness of the church.
They will learn nuggets of wisdom from you, which may help shape or change their perspective on an issue or topic. You are a seasoned Christian, having weathered many storms and trials in life with God’s help. Your wisdom and perspective matter.
11. Volunteer for Sunday School, Youth Group, or VBS
Our youngest generation (children/preteens/teens) are living in the harshest environments right now. Young kids know more than they should about adult subjects. Pre-teens are struggling to figure out who they are. Teenagers are being bullied and pressured by peers to do un-Christian things.
Some have intact families with both parents and some only have one parent. Some have grandparents and others don’t. Christian parents do their best, but they also have other responsibilities to handle.
Our youth need connection and support. They are starving for it, and this is where you can help. Volunteer to teach Sunday school, lead youth group, or volunteer for VBS. This is where you can teach these kids about a God that loves them, be a beacon of stability in their lives, and make friends with their parents. This is a great way to reach the older younger generation (people in their 20s and 30s) and the youngest generation as well. Who knows, you may even become a “grandparent” to some of these children.
There are many wonderful ways that you can connect and pour into the next generation. Pray about it, select one or two ways, take a leap of faith, and allow God to lead you to the people you need to connect with and the lives you are supposed to change.
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