10 Intentional Ways to Serve the Seniors in Your Church

10 Intentional Ways to Serve the Seniors in Your Church

Senior citizens are among the most important members of a church. They offer wisdom, knowledge, and trust in the faithfulness of God and are often the most generous givers. Yet, in many American churches, the trend is to prioritize the younger congregants. That’s understandable as far as making sure the church stays relevant for future generations. However, ignoring or diminishing the role of seniors is a huge mistake. They need to feel valued and heard. The body of Christ is to be multigenerational. 

Scripture Honors the Elderly

God values the elderly and promises, “Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you” (Isaiah 46:4). As those who follow Him, we also are to honor the elderly and pay them respect. We see this instruction through the entire Bible. The Old Testament law included this counsel from God Himself: “Stand up in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God. I am the LORD” (Leviticus 19:32). The writer of Proverbs reminds us that, “gray hair is a crown of splendor: it is attained in the way of righteousness” (Proverbs 16:31). In another Proverb, Solomon writes that we are not to despise our mothers when they are old (Proverbs 23:22). God’s idea is that we honor those who are seniors. 

In the New Testament, Paul counseled the young pastor, Timothy, “Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father” (1 Timothy 5:1). The body of Christ is to be a family. The Psalmist wrote that “God sets the lonely in families” (Psalm 68:6). The Apostle Peter instructed believers in the early church, “In the same way you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you clothe yourselves with humility toward one another” (1 Peter 5:5). Paul and Peter were both pointing out that senior saints are to be respected and honored as a vital part of every congregation. 

We are living in an age in the church, particularly here in the West, where we are all about young, hip, cool, and attractional models of church. That has a place, but scripture reminds us that the body of Christ is intergenerational, and we need to be honoring those who are elderly in our congregations. The aged add value and help show the path to greater spiritual growth because they’ve walked that path for years. They can attest to the faithfulness of God that younger people are still pursuing. 

The question that arises then is, how do we serve the older population in our churches? How do we make elderly people feel seen, heard, and valued? How do we care for them in a way that shows respect? We need to be intentional, for sure. Here are ten practical ideas that churches need to consider.

Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/Eva-Katalin 

  • senior man reading Bible with granddaughter with little white lights in background

    1. Honor their wisdom.

    Scripture teaches, “Wisdom is with the aged, and understanding in the length of days” (Job 12:12). Seek them out for their advice and ask their opinion. Churches are filled with senior saints who have served in all manner of places. Some might be retired pastors, retired accountants, or leaders in other industries. All of them have gained wisdom through their lives, and gleaning from their wisdom will contribute to your personal growth. Take a senior out for coffee and ask them for their opinion and even advice on different church issues. You will be surprised at the wealth of their knowledge. 

    2. Invite them to serve.

    Churches should be multigenerational, as should their volunteers. The Apostle Peter wrote, “Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully admonishing God’s grace in various forms” (1 Peter 4:10). My in-laws volunteered at their church into their late 80s. They were willing to serve wherever needed. As a result, the church benefited, and my in-laws felt valued and enjoyed a sense of purpose. The value of senior citizens staying active and volunteering is huge. It keeps them engaged in community, focused on others, and growing in their faith. Nowhere in scripture do we see saints retiring. If people can stay active and continue serving others, their later years will be more enjoyable.

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  • mature woman holding hand of senior mom in reassurance listening

    3. Offer practical help and encouragement.

    James wrote that a priority for us in the church is to take care of the widow and the orphan (James 1:17). God’s heart is always to care for the vulnerable, and seniors are often in that category. Widows, widowers, and older people with failing health or physical limitations need help from within the body of Christ. Imagine if every church had a list of people willing to help seniors with things like house projects, snow removal, internet difficulties, or transportation needs. Wouldn’t that be amazing? What a wonderful way to care for the needs of one of our most vulnerable populations. Often, seniors feel lost in the shuffle of their churches. However, they would have the capacity to offer so much if they received a little help from the body of Christ in practical ways. As we consider the early church in the Book of Acts, one of the stories that stand out is that of the widows needing help. I imagine many were older and had lost their husbands. As a result, the church appointed deacons to help take care of these needs. Scripture tells us the widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food (Acts 6:1). It’s amazing to me that food was being distributed daily. Every day! What if present-day churches developed plans to look after their seniors regularly? I wonder how the body of Christ might flourish. 

    4. Listen to their stories.

    In one of the churches we served, My husband Steve, who was the lead Pastor, hosted a lunch for all the veterans. Many had served in World War II and Vietnam. Steve went to each one and simply asked questions and listened to their stories. Many of them began their stories by saying, “I’ve never told anyone this.” Several of those stories ended with tears. Many said no one had ever taken the time to hear their stories. As we reflected later, we realized it is so important for church leaders to listen to the stories of their seniors. This makes these saints feel validated and also provides an element of rich church history for the congregation.

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  • holding hand of dying loved one

    5. Visit when they’re sick or in the hospital.

    James taught us that we are to pray over the sick, and this includes those who are in their senior years (James 5:14). Many pastors view hospital visitation as an old-fashioned or outdated idea. Yet, for older people who are in the hospital, a visit from a staff member from a church can make a world of difference as far as hope. Many are lonely. When a staff member from the church takes the time to visit, pray, and read a Psalm to them, their hearts are encouraged. 

    6. Ask them to mentor younger believers in the church.

    Titus 2 gives instruction on older women mentoring younger women and older men mentoring younger men. This is one of God’s primary visions for discipleship. I remember in one church when a gentleman in his 60s asked my husband, who was the pastor, how he could be used in his retirement years. My husband, Steve, suggested that he start inviting younger men over for breakfast and Bible study and really focus on mentoring them. The older gentleman took the challenge, and he challenged the men he mentored that they, too, needed to start mentoring. The result was incredible! So many men’s lives were changed as mentoring grew organically in our church community.

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  • mentor godmother senior woman having coffee with younger woman

    7. Invite them to coffee, lunch, or dinner.

    Many seniors feel isolated and lonely. They may not have family nearby, or they might be grieving the independence they once enjoyed. Why not offer to take them to lunch and ask them questions about their life? It will encourage your heart as you hear their faith story, and it will encourage their heart as they will feel more connected. 

    8. Ask them to be surrogate grandparents.

    If young families don’t have family nearby, older people can fill the role of surrogate grandparents. I remember a season in our families’ lives when we were in the thick of the parenting journey, and the grandparents lived far away. There was an older widow in our church who adopted our kids. Sometimes, she would take them for special treats or to a movie. We often had her over for dinner, and as a result, our kids benefitted.

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  • 9. Pray with them and over them.

    9. Pray with them and over them.

    The aging process is often not easy and brings new challenges. Pray scripture on behalf of your seniors. There are some great scriptures to pray on their behalf, such as Psalm 73:26 NLT, “My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but (you) God remain the strength of my heart.” Or, you could pray, “I recall all you have done. O LORD: I remember your wonderful deeds of long ago. They are constantly in my thoughts, I cannot stop thinking about them” (Psalm 77:11 NLT). After praying that scripture, you could invite seniors to remember all that God has done in their lives. As you ask them about those events, they will feel encouraged, and your faith will be strengthened. 

    10. Offer comfort when their spouse dies.

    Some of the seniors in churches have been married for 40, 50, or even 60 years. The death of their spouse is devastating! Often, they don’t even know what it looks like to grieve. Bring a meal. Call and check on them. Visit and listen. Churches used to have pastors who would visit. Now, that seems to be a thing of the past. However, for the grieving saints in your church, it is vital. You might feel awkward wondering how to best offer comfort, but often, just visiting and sitting with the person who is grieving is enough. Listen and encourage them to tell you stories about their spouse. Don’t let them feel forgotten. Do everything you can to make them feel seen and heard. 

    Remember, the body of Christ is supposed to be a multigenerational family. God puts different generations in the family so that no one feels lonely and each one flourishes. Seniors offer some of the greatest gifts available to the church today. Their wisdom, knowledge, generous giving, and deep trust in the faithfulness of God bring vibrancy to the local church. As we honor, respect, and care for them in their later years, God is exalted, and the entire church benefits.

    Photo Credit: © Getty Images/Pornpak Khunatorn 

    headshot of author Becky HarlingAuthentic. Passionate. Funny and Biblical all describe Becky Harling. A best-selling author, Becky is a popular speaker at conferences, retreats, and other events. She is the author of 11 books, including Our Father, Psalms for the Anxious Heart, How to Listen so Your Kids Will Talk, The Extraordinary Power of Praise, and her newest book, Cultivating Deeper Connections in a Lonely World. cultivating deeper connections in a lonely world Becky is a certified coach with the John Maxwell Team and a seasoned Bible teacher. You can connect with Becky at www.beckyharling.com, www.harlingleadership.com, Facebook https://www.facebook.com/beckyharlingministries, Twitter, @beckyharling, or on Instagram at Becky Harling