A lot of 'old people'

'Young' people who visit the church at which I minister often comment that there are a lot of 'old people'.  They visit from other churches; I guess that there are not a lot of 'old people' at those churches.

I think this is sad.  In the establishment of the church by the Holy Spirit at Pentecost Peter quotes Joel:

‘In the last days it will be, God declares,
    that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh,
    and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
    and your young men shall see visions,
    and your old men shall dream dreams.
 Even upon my slaves, both men and women,
    in those days I will pour out my Spirit;
    and they shall prophesy.

- Acts 2:17-18

The church includes children, young people, old people, slaves - all of them adopted by the Holy Spirit into the family of God; all of them gifted by God to realize his dream for the church.  Church - by scriptural definition should be old, young, rich, poor, oppressed and liberated - together in one family - when we are not together, do we hear the word in all its fullness?

So - when you look for a church - don't join one without old people, it might be tempting - it will be fashionable and trendy and all the things you like.  The music will be loud; the preaching will be 'relevant' to your generation - but the community will be missing a limb.

As a pastor ministering to the elderly influences my preaching tremendously.  It is easy to be optimistic and upbeat about faith, prosperity, joy, mission and abundant life if you don't sit with a mother who has lost a child; or a husband who is losing a spouse.  If you don't have to talk about the despair of senility.  It is easy to say that God heals - you just have to have enough faith - if you don't comfort the mourning on a very regular basis.

Our worship will be incomplete if we're not all together.