When I was blessed to come to the church that I currently serve in, the demographics of the church leaned heavily into an older age range. I looked around at the churches of my friends, especially those that planted churches, and saw the young families, kids, and teenagers, and I was envious. I wanted what they had. Having a family with an infant and elementary-aged kiddo, I wanted a church that looked like me and my family. I wanted my kids to have other kids their ages to go to church with. I wanted friends in the church that were in the same stage of life as I was in. It took me some time and maturing to realize that the demographics of my church were a gift and blessing.

Starting with Some Clarification

Now before we dive into the practical points, I want to make sure to distinguish between turning an older church into a younger church and growing a younger generation to an older church. There is a difference. When leaders look at a church and see a particular demographic and long for something different, they can sometimes miss, dismiss, or belittle the importance of what they already have. If one approaches transition as a simple pivot rather than a growth that transforms something into something healthier, they will miss the beauty and health that God intends for them.

Start with the Honor is Deserved

Older generations carry wisdom, experience, stories, and maturity that the younger generation has not lived long enough to accumulate. They have lived in the sacrifice, faithfulness, and the unexpected life events that younger people have not yet experienced. If the church cannot honor and utilize this from the older generation, they will miss out on the valuable mentoring that the younger generation needs in order to grow.

In 1 Peter 5:1-5, Peter instructs the church to do this very thing. He encourages the “elders” to “shepherd the flock of God that is among you… being examples to the flock.” Peter understood that the church depends on the life cycles of all the members of the Body in order to maintain health within the Body.

Cast a Vision… a Biblical One, not a Generational One

Be careful to not frame the goal as “becoming younger.” That sounds like decline parading as relevance. Rather, frame it and approach it as living out the mission of the church. The church reaches the next generation because the Great Commission calls us to do so.

Older believers are thinking about ending well. Talk about the legacy that they will leave for the Kingdom. Talk about the inheritance that they will leave for the next generation of believers. Talk about how they can raise spiritual grandchildren for the faith. They want the church to continue on once they have passed, but the church leader will need to guide them in how to make that happen. When you connect the older generation to generational legacy and gospel faithfulness, not personal comfort or preferences, resistance softens and fades.

Move Slowly and Intentionally

In general, life moves slower for members of the older generation. Most of them have retired, semi-retired, or have at least embraced a different pace from their younger years. They have already gone through dozens of major changes in their lives and have adjusted life over and over again. Younger people sometimes forget or underestimate how fast change can feel to someone in the later stages of life. Even small adjustments like music styles, service flows, and technology can feel massive. Consider these factors when thinking about change and implementing change. Include the older generation in the discussions about what changes need to happen and how execute those changes.

Also, don’t simply change something until you have explained why the change is necessary. Connect it to the mission, the sustainability of the church, and the importance of change for the next generation. Reassurance and explanation is vital.

Invest in Relationships Across Generations

Relationships are the glue that holds everything together. Create spaces where older and younger people serve together, pray together, tell stories, and grow together. Even better, create spaces where the older can mentor the younger. Every church has people whom God has equipped to pass something along to the next generation. Every church has people who do not have family in town and long for familial relationships that the intergenerational church can fulfill (think surrogate grandparents/grandchildren). When generations know one another and build deep relationships, change feels like the mission moving forward rather than dismissal.

This applies to the leader as well. Look for opportunities to serve and be present in the lives of each generation. For example, if there is an event that is primarily attended by a particular generation, make a point to be at that event interacting and building relationships with that generation. Your presence speaks loudly to the value that you feel for that generation.

Know What to Keep

You don’t have to modernize everything, and every decision does not have to be about “bringing younger people” to your church. Some things need to be sustained for the health of the older generation. Keep some of the familiar elements of the church and ministries. Is there an event that the older generation values that fits within the mission of the church? Keep it. Value it. Resource it.

Measure Your Metrics with Patience

You are not a failure is the pace of “getting younger” seems slow. But you will fail your people if you lead impatiently, dismissively, or in pride. Long-term health always beats out short-term growth. If you have rapid growth without long-term health and stability, you will ultimately do more damage than good.

Remember… one day, you will be the old guy/gal. In light of that, consider how you would want to be led when you get to that stage of life. If you can shepherd with humility, clarity, a lack of favoritism, and love, you will see something beautiful happen: your church will not only “get younger” but it will also get deeper.