10 Reasons I Have Come To Admire Christian Senior Adults Who Resist Change

 

10 Reasons I Have Come To Admire Christian Senior Adults Who Resist Change

Yesterday I heard of another friend of mine who had fallen away from the faith.  We had lost contact over the years as life takes you through different seasons and directions.
This friend of mine was a great leader.  We had many passionate debates about the relationship of processes and systems vs. trusting God.  He was a smart teacher, wonderful small group leader and shared his faith often.  But the trials of life and not being properly invited into the leadership game at our church resulted in an unfulfilling church experience and he fell away.
The truth is the Christian journey became too tough.  He quit.  And sadly, his story is one I have heard countless times.
God then brought to my mind the senior adults who sit in our churches every week.
As a 48-year-old Christian leader, I’m ashamed to admit I did not always have the respect for senior leaders I do now.  Nothing makes you appreciate older Christians like getting older yourself.
It started for me with the worship wars.  Since then, I have been through many experiences (relocations, new buildings, changing to reach the next generation, etc.) and seen countless man-hours and extraordinary effort placed into properly honoring and transitioning senior adults through change.
In addition, senior adults have also largely been blamed in leadership circles for the death of many churches because of their refusal to change.
Change is necessary.  Disrespect is not.
Many senior adults have dug in their heels.  And this steadfastness and determination is now what I admire most about them.
While many leaders I know have quit or been disqualified, the senior adults who sit in our pews each week dug in their heels.  When I look at senior adults, here is what I think:

1. They dug in their heels despite countless disappointments.
2. They dug in their heels wondering if they were going to make it through tough economic times.
3. They dug in their heels while raising children and investing in grandchildren.
4. They dug in their heels when wanting to quit their marriages.
5. They dug in their heels when brokenhearted and burying loved ones.
6. They dug in their heels while kneeling beside the bedside of sick loved ones desperately praying for a miracle.
7. They dug in their heels despite the physical pain which comes from aging.
8. They dug in their heels when Satan told them Christianity wasn’t worth it and they should just quit.
9. They dug in their heels because they had great faith.
10. They dug in their heels because they deeply loved Jesus.

So when I look at the senior adults in our churches, they have earned every right to dig in their heels a little bit.  They have earned our respect and deserved to be honored when making strategic decisions and changing ministry models.  We can learn much from faithful senior adults about faith and perseverance.
I wish my friend would have.  I wish he would have dug in his heels.
Your thoughts?