A recent Census Bureau publication, Facts for Features (January 3, 2006 edition), reminds us the oldest of baby boomers will turn 60 years old in 2006.  An interesting tidbit caught my eye:  7,618 people are turning 60 years of age each day in 2006, according to projections.  That amounts to 330 people every hour!  Certainly no one is now debating whether the age wave is coming.  It is certainly already lapping at the shore.

The aging of baby boomers often stirs the discussion of why the boomers are not pouring into existing senior adult ministry groups in our churches.  Instead, of asking "Why aren't they coming," what if we asked, "How can we send out senior adults in ministry here in our church, in our community, across our state, across our nation, and around the world?"  What would your senior adult ministry look like if we asked that question instead?  Maybe that kind of ministry would draw people of all ages to want to know Christ and then grow as His follower.

I recently saw several antique cameras.  I remembered seeing most of them used at some point in my life.  I then looked at my cell phone that is indeed a telephone, but it is also a camera.  We have come a long way in terms of the technology and quality of photos cameras produce now.  Does that mean the old cameras were not well made or were not effective?  Certainly not.  It would seem silly to use one of those old cameras now though when there are better ways of taking photographs available now.  Maybe senior adult ministry is not being done the wrong way as much as we need to constantly refocus our lens to make sure we're still about the Kingdom business.

Whether is is senior adult ministry, singles ministry, women's ministry--any ministry, maybe we need to refocus and rethink why these ministries exist in our churches.  The Great Commission should still be our marching orders.  Regardless of what camera we use, our lens should still be the Great Commission in which we are commanded to make disciples, help them grow in their lifelong journey of spiritual transformation, and multiply leaders and ministries as each believer then helps make and grow other disciples who then make and grow other disciples. 

Pick up that camera again and look at your own snapshots of senior adult ministry in your church.  Open the photo album you call senior adult ministry.  Answer the following questions as they best relate to your unique situation. 

•What do you see when you think of senior adult ministry?
•What would a stranger see if he or she looked at only your church newsletter or bulletin?
•What do you think your church members see when they think about senior adult ministry?
•What does your community see when they think about your church’s senior adult ministry?
•Does your senior adult ministry “photo album” reflect a true picture of your church’s senior adult ministry?  Why or why not?
•What do you want the album to reflect?
•What can you do now to prepare for that kind of senior adult ministry?

Click here to download a handout of these questions you may use in discussion or leadership groups.  Ask God to show you how you can make senior adult ministry reflect the images that help grow and expand God's kingdom beginning here on this earth.  

If this article has been helpful to you, please email Belinda Jolley with specific comments or experiences related to creating your snapshots of the future of senior adult ministry.