Growth in later life

I was chatting with a gentleman in his 90s who had phoned me to talk about his upcoming theological exam – he was a little worried that his arthritis might slow him down and he wanted to know if he might have some extra time. We talked for a while about various arrangements – all of which were easy to sort - and then I plucked up the courage to ask the question that had been on my mind for some time: “Out of interest, what has led you to do this course at this time?”. His answer didn’t miss a beat: “Oh my dear” he said, “it’s not going to be long until I see Jesus face to face – I want to know him and love him as well as possible before I do”.

It’s a conversation that has stuck with me – partly because it is always heart-warming and humbling to talk with a brother who is so very passionate about Christ but also because it raised some questions in my mind about how we view those in later life in our churches.

For some, later life will need to be a time of slowing down. Whether that is declining health or caring responsibilities, our more senior years can be characterised by struggle – and when people need to rest, it is wise to encourage that rest. It is good to have robust structures of pastoral care and Christ-centred relationships of love that nurture people in their hardships. However, later life is not just a time for slowing down and stepping back – it can be a glorious season of growth and service too. Moses, Abraham, and Noah all started new and exciting ministry in their later years. Anna and Simeon both had their biggest spiritual encouragements when they were getting on. Why shouldn’t that same sense of ministry expectation and excitement be the same for those of more advanced years in our congregations today?

A season of growth

The Christian life is designed to be one of change and maturity and that journey of sanctification does not stop until Jesus returns or calls us home. That means, those in their 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s and beyond, are still in need of solid food to help them grow in Christ. And it is not just a need, it is a joy as well – people in later life who love Jesus often delight to explore him and his call more.

There may be a need to think about the timing (not everyone can get out early in the morning or late at night); there may be a need to think about the venue (not everyone can get up that twisty flight of stairs); there may be a need to think about the format (large print can be handy – cutting edge technology can sometimes feel hard to access) and there may need to be some thought given to how studies are applied, but courses and events that help people of more senior years study and grow are wonderful. Alongside the much-loved lunch club, tea afternoon or summer “holiday at home”, why not have a book group for those who are retired, or a daytime course that digs deep into a minor prophet or contemporary ethical conundrum? Or why not make a point of emphasising that existing courses in the church are not just for the young? Formal theological study can be a joy in later life – why not encourage the retired in our churches to study Greek or reformation theology or pastoral care in more depth? It really is never too late to get to know Jesus more.

A season of service

For some, study may mainly be about growing in knowledge and understanding – it is ok to learn for personal growth. However, in Ephesians, we are taught that the leaders of the church are to equip the church for works of service – learning often results in serving – and in Titus 2 we see that older men and women have a pivotal role to play in mentoring those younger than themselves. Not everyone will have the energy they once did but what a privilege it is to be part of a local church that encourages those of more mature years to serve. How we need those in later life to be mentoring others, with their years of experience – teaching others, with their wonderful humility and knowledge – reaching out to others, with testimonies dripping with words of grace. Why not specifically set aside those in their 70s and 80s to mentor those heading towards retirement? Why not equip people for evangelistic opportunities among family, friends and neighbours of greater years? Why not invite those considering early (or active) retirement to do a ministry traineeship – the scheme might need some tweaking (less stacking of chairs) but there may be many ways such men and women can be equipped to serve for the decades ahead.

And, as we do these things, those in later life can be encouraged to look forward to a fuller retirement, the church can be better served and, like the man I mentioned earlier, we can all enjoy getting to know Jesus better before seeing him face to face.

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Helen Thorne-Allenson is the Director of Training and Resources at Biblical Counselling UK

Views expressed in blogs published by the Latimer Trust are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position of the Latimer Trust.