Have old and young ever been so divided? In the last fifty years we’ve witnessed seismic political, social, economic and technological gaps emerge between generations, the like of which has probably never been known in human history. Well, maybe that’s overstating it! But whatever your take, these generational divides affect us as people and us as local churches. Churches suffer when young and old don’t mix. Young Christians have much to learn from the experiences of old saints. Older folks, similarly, can benefit from the ideas and energy of the youth.

The Bible has much to tell us on this matter. It’s full of stories of young ‘uns showing up those who are meant to be the old, wise ones (Ecclesiastes 4:13 is a recurring theme): think young Samuel and Eli (1 Samuel 3:1-21); or how about the faith of Mary versus that of Zechariah (Luke 1:5-38). We’re meant to see the contrasts here. Sometimes the old, wise ones need humbling, and young people can do that! What did Jesus say? ‘Have you never read, “From the lips of children and infants you, Lord, have called forth your praise”?’ (Matthew 21:16 NIV).

Likewise, we’ve been given examples of the opposite: the rash young king, Rehoboam, who infamously rejected the advice of his father’s counsellors, instead following his mates’ (not so) bright ideas. We all know how that one ended… (1 Kings 12:6-16). Thinking of golden oldies, Abraham and Sarah lived their best lives after becoming followers of God at the ages of seventy-five and sixty-six respectively; lives so transformed that they’re both listed in the hall of faith in Hebrews 11:8-19. Old but gold! And who wouldn’t want to meet an old man with the faith of Simeon (Luke 2:25-35), or an eighty-four-year-old prophetess like Anna? (Luke 2:36-38).

The fact of the matter is we, young or old (or somewhere in between), need each other. Our churches need to be like extended families, different generations walking together in love for the glory of God; just like Paul instructed the two younger men he mentored: Timothy (1 Timothy 5:1-2) and Titus (Titus 2:2-8).

So tune in to our new podcast where we talk through the origins of this generational divide and some of the many ways it has affected our churches today, and what we must do to get back to the New Testament vision of the local church.