How Can We Get Along in the Church?
We live in strange times. The church of today could have four generations of adults vying for leadership. The church can be a place where there is unity, but all generations need to work together.
The 21st century faces issues that have never been faced before. Life expectancy in the last century was about 50 years old. Today it is nearly 80 years and still climbing. Age ranges within the church include the Silent Generation (born 1926 – 1945), Baby Boomers (born 1946 – 1964), Generation X (born 1965 – 1981) and the Millennial generation (born 1982-2001). We have never had so many generations sharing leadership in the church, and we must slow down a little and find ways to live together.
Each of these generations has its own culture. Each of these age groups was raised in different times, and each has a different opinion. I listen to the youth at Annual Conference and realize they have their way of looking at life and indeed it is different from mine.
In churches I have pastored, a variety of styles of worship appealed to different groups of people. There is a wide difference between the kinds of music and a variety of differences in how family ministry should be done. Opinions differ even over what temperature the thermostats should be set. What can we do about these differences?
We need to spend time learning each other’s customs, perspectives and experiences. Instead of finding these differences threatening, we need to appreciate what each generation brings to the table. My mother-in-law is 97 – born in 1927. Her way of doing church is far different from mine, but when I give her way a chance and she gives mine a chance, we can learn to worship in God’s world together. She likes the old hymns, and I like the newer ones, and there is even a totally new style of music out there I need to learn to appreciate. When we listen to each other and give all of these different styles a chance, we begin to understand each other and can get along better.
The church today must come together by becoming more intergenerational. We become more tolerant and accepting when we try to understand each other. Each age group needs to listen to the other age groups. When we listen and learn from each other, we create relationships. When we have relationships with others, we get along better and can work better together. It’s amazing how strong the church of today will be when we have intergenerational relationships with all those who make up the church. We don’t have to agree all the time, but intergenerational relationships enable the church to be stronger and to become more like the church of Jesus Christ.
By the Rev. Tommy Herndon
Images: Orlando Allo & Joel Muniz
