People wonder what I do at Grace Evan. A short answer besides “Not a whole lot” is “Pastoral Care and Senior Adult Ministry.” I’ve learned something about the latter. The word “senior” evokes a gamut of responses. Lots of people don’t want to be thought of as a “senior” and they don’t want to be rounded up, branded and herded off to a "Senior Adult Ministry." These folks aren’t mavericks. Many of them are galloping after the glory of God. (OK, no more horsing around with metaphors.)
Grace Evan exists to reach an unchurched world through maturing Christians. Maturing Christians are growing more like Christ who did not come to be served but to serve (Mark 10:45). Maturing Christians reach an unchurched world by using their resources (time, talents and treasure) for God’s glory. And there are no age restrictions or limitations on this mission. It’s for everyone—young and old. “Junior” and “Senior.”One of my goals as “Senior Adult Minister” is to encourage those 50 and older to mature, that is, to be what GOD wants them to be and do what GOD wants them to do (Ephesians 2:10: "created in Christ for good works…"). Many of these folks can inspire and encourage their peers to “get off the bench and into the game.” Some of these folks will challenge their friends to join a Sunday School class, Grace Group, or MIT. Others will build friendships with younger couples or serve in Amazing Graceland. Again, the issue, the goal, the mission is to mature in order to reach an unchurched world.
There’s a great quote about “badges” from John Huston’s The Treasure of the Sierra Madre. Mexican banditos have cornered Fred Dobbs (Humphrey Bogart) and his gold mining cronies. The bandits pretend to be law enforcement officers to trick the prospectors into giving up their guns. Dobbs and his buddies see through their pretense and call their bluff by asking to see their badges. That’s when one of the bandits says, "Badges? We ain't got no badges. We don't need no badges. I don't have to show you any stinking badges."
So if you don’t like the “Senior Adult” badge, forget it. We don’t need no stinking badges. We just want you to be what God wants you to be and do what God wants you to do. And if you happen to be, you know, over… say… 50 and you want to have a fun evening with some other great people, then put May 3rd on your calendar. You’ll get great barbeque, great music and a great message. And we promise not to brand you.
Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead — since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.” Romans 4:19–22
