Developing A Boomer and Pioneer Ministry PT 2

3. Begin with a “Seasoned Believers” ministry, not a senior adult group.

This distinction is important. If you have a senior adult group, you limit potential involvement to those individuals who see themselves as senior adults. Many other adults in your congregation and community will not identify with a senior adult group.

By contrast, if your paradigm is a “Seasoned Believers” ministry, all kinds of groups can develop, many of which would not even be identified as senior adult. A 300-member church could have 10 to 15 various Boomer/Pioneer groups responding to a variety of needs and touching the lives of many more people.

4. Develop a statement of purpose.

A clearly written purpose statement will be the guiding light for a successful older adult ministry. This purpose statement should be accepted by the members and be a yardstick to measure progress regularly. If a clear purpose statement is not established and used early in the ministry, the activities will become increasingly self-serving and self-centered.

Here is one purpose statement developed by an age-sensitive adult ministry. Use or adapt it if it describes the purpose you desire for your adult ministry. If not, create your own.

The adult ministry has as its purpose to communicate and share God’s love to those inside and outside the church family. The assumption behind the adult ministry, the groups, and activities is that they exist for the purpose of serving, not being served; of giving, not receiving.

(#5 in next blog)

The Bloomer Blogger