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By Jack Krayenhoff
“THERE’s just some gray heads left in the
pews nowadays. Unless we get some young people soon, this church is going
die.”
Have you heard people say that? Well –
that’s just too bad. They are forgetting the original recipe for
church growth: “Go and make disciples.”
When Jesus gave us the Great Commission, he was not
talking about growth by breeding more Christian children – but by
adding disciples from the outside.
So – is your church surrounded by condos full of
gray heads? Then those are the very ones to turn into disciples!
Let’s go after them, evangelize them. There are enough to fill up all
of our pews, many times over.
That is the vision of the Cridge Club, an outreach of
Victoria’s Church of our Lord – which is surrounded by condos
and apartments full of gray heads. The club is reaching out to them through
a strategy they call ‘evangelizing the whole person.’ The idea
is that, since God redeems whole people and not just their souls, they need
to appeal to the seniors’ body, mind and spirit.
How do they go about doing that? They began by first
considering who these seniors were, and what needs they had. Some of these
folk have lived in Victoria for years, and are well integrated in the
community. Those are not so likely to be keenly aware of their own
spiritual needs.
However, there are also many who, attracted by the
city’s mild climate, have moved there later in life – from the
Prairies or places farther east. Their situation is much less stable, and
that opens them up to new possibilities – like the gospel.
Consider: their children and grandchildren live far
away. So do their friends. Being older, they find that making new friends
has become much harder. Their hearing may be declining, and often they miss
what is said to them. They don’t get around easily anymore because of
arthritis, or they have lost their driver’s license.
The result? They go out rarely. They may not bother to
cook properly – tea and toast will do. They lack the stimulation of
human interaction. They don’t feel needed. They are isolated and
lonely. And unless they have a strong personal connection with God, they
are spiritually bereft.
The Cridge Club is for people like that. It aims to
serve these seniors physically, mentally and socially – as well as
spiritually. That way, it hopes to express God’s love for them.
This is how it is done: every Thursday noon some 50 or
60 seniors from the neighbourhood come. Their average age is mid-80s.
Most of them do not belong to the church, or to any
church. They walk into the church hall, join their new friends at the
tables (small tables, so they can hear each other) – and soon there
is a lively conversational hubbub everywhere.
First they are served a warm, nutritious three-course
lunch – that is ministering to the body.
Then comes a cheery singsong of old popular numbers
like ‘When Irish eyes are smiling,’ which puts everybody in a
good mood. After that, an interesting speaker takes the floor: medical
doctors are always in great demand; historians are popular, too. That way,
the mind is stimulated and served.
Armchair travel always draws a good crowd as well, and
once a month a minister talks on a spiritual topic. That is the start of
evangelism of the spirit.
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How successful is it? Look at the evidence.
Some guests ask if they can help – perhaps by
setting tables or cleaning up. Others bring desserts. Many put in some
extra money at the reception saying, “This is for ‘the
cause.’”
One couple gives an envelope with a check for $100, and
a note which reads: “We are grateful for what you are doing. Thanks
to the Cridge Club, our move to Victoria two years ago was a
success.”
You may say: “Sounds like a nice program; but is
there spiritual fruit?”
The answer is that the above part of the program is
mostly pre-evangelistic. The intention is to create a community where
people feel they belong. Once they do feel part, they are ready for more.
This recognizes the principle of ‘First belong, then
believe.’
More direct access to the reality of faith comes at the
end of the program, when people are invited to come for prayer by our
‘chaplains’ – two lay people who are experienced
intercessors.
Then, the first Sunday afternoon of the month, there is
a ‘Classical Hymn Sing.’ Golden oldies like ‘How Great
Thou Art’ and ‘What a Friend We Have in Jesus’ stir up
memories of spiritual experiences many people have had in childhood –
even if they drifted away from faith later.
The music opens them up to testimonies of spiritual
reality, as people who ask for a hymn share what it means to them.
Most productive are the small discussion groups. There
are two, each consisting of eight persons. Their format varies, but with
the understanding that the Bible will be the ultimate point of reference.
Here, very real spiritual progress happens – with people being
profoundly touched and renewed.
Not much seems to be known about evangelizing seniors.
That may well be because, statistically, the bulk of conversions happen
among younger people – and yes, there is that saying about old dogs
and new tricks. So, why bother?
But maybe seniors will respond when we give them an
actual demonstration that God’s salvation reaches the needs they
themselves feel.
The Cridge Club aims to be that demonstration. It has
been going for five years, and is growing steadily.
The idea of evangelizing the whole person seems to hold
real promise when applied to seniors. Perhaps it could work for other
groupings, too?
January 2009
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