There is a real temptation to jump up on a soapbox right now about all that is lacking in ministry to and with seniors.
Older adult ministry is not a priority in the church at large. YYou see it in the lack of resources, education, community, etc. This is a real problem.
But rather than dwell on the problem, let’s start the solution. Let’s start the conversations, let’s share ideas, share our challenges, and find solutions.
That’s why I started this site. I wrote more about my journey here. The bottom line is that there’s a void right now in information for people who care about the older adults in the church. My prayer is that we can help fill this void.
This is really about starting a conversation. I want to hear about what works for you, so I can share that with the rest of the community. I also want to hear what you need or are lacking, so that together as a community we can find solutions and resources to fill those needs.
The mission of this site is to encourage and equip.
Encouraging
Encouragement comes in two forms.
One, the church as a whole needs to be encouraged and challenged to step up its game in responding to the aging of its membership.
The other is that those who are active in this area of ministry need encouragement. One can feel like they are on an island and very much alone, much like Elijah in I Kings 19.
Maybe the best way to encourage is to create a community of others who are in the same boat. We want to find those who are passionate about older adult ministry and bring them together.
Equipping
There aren’t nearly as many resources to help people in older adult ministry as there are for other areas of ministry.
Ministry schools aren’t training people for it.
Books and resources for older adult ministry are few and far between.
Or perhaps the resources are out there but aren’t as easy to find. Many of those resources exist in the form of experiences and lessons learned by those ministering in the field.
I do not approach equipping as an expert who has the answers, but more as the one who seeks out what is working for people, and what resources others have discovered, and then shares that information with the rest of the community.
Looking Forward
Meeting the goals of encouraging and equipping in older adult ministry will rely on the following four-step ‘blueprint.’
Connect
This is the ‘finding the community’ part. It’s about reaching out to churches and church leaders, trying to find as many people, like yourselves, who are active or interested in ministry to and with older adults. This is the start of growing the community.
Learn
Through connecting with you, it’s now possible to learn from you. What are you doing that is working? What are your unique ideas and ministries. Where can we learn from you? What are your challenges? Where can you learn from the rest of the community? What do you need to be able to minister more effectively?
Share
Equipping, part 1: Through learning, some of those hidden or lesser-known resources pop up. We can learn from your successes, ideas, and best practices. All of these can be shared with the community through blog posts, podcast episodes, resource pages on the site, and other forms of community.
Develop
Equipping, part 2: The other part of learning is identifying common needs and challenges where resources have not yet been identified.
When we know what people really need, we can figure out how to develop them. Maybe we can develop them here, or find a way to collaborate with others. Perhaps it involves creating curriculum and training programs.
Community Development
The key to all of this is in the discovery and growth of the community of church leaders and volunteers who are invested in this area of ministry.
It starts with finding you. We’ll find ways to learn from one another, and share ideas and experiences. Comments and feedback will be heavily encouraged.
On the beginning of this page, I spoke from my perspective. But now, the conversation needs to change from “I” to “we.”
I want to see this become something where we grow together, where the community can take on a life of its own.
We’ll start with communication through this blog and our Paradigms in Older Adult Ministry podcast. We’d love to communicate by email as well.
But this should be more than a one-way. We’d love to create a space where there can be a vibrant community that interacts. Where ministry leaders and volunteers can come together, share ideas and experiences, and pray for one another.
What’s in a Name?
Paradigm2, or Paradigm Squared, comes from what I call the PARADIGM paradigm. I suppose the geek in me comes out a bit when I see the “paradigm” twice and think of “squared.”
PARaDIGM is an acronym for Provide Age Resources and Develop Inter Generational Ministries.
A common ministry paradigm with older adults is built around age-based social groups. We want to be mindful not to isolate our older members or get caught up in age apartheid in the church while failing to meet many of the needs that come with growing older.
The PARaDIGM concept developed while thinking through why age-based group ministry seems to be declining even while our churches continue to age. Instead of relying on group attendance numbers, the concept focuses instead on meeting real age-related needs while engaging older adults more in ministry through an inter-generational approach. I write a bit more about the paradigm here.
About Me (Ron Walter, editor)
I graduated with a Bachelor’s in Pastoral Ministries from Nebraska Christian College, and ministered a number of years at churches in Iowa and Kansas that were comprised primarily of older adults.
After working a number of years in a family business, I went back to graduate school. I started at Denver Seminary before transferring to complete my Master’s of Science in Gerontology from Concordia University, Nebraska.
I live in Lakewood, Colorado with my wife, Janiece, and serve as an elder in our church and help lead our online ministry.
I’ve made a living operating websites designed to help people in various situations through Four Dimes LTD, my LLC. The internet gives us the ability to impact many lives in a way never before possible.
Now I want to use that experience to create a platform where we can impact the world of older adult ministry without the need to fundraise or finance.
You can learn more about the journey to Paradigm Squared here.