A 5-year-old boy politely greeted the octogenarian couple at the door and escorted them to a table with Bingo cards. His peers came by to offer cake and other treats.
Vineville Baptist Church in Macon, Ga., where I will turn over the pulpit to Tripp Martin in a few weeks, held a special event Sunday evening for the younger and older members of the congregation. The interaction was enjoyed by those on both ends of the age spectrum as they shared dessert and playtime.
Most churches have done well at providing specialized, age-appropriate educational and fellowship programs for preschoolers, children, youth and the various stages of adulthood. What can get lost in such efforts, however, is the interaction across the ages.
Families, by divine design, are made up of inter-generational components formed into a whole. Church families should reflect that same look and feel.
Having children and older adults together for Bingo and dessert seems like one good way to do this. Just double-check those seniors’ cards when they yell “BINGO!,” kids. That is a competitive bunch.
Director of theĀ Jesus Worldview Initiative at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee and former executive editor and publisher at Good Faith Media.