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YES! Blogs

Park It or Stay in the Market?

Wes Wick

Preparing to pass the executive leadership torch next year to Dan & Shani Parotti, we reflect on passions that stirred our hearts as we started YES! in 2008.

We loved older adults (and still do!) but had concerns about how US older adult church ministry had evolved.

We saw and still see mostly PEER-to-PEER ministry: some centered on PAIN, some on PLAY, and many times preoccupied with the PAST.

While affirming the significance and reality of each of these four P’s, YES! helps churches move beyond:

Many of these P’s suggest now is the time to park it. May God help us resist and defer that temptation!

  • PEER Only > Affirming the need for interGen leadership and outreach.

  • PAIN Only > Looking for potential beyond this season’s adversities.

  • PLAY Only > A special season to also enjoy and prioritize prayer, serving and making disciples.

  • PAST Only > Looking forward to what lies ahead.

PEERS are important, but we’re not designed for silos. As we’ve shared many times, the ‘Body of Christ’ and ‘Family of God’ Church metaphors imply an interwoven tapestry within and between generations. Not just a season for peers Paul and Silas—but for Paul, Silas, Timothy and Titus. Not just about grandma & grandpa and their peers—but their interconnectedness with all generations. We need young people in our lives, and they need us.

PAIN is real. Decline, disease, disability, and dementia are common, particularly in life’s fourth quarter. But we can’t lose sight of the positive potential baked into these accumulated years. Discretionary time, experience, talents, wisdom, wealth and other resources wait to be stewarded for God’s glory.

PLAY, often more accessible during retirement, is certainly not our enemy. Called to freedom, we’re admonished to look beyond our own selfish desires—joyfully loving and serving others.

Our PAST, too, is hugely significant, but we don’t want to live there. While memories fill our rearview mirrors, we want to live in the present with an expectant eye to our future, both here on earth and our eternity with Christ.

Have we made an impact?

“Jesus looked hard at them and said, “No chance at all if you think you can pull it off yourself. Every chance in the world if you trust God to do it.” (Matthew 19:26 MSG)

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