There are nearly 12 million people of pensionable age in the UK today and the number is rising. The latest research shows that only around 16% attend church regularly. Many older people are out of touch with the Christian faith at the very time when they may be seeking an explanation for the difficulties and problems they have encountered in life. I still meet older people who mourn the loss of a loved one during the 2nd World War and continue to blame God for their loss.
In your own church/fellowship, how many activities focus on ensuring that older people understand the significance of Christ’s death and resurrection for them? It’s our experience that many may have been to church regularly without ever realising that they matter to God and can experience the life changing power of HIS LOVE personally, which is the heart of the Christian faith. Just recently I met a Lady who had been attending her Church for over 20 years and she told me that until she met me, nobody before had ever explained that she personally could find forgiveness and a ‘living’ relationship with God.
Outlook Trust’s mission is to reach older people, OLDER PEOPLE ON THE EDGE OF ETERNITY, with the GOOD NEWS OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, by envisioning God’s people, by challenging and equipping the Church with appropriate resources and sharing good practice. In God’s sight, older people have great value and worth, which of course is not reflected in Society generally. Rather what I see is older people being treated as invisible, irrelevant, not important, nuisances. Older people are rarely portrayed as being wise and understanding. So many skin treatments are now available to treat the signs of ageing and hair colourings to cover over any grey hairs, because the impression given is that someone is a ‘failure’ if they have grey hair and wrinkles.
So, we who claim to be God’s People should reflect His Heart, celebrate and value the older Generations both inside and outside the Church and seek out the lonely and the lost, the sheep who have gone astray and bring them back to the fold. This was and is the mission of the One who we know as THE GOOD SHEPHERD and He calls on us to share in this with Him. HOW WILL THEY HEAR THIS GOOD NEWS THOUGH, UNLESS YOU AND I GO?
As ever in the Love of Christ
Norman Critchell
Director
www.outlook-trust.org.uk
admin@outlook-trust.org.uk
