I was born in 1940, by 1955 I was in a skiffle group playing the tea chest! Then along came the ‘Boomers’, those born 1944-64. They developed our musical ideas and invented rock and roll along with the pill, computers, hydraulic excavators and even digital drum kits!!
Those post-war-bulge babies are now retiring, they have plenty of money, energy, ideas, imagination, management experience, social skills … they certainly don`t think they are ‘old’, they just embarrass their kids, as we always have!
The ‘Boomers’ are the last generation who went to Sunday School and Crusaders in large numbers, they know a little about the life and ministry of Jesus, they know that Easter is more than eggs. They drifted away from church for a variety of reasons, it was not relevant, their gifts were not being used, it was boring.
How do we re-engage those who have a residual Christian faith but have left church? Many have a nostalgia for their past, they have explored alternative spiritualities and found them empty. They are talented and experienced and are looking for a challenge and adventure. They are looking for a lot more than an invitation to a ‘guest service’, this is far too passive for most.
But they might well respond to a partnership in social or development projects, to work alongside the church community to the benefit of our localities. If you make disciples, you’ll always get the church. But if you make the church, you rarely get disciples.
