Four times a year, on the fifth Sundays, we have a family service where families can worship together. The sermons are interactive to keep the kids engaged, and we pick different songs for these Sundays. Young people always serve at our church, but more of them help facilitate worship on these Sundays. These are some of my favorite messages to preach; the energy of the young people is contagious!
These services have helped connect our younger and older members. At first, some people were hesitant about the change, but their worries disappeared once they saw how meaningful it was to worship alongside the kids.
Additionally, On baptism weekends, which occur three times a year, we suspend children’s and youth ministry so that young people can participate in the baptism services where the faith stories of those being baptized are shared. This decision has positively influenced our baptism numbers. In 2024, we baptized 121 individuals, including 24 children (1st to 5th grade) and 38 middle and high school students.
Our most recent baptism service, held the Sunday before Thanksgiving, was particularly impactful, as we baptized 47 people. It was moving to hear the faith stories of young individuals making significant commitments to the Lord early in their lives—helping them avoid the pitfalls and poor choices many face.
Among those baptized were four adults who had overcome severe drug and alcohol addictions. Remarkably, three of them had nearly lost their lives due to heroin overdoses. Their testimonies showcased the transformative power of the Holy Spirit, which has delivered them from addiction.
The entire congregation was uplifted, cheering and applauding for each baptism. During the closing song, many students and children gathered at the front of the worship space and went up on the platform to celebrate the Lord’s work in these lives. The work of the Holy Spirit was palpable—people were moved to tears, and we ran out of Kleenex as joy and gratitude filled the room.
In their book “Nurturing Intergenerational Faith through Congregations,” Fred Edie and Mark Lamport point out that “many adults flinch at the prospect of intergenerational efforts because they presume things will require ‘dumbing down’ to accommodate less mature participants.”[1] However, my recent experiences at Revive Wesleyan tell a different story. I witnessed young people actively discipling older congregation members while the older folks guided and led the way for the younger generations. This dynamic felt like a glimpse of heaven. I wholeheartedly agree with the author’s assertion that “intergenerational faith formation is a reciprocal, not just top-down.” [2]
Along with multi-generational worship, we must create mission opportunities that welcome people of all ages and abilities. This means setting up activities everyone can join, regardless of their background or skills. By planning quarterly mission opportunities, we can ensure everyone feels included and can participate in the church’s work. These experiences allow people from different generations to share their insights and help others grow in faith.
[1] Edie, Fred P., and Lamport, Mark A. Nurturing Intergenerational Faith through Congregations. Grand Rapids, MI: William. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2021, 320 or page 12 of the PDF of Chapter 14.
[2] Edie and Lamport, Nurturing Intergenerational Faith, 317 or page 9 of the PDF of Chapter 14.
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