The Church Needs Senior Saints

Earlier this week, the Grove United Methodist Church of Cottage Grove, MN announced they were closing their doors and reopen later this year. Apparently what they want to do is start fresh in reaching people with the gospel. Not so sure how closing their doors then reopening later down the road will solve that, but that is another discussion.

What the church is doing is catching the attention of many around the world. According to an article in Christian Headlines, they are asking members who of the age of 60 or more to find another church to worship. The reason they are asking is they want to reach young people.

What this church is asking is disturbing and unbiblical. In fact, I am not quite sure to even call this a church. They are saying to senior saints who wants to worship God, "You are no longer welcomed here." The Bible is clear that we need senior saints. The Apostle Paul wrote:

But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine. Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness. Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled (Titus 2:1-5).

Senior saints are there to teach and edify the body. We need senior saints just as much as we need younger ones. They have much to offer the church. Their life experiences as well as their wealth of knowledge. It does not mean they are always right, but we can still learn from them. At my church, I love our senior saints. They are a delight to be with especially when we all sit together and study the Bible. Granted we may not see eye-to-eye on everything, but we grow and learn from one another.

Asking senior saints to find another church is saying them to they are not longer as asset to the body of Christ. Church, we need them just as they need us. I would not be surprised if what happens to church backfires on them. They may not reach all the young people now that word has gotten out they kicked out anyone 60 or older.

What happens when those who attend the church turn 60, if that church is still around? Does that mean they have to leave the church too? This is in a sense is spiritual euthanasia. They are telling their senior saints find another church or stay home and die. I know that sounds harsh, but if you think about it, it is along those lines.

I do hope this church repents and realizes what huge mistake it will be to have all of there senior saints no longer part of the body. I hope those senior saints find a new church that will welcome them and love on them.

In closing, I am going to repeat what I said on Twitter a couple of days ago: If you are telling a certain group of people to leave the church to make room for another group of people, you cease being a church. You just become a social club with benefits.