Eight Steps to a More Effective Senior Adult Ministry

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Eight Steps to a More Effective Senior Adult
Ministry
Dr. Charles Arn
Roanoke Valley Baptist Association March 30, 2006
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Would you like to jump start your older adult
ministry?

• Most churches have token senior adult activities
  . . .
• senior adult class
• potluck dinners
• field trips
• shut-in visitation

Nice . . . but inadequate!
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Consider the following suggestions...
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1. Establish a Mature Adult Ministry, not a
senior adult group.

• What is the difference between a senior adult
  ministry and a senior adult group?
• A ministry provides

• freedom for greater creativity
• broader appeal to sub-groups of seniors
• more opportunities for involvement

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2. Develop a purpose statement for your Mature
Adult Ministry

• Why have a purpose statement?
• Helps keep you moving in the same direction,
  toward the same goal
• Helps you determine success
• Helps you determine the priorities of your
  S.A.M.
• Helps you decide what the S.A.M. will and will
  not do.

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Sample Purpose Statement...

• The adult ministry of First Church has as its
  purpose to serve, not to be served. We believe
  God is calling us to take his love in concrete
  ways to the unchurched senior adults in our
  community, as well as to extend the love of God
  and the love of the family of God to those within
  the church...

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Sample Purpose Statement...
These goals will be accomplished through
regular planned activities and emphases, with the
anticipated results of Gods blessing and people
coming to Christ and the church. By-products of
these activities will be growth of members in
their spiritual walk with God, and their
relational walk with fellow believers in the
older adult ministry.
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A good purpose statement includes . . .

• Biblical Understanding what you believe God is
  calling you to be or do
• Target Audience identifying those people and
  groups who are the focus of your ministry
• Major Activities ways through which the Good
  News will be communicated
• Geographic Area where you are called to
  minister
• Expected Results what, with Gods blessing, you
  anticipate.

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3. Find, select, train leaders

• Full or part-time leaders do much better with
  training.

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3. Find, select, train leaders

• Full or part-time leaders do much better with
  training.

Retired pastors should be retrained for senior
adult ministry!
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3. Find, select, train leaders
Qualities of a good senior adult leader

• Mature in their faith
• Understandingand commitment to the purpose of
  the S.A.M.
• Genuine love for older adults
• Desire to improve the effectiveness of the S.A.M.

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4. Get the facts

• Abundant, accurate information, properly
  interpreted and applied, enables us to be good
  stewards of the grace of God and effective
  communicators of the gospel of Christ.
• How many middle adults (50 - 69 yrs.)? Senior
  adults (70 - 85 yrs.)? Elderly (86yrs.)
• What interests, needs, concerns, attitudes,
  problems exist in this group?

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5. Start a new senior adult group
(not in your notes)

• Why?
• Easier for newcomers to get involved
• Avoids saturation of group/s
• Broadens heterogeneous appeal
• Keeps ministry focus-driven
• Allows for more leadership involvement

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6. Study the growth of the early church
together.

• The purpose of Christand the churchshould be a
  key part of the purpose of the older adult
  ministry.

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7. Appoint outreach and assimilation committees
What do these group do?

• Build a great commission conscience in the
  group
• Plan outreach events
• Welcome newcomers
• Follow up visitors
• Monitor key health measures (attendance,
  visitors, etc.)

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8. Plan two high-visibility events

• Celebration of Life Sunday
• Health and wellness fair
• Snap, crackle, pop exercise
• Friendship Sunday
• Grand-Parent Sunday
• Making A Difference seminar
• ? ? ?

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