Look at a church of any size, and you'll see they are handling age groups properly.  They have classes for definite age ranges, such as children who 3-5 years, 6-7 years, and 8-10 years. There are Juniors, Middlers, High Schoolers, College-age and all the rest.

This is exactly as it should be because age group characteristics are part of the child development process. Three year olds learn in one way, 13 year olds in another way. Thier interests are rather different too!

In fact, it's such a good idea, that other Christian education opportunities in the church are grouped around age. There are classes for married people in their 20s, and another for married couples in their 40s. It all makes perfect sense.

Perfect sense, right up until you come to the "Golden-agers." I have visited several churches recently they had Christian education classes and events for all those who were 55 and up.

What kind of deal is that?

A person who is 55 has about as much in common as a person who is 75, as that three year old does with a teenager. Don't let all that gray hair fool you, there is a huge generation gap between those born in 1931 (The Great Depression) and those born in 1951 (the post World War 2 Years of affluence).

In fact, most people who are 55 today have more in common with those who are 45 rather than those who are 65. By and large, the Baby Boomers are keeping their bounce, but it doesn't seem like local churches are taking notice.

This is a call for Christian education committees to take a second look at the seniors in your church. They may all look the same to you (old!), but they're not!  It's time to closely grade classes and events for seniors in the same way, and for the same reasons, as we do it for children.

That means, generally speaking, that there should only be about a 3 year spread between age groups. You don't have a party for tots and teens, but that same dynamic is at work when you group seniors of various ages together.

- Donald L. Hughes