What does the makeup of your church look like?
All young? All old? Is it healthy?
Deuteronomy 6:1-13 says,
Now this is the commandment—the statutes and the rules—that the Lord your God commanded me to teach you, that you may do them in the land to which you are going over, to possess it, that you may fear the Lord your God, you and your son and your son’s son, by keeping all his statutes and his commandments, which I command you, all the days of your life, and that your days may be long. Hear therefore, O Israel, and be careful to do them, that it may go well with you, and that you may multiply greatly, as the Lord, the God of your fathers, has promised you, in a land flowing with milk and honey. Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. And when the Lord your God brings you into the land that he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give you—with great and good cities that you did not build, and houses full of all good things that you did not fill, and cisterns that you did not dig, and vineyards and olive trees that you did not plant—and when you eat and are full, then take care lest you forget the Lord, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. It is the Lord your God you shall fear. Him you shall serve and by his name you shall swear.
This passage shows us that multi-generational “worship” is of utmost importance.
Howard Vanderwell defines intergenerational worship as,
Worship in which people of every age are understood to be equally important. Each and all are the church of now.
In fact, the phrase “all generations” appears 91 times in the Bible. Vanderwell goes on to say,
God does not form our character all at once or all by himself. Nor does he expect us to unilaterally form our own character. God acts on us through others. Interaction among generations is necessary for forming faith and character. Each age learns from another.
Worship is SO much more than singing.
Worship in its purest sense is related to the teaching and learning of God’s Word. I don’t want to limit our understanding of worship to being only through song or an artistic sense… of course, that is one avenue or expression of our worship. But, here we are talking about ALL that is worship.
The Context
Having multiple generations together in a worship service or ministry is almost against the “norm” nowadays. Too often we cater to our own individual preferences and create services for everything: kids service, youth service, traditional service, contemporary service, country western service, etc… The modern church tends to approach ministry programs in a mostly uni-generational manner instead of a multi-generational manner. Meaning, we segment our worship services into age appropriate groupings with each respective group receiving teaching, ministry, musical worship and such in a very compartmentalized environment.
The problem I have with this mindset or method though is that isn’t what Heaven is going to be like! Revelation 5 paints us a picture of what Heaven will be like… it says,
They sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.”
Not only is Heaven going to be filled with worshipers from every tribe and nation like Revelation 5 says, but it will also be filled with worshipers from EVERY generation! We can worship alongside Peter and Paul, our great-grandmother, and what will be our great grandchild! Worshipers from EVERY time and place will be there. So, as we pray as Jesus taught us, “Your Kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven,” we can fight for our times of worship to be multi-generational. Heaven is multi-generational!
So… other than looking a little like Heaven here on earth, what other benefits come along with multi-generational worship? Let’s explore that question below.
- Promotes Understanding
How do you worship? What about the person next to you on Sunday?
The fact is that we all express ourselves in different ways and what moves me into worship may not do anything for you.
We each interact differently. We each have our own worship language.
The first step to bringing generations together in a worship ministry is to provide opportunity for everyone to worship in their language. At school we have talked a lot about the culture and languages of worship differing in each church, and I think the same can be said for different generations. I don’t respond in the same way to a song that my grandma does. So… instead of splitting people apart and segregating by age or other factors I think we should be providing a place for them, either on stage if that is their ministry, or in the congregation as a worshipper. The funny thing is that this is the first step often times to dissolving the tension amongst worship styles and preference.
One of the great benefits of worshiping together is that people are given a great opportunity to learn and grow in their preference of others. When people are taught and begin to understand that there is really no such thing as “adult worship” or “youth worship” or “contemporary” or “traditional” they begin to see the different approaches as valid and beneficial to the Kingdom.
Different languages for different voices.
By providing an opportunity to worship alongside Brothers and Sisters in Christ we are providing an opportunity for connection, relationship building, and at least understanding of who we are connected to through the blood of Christ. Multi-generational worship promotes understanding.
- Promotes Unity
People tend to gather in groups made up of people that they share similarities with. You can see it by going to your nearest high school cafeteria or country club! People with wealth tend to hang out with other wealthy people. People who dress a particular way or have particular hobbies/ interests gather together because of their commonalities. In fact it isn’t shocking at all that people like to hang out with people like them!
I’m afraid you could walk into many of our churches and make similar observations. It is far too easy to stereotype most churches within the first 30 seconds of entering the building or even driving by… but the saddest part is that most of those stereotypes turn out being correct! “Ohhh… coffee shop in the foyer, this is the young people church where people wear skinny jeans and the music is too loud.” Or alternatively… “Potted plants, banners, and paper bulletins handed out by greeters, this must be the old people church with the organ and hymnbook.”
How easy and true is that?
But, the beauty of the Gospel is that it brings together people who would not naturally choose to be together. In Ephesians 2:14-18 Paul says,
For He himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing hostility. And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.
In the times that Paul was living and ministering there was never a divide quite as strong as the one between the Jews and the Gentiles. Jewish people spent their lives thinking of ways to be separated from the Gentiles! But… a wrench was thrown in the machine when Gentiles started getting saved! How were Jews and Gentiles supposed to be of “one body?” They hated each other… they had nothing alike! These are the types of things Paul was facing at this time and these same ideas and problems are still around today. How easy would it have been for Paul just to have a Jewish church service and a Gentile church service? Two churches for two differing bodies with two different “tastes.” But Paul knew that is not what we are called to do. Paul knew what many of us need to grasp today… Paul knew that a united people in one church would display the beauty of the gospel more brilliantly.
When we teach our congregation that we are all unique and diverse and that there are many valid approaches and styles of worship (including music), and that it’s okay to have preferences, we can experience some beautiful moments of unity. What happens is, people become accepting with an approach that isn’t necessarily their cup of tea because they understand unity, and they understand the needs of their fellow Brothers and Sisters in Christ. Using musical worship as an example, it’s okay when the children sing a song that we as adults may deem as silly or shallow at the top of their lungs because that is their worship language at this point in time. The adults should absolutely join in singing “Jesus Loves Me” with their children because they prefer and understand the importance of unity and want the children of the church to learn and grow in their excitement to worship God. Afterall, He is OUR God… not MY or YOUR god.
If our congregations can’t move past style then ultimately they are worshipping their style of worship instead of actually worshipping.
Through multi-generational worship we also teach our children to learn, join, and sing when their grandparents bust out their favorite arrangement of “In the Garden.”
Psalm 133 says,
Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity! It is like the precious oil on the head, running down on the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down on the collar of his robes! It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion! For there the Lord has commanded the blessing, life forevermore.
One of the simplest ways that we can live the truth of Psalm 133 is to worship together, old and young. This verse says that it is wonderful when God’s children live together in unity. When we segment our environments by age, or other factor, and shuttle them off to be taught “age-appropriate” curriculum we probably do a lot of good for them individually. But what we also do is probably unintentionally teach younger generations that it is acceptable to worship in a segregated manner. We create groups of worshippers… groups of little individual churches. We call these little churches: children’s church, youth group, and “big church.”
We are meant to be ONE body.
- Promotes Discipleship
I believe that a huge part that our older and more mature believers can play in our churches and our worship is discipling younger believers and modeling worship in front of them. This is where multi-generational worship comes into play.
Psalm 45:1-7 says,
I will extol you, my God and King, and bless your name forever and ever. Every day I will bless you and praise your name forever and ever. Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable. One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts. On the glorious splendor of your majesty, and on your wondrous works, I will meditate. They shall speak of the might of your awesome deeds, and I will declare your greatness. They shall pour forth the fame of your abundant goodness and shall sing aloud of your righteousness.
This passage talks about older generations telling younger generations about the goodness of God. When we’re able to intentionally make this happen by promoting multi-generational worship, we reinforce family. God loves family. Jesus was brought into the world through a young family. The early Church was a family. The Old Testament reiterates the importance of family through stories and genealogical listings and through stories about the Israelites and the family of God.
Worshiping together helps us see and experience what that family is supposed to be all about. I’m definitely not saying that we should never utilize age specific ministries or age-appropriate worship sets, activities, or sermons, but that we should be willing to incorporate gatherings, elements, services, etc. that allow us to worship in a multi-generational manner. I believe many of us would be surprised and challenged by the things that we learn from each other when worshipping together.
Acts 2: 17-18 says,
And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; even on my male servants and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.
The work of God isn’t limited by age or any other factor.
Multi-generational worship provides the opportunity for discipleship. Discipleship usually doesn’t happen in the context of peer-driven ministry. We need our older generations to share their life experiences, their faith-building stories, and their wisdom. We need our younger people to inspire with their zeal and youthful energy. Relationships that lead to discipleship form in multi- generational worship and ministries.
How are you doing at encouraging and providing multi-generational worship?
Tanner Royalty 