Churches That Hate Grandmas and Grandpas

I don't know how I feel about Grandma hating churches. Those that do this would protest that I worded it this way, but that is what they are. Somehow, I do not think Jesus would approve.

There are a number of churches that covet young adults and young families. They design everything around these age and interest groups. That's not particularly a bad thing. There are many lost people in those age groups that need to be reached.

So where do I come up with the grandma hating label? These same churches will say, from the pulpit, in Sunday school and everywhere else, that they do not want anybody under 40 attending. They even go so far as to tell people older than that they are not welcome and they need to find another church.

They are doing this to give young adults the illusion that they are doing something new. They aren't particularly. Finding mates, on the job issues and raising children are nothing new. The Bible has not changed. Jesus is the same and so is God. Music is simply keeping up with the times, which it has always done.

They are creating a division that does not need to be created. The implication of being so particular about age is that older people are bad in some way. They are practicing open age discrimination in a time when that is against the law. (Everybody who breaks the law feels that they are justified in doing so which means it is no excuse at all.)

If the churches simply aimed their sermons and Sunday school lessons at issues that concern young adults, most older people would not be interested unless they wanted to encourage the younger adults. They can have all their super baby programs and elegant children's playgrounds, their teen entertainment and all that free stuff that costs a lot of money. Bells and whistles are fun.

The old rugged cross and self sacrifice and all that stuff is boring. Children do not sit still for that sort of thing. It's all about them and having as much fun as possible. And who can blame them? We live in a child oriented society. They do hear the salvation message. They also get the impression the Lord rose to serve them, not that they are to serve the Lord.

If you discourage the older people from coming, there are almost never any funerals so most younger adults live with the illusion that they are immortal. With no older people, there are few examples of the unfairness of life and the long term results of both good and poor choices. It can give a somewhat myopic view of life for those not involved with older people elsewhere.

So how do I feel about grandma hating churches? Kind of negative, like Jesus would not approve. But they are reaching the lost and unconcerned. And in a few short years, these young people will be the older people they are booting out the door and telling them they are not welcome. God's payback.

In the meantime, we welcome people of any age at our church. We are all the children of God.