In 1900, life expectancy in the United States was 47 years. Today it is closer to 78. Some demographers predict that one out of two babies born today will live to at least 100.
In Genesis we read, “Then the Lord said, ‘My spirit shall not abide in mortals forever, for they are flesh; their days shall be one hundred twenty years.” In fact, the longest life ever authenticated was Jeanne Calment of France, who lived to be 122.
Our population is aging and today 16% of the total U.S. population is 65+ years old. The U.S. Census Bureau projects that by 2040, 21.6%, or one out of every five persons, will be 65+.
In 2020, the total population in Tennessee was 6,910,840 of which 16.7% were 65+ (1,1,54,110). The total population in Kentucky in 2020 was 4,505,836 of which 16.8% were 65+ (756,980).
Likewise, most churches are aging. Many have a majority of members 60 years of age or older. According to data from the 2014 U.S. Religious Landscape Survey, the following figures represent the percentage of members 60 years and olderin selected denominations:
- Episcopal Church – 55.9%
- Evangelical Lutheran Church in America – 53.4%
- Presbyterian Church (USA) – 58.4%
- Presbyterian Church in America – 57.6%
- Southern Baptist Convention – 47.8%
- United Church of Christ – 59.9%
- United Methodist Church – 54.6%
The large numbers of aging members are due in part to:
- More people aging and living longer
- Fewer babies being born
- Increasing numbers of non-affiliation with any religion — the nones — among younger people
We are living in a time when being an older adult means better health and more opportunities than at any point in recorded history. What can we as older adults do with all the extra years? What should we as a church do with all of these older people? Sixty-five-year-olds are doing things that 45-year-olds used to do. It’s no longer surprising to hear about people in their 70s and 80s who still work.
This realization that we are living in an aging society suggests two important challenges to churches.
Rethink Who Is Attracted to Our Churches
We may need to rethink the type of people who might be attracted to our churches. Is the correct question, “how can we get more young families in our church?” Or, is it something else?
Our image of a healthy and vital congregation is often one of a church filled with families that have preteen or teenaged children living at home. Yet, this type of family has increasingly become smaller in our society and in our churches.
Look around your church. What is the most common family type there? For many of us, it is the post-parental family — a couple whose children are grown and have left home. Perhaps the next most predominant type of family is single people, often widowed women.
If we change our perception of the church family, it will alter the ways we program our ministry in the church. Think for a moment about adult Christian education. The model most often used in churches is the adult Sunday school class which is an hour-long class held on Sunday mornings.
That schedule is generally a good model for adults who are working or raising a family. However, for older adults who no longer have child-rearing responsibilities and are retired, educational classes can be scheduled any time during the week and during daylight hours.
Over the years, there has been decreasing numbers of families living with children. According to the November 2021 report by the U.S. Census, the number of families living with their own children under age 18 in the household declined over the last two decades. In 2001, 48% of all U.S. families lived with their own children, compared to 44% in 2011 and 40% in 2021.
I’m not suggesting that we shouldn’t be concerned about reaching young people or young families for Christ. Of course, we must! I’m only recommending that we not beat ourselves up if we’re unable to be effective in this ministry. I know too many clergy who retired feeling they failed God and the church by not discipling many young people.
We need to realistically look at the demographics in our communities and program our ministry for current and potential memberships. For many congregations, older adults may be the primary group in the church and community.
Reframe our Image of Aging
We may need to reframe our image of aging and what it means to be an old church. In order to address the demographic challenges in our communities, we must be willing to get past our idea that investing in aging churches is bad business. It is easy to buy into the idea that large churches with younger church members do better. There are many small-membership churches with older members that are doing incredibly well.
Often in our ageist thinking, we imagine that older adults resist change, are bound by tradition, and are inflexible. Small-membership churches or congregations made up of largely older members are frequently considered uncreative, stagnant, and dying. Some members even believe that if their church had more younger members it would be exciting, vibrant, and active.
It might or might not be. Younger families might provide a vision of vibrancy to the life of any church. But there are many congregations in the Tennessee-Western Kentucky Conference made up predominately of older members that are exciting, committed to service, engaged in spiritual growth, and making a difference in the life of their communities.
Perhaps the question isn’t, “How can we get more young families into our church?” but rather, “How can our church be more effective in intentional ministry by, with, and for older adults whose population is growing in numbers?”
Dr. Richard Gentzler, director, oversees ENCORE Ministry’s mission of providing older adult ministry resources, leader training, and consultations. For more information, email Gentzler at or call 615-400-0539.
