Intentionally Crossing Generational Lines

It's a phenomenon that I have seen on many occasions in my life.  You have some kind of event in which people from different ages are gathered.  As you look around the room or place, you likely notice a peculiar thing.  In general, you have the group of older people who are gathered together, talking about matters that are common among them.  In fact, you may have two or three of these groups, depending on their interests.  Then, in another spot, you have the group of parents, watching over their kids, but sharing matters that are common among them.  Again, there could be multiple groups like this present.  And then, in yet another place, you have the group of youth that really don't want to be there, but are gathered together, talking about how unfair it is that they get dragged to events like this where the old people talk together, and they don't really have any interest in what is going on.

When we are left to our own devices, we naturally seek out those that are most like us.  This goes for things such as nationality, interests, and age grouping.  We don't find it very natural to cross over to that group where we don't "fit in" very well.  It requires intentional effort to make such a move.  And without that intentional effort, it most often simply doesn't happen.  (Sure, you can point out there there are times that it does happen, but by and large, those are the exceptions rather than the norm.)

As God's people, we may think that such situations wouldn't happen, and yet, since such things are so deep in our human nature, they still do happen, even among God's people.  Look around your church next time you are there.  How many older people are "hanging out" with the youth?  Are there people of grandparent age who are interacting with people who have younger children?  Do you see groups forming up around age, or opinion, or interest?  Shoot, I would even say you probably see women in one group and men in another group too.  Our ability to segregate ourselves comes so naturally that we often fail to even notice that we do it.  (Oh, and by the way, notice how we group ourselves with those that we know, so that our guests or visitors that God sends our way often find themselves standing all alone.  Think we should do something intentional about that?)

I bring this to our attention because, as God's people, we benefit greatly when we intentionally cross those generational lines to interact with one another.  As a research nerd (someone who reads and enjoys reading research), I can tell you that research has shown that lasting faith is more often built in those who have interactions that cross generational lines.  So when we start wondering what happened to all the young people, could it possibly be that the older people stopped interacting with them, and sent the message that they didn't want them there, even if it wasn't intentional?

As a leader of God's people, I will be putting together a few groups in our congregation that will work to intentionally cross these generational lines and come together.  Even more, these groups will not only do that in the context of the congregation, but will also have an eye toward inviting others who do not yet know what Jesus has done for them to be a part of the group.  If that sounds like something you would be interested in commiting to, please let me know, and I will make sure you are part of it.

There is so much that we can learn from one another, and so much of that will inevitably help us cross those lines, so that we find those "others" not quite so scary.  I pray that you will take some of those steps on your own to see just how blessed it can be to intentionally cross generational lines.