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The Sola Panel is dead; long live the Sola Panel! by Tony Payne (4 comments). Regular Sola Panel readers will no doubt have detected a little slowness and quietness over the past six weeks or so. … more
Kids’ culture watch spot: Facing fear by Gordon Cheng (3 comments). By popular demand (two people asked), here is my next script for a culture watch spot I did with the kids … more
Daniel 2-7, Harry Potter and Narnia by Gordon Cheng (1 comment). It's a Sunday as I write this, and I'm speaking on Daniel 2 and 7 later this morning at a friend's … more
A constituent on same-sex marriage by Sandy Grant (34 comments). Last year, the Australian Parliament agreed that its Members of Parliament (MPs) should seek the … more
A tribute to John Stott by Sandy Grant (2 comments). Friends, I'm not ashamed to say I shed a tear when I opened up my computer on Thursday morning to read … more
Talkin’ ’bout my generation (part 3): On giants’ shoulders by Scott Newling (26 comments). This is the third post in this series; you can read part one, and more
Bible reading with kids by Sandy Grant (0 comments). I was asked for recommendations for resources that would encourage parents to read the Bible with their kids, especially … more
Talkin’ ’bout my generation (part 2): Stepping aside (not out) so others can step up (not in) by Scott Newling (3 comments). This is the second post in this series; you can read the first post, Unassuming … more
One more sip of the coffee by Tony Payne (8 comments). Sandy Grant is a man of integrity. Back in the early days of Sola Panel, I wrote a post … more
Talkin’ ’bout my generation (part 1): Unassuming generations by Scott Newling (30 comments). There is a model of ‘intergenerational theological decline’ that has been doing the rounds of late, and perhaps you … more
Tony Payne
Paul is one of the Staff Editors at Matthias Media. He is married to Cathy and has three fantastic kids. He loves student ministry, reading, writing music and playing the saxophone, and is looking forward to meeting Jesus face to face.
Sola Panellists
- Tony Payne (convenor)
- Jennie Baddeley
- Mark Baddeley
- Andrew Barry
- Peter Bolt
- Gordon Cheng
- a local church and a certain Christian publishing house. (Sometimes the latter vocations can happen without the first.) Many people call him a nerd, which he prefers to geek. He\'s keen on biblical studies, languages, great technology, science fiction, coffee, photography, frisbee, family, jazz, and hats. You could call his tastes eclectic. ");'>Sam Freney
- Sandy Grant
- Scott Newling
- Gavin Perkins
- Ben Pfahlert
- Peter Sholl
- Claire Smith
- Nicole Starling
- Jean Williams
- Lionel Windsor
Some other sites
we like (Why these?)
- Matthias Media
- The Briefing
- 9Marks
- Albert Mohler
- Anglican Church League
- challies
- David Ould
- ENTRUST
- EQUIP book club
- Girl Talk
- Gordon Cheng's Blog
- The Gospel Coalition
- Jean Williams's blog
- Justin Taylor
- Lionel Windsor
- Monergism
- Moore College
- MTS
- Nicole Starling's blog
- Phillip Jensen
- Pyromaniacs
- The Proclamation Trust
- Reformers' Bookshop
- The Simeon Trust
- The Ugley Vicar
Many thanks for the reflections, Claire - very helpful. I’m 100% with you on the older-with-younger thing. And if that’s the case, surely the biggest concern is not with conferences and websites (though they’re certainly a concern), but the trend towards age-specific congregations - especially the ubiquitous “youth service”. That’s where it hits our regular diet of teaching and relationship.
Thank you for your essay.
Some congregations ignore the young or ignore the old. I believe a genuine pastor will care about the spiritual welfare of people of all ages. I was formerly a member of a church where the pastor decided that the desires and needs (which are different, but often confused) of those over about 45 didn’t matter. He told the old people that they should not selfishly insist on their preferred style of worship, but he insisted on his own preferred style. An alternative, more traditional worship service, or even an occasional piece of traditional music was forbidden in the worship services.
That pastor wasn’t just short-sighted. He refused to be a pastor of those who were not sufficiently contemporary. Such thinking is wrong, and would be just as wrong if it were freezing out the young instead of the old. Where’s the unity of the body of Christ?
Thanks Claire! Just the other day a friend and I were reflecting on the blessing it had been to hear 3 older women speak about their identity in Christ. Their wisdom was clearly fruit of lives spent loving our Lord, listening carefully to his word and seeking to serve him in the ups and downs of each day. Their words genuinely gave us courage to press on!
On the other side of the age ‘fence’ my highschool girls Bible study group spurs me to work hard at knowing what I believe and why. Teens don’t let you get away with much!
‘Ageist’ congregations miss out on the encouragement and vitality of older and younger saints alike. Yet beyond that, the world of ‘ageist’ (or ‘stage-ist’) congregations leaves some feeling excluded or unwanted: those who don’t fall into the ‘traditional’, ‘family’ (ie children under 16-ish) or ‘youth’ designation. May the power of the gospel and our unity in Christ (despite age, stage and music preference) be seen in our congregations to the glory of God.
Over the years I have often been the ‘older woman’ in the Bible study group at church. It’s been a privilege to have my ideas challenged and to receive encouragement and rich fellowship in spite of the age difference. It’s never seemed to matter that I was nearly 20 years older than some of the group. I now find myself texting bible verses to various friends as they walk the path that God has prepared for them.
In the last few years I’ve been involved with an older group of women who’s vision is to win the families of the nation for Christ by strengthening and encouraging Christian family life.I’m now almost the young one! But they haven’t lost their zeal and fervour for the gospel in spite of their grey hair and often physical fraility. I’m humbled by their faithfulness and prayerfulness.
Dear brothers and sisters – thanks for your comments. I agree with them all!
So, let me take some of them up and push them a little further.
a. If the current model of age or stage-based congregations works against us experiencing the diversity of familial relationships that God intended for Christian fellowship, is that loss offset by the benefit of being culturally relevant to different groups and thereby preventing the distracting and destructive arguments about style that so often occur?
b. What can we do to foster richer relationships across different age groups in our churches?
c. How do we go about challenging and correcting ministry-minded ageism when many of those who might challenge it can be dismissed as old and irrelevant, and it is apparently being done for the sake of the gospel – and when our society is so strongly ageist?
Any thoughts?
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