A practical guide for intergenerational ministry

‘Intergenerational ministry takes place when people from at least two generations intentionally gather for the same activity in the name of Christ, interacting with one another in ways which reflect mutual respect and appreciation.’ Grow Ministries Intergenerational Guiding Principle

Every congregation can be intentionally intergenerational in its ministry and faith formation experiences. In the book, Generations Together, John Roberto talks about five essential components of congregational life – caring, celebrating, learning, praying and serving. John believes these elements need to be at the heart of every Christian community.

He says: ‘When a congregation commits itself to building a culture of intergenerationality through these five elements, each element becomes a sign of and instrument for the full experience of the body of Christ by all ages and generations.’

Here we explain each of these five elements and list some suggestions of how this might take place.

Intergenerational relationships and community needs to be something that the whole congregation is willing to invest their time and effort into. True intergenerational community is built on a genuine love for every generation beyond the consumerist ‘what’s in it for me?’ mindset, and it becomes a core value of the congregation.