A church in our area recently completed a project to reach senior adults with the gospel and accelerate the spiritual growth of their senior members. They hosted a Vacation Bible School for senior adults. It was my privilege to be their Bible study leader for a few of their sessions.

VBS for Seniors met each morning for a week in August. The format was old-school VBS—complete with an opening assembly featuring pledges, corresponding hymns, school motto, and group memory verse. If that makes you smile, you are old enough to remember when VBS started each day with an assembly featuring those elements. If you have no idea what that means, ask a senior in your church to explain it to you!

After the opening assembly, the group—almost 100 strong in total enrollment—divided into groups for rotations through various components of the school. These included missions, activities, refreshments, etc. It was a full morning of moving from class to class, experiencing various learning options and participating in various educational activities. There was a lot of laughter and shared memories—including some reflection on decades of leading VBS for others over the years. It was also a fulfilling worship experience as the congregational singing featured classic hymns that have defined worship for seniors over the years.

But this was more than a trip down memory lane, a nostalgic throwback to give old people a way to stay busy. It was a missional opportunity for seniors to invite their friends to hear the gospel, experience Christian fellowship, receive biblical teaching, and grow in their relationship to God. The best part of Senior VBS was the baptismal service during the opening assembly on the final day of the school! Seniors who had recently come to faith in Jesus and those converted during VBS were invited to participate in the baptismal service. The pastor led that service—with a focus on celebrating the gospel transforming seniors and baptism as their public declaration of their faith.

Churches today—as they should—mostly design their ministries and worship services to reach younger families. That’s a strategically significant choice which most seniors support. But it’s also important to present the gospel and teach people how to live their faith at every age. Senior VBS is an intentional way to do just that. It’s a low budget, high impact way to connect with a community who need the gospel. It’s also a lot of fun! Perhaps this is a strategy more churches or associations can use to get the gospel to senior adults.


Read More

Kindness

Dr. Iorg expresses gratitude for the kindness showed to him over the past week.

Jeff Iorg
President
Dr. Jeff Iorg is the president of Gateway Seminary. Prior to his service at the Seminary, Dr. Iorg was the Executive Director of the Northwest Baptist Convention for almost ten years. He was also the founding pastor of Greater Gresham Baptist Church in Gresham, Oregon, and has served as a pastor in Missouri and a staff pastor in Texas.

Trained for Transition

Dr. Iorg discusses Gateway Seminary’s unique time of transition.

Jeff Iorg
President
Dr. Jeff Iorg is the president of Gateway Seminary. Prior to his service at the Seminary, Dr. Iorg was the Executive Director of the Northwest Baptist Convention for almost ten years. He was also the founding pastor of Greater Gresham Baptist Church in Gresham, Oregon, and has served as a pastor in Missouri and a staff pastor in Texas.

Listen

10 Questions with 10 Pastors
March 25, 2024

Jason Dees

In this podcast episode, Jason Dees, the pastor and church planter of Christ Covenant Church in Atlanta, Georgia, covers various topics including his dissertation on Baptist spirituality, focusing on figures like Andrew Fuller, William Carey, and John Riley, and their

Lead On Podcast
March 24, 2024

Pastor Visits

Why is pastoral presence so important? Dr. Iorg discusses the importance of being with people and offers fresh ways to engage with and effectively be with the people you are leading.


Watch

Jonathan Edwards and the Asbury Revival

Chris Chun and Chris Woznicki discuss the signs of true revival, signs of the work of the Holy Spirit, and why it is important to critically assess the characteristics of revival in a spirit of charity.

Chris Chun
Professor of Church History | Director, Jonathan Edwards Center
Dr. Chris Chun is the professor of Church History and the director of Jonathan Edwards Center at Gateway Seminary. Chris’ doctoral research at St. Andrews University was focused on the eighteenth-century Edwardsean Baptists in Britain. He also has served as president of The Evangelical Theological Society (Far West Region).

Jonathan Edwards and the Baptists | Douglas Sweeney, Nathan Finn and Chris Chun

Dr. Douglas Sweeney and Dr. Nathan Finn joined Dr. Chris Chun for a panel discussion on Jonathan Edwards, recorded live at the SBC Annual Meeting in Anaheim.

Chris Chun
Professor of Church History | Director, Jonathan Edwards Center
Dr. Chris Chun is the professor of Church History and the director of Jonathan Edwards Center at Gateway Seminary. Chris’ doctoral research at St. Andrews University was focused on the eighteenth-century Edwardsean Baptists in Britain. He also has served as president of The Evangelical Theological Society (Far West Region).

Get updates on new content!