Intergenerational Care: A Lesson from Ruth and Naomi for Today's Church
In our fast-paced, age-segregated world, the Church has a unique opportunity to foster meaningful connections across generations. In the months of July and August, the church I pastor has been working through a sermon series all about caring and what it means to answer God’s calling to caregiving. Yesterday’s sermon focused especially on the story of Ruth and Naomi — which led to powerful insights on intergenerational caregiving in the Church.
The Crisis That Sparked Care
The book of Ruth opens with a crisis. Famine strikes Bethlehem, forcing Naomi and her family to seek refuge in Moab. Tragedy follows as Naomi loses her husband and both sons, leaving her with two daughters-in-law in a foreign land. In a society where widows were incredibly vulnerable, this was a dire situation.
How often do we see similar crises in our congregations? The loss of a spouse, a health emergency, or financial hardship can leave individuals feeling isolated and vulnerable — all rather suddenly and unexpectedly.
These moments are opportunities for the church to step up and demonstrate Christ's love through practical care.
The Choice to Care
When Naomi decides to return to Bethlehem, she urges her daughters-in-law to go back to their families. Orpah (which means “neck, back, dust”) turns her back on Naomi to take hold of this offer to return home. But Ruth makes a stunning declaration:
"Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God." (Ruth 1:16)
This commitment transcends age, culture, and self-interest. Ruth chooses to care for Naomi at great personal cost. It's a beautiful picture of selfless love that echoes Christ's sacrifice for us.
In our churches, we have daily opportunities to make similar choices. Will we stick with our comfortable peer groups (whether older or younger), or will we reach out across generational lines to offer support, encouragement, and practical help?
The Cost and Beauty of Intergenerational Care
Caring across generations isn't always easy. Ruth and Naomi faced significant challenges:
Cultural differences
The stigma of poverty and widowhood
Naomi's bitterness and emotional struggles
Yet, through their commitment to each other, something beautiful emerged. Ruth provided the physical labor and support Naomi needed, while Naomi offered cultural guidance and wisdom. Their relationship became a testimony to the community and opened doors to unexpected blessings.
The Evangelistic Power of Care
One of the most striking aspects of Ruth and Naomi's story is its evangelistic impact. Through Naomi's influence, Ruth comes to faith in the God of Israel. And by saying “yes” to the calling of a caregiver, Ruth finds herself taking first steps in a relationship with God. Their story of mutual care becomes known throughout Bethlehem, culminating in Ruth's marriage to Boaz and her place in the lineage of Jesus.
When we commit to caring across generational lines, we create a powerful witness to the world. In a society that often segregates by age, a church where young and old serve each other in love stands out. It's a living demonstration of the Gospel's power to unite diverse people into one family.
Practical Steps for Fostering Intergenerational Care
Many churches long for this kind of intergenerational caregiving. Yet, we seem to come up short time and time again. So, how can we cultivate this kind of care in our churches? Here are some practical steps:
Create Intentional Spaces: Organize events or small groups that bring different generations together around shared interests or activities. However, a warning is due: We often try to create these spaces in a way that expects the younger to join the events, styles, and preferences of the older — or vice versa. There is definitely a place for watching either the young join the preferences of the old or the old join the preferences of the young. This suggestion of creating intentional spaces, however, is different. How can we all gather together in a way that honors all interests and not just some?
Encourage Mentoring Relationships: Set up formal or informal mentoring programs that pair older and younger members. The young can act as mentors also, so this is not just an older-to-younger suggestion. There are many different ways to accomplish this suggestion. At the church I pastor, we’re getting ready to launch a reading and relationship formal mentoring program with our local elementary school. There are also opportunities to let the youth mentor older members, especially through technology or in worship music preferences.
Diversify Your Leadership: Ensure your church committees and ministry teams include members from various age groups. This can sometimes present a challenge since younger members often have not experienced the same level of development as older members. But isn’t this the goal? To work together for the mutual uplifting of all? Yet, a warning is also worth stating: When we bring younger voices into teams and committees, we must strive hard to honor those younger voices and empower them to speak up in the unfamiliar work of teams and committees. They have a voice to offer that we want to recognize, helping them grow comfortable in teamwork and committee work.
Celebrate Intergenerational Stories: Share testimonies of cross-generational care and friendship in your services or church communications. Stories are powerful! Where are we already seeing intergenerational caregiving? Where are the young already serving the old? Where are the old already serving the young? How can we honor parents as missionaries to children? How can we celebrate grandparents in ministry to and with their grandchildren? How can we recognize intergenerational discipleship and mentoring in such a way that we foster a culture where these relationships are a normal part of the church’s mission?
Address Generational Stereotypes: Addressing stereotypes is vital. To see success in intergenerational caregiving, we must recognize the value each generation brings to the body of Christ and challenge age-based prejudices. Language that demeans GenZ or Millennials is unacceptable in the Church. Prejudice against seniors simply because they’re not familiar with newer trends and interests is unacceptable in the Church. Prioritizing older members for leadership positions simply because of their age and not because of character and capacity does not honor the abilities and potential of the young. We cannot live into stereotypes in the Church. Otherwise, we’re not changing the cultural narrative.
Facilitate Practical Care: Create systems that connect needs with resources across generational lines (e.g., young adults helping seniors with home repairs, retirees offering childcare to young families). I’m so thankful that this happens rather organically at the church I pastor. I’m sure there are many projects like this happening organically in your church also. It’s also good to consider how we might create intentional systems to support practical care. How can we develop a care-team in the church comprised of members from all generational groups? How can we ensure that everyone knows each other’s names and actually breaks down barriers to speak to one another as friends (from all age groups)?
A Challenge to Care
Intergenerational care isn't just a nice idea—it's a biblical mandate and a powerful tool for building a strong, vibrant church. As we commit to caring across age lines, we'll see our congregations grow in love, unity, and witness to the world.
Let's become churches where, like Ruth and Naomi, the lines between generations blur in the beautiful dance of mutual care and support. In doing so, we'll create communities that truly reflect the heart of Christ and the diversity of His kingdom.
What step will you take this week to foster intergenerational care in your church?
