Churches are finding new methods of reaching people through Bible Study.  At Salem United Methodist Church in Orange, Texas, the pastor is holding “Wacky Tuesday Bible Study.”

The Rev. Carolyn McCall didn’t expect to name a bible study with those type of words, but that’s what she decided to call the Tuesday lunchtime gathering.

Church members, neighborhood residents and people who come through on their lunch hour gather each Tuesday as McCall goes through the Bible verse-by-verse in various books of the Bible.  “The conversation often takes wild twists and turns, which is what prompted McCall to use the now famous phrase saying, “You are all wacky.”

“We love studying this way,” McCall said. “First, all the retired people used ot sit at one table, all by themselves, but today it’s all mixed up.”  From ages 21 to 75 years old the group participants “fight” for a seat at the front  table.  McCall said, “that’s where all the action is.”

Intergenerational ministry is one of the core experiences the church can offer to an increasingly fragmented world, according to church experts.

“Traditionally, extended families have been a common framework for the sharing of faith, values and experiences,” said the Rev. Richard Gentzler, director of Discipleship’s Center on Aging and Older Adult Ministries. “Grandparents, parents and children lived together, allowing for the exchange of knowledge about family and religious traditions.”
Intergenerational ministry is one of the core experiences the church can offer to an increasingly fragmented world, according to church experts.

“Traditionally, extended families have been a common framework for the sharing of faith, values and experiences,” said the Rev. Gentzler. “Grandparents, parents and children lived together, allowing for the exchange of knowledge about family and religious traditions.”

Gentzler said that many churches are missing out on intergenerational contact. It is not always because one generation or another is missing from the congregation.

“We tend to segregate our churches, Sunday schools and various ministry programs by age, which allows each generation to see itself as separate rather than an integral part of a larger faith community,” Gentzler added.

“Intergenerational ministries provide opportunities for individuals, families and congregations to once again enjoy and benefit from the richness of an age-integrated church,” he said.