A friend, who is also a five-fold apostle, posted a statement:

“Being an “apostle” is not a retirement plan for a local pastor.”

That set me to thinking about how terrible the church is with taking care of their own. By church here I am speaking of both the body of Christ and also the local organizations and gatherings where people come together in the name of Christ.

A few things happened in the church in the 1960s and 70s and into the 80s that are now causing some very difficult situations for aging pastors and missionaries.

The first thing that happened was the emergence of the “independent church”. These are churches that were not connected to a larger body like a denomination. Many of them started as small gatherings in someone’s home. Some were formed as sub-groups of denominational churches who had gotten energized by discovering some truth. They provided something the main body of the denomination did not. Others formed independently of the rest of the church entirely. Many of these primordial gatherings eventually evolved into full-on churches, holding Sunday services, Bible studies, etc. They were largely comprised of young people and young families who were dissatisfied with what traditional churches had to offer. The leaders who became the pastors were just as young, mostly not seminary trained and lacked experience. These groups mostly gathered around agreement with some specific theology, like that the Charismata were for today or Christian Zionism. Since they were disconnected from the larger Body of Christ they tended to form some weird ideas and many became very xenophobic of other groups. This caused these groups to become isolated and in-grown.

Simultaneously, as these independent churches grew and the demands on the leaders time increased, many of the leaders quit their regular careers and went “on-salary” with the churches. But these churches could not afford to pay them much, so they took part-time jobs and such to make ends meet.

And another factor entered in to the perfect storm. Dispensationalism. The theology that we were in the “end times” and that very soon we’d be raptured away and the world as we knew it would suffer through a global tribulation culminating with the return of Jesus to the earth to establish a 1000 year kingdom of peace and righteousness. So these leaders decided to “opt-out” of Social Security. This is an option ministers have where they no longer have FICA taxes withheld from their paychecks. They of course also opt out of being able to collect any benefits when they retire. All because they thought they would not be here to collect them and they needed the money then.

So where does this leave us? We have a bunch of isolated congregations, who are aging and who are so afraid of each other they will not ask for help. The pastors are reaching retirement age. But they have no pension plans. The church members are also reaching retirement age and their incomes are fixed and limited. The “rapture” they were hoping for never happened. No plans were ever put into place for a smooth transition to new leadership because, once again, they never thought they would still be here. There is no new fresh blood coming in. The young people do not want the legalism and moralism of those old churches. These churches are dying. Along with that the leaders and pastors are facing an old age of poverty and loneliness. It’s very very scary. So yeah some self-appoint themselves apostles or prophets so they can have some kind of income. I think what we have to ask is why was it allowed to come to this? Why does the church not take care of their own? Why do we spend millions on the poor in Africa (or wherever) while our own spiritual fathers and mothers face an old age of uncertainty and loneliness? One thing I love about the Roman Catholic church is that they do not abandon their clergy. If you are a priest, monk or nun you always have a place. Always. We evangelicals could learn a lesson or two from them.

Two things need to happen very quickly.

First the younger generation needs to value the older one. I see so many who are dismissing them as “old wineskins” and obsolete. But these are the people who made it possible for you to be where you are. Their theology may be outdated in some respects. But it was a stepping stone to where you are. Remember at one time their theology was considered revolutionary and many of the churches formed because the traditional churches they were in would not accept them.

Second, old timers, stop being so stubborn and locked in to your theology and doctrine. Remember how it was back in the day when YOU were considered the heretics and upstarts. Stop looking at the young people as heretics because they believe in radical grace and have rejected some of your sacred cows like punitive substitutionary atonement and conditional salvation. These young leaders NEED you. But they will not accept you if you come in with a heavy hand trying to control what they think and how they act and dictating to them how it should be done. You need to be a Papa or a Mama, not a drill sergeant. You need to lead them by influence not command. They will accept your wisdom if it’s presented in a loving, non-judgmental way. And you need to let them make their own mistakes and clean up their own messes. And you need to allow them to follow their own path into truth. You need to not be so afraid of them exploring doctrinal views that might be way off or way out there. You never know they just might discover some new truth. Guide them with love, not a stick.

It’s possible to recover from our predicament. It will take a LOT of humility though. A LOT! We got ourselves into this state. We can get out. Young people, find the older saints. Reach out to them. Start a benevolence fund in your church. Help them all, whether they are with you or with another group. Change this. Take care of the family before you go to save the nations. Any theology that allows you to abandon the old and infirm in order to “save the world” is not of God. Period. And have a long-term, multi generational vision. And don’t isolate yourselves out of fear of other groups. There is strength in numbers folks. Lay aside your petty doctrines and unite. It’s much easier to take care of your elders when you have numbers. The Mennonites, Adventists, and other denominations all have ministries that serve their mama’s and papa’s. They need to feel that they are not abandoned. That they can enter their twilight years safe, secure and loved. Then they won’t have to do things like declare themselves “apostles”.

“I am writing to you, little children, because your sins have been forgiven you for His name’s sake. I am writing to you, fathers, because you know Him who has been from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I have written to you, children, because you know the Father. I have written to you, fathers, because you know Him who has been from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.” 1 John 2:12-14