Intergenerational Christian Formation

Reviewed by:

G. Connor Salter, Professional Writing alumnus from Taylor University, Upland, IN.

Title:

Intergenerational Christian Formation: Bringing the Whole Church Together in Ministry Community and Worship

Author:

Holly Catterton Allen, Christine Lawton, and Corey L. Seibel

Publisher:

IVP Academic (an imprint of InterVarsity Press)

http://InterVarsity Press

Publication Date:

June 2023 (Second Edition)

Format:

Casebound (Hardcover)

Length:

336 pages

OVERVIEW

We know that the church is the body of Christ, and that of the body includes people of all ages. However, many American churches today tend to put all age groups into little boxes. We have children’s church for small children and preteens, youth group for teenagers, regular services for anyone over 18, and various small groups for specific kinds of adults (singles, couples, grandparents, etc.). It can help, but what if it misses the larger picture of what the body of Christ is called to be? Holly Catterton Allen and Christine Lawton made a strong case in their 2012 book Intergenerational Christian Formation that we miss something when we don’t seek opportunities for the church to grow together across generations. Released in a decade when young people seemed to be abandoning church in droves, it defied the conventional wisdom that churches should use age-specific marketing to get new attendees.

It proved to be right. Today, whole conferences explore developing intergenerational churches. In this updated edition with Corey L. Seibel, they provide new research that offers new detail on what “intergenerational” means and how to do intergenerational church better. Fresh testimonies from churches on different continents help to show the blessings that intergenerational church provides and handle the complications that come with the model.

Every couple of years, a new book discusses “what’s wrong with the church today” and offers a counterintuitive solution. While most of these books have at least one good idea in them, too many are flashy products that fade away. Intergenerational Christian Formation proved far better than its competitors, partly because it found a new way to say something time-proven: communities grow and thrive when multiple generations learn from each other.

The new research does an excellent job of building on the thesis and offering nuanced answers to concerns. It’s particularly refreshing that the authors make a strong case that just because something is tough doesn’t mean we shouldn’t do it. Instead of promising that their method can be easily applied and will fix everything in six months, they learn into the idea that intergenerational churches take time but are worth the results. They also offer sage advice about how hard it can be to sell intergenerational church models but argue that conflict may be good. Sometimes, that conflict can bring out important questions—like whether people have gotten too used to meeting with people from their generation who all see things the same way. Leaning into that conflict can challenge church leaders and members to relinquish their egos and work together.

This fascinating book refuses to make changing church culture look easy but shows it must be done and the blessings that come from this change.

A terrific discussion about how to do church better that works. A book that will still matter another decade from now.

ASSESSMENT

Rating (1 to 5 stars):

Five stars.

Suggested Audience:

Church leaders contemplating how to make church programs that integrate rather than segregate generations, seeking healthy long-term church growth over flashy short-term growth.

Christian Impact:

The writers make an excellent argument that intergenerational churches are genuinely biblical and naturally feed some needs that other experts routinely bring up about the church today. It’s been said many times that the American church needs to improve at reaching social margins and producing multi-ethnic communities. The new research shows that fostering intergenerational communities creates a vision that makes it easier to accomplish both goals.

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