Intergenerational Perspectives: A Vision Rooted in Scripture, Theology, and the Sacraments

This article is part of a series on intergenerational training knowledge written after a literature review by the Roots & Wings grant team: Intergenerational Collaborative Training in Spring 2025.

Start with discernment

Why are you interested in exploring intergenerational ministry? What needs in the context of your church could this approach meet?

Discerning the answers to questions like these is critically important as you begin to pursue an intentional process of welcoming all bodies to worship, training activities, or the life of your church in general. Naming your why will stabilize and support you on the long and winding path to change in the congregation. This will help you clarify your goals, prioritize your activities, build support and overcome resistance.

And yes, you might encounter resistance: the ministry model by age and stage is deeply rooted in our ecclesial (and secular) culture. Designing the life of the Church around the needs and hopes of all ages can seem like a loss to adults, accustomed to being at the center of Church life. And if intergenerational ministry includes children in your context, it might be loud, messy, and somewhat chaotic.

Given these dynamics, a compelling vision for intergenerational ministry must be grounded in our tradition’s most foundational beliefs and practices regarding scripture, theology, and the sacraments. A literature review conducted by the Roots & Wings grant team highlighted the following ideas, which are not exhaustive but provide a starting point for discernment.

1. Intergenerational ministry is biblical

Concerns about how God’s people share faith with one another, across generations, permeate Scripture. The following is a sampling of important passages for prayerful reflection.

Unity in the Body of Christ

In 1 Corinthians 12:12-26 and Ephesians 4:11-16, Paul describes the body of Christ as one, needing all its parts to actively participate. The whole body includes people of all ages. No one “grows old” or “grows old” in the body of Christ; all are precious.

• “The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor can the head to the toe say, “I have no need of you.” On the contrary, the members of the body which seem weakest are indispensable. . .” (1 Cor 12:21-22, NRSV)
• “As each part functions properly, it promotes the growth of the body and its building in love.” (Eph 4:16, NRSV)

Teaching across generations

Developing and maintaining faith in God requires modeling and teaching across generations, in the home and in the broader community. It also requires sustained repetition over time, as described in Deuteronomy 6:6-9:

“Keep in your heart these words that I command you today. Recite them to your children and talk about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you go to bed and when you get up.” (Deut 6:6-7, NRSV)

Transmission of faith through relationships

The transmission of faith occurs over time, in a deep and ongoing relationship. In “Intergenerational Christian Formation: Bringing the Whole Church Together in Ministry, Community, and Worship,” the authors write: “For this progression to be possible, generations must be together, not just occasionally or sporadically, but often» (72), which invites us to ask ourselves whether episodic intergenerational events or programs are sufficient to lead to the knowledge and hope in God imagined by the psalmist:

“He established a decree in Jacob and established a law in Israel, which he commanded our ancestors to teach their children, so that the next generation might know them, the unborn, and stand up and tell them to their children, so that they would put their hope in God. . . » (Psalm 78:5-7, NRSV)

Children are precious to God

The gospel of Matthew (18:1-6; 19:13-14) emphasizes that children are precious in the eyes of God and essential to the kingdom of heaven, which requires that Jesus’ followers relinquish power, identify with children, and remove each other’s obstacles to faith. Children are an integral part of the faith community, not as future leaders, but as valuable members in their current stage.

• “Unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven… Whoever welcomes one of these children in my name welcomes me. » (Mt 18:3,5, NRSV)
• “Let the little children come to me and do not stop them; for to them is the kingdom. » (Mt 19:14, NRSV)

Jesus’ disciples of different ages learned in community

Jesus’ disciples, of varying ages and experiences, learned to follow him through lessons, observation, and practical experience. Likewise, all generations today must share life with one another to grow into the image of Christ. Johannah Myers writes in “All Ages Becoming: Intergenerational Practice in the Formation of God’s People”: “Jesus called his disciples not to go to school but to experience a way of living, the way of living that Jesus himself embodied. A call to discipleship was a call to learn a way of life and to join a community of others who were also learning that life.» (77).

“The twelve came to him and said to him, “Send the crowd away…”. . . But he said to them, “Give them something to eat.” » » (Luke 9:12-13, NRSV)

2. Intergenerational ministry is theological

The way we organize our life together – worship design, community practices, training and fellowship activities, and more – reflects what we believe about God and humanity.

Imago Dei

We are each created in the image of God. Mimi Larson, in “Engaging children in worship: perspectives to consider» writes: “All children already bear – from the day of their birth – the image of God in all its fullness. » Respecting the dignity of each person as an image bearer requires more than simply “fitting” a person into a system designed for a single group. This requires that the design itself be respectful of all bodies of all ages.

The Trinity

God is inherently relational. It tells us not only about who we are, but also about what is required of us in our relationships with God and others. In the perichoresisdivine dance, of the Trinity, we see love, mutuality, diversity and unity.

In “Incorporating Children in Worship: Mark of the Kingdom,” the authors write: “Perichoresis is the inner reciprocity and power between the three people. The Greek word Chorein means “to make room” or “to move forward,” and perished means reciprocity. In summary, perichoresis is the “dynamic process of making space for another around you” (59). This divine dance demonstrates how we might work toward a type of unity in the faith community that honors diversity (like age) by making room rather than a type of unity that demands uniformity.

Ecclesiology

In Christ, we become who we are in communities of love, unity, peace and justice (see Galatians 3:26-29 and Colossians 3:12-17). In “All Ages Becoming,” Wilson McCoy writes, “The vision of the Church presented is that of a community ‘in Christ’ where distinctions, which can easily cause divisions, are reconsidered in light of this new ‘all-consuming unity in Christ’” (52). This vision of Christian community requires intentionality, relationality, and ongoing effort, which might include regularly listening to children as programs are planned and decisions are made, training all ages to support one another in discipleship, and practicing generosity in managing the conflict that can arise when a church strives to truly respect the dignity of all.

3. Intergenerational ministry is rooted in the sacraments

The Catechism of the “Book of Common Prayer” describes Holy Baptism and the Holy Eucharist as “the two great sacraments of the Gospel” (858). In each person, each person present (of any age) is essential, loved and called.

Baptism

From start to finish, from presentation to prayers, baptism is a communal experience. In this document, we commit to respecting the dignity of every human being, to supporting each other in the development of our faith, and to sharing “the royal priesthood of Jesus Christ.” While middle-aged and older adults are accustomed to being at the center of the life of the Church, baptism calls us to think about how the young and very old are valued and integrated into the full life of the community of faith. Baptism also assumes that all members of the body of Christ have an existing relationship with Jesus, meaning that disciples of all ages have insights to share about their encounters with God.

Eucharist

The Catechism tells us that being “in love and charity toward all men” is “required of us when we come to the Eucharist” (“The Book of Common Prayer,” 860). In his first letter to the Church in Corinth, Paul is clear: “So then, my brothers and sisters, when you come together to eat, you will all eat together” (1 Cor 11:33 NRSV). This invites us to reflect on how we might form all men to understand the story of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus recalled in the Eucharist. In “Being an Intergenerational Church: Practices for Bringing Generations Together,” Suzi Farrant and Darren Philip write, “If we bring generations together in a spirit of mutual discipleship and allow all of God’s family to participate in the family meal, the learning that occurs in all directions as people share God’s feast together will be transformative, life-giving, and life-long” (99).

Questions for discussion

Consider bringing one or more of these categories to your training team, clergy, or vestry for prayer, study, and conversation.

• How do these ideas about scripture, theology, or the sacraments challenge your beliefs and practices? How do they affirm your beliefs and practices?
• What could you add or subtract from the above list of connections between Scripture, theology, or the sacraments with intergenerationality?
• How is God inviting you into new ways to train and support all of His beloved disciples together?

References

Allen, Holly Catterton et al. “Intergenerational Christian Formation: Bringing the Whole Church Together in Ministry, Community, and Worship.” » IVP Academic, 2023.

Clifton-Soderstrom, Michelle A. “Incorporating Children in Worship: Mark of the Kingdom,” edited by David D. Bjorlin and William H. Willimon. Cascade Books, an imprint of Wipf and Stock Publishers, 2014.

Farrant, Suzi and Darren Philip. “Being a Church intergenerational: practices for bringing generations together. » Saint Andrew Press, 2023.

Larson, Mimi L. “Engaging Children in Worship: Perspectives to Consider.” » In “Thrive – Ministry of the Christian Reformed Church in North America”, 2021.

McCoy, Wilson and Johannah Myers, contributors. “All ages in the making: intergenerational practice in the formation of the people of God”, edited by Valérie Grissom. Abilene Christian University Press, 2023.

The image shown is of Tim Cooper on Unsplash