Journal: Journal of Discipleship and Family Ministry
Volume: JDFM 03:2 (Spring 2013)
Article: Why Churches Tend To Separate The Generations
Author: Holly Catterton Allen

JDFM 3:2 (Spring 2013) p. 8

Why Churches Tend To Separate The Generations1

Holly Catterton Allen

And

Christine Lawton Ross

Holly Catterton Allen (Ph.D. Talbot School of Theology) serves as the director of the Child and Family Services Program and as a professor of Biblical Studies at John Brown University in Siloam Springs, Arkansas. She spends much of her time researching, writing, and speaking at conferences in both secular and Christian settings. Since children’s spiritual development is currently a hot topic, the research she is doing is sought after by parents, the educational establishment, social workers, and churches. Her current writing project on children’s spirituality is tentatively titled Ten Ways to Nurture Children’s Spiritual Formation.

I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought.

1 Corinthians 1:10

“The easiest thing to do in the local church is to divide up the various ages and do separate ministry. It is not as messy [as cross-age ministry]. It takes more time, energy and effort to do intergenerational ministry.” Research participant, in Brenda Snailum, “Implementing Intergenerational Youth Ministry Within Existing Evangelical Church Congregations”

House Churches of the First Century were places in which all generations were present. The generations remained integrated throughout much of Christian history until fairly recently. Several diverse factors have contributed to the age segregation that characterizes many Christian faith communities in the twenty-first century. When believers today gather for worship, service, ministry or simply for fellowship, they tend to gather in age- or stage-segregated silos. The question this article addresses is, “Why?” That is, “Why has the body of Christ (at least in North America) embraced an age-segregated approach to community in the last several decades?”

Harkness2 traces the decline of cross-generational Christian practices to the Protestant Reformation, particularly in its role in the development of modern public schooling. Prior to the Reformation only the elite were schooled; the masses were taught their fathers’ trade and learned of life and faith through home, church and community. The Reformers’ focus on everyone being able to read Scripture for themselves ultimately ushered in mandated schooling for all. Brian HillYou must have a subscription and be logged in to read the entire article.
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