Young Pastors and Old Saints

I am so thankful that I have the privilege of pastoring an inter-generational congregation, because it affords me such a variety of situations in which I can see God's grace at work. But as a young pastor in particular, I am grateful for the older saints in our church. And here are just ten reasons why:

1. They teach me what faithfulness in marriage looks like.
2. They teach me what godly wisdom sounds like.
3. They teach me that perseverance and endurance are worth the costs.
4. They teach me the intersection of divine grace and personal history.
5. They teach me why family really matters.
6. They teach me all the complex joys of simplicity.
7. They teach me to value the dying art of conversation.
   
8. They teach me church history and practical theology of a different sort than I could ever learn in a textbook.
9. They teach me that a decade is a short amount of time.
10. They teach me how to face suffering and death with hope.

If you're a young pastor, go spend time with some of your older saints. You'll be amazed at the lessons you'll learn. If you're an aspiring young pastor, I encourage you to consider churches that are inter-generational and will afford you opportunities to sit with dying saints. And if you're an older saint, then take the opportunity to teach the generations behind you the lessons you've learned during your lifetime.