Acts 2:17

Something I have always stated publicly is that my concern is not that Faith Community Christian Church (F3C) lasts forever but that in the time that we are given as a church community that we will have been found faithful in our time.  Many of my mentors have taught me that the moment a church places self-preservation before the Kingdom of God, they enter spiritual decline.  It all boils down to why we do what we do.  It is one of the reasons why F3C is not an attractional church but a missional church.  We are not here to give people what “their itching ears want to hear” (2 Timothy 4:3) but to invite people into the pilgrimage of being disciples.  While I understand that people look for their felt needs to be met and prefer stability, I believe that spiritual consumerism and stagnation of the spirit are antithetical to the gospel of Jesus.  The Kingdom and it’s Gospel is about the overturning of our deep-seated self-interests and the movement of our should towards God.  Anything else is unworthy of our allegiance.

One of the ways in which we opera at F3C is the way in which we deliberately understand our ministry to every age group.  Our approach is an organic one which may sometimes be mistaken as an unplanned one.  We do indeed understand that different needs of children, youth, young adults, singles, couples, couples with children, the middle aged (single or married) and even of seniors.  As we look forward to each of these stages it may be helpful to understand our hows and whys.

Understandably, a person’s life changes and transitions through many different stages. This is unique to each person’s personality and life experience but ti something to be deeply aware of.  This awareness, however, only comes with time.  Those who have faced or considered mortality are usually those who come to this earlier.  Also of note is that only those who have progressed through these stages become familiar with the details of these issues although you can become aware earlier before reaching them.  It is not only the circumstances that change with time but also one’s spiritual life.  A person’s life in prayer is very different at 5 than at 15 or even 55.  We need to understand what discipleship means at each of these stages or will risk a disconnection from Christ.  A church designed for young adults will disconnect form those who are older.  A church designed for families will disconnect from singles.  A church designed for the middle-aged will disconnect from youth and so on.  We need to be a people is concerns about all people at all stages because the gospel is for everyone.

Well, we mix our ages groups.  We believe that when you segregate and isolate one group from another for any reason, they lose the ability to connect with each other. In fact, this separation will fuel a more self-centred understanding of the church — that ministry is for me and my group.  It also precludes the ability to learn from other people who may be older or younger than ourselves.  We already know that we can learn from older mentors but there is also much that can be learned from children.  This does not mean that we don’t have peer groups, but they are secondary to the understanding that we are one.  It is for this reason our home groups allow for all age groups and walks of life.  We did not start with age specific fellowship groups.  We also include the children in the worship service during the singing as well as communion.  It makes a difference in the spiritual development of a child to see their parents and other people singing, praying and worshiping God.  It also spiritually helps adults to see children observing, singing and participating as well.  It all means something.  It’s not always convenient and yes, sometimes it adds a little chaos or noise, but it it worth it.  It is in fact best for people of all ages to see one another and interact with one another.  There is not age-ism in the Kingdom of God.

(Rev. Dr. Ted Ng – March 2014)