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Rev’d Ben Boland BSc (Hon), MDiv, Grad Dip (Ageing and Pastoral)
We live in time of increasing life expectancies, yet this blessing is not without challenge. For example, retirement brings with it the question of what gives a person value and how do we continue to express our God given design to be workers? From a church perspective what priority should be given to ministry with older people? I believe the that answering these and the many other questions starts with understanding what the Bible says about what it is to be a human.
Scripture teaches that God not only created humans, He created them in His Image. Which makes humans distinct from the almighty, angels and animals. It is the God’s image which underlies the commandment to love our neighbour and not murder. Being image bearers also underlies God’s love for us expressed most deeply in Jesus’ death on the cross.
The question for us as Christians is not simply do we know that we are created in God’s image but do we live in that reality? There are perhaps two tests for this – How do we treat ourselves and how do we treat others.
In regard to how we treat ourselves there two dangers. The first is to treat ourselves as if we are god, that is we primarily worship and serve ourselves. Everything is all about me. The danger of this trap is its prevalence in Western culture. With regard to how engage with older people generally worshiping and serving ourselves teaches that older people and people living with dementia are only of value if they can help us. Much of the material about the grey tsunami and aging population are founded on this premise. As older people are presented as not only of low value but are a drain on resources – which could benefit us (or more precisely ME). For people who are older worshiping self can manifest in self-absorption, struggling to find meaning and euthanasia.
The second trap we fall into if we do not recognise all people are created in the image of God is how we treat others. If we do not recognise that all people are created and valuable because they bear God’s image we elevate some and ‘other’ the rest. We engage in discrimination – sexism, racism and ageism. More subtle manifestations can be found in the priority we give to the ‘big’ people such as successful athletes, leaders and celebrities vs normal people and particularly the ‘weak’. James addresses this directly when he asks ‘why do you show favouritism’ – James 2:9. The answer is we are all liable to forget that everyone’s value is uniform, as we are all created in the image of God.
It is tempting to think both as Christians and churches, that we work to not show favouritism. With regard to Christian ageism a simple test is as follows:
What proportion of resources do we focus on people who are over 80 vs people who are under 20?
Do we prioritise orphanages over care homes? Do we focus on children, youth and young adult ministry as the future of the church? Do we recognise that older people bear the image of God?
Friends, as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, I want to encourage you to live knowing you are, we are, bearers of God’s image.
Copyright to Rev’d Ben Boland BSc (Hon), MDiv, Grad Dip (Ageing and Pastoral).
Rev’d Ben Boland BSc (Hon), MDiv, Grad Dip (Ageing and Pastoral) has served as an older person’s chaplain for over 15 years. He also writes, speaks and teaches about ministry with older people and people living with dementia. His next book about Christin ministry with older people and people living with dementia ‘Priceless People’ will be published by Christian Focus Publication in July 2025. More information about Ben can be found at
https://www.linkedin.com/in/rev-ben-boland-b4572a108/
https://eptrust.org.au/old-preaching
Practical Principles for Ministry with older people and people living with dementia
Here are seven principles for ministry with older people and people living with dementia which may be of interest:
- Short beats long
- Concrete is better than abstract. For example, generally it’s better to share a story of Jesus’ life from the Gospels, rather than to try to explain the theology of Hebrews.
- Meet the person where they are, not where you want them to be.
- Engage all the senses (taste, touch, smell, sound and sight).
- Repetition is powerful.
- Simple, never simplistic.
- Look and pray for opportunities but don’t ‘force it’. We share Jesus’ love; we don’t coerce people into loving Jesus.
Creating a Church Service to Facilitate Belonging for People Living with Dementia – Seven Principles and a Service Guide
https://hail.to/laidlaw-college/article/1KmexkF
Ben is doing an interview on the Premier Breakfast radio, with Esther Higham, Tuesday 18th November at ~8:35 GMT. – https://www.premier.plus/stations/premier-christian-radio
Ethics of Spiritual Care in the Midst of Dementia
The Word WPEO, Illinois Christian Radio
Her Theology Podcast
Caring for the Elderly in the Church: A Theological Call to Action
When Faith Meets Dementia: How The Church Needs To Care For The Elderly
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