Older Men & Women: Thank You

Back in 2014, I was a wide-eyed Bible College graduate searching for a job to support our final year in Sydney. As I needed something quick and flexible, my initial plan was to work as a cash-out-chick at my local Coles. This plan would give me enough income to pay the bills for the year, and enough spare time to still serve my local church while preparing for our church plant in Brisbane.

As part of the church plant process, we had asked Geneva Push to assess our suitability for the job. Mikey and I were assessed by Al Stewart, who happened to be the chairman of Katoomba Christian Convention (KCC) at the time. During my assessment, Al randomly blurted out, “you would be the perfect fit for Jonathan’s KCC Army…” In the end, I wasn’t sure if I was being assessed for church planting or sneakily interviewed for a job, but I walked away with a KCC email address. That week, I sent off my resume with little to no expectations. Within weeks, I was asked to meet Jonathan who turned out to be the CEO. That week, one of the staff had applied for maternity leave so I was offered a 12 month contract (which has since been extended to 2019)!

Now this isn’t a story celebrating God’s extravagant provision of work, but of His provision of a spiritual family that has lovingly guided and supported me through many difficult decisions. Before joining KCC, I didn’t have many older Christians around me to learn from. My church service was quite young, and by the time I was 21 years old I was already a leader and a ‘older’ woman in the church. I often felt like I was a big kid mentoring other kids.

I soon realised that being the ‘baby’ in the KCC family positioned me in a world of godly wisdom. Through everyday interactions in the office and lunch breaks, I found myself observing and learning from my colleagues. Very quickly, they became influencers in my Christian walk and began to shape the way I saw my work, money, family, marriage, singleness, hospitality, friendship and perseverance in light of eternity.

Through our interactions in our Whatsapp group, they helped me to see how the gospel shapes everyday decisions in different seasons of life. I have the unique blessing of being able to turn to my boss and managers for work and life advice, trusting that their wisdom will be shared in love and with gospel goals in mind. Although the majority of my colleagues have moved on from KCC, they continue to be people I can turn to for prayer and wisdom (but also laughs, road trips and rockstar karaoke!)

My advice to younger Christians: You’re really not as strong or smart as you think you are, so welcome accountability and be teachable. Look out for those who have persevered in their faith and observe the way they live. Don’t be afraid to ask for mentoring or discipleship from older people in your networks. One of my most influential mentors attended a different church service to me. We used to meet up in the city on our lunch breaks when one day I plucked up the courage to ask her to mentor me. She wasn’t a pastor’s wife or a woman in full-time ministry. She hadn’t even discipled anyone before! But I was willing to learn from her because she had been faithful over many decades and I wanted to learn how.

My advice to older Christians: Don’t look down on the young and make yourself available. Don’t underestimate the power of serving students in your homes, shouting or cooking a meal, sending them a text message, or letting them observe your everyday decisions. Just as Paul loved and raised up a Timothy, your life experience is a gift that can impact the next generation. Don’t waste your gifts!

As a side note, I don’t think i’ll ever graduate from my need for accountability in community. No matter how ‘old’ I get, I want to strive to keep looking to the example of those who have walked before me.

Over to you – who is an ‘older’ man or woman who has impacted your Christian walk? Who is a ‘younger’ man or woman you can pursue and encourage?