Intergenerational Worship: Ryan Marcella
Ryan Marcella is a Worship Pastor in Modesto, California, and is also a member of our YES! Board. In this podcast episode, Judy and Ryan discuss ageism in the church and the importance of intergenerational worship.
Ryan Marcella is a Worship Pastor in Modesto, California, and is also a valued member of our YES! board.
At 30 years young, Ryan recognizes how much older influencers have impacted his life, even surpassing his peers’ influence.
His weekly free-flowing hour of prayer with retired pastor, Dr. Michael Wright, is a beautiful example of intergenerational relationship, an infusion of peace into Ryan’s busy life.
In this podcast episode, Judy and Ryan also discuss ageism in the church and the importance of intergenerational worship.
Rather than simply succumbing to the “cool factor” in worship, Ryan prioritizes good theology, unity, and full engagement together worshipping God.
We are incredibly blessed to glean from younger Christ-followers like Ryan, with a big-picture heart that encompasses a passion for older people.
Doing Life Together: Mike & Lorelei Schmid
Mike & Lorelei have discovered the joy of doing discipleship in community rather than isolation. They love seeing what God will do synergistically as generations unite around the Word of God. They stress the importance of experiencing life together—not just knowing Scripture—but also observing as apprentices the living out of Christian faith through relationship.
Mike & Lorelei have discovered the joy of doing discipleship in community rather than isolation. They love seeing what God will do synergistically as generations unite around the Word of God.
They stress the importance of experiencing life together—not just knowing Scripture—but also observing as apprentices the living out of Christian faith through relationship.
Mike reminds us that 'generations' was God's idea of family, complete with the grandpas and grandmas, aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews, siblings---the whole gamut. And they point to continued investment in lasting, lifelong relationships, even as miles separate.
Serving with the Navigators over four decades, the Schmids have enjoyed a lifetime hiding God's Word in their hearts and helping others do the same.
We love Mike's closing prayer, "Lord. make us one across the generations that the world might know that Jesus is the Son of God."
The Era of Listening: Ward Tanneberg
Ward encourages us to view life as theatre. He is currently starring in Act 3, which he sees as the era of listening—listening to the hopes and dreams of those younger, interpreting the future with lessons of the past and present, and inspiring generations following after us to develop their own stories.
Dr. Ward Tanneberg has a passion for mentoring, and we have been grateful beneficiaries of his care, thoughtful reflection, and friendship over the last decade.
In this podcast Ward shares from his treasure chest of life and pastoral experiences, including approaches that have worked well—and things he might have addressed more intensively had he grasped some of later-life's lessons earlier.
Ward encourages us to "view life as theatre, with our lives as ongoing collections of dramatic work in which we're playing the leading role." He is currently starring in Act 3, which he sees as the era of listening—listening to the hopes and dreams of those younger, interpreting the future with lessons of the past and present, and inspiring generations following after us to develop their own stories.
Redeemed and Loving to Proclaim It! Jerry Parks
Sometimes we hear younger-year stories of redemption and wonder how things worked out in the long run. We love how Jerry and his wife have lived such fruitful lives for Jesus, and live to tell others of His redeeming grace.
The body of Christ is blessed with such diversity and incredible stories of redemption. Jerry Parks, at 74 years of age, is one such individual. As the rebellious son of a preacher, Jerry did some stupid stuff in his young adult years that had him facing the gas chamber---only to be released from San Quentin Prison just a few years later, thanks to the prayers of his dad and the redemptive work of Christ.
Sometimes we hear these younger-year stories of redemption and wonder how things worked out in the long run. We love how Jerry and his wife Demeris have lived such fruitful lives for Jesus, and how they love telling others of His redeeming grace.
Third Calling: Richard & Leona Bergstrom
What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life?
The Bergstroms spread the message of hope and purpose to Boomers and others transitioning to life beyond career development and, for many, beyond raising a family. Their book and message are pertinent to anyone wanting to align their lives with His calling.
What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life?
Their most recent book, Third Calling, takes readers on an important self-discovery path in this special third season of life: Who are you now? And why are you here now?
The Bergstroms spread the message of hope and purpose to Boomers and others transitioning to life beyond career development and, for many, beyond raising a family. Their book and message are pertinent to anyone wanting to align their lives with His calling.
Amazing Grays, an earlier book written by the Bergstroms, is another great resource for those working with adults in life's second half.
The recently released movie, I Can Only Imagine, is also mentioned (and mutually recommended) in this podcast.
In this podcast we're delighted to introduce you to our friends, Richard & Leona Bergstrom. These co-laboring friends have helped educate and inspire many people, including us, as we do our best to inspire others.
Royally Involved: John & Sherry Coates
In his first year of retirement God slapped John on the side of the head with this revelation: "I did not bless you with an early retirement just so you could sit on your duff and stare at your feet." A few days later John and Sherry received an invitation to serve as hospitality hosts at national Royal Family Kids training events, a role in which they've served faithfully and joyfully for over a decade.
We invite you to meet long-time friends, John and Sherry Coates. This podcast focuses on a couple of their primary passions: Reaching foster kids through the weeklong camp ministry of Royal Family Kids, and living out lives before their adult children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren that reflect their paramount love for Christ.
In his first year of retirement God slapped John on the side of the head with this revelation: "I did not bless you with an early retirement just so you could sit on your duff and stare at your feet." A few days later John and Sherry received an invitation to serve as hospitality hosts at national Royal Family Kids training events, a role in which they've served faithfully and joyfully for over a decade.
One for the Road: Dick and Elnora Dresselhaus
Dick and Elnora Dresselhaus see the need for stronger blending and bridging of the generations. They yearn for more older adults to join them in saying to younger generations, “Don’t leave us. And don’t let us leave you.” Similar to racial segregation, they recognize that generational segregation can also have tragic consequences.
Pastor Dick and Elnora Dresselhaus have a rich history of building healthy churches that value all generations and the interaction between them.
Looking back to when they were "kids" in their twenties, they became lead pastors of a large church in Minnesota for seven years. This was followed by an extended tenure of pastoring in San Diego. More recently they've had ongoing vital ministry in multiple churches.
This Dresselhaus duo continues to have an inspiring influence in the kingdom. Through their decades of respected ministry, they’ve benefitted from seeing older adults as allies—not adversaries—and they love highlighting the tremendous role seniors or second half adults can still have in the Body of Christ.
They, too, see the need for stronger blending and bridging of the generations. They yearn for more older adults to join them in saying to younger generations, “Don’t leave us. And don’t let us leave you.” Similar to racial segregation, they recognize that generational segregation can also have tragic consequences.
We encourage you to sign up for their free, daily 'One for the Road' email devotional, streamlined words of inspiration and wisdom to ponder for the day ahead.
Other resources referenced in this podcast include:
· Sticky Faith by Kara Powell and Chap Clark, and
· a kind and unexpected endorsement of Half Two by Wes Wick.
HALF TWO: The Quest for a God-Honoring Encore: Wes Wick
In this interview, Wes shares some of the inspiration leading to the writing of Half Two: The Quest for a God-Honoring Encore. God is not wanting us to fade into the sunset. He wants us to steward our life experiences and other significant God-given resources to continue spreading His love to others.
The recent release of Half Two: The Quest for a God-Honoring Encore has led to expanded YES! impact opportunities. We are encouraged by the positive comments from many who have taken time to read the book.
In this interview, Wes shares some of the inspiration leading to the writing of this book. God is not wanting us to fade into the sunset. He wants us to steward our life experiences and other significant God-given resources to continue spreading His love to others.
Special Needs Community - Responding to the Delight & Challenge: Bill & Lynette Mathews
People with special needs are not on the radar of most pastors. They represent an unreached people group right here in the United States. Bill & Lynette Mathews are now embarking on an ambitious, unexpected adventure: Establishing a new ministry, Safe Harbor Homes and Services---Christ-centered homes for people with special needs.
After pastoring a wonderful church in Pleasant Hill, California for 42 years, Bill and his wife Lynette are now embarking on an ambitious, unexpected adventure: Establishing a new ministry, Safe Harbor Homes and Services---Christ-centered homes for people with special needs.
While the idea to do this came unexpectedly, God has been preparing the Mathews for this adventure for decades. Their special needs son, Kevin, is now an adult in his thirties. They have seen firsthand how the special needs community can be an unreached people group. Thousands of families face insurmountable challenges, often without practical options or hope.
We are touched by how God is already blessing this dear couple as they continue to make themselves available to serve the Lord wholeheartedly. As Bill shares, this is not a season to simply coast on to heaven...we'll have plenty of time to relax there.
You'll enjoy listening to this podcast and sensing the joy and passion of this holy adventure. Please visit their website and pray for this ministry. Also, consider ways God might use you to help move this new ministry forward.
The Joys of Connecting with International Students: Peggy Pollard
If you live near a university, chances are good that an incredible opportunity to touch nations is just around the corner. We invite you to prayerfully consider becoming involved with International Students Inc., a Christian ministry reaching out to college students and visiting scholars from other countries.
If you live in a community with a university, the opportunity to befriend international students is a wonderful privilege, with far-reaching benefits.
Other countries send their best and brightest into American universities, and while these students and visiting scholars are deeply committed to their studies/research, they also want to experience American culture in a deeper way. Most of these students are not Christians but are very open to experiencing friendship with Christians, often for the first time.
The nation-wide ministry of International Students, Inc. has staff in many communities in the United States who will help give you the tools to make these connections. We have many YES! folks in the Santa Cruz area who are actively partnering with Peggy as friendship partners and in other roles, and our experiences have been so rich. We invite you to listen, click a link above to learn more, and prayerfully consider this amazing opportunity.
Hurting World Just Looking for Someone Who Cares: Chuck Stecker
We must go beyond simply acknowledging the existence of younger people. We must engage with them, invest in them and help them thrive.
Chuck is passionate about bringing generations together for God's glory. For those of us who are older he stresses how we must go beyond simply acknowledging the existence of younger people. We must engage with them, invest in them and help them thrive.
With practical advice on helping others share their story, Chuck emphasizes that nearly four out of five people are open to discussing faith with you.
Chuck directs the ministry of A Chosen Generation and is a strong voice for helping people catch a vision for fruitfulness at both ends of the age spectrum.
Confronting Abuse, Changing Lives: Wayne Tesch
Royal Family KIDS has been impacting kids in the foster care system since 1990 through annual one-week camps scattered across our nation and internationally as well. Hear directly the continuing passion from the co-founder, Wayne Tesch, planting seeds of hope and healing in the lives of children and in the adults who serve them.
Royal Family KIDS has been impacting kids in the foster care system since 1990 through annual one-week camps scattered across our nation and internationally in eleven different countries as well. Hear directly a bit of the history and continuing passion from the co-founder, Wayne Tesch, planting seeds of hope and healing in the lives of children and in the adults who serve them.
You can help!
Encourage your church to launch a Royal Family KIDS Camp.
Volunteer at your local Camp & Club.
Become a faithful supporter. Check out For the Children Foundation for legacy gifts.
Pray for the work and the volunteers of Royal Family KIDS.
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