Imagining All Generations: A Renewed Vision for an Intergenerational Church

Remember and reimagine church—together.

Many churches today face worry and concern over their collective future. One tragic consequence is that growing anxiety can turn inward on communities of faith. A subtle distancing and dividing can occur, often happening along generational lines. Us-versus-Them thinking morphs into Old-versus-Young. Instead of a culture of generation to generation, churches are shaped and formed more by a culture of generation versus generation.

Imagining All Generations offers a better, more faithful way forward by remembering our identity as the generational people of God. This volume features nineteen authors from around the world, providing fresh theological reflection, innovative practical wisdom, and a unified call for all churches to move into a more intergenerational future by answering four key questions:

• What theology and theory support an intergenerational vision of the church?
• What are researchers and practitioners learning about how to meaningfully bring together different generations in communities of faith?
• How can churches better share faith among various age groups within their congregation?
• How might we reimagine the worship assembly as a time and place where every generation brings a valuable contribution?

WILSON MCCOY (MDiv, DMin) is a minister, author, professor, and church consultant. He serves on the leadership team of the InterGenerate Conference, a movement of Christians committed to bringing together all generations of the church. When not experimenting in the kitchen or listening to music, he loves spending time with his wife and two daughters. You can find faith formation resources and learn more about Wilson’s writing, speaking, and intergenerational consulting at his website: drwilsonmccoy.com.