Pastor tells elderly members to stay home so he can attract younger members

A United Methodist Pastor, Jeremy Peters, of Grove United Methodist Church ( Cottage Grove, Minnesota) has told the elderly members of his congregation to stay home so that he can attract younger people to the congregation.

The elderly are only allowed to return after he gives them permission.

http://www.deliveredbygrace.com/dea...1HAwc4aVchmUmy70vcq1zjNKfy2H15wrNP1G5xyChfyI0

Do you think this is a growing trend in American Christianity, or is it specifically related to a few rogue churches that utilize marketing techniques?

If you are younger, do you value the elderly? Do you display your love for older believers in some tangible way?

If you are older, do you think that the younger value the elderly? Do you display your love for younger believers in some tangible way?

Does Satan use such offenses to cause people to fall away, and to cause division within the Church?

What Bible verses support our obligations toward the young and the old?

What can be done by both the elderly and the young to demonstrate mutual respect and love between the elderly and the young?

What is this for an pastor? Strange!

It's odd for a church. It's following the current pattern of the world I think. Divisiveness. Young vs old, male vs female, black vs white etc.

That pastor sounds horrible and obviously places no value for the elderly.

I love having people from all ages around. I get alongbetter with older people than the ones my age generally

To disregard the experiences and wisdom of elderly patrons is a grievous sin.

How you do attract young people? Give them something the world has never offered. Truth! In my opinion the Methodist Church become an apostate entity long ago. This doesn’t surprise me.

Those elderly members need to stay home and let that church fail.

For the cause of Christ
Roger

Yeah that’s another issue. The church congregation is part of the liberal faction that affirms ordination of women and homosexuals.

1Ti 5:1-16 (TLV)
Never speak harshly to an older man but appeal to him as a father; to younger men as brothers; older women as mothers; and younger women as sisters—with complete purity. Honor widows who are really widows—but if any widow has children or grandchildren, they must first learn to show devotion to their own home and give back to their parents, for this is pleasing before God. Now she who is really a widow and has been left alone, has put her hope in God and continues in petitions and prayers night and day. But she who is self-indulgent is dead even while she lives. Insist on these things, so that they might be beyond criticism. But if anyone does not provide for his own, especially those in his own house, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. Let a widow be listed only if she is at least sixty, was the wife of one husband, well known for good deeds, if she raised children, if she showed hospitality, if she washed the feet of the kedoshim, if she helped those in trouble, and if she devoted herself to every good work. But refuse younger widows; for when their sensual desires draw them away from the Messiah, they want to get married—facing judgment because they have set aside their previous pledge. And at the same time, they also learn to be idle, going around from house to house—and not just idle, but also gossipers and busybodies, saying things they should not. Therefore, I want the younger widows to get married, have children, manage a household, and give no opportunity to the enemy for slander. For some have already gone astray after satan. If any woman of faith has widows in need, let her help them and not let the community be burdened, so it may help the real widows.

I’m don’t know the numbers for the decline of the Methodists Church. I do know the Episcopal Church has seen a sharpe decline in the last decade. Why go to a Church and hear the same thing that society preaches.

Agreed.

Some United Methodist churches disagree with the ordination of homosexuals and women, but I don't see why they don't just leave.

It's hard to believe .. There may be more to the story ..

I saw their response after starting this thread..

Apparently they did, indeed, want them to attend another sister church. During this time they were going to renovate the building and try to attract younger people, and then allow the older people to slowly filter back in after younger people have been added.

However, they warned that the music and worship was going to change, and that they might not want to come back.

Apparently United Methodist congregations are failing as their population ages.

It could simply be that they are failing because their doctrine is all messed up, including their admission of homosexuals and women into the ministry.

Maybe the problem is the elderly people were not homosexuals...had they been they could have stayed or become elders lol...for we know that the Methodists are advancing that direction...here where I live they advertise that all are welcome...even those that still want to remain sinners...thats how bad it is

The mainline United Methodists are not exactly a Bible-based denomination. They have been theological liberals for a long time. So one need not expect a biblical perspective from their pastors.

If the church can’t attract the younger ppl, throw out the old baby with the dirty bath water I guess. :-/

Oh I believe it. I was once a member of another Christian site for a couple of days a few years ago. One of the admins was a Methodist who was literally a universalist(he clearly stated he was) that started a thread there gloating about one of the UMC churches in California, iirc, was ordaining their first LGBTQ pastor. After a day of so of debating him and other members there, I left because I couldn’t stand their liberalism. One member said they would not look at someone’s orientation when ordaining them. Methodists have went into apostasy, not all, but a bunch have.

What a blessing though. To have someone in the pulpit actually prove they're unfitness to be there and in their own words. Were that my church I'd stay for the duration just to hear the rest and then I'd never return.
I'd hope that the following service he would arrive to preach and not a soul would be there waiting to hear him speak.
In fact, his having allegedly said this: "...The elderly are only allowed to return after he gives them permission. " , in any way, is enough to bring him up to those who oversee Jeremy's office as pastor of that church.
I can imagine many elderly congregants are upset with this turn of events. I'd advise they contact the General Conference of the UMC. They are the only officiating body that can address this pastor's alleged policy concerning the elderly congregants.

Further, if that is a picture of this pastor in question, not one of the author of the article, its doubly concerning because under this new alleged policy of his, were he not the pastor, he would need his own permission to return to the church.
Maybe if people here and especially if one is Methodist, contacted the GC and posted to them the article about this alleged policy, something may be done. This pastor cannot make this policy of his own volition. That's what the GC is for.
http://ee.umc.org/contact

We're to respect elders of the church. Unless or until they turn Apostate in their representation of their office, or appear to have become decidedly unfit by thinking they run the church and can make rules that keep a particular group of the faithful out. Like this age discrimination policy that has allegedly been put into place by this pastor.

I suspect that will not attract young people to their church.

I kinda figure it is not in our per-view to attract anyone to the Lord's churches....preach the word, let the chips fall where they fall and let GOD give the increase..........!!