All Ages Are the Church

Over the last few weeks, starting at Mission Conference, the second night I attended, I have heard about the whole church. Actually, the night before, at our Ladies Prayer for Revival night, one lady prayed for the older adults in the church to not sit back and feel they have served their time.
The fact is we all need each other. I need the older saints' wisdom, knowledge and input. I'm in the middle. I crave the enthusiasm of youth and younger kids. I'm saddened when I see them just stand in silence and boredom. They weren't that way at Mission Conference on teen night.
We are all important in the church. The old men when I first worshiped in First Assembly sat on the front row, glowing in their love for Jesus. Broken English in their verbal expression, but raising hands and glorifying God exploded from them in singing. Brother Joe smiling at the young children with his weathered wrinkled face and low vocal tones of encouragement. Feeble, until worship time and attentive during the sermons, every Sunday, front and center, Brother Joe anticipating church.
The youth have wealth to offer to the church, if given a chance. Prayer vigils with teens leading an hour, I learned from their praying. The devotion evident in their words.
Even seeing the kids at camp at the altar, worshiping their God. They have much to learn, but they can hear from the Holy Spirit at these extended times of listening to His voice. We need to encourage this more than once a year.
We are all the Church. We all help each other. We learn by teaching. We learn by listening. Don't judge by age what a member can bring to the table. Reach out and love each other. As Paul told Timothy, "Don't let anyone look down on you because of your age."
And never give up if you are old. Pray for the younger saints. Encourage the ones coming up. Be active in  your local church, as long as you can. And we should all visit the saints that are unable to come to church anymore; to be Barnabas to them.