‘Gray Hair, Blue Hair or No Hair’

It reads like a description of many associational meetings I have attended. The writer lamented that most of those present had “gray hair, blue hair or no hair.” The writer’s wit is unmistakable. In a catchy phrase, he memorably described his observation that most people attending the annual meeting of his association were older adults.

Some expand that observation beyond associational meetings. Many speak about annual meetings of Baptist state conventions and even the national Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) being gatherings of older adults. Judging from the demographic information available, that seems to be the case. Older adults make up a growing percentage of those attending annual meetings of Baptist organizations.

The wit who wrote about “gray hair, blue hair or no hair” went on to predict that unless drastic changes were made by the association where he served as pastor, the cooperative effort of Baptists in that rural county would cease to exist with his generation.

Again the words sound familiar. Among Southern Baptists, some leaders wring their hands in worry about the lack of participation by young adults. A LifeWay Research study found that 70 percent of young adults drop out of church, at least for a time. Some worry about the future of the SBC. They point to the declining percentage of young pastors attending the annual meeting and the falling commitment of pastors to participate in cooperative missions. If these trends continue, they say, then the future of Baptists is bleak.

These prognosticators would have gotten along splendidly with the wit mentioned above.

But I forgot to tell you when the line about “gray hair, blue hair or no hair” was written. It was 1938. I read it in the annual of the association in which I served my first pastorate. The occasion was preparation to celebrate an anniversary of the association. Thirty-plus years before I read it, Baptists worried about the absence of young people and the implication of that fact for the future. And 30-plus years after reading those words, we still worry about the same issues.

That 70 percent of Baptist youth drop out of church for a time as young adults is tragic. At the same time, the study also found that 65 percent of those who drop out return to the church by age 30. That is a hopeful sign. Among born-again students who attend evangelical colleges, the drop out rate is between only 6 percent and 7 percent, according to an article by Gary Railsback in the Journal of Christian Education.

That more older adults attend religious gatherings — annual meetings of associations and state and national conventions — should surprise no one. There are more older adults today than ever before. In 1980, for example, the U.S. census reported 25.5 million Americans age 65 and above. The 2000 census showed 35 million adults age 65 or above. That is a 37 percent increase in the raw numbers of older adults. It says nothing about the increased health of this group, which allows participation in ways the wit of 1938 could not have imagined.

America is aging. In 1980, census data said the median age was 30 years. The median age of the U.S. population in the 2000 census was 35.3 years. Not only are there more older adults now than in 1980 but also the percentage of the population over age 65 has grown.

The prevalence of older adults is not something to lament. It is something to celebrate. Older adults make up a potential missions force unequalled at any other time in history. They are experienced. They are knowledgeable. They are physically able. They have the resources that allow them to participate.

But God’s service is not a battle between age groups. Young adults are needed as much as older adults, and older adults are needed as much as younger adults.

It used to be that Baptists incorporated young leaders into leadership through service. In a church, young leaders were added to committees. They learned by doing. Their gifts were refined, their leadership honed. Faithful service brought more and more leadership opportunities.

The denomination followed a similar pattern. Faithful service in an association identified one for service through the state convention. Faithful service through the state convention identified one for service on a national level.

That pattern broke down over the past few years for a variety of reasons. The result was that Baptists ended up with no way for young adults to earn their way into service, sometimes in a local church and often through the denomination. It is an unfortunate reality that in disappointment to the closed doors, some young leaders simply quit trying and found other avenues for serving the Lord.

Efforts to remedy that wrong are under way in lots of places. But it must be remembered that neither age nor the lack of age is a criterion for leadership. The Bible says clearly that no one is to look down on one simply because of that individual’s youth (1 Tim. 4:12). The Bible also warns that young leaders can be mistaken. First Kings 12 describes Rehoboam’s ascension to the throne of Israel following Solomon’s death. The Israelites asked for relief from the heavy demands placed on them by Solomon. When Rehoboam consulted the elders, they advised he grant the request saying the “people will serve you forever” (v. 7). When Rehoboam asked of the young men, they urged him not only to deny the request but also to demand more of the people (vv. 10–11).

Rehoboam followed the counsel of the young men, and it resulted in the northern 10 tribes breaking away from the house of David.

The new king needed the wisdom of the elders and the enthusiasm of the young men. Baptists, in local churches and denominational structures, need the same, leaders of all ages working together to serve the Lord.

As long as leadership among Baptists is earned through faithful service and shared among the entire congregation, the color and amount of one’s hair will never be an issue.