Recovering the Lost Art of Spiritual Eldership
In the modern West, aging is often treated as something to fight or hide. But in Scripture, it's something to honor. Gray hair is a crown of wisdom. Elders are not sidelined-they are essential.
Throughout the Bible, the older generation is charged with spiritual responsibility. Psalm 78:4 says, "We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord." Paul tells Titus to have older men and women teach the younger-not through lectures, but by the example of a faithful life.
But in today's church, we've often separated by age. Children go here. Teens over there. Adults somewhere else. Grandparents... wait for heaven?
That's not the biblical vision. Grandparents are meant to be spiritual stewards, not spectators. You're not a backup parent. You're a living witness.
This is a lost art. But it can be recovered. Not with programs-but with presence. Not with pressure-but with prayer. It starts with seeing your role differently: not as "retired," but re-assigned.
"This is one of the absolute finest books on Grandparenting I have ever read. Steve White combines wonderful content on grandparenting with amazing writing and practical helps. He will motivate you to invest in your most important legacy yet. I could not put book down."
Jim Burns, PhD
Founder, HomeWord
Author of Doing Life with Your Adult Child: Keep Your Mouth Shut and the Welcome Mat Out and Finding Joy in the Empty Nest.
You have something your grandchildren can't Google: memory. You've seen God's faithfulness over decades. You've walked through loss, waited through silence, rejoiced in mercy. Those stories are not just nostalgia-they're theology in the flesh.