The overwhelming majority of evangelical leaders run churches primarily attended by people of other generations.
The monthly Evangelical Leaders Survey revealed that only six per cent of pastors lead a church made up mostly of people of their own generation. Nine out of 10 run a church mainly composed of people of different generations.
"Unlike many other civic institutions — Boy Scouts, AARP, etc. — that appeal to a particular slice of the population, the Church brings people together across generations," said Leith Anderson, president of the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE).
"In an age of microtargeting, the Church is a place where young and old not only mix but learn from each other."
Pew Research in 2014 highlighted the age breakdown of evangelicals and found just 17 per cent are 18-29 years old, while 33 per cent are 30-49 years old. Just less than a third (29 per cent) are 50-64 years old, and 20 per cent are aged 65 and older.
One pastor, Jim Tolle of El Camino Metro Church in Los Angeles, said: "When Jesus, through the Holy Spirit, began the first church, it included a diversity of people groups, age groups and socio-economic groups. It is incumbent upon us to reach those who are within the sphere of where Jesus has called us to serve, including those beyond our own generation."
Anderson continued: "Many churches reflect the generations of the communities where they minister. The average age of Americans is rising, so churches have older generations than in the past when preschoolers outnumbered retirees. The big exception is churches ministering to immigrant communities with lots of children and young adults."
