Retire or Re Fire

Refire or Retire?

The future holds great promise for mature Christians. While far too many church leaders are obsessed with the younger generations I believe the key to changing the world lies primarily with Boomers (Born from 1946-64) and Bridger's (Born from 1933-46). As I noted in an earlier post, this group has enormous reservoir of talents, gifts, finances, experiences and energy.

In a response to a recent new article about the fact that scientists have discovered that charitable giving feels good and many people get a real kick from giving, I posted a reply:

Well, now. Scripture says the same. "Give and it shall be given unto you..." That which we receive shall not always be financial but perhaps most often is emotional and spiritual and energy to do more.

The greatest resource for doing good are those who have done well. But that resource is most dynamic when we recruit their minds, hearts and talents to enter the world as salt and light to design new and creative communities of change.

The next 40 years will be the real deal for Boomer Time as Retire becomes Re fire and the enormous talents of the Boomers are unleashed into serving like which the world has never seen.

How about developing a Think Tank or Institute at which we would generate fresh ideas from communities of mature leaders from business, industry, education, counseling and religion? I shared this idea with an old friend who said something like this:

"We have to involve people outside the Pastorate. We can never bring real change to the spiritual life of the nation until we change the system of training pastors and running the church. All of us, mainline, Evangelical, Pentecostal, etc are just continuing the Roman Catholic Church with different music and theology but the same structures."

I also had lunch with two men I admire and respect greatly and we discussed a similar idea. After that discussion I wrote the following ideas to them.

By the way, I looked at the Santa Fe Institute online. It reminded me of my school, Southern Illinois University. It was a very poor, third rate Teachers' College in the hardscrabble hills of my childhood when a new President took over in the 1950's.

Dr. Delyte Morris had a vision of importing outstanding scholars and thinkers into the school but had no money and no prestige. So, he was creative and offered a free house and a free reign to teach anything a person wanted if they would come to poor, hot, sticky Carbondale.

He invited many famous retired writers, poets, professors, dreamers. One was Bucky Fuller who I got to know quite well both personally and professionally. (He was the inventor of the geodesic dome) SIU built a geodesic dome for him and said, "Teach whomever you want and do whatever you want.

I served as Bucky's servant in one or two programs and it was fantastic. He and his wife could travel teach, write, lecture, etc and SIU got the benefit of his name, wisdom and heft.

Could we not do the same with strong thinking international Christians who have creative ideas about education, poverty, politics, climate, counseling, worship, etc? What an exciting climate for us and for them. I have some great friends all over the world who would shake the USA system indeed.

Just imagine men and women from Norway, Russia, Taiwan, China, The Czech Republic, Ireland and Singapore living here, thinking hers, writing here and hearing God here.

That could revolutionize the ways we think as Christians and develop ways to help millions of Boomers and Bridger's Re fire.