Ministries Making a Difference

Ministries that equip and cherish older generations

At MinistryWatch, we are committed to helping donors be wise stewards of the resources God has entrusted to them. That means we work to hold ministries accountable to standards of transparency and efficiency, and to educate donors on how ministries are managing their revenue. Unfortunately, that also means we cover a lot of bad news—financial fraud, sexual abuse, and lots of lawsuits. Stories we would much rather NOT have to cover. But exposing the “fruitless deeds of darkness” is one of our calling as Christians. Not to be sensational, but to emphasize the lights.

Which is why we rejoice in the chance to highlight ministries that are faithfully—often quietly—serving in their own sphere of the world. This week, we’re looking at ministries making space for older generations to use their wisdom and unique giftings to continue investing in the Kingdom of God.

Photo by cottonbro studio / Unsplash

Legacy Coalition believes in equipping grandparents to invest in their grandchildren. Through its many resources, such as podcasts, books, and webinars, it hopes to cast the vision for how grandparents can make a lasting impact in the practical and spiritual lives of their grandchildren. Today (July 14), it is hosting a webinar led by author Tim Shoemaker titled “Cutting through the noise with unforgettable object lessons for your grandkids”—part of the ministry’s free weekly webinar dubbed “Grand Monday Nights.”

RDNE Stock Project / Pexels

Choctaw Church of Christ in Choctaw, Oklahoma, fosters multigenerational relationships by pairing older members with students as part of its “Adopted Grandparents” ministry. An older member is partnered with a younger member, and they write notes, call each other, and come to the church’s occasional movie night. On Sundays, “grandparents” are encouraged to sit with their “grandkids.” The goal is to “have them interact with one another and speak to each other to create the love and connection between these two generations within the church family,” church secretary Tina Punneo told The Christian Chronicle.

Photo via AG News

Every week, Flora Vergara cooks homemade burritos and walks them over to a nearby senior center, where she shares a meal and the good news of Christ with residents. She leads a Bible study at Living Faith Church in La Mirada, California. Vergara, who is 85 herself and can no longer drive, has been an Assemblies of God U.S. missionary since 2003, and has no plans to stop ministering to people in whatever way she can.

Nevers, right, with Manasseh / Photo courtesy of Lifesong

In Zambia, houseparents for Lifesong for Orphans share how much of a difference godly mentorship can make in the lives of vulnerable kids. Nevers and his wife Faith tell the story of Manasseh, who came to the home as an angry boy. Through loving mentorship and God’s saving grace, Manasseh’s life was transformed, and he finished high school—the first in his family—and is now in nursing school. Nevers now describes Manasseh as a kind, courageous leader who is unashamed of his faith. Lifesong for Orphans has 4 stars and an A transparency grade in the MinistryWatch database, and a donor confidence score of 100.

Matt Allison

In other ministry-related news, Serge has named Matt Allison as its new executive director. Allison has been with Serge since 2003, working in a variety of roles, including as a missionary in Uganda, director of mobilization, and senior director of operations. He has been serving as deputy executive director for the past year, since his predecessor, Bob Osborne, announced his intention to retire after 20 years at the helm. Serge, a foreign missions organization that helps individuals and churches engage with missions, has 3 stars and an A transparency grade in the MinistryWatch database, and a donor confidence score of 95.

MinistryWatch now has more than 1,000 ministries in its database. Learn more about how we rate these ministries based on three main areas: a ministry’s financial efficiency, its financial transparency, and its donor confidence score.

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