Miracles For The Middle Aged

Miracles for the middle aged

Acts 4:22

One of the greatest revivals in the New Testament takes place when a middle aged man gets on fire for God.

The Bible tells us here that the man who received the miracle was over 40 years old. It is most commonly accepted that middle age is from 35 to 50 years old.

If we look at life as a day, birth through childhood would be the dawn and morning. Old age until death would be the evening and sunset. The noon day would be middle-age. We are told in Psalms 90:10 That the days of our years shall be three score and ten (70 years) and if by reason of strength they may be four score (80). Using that verse for a reference, we could comfortably deduce that biblical middle-age falls around 35 to 40 years old.

There is always an incredible amount of energy and funds expended on the children and youth: birthdays (it’s during this time of life that we count in halves), Sunday school literature and supplies, kids crusade supplies, VBS supplies and paraphernalia. Birth days mean so much more during the morning of life. Sunday school class graduations and promotions are always fun events as well. We all go to great lengths to make sure that the dawn of life is as fabulous as possible.

According to the Barna research group, in 2012, 68% of protestant churches offered VBS for children.

In 2018 two out of every three churches would offer VBS to children.

91% of Southern Baptist churches host a VBS annually.

91% of churches with an annual income of over 500,000 will host VBS or kids crusades.

86% of churches with 250 members or more will host a one-week VBS or kids crusade.

76% of churches with a buster pastor (between the ages of 30 and 48) will host VBS for kids crusade.

78% of churches with 100 members will host VBS or kids crusade.

42% of Professing Christian parents who were interviewed hold membership in church. That does not necessarily mean they are faithful or involved. (They may only show up for the annual election on pastors)

68.9% of people who were interviewed said they became Christians between 7 and 19 years of age.

50.5% of them said they are parents were directly involved in their conversion to Christ.

86.3% of them said that their Sunday school teachers played an influential role in their decision to serve Christ.

35.9% of churches that were interviewed said they had ample money in their treasury to fund things for children and youth.

According to the 2018 Holiness church directory, there are approximately 700 churches listed. There are approximately 2 to 300 churches that are not listed. This does not include conservative Church of gods or assembly of God‘s. The Barna research group said most churches will spin between 500 and $1000 annually to fund kids crusades or VBS. If 1000 churches that are in our loose knit Pentecostal Holiness fellowship spend $800 a year funding youth events, that is near $1 million collectively. Somewhere near $1 billion a year is spent to assist the elderly annually. As far as money spent on those in the middle age group, Barna offered no information. The amount of middle aged who were active church members was too small to poll.

There is always a push to make sure the seniors are included, and rightfully so. Large sums of money are spent by our government, churches, and individuals to make sure that the elderly are cared for. Senior living facilities, nursing and convalescent care facilities. It is from 50 years old until death that birthdays start meaning so much more again. Gold and silver wedding anniversaries. Retirement parties. All of these expenditures are justified to make sure that the sunset years of life are as comfortable as possible.

The middle aged years are often the most dangerous in life. It is during the noon day of life that we witness people perishing from heat exhaustion. It is this group that seems to be overlooked. Who gives a Sunday school promotion into the Bible class? Who cares if someone just turned 38 years old? The wooden wedding anniversary? It pales in comparison in to the gold and the silver. This noon day of life is the one in which most people will falter spiritually. It seems as if this particular group are the ones who so desperately need a revival.

1. So many young people work diligently to live up to the expectations of their pastors, parents, and even their peers. At our insistence and urging, they will spend quality time praying and seeking God’s direction for their lives. They will spend hours in prayer and much energy seeking direction for their career, marriage, and much more. So much effort is used during this time of life to make sure that their adulthood will be spent enjoying all that life love and the pursuit of happiness can bring.