A Lighthouse, not a Spotlight

In our passion to see God at work among younger people, have we forgotten to share Jesus with those in later life? In this urgent call to the UK Church, Alexandra Huggins urges us to share the Good News with older people, many of whom have never encountered Jesus – and for whom time is running out.

For hundreds of years lighthouses around the UK’s beautiful coastlines have been guiding ships and their precious human cargo to safe harbour and solid ground. Sweeping a powerful light across great distances, their 360-degree rotating mechanisms act like a beacon to ensure that ships are guided from all approaching directions, through fog, darkness, rocky hazards, shallows, and storms, to safely reach their final destination.

What would happen then, if a lighthouse’s rotating mechanism were to get stuck, and only beam light in one direction? It would cause confusion and danger. It would be a spotlight, not a lighthouse. The potential resulting carnage is unthinkable, and there are some who would never make it home.

I have a holy discontent. A profound sense of unease. And it all began with a vision I had.

The Silent Departure

A few months ago, whilst worshiping at a Christian conference, I had a vision of an enormous spotlight stood in the centre of our population, casting a powerful guiding light in one direction – towards Jesus. The people being guided by this light were our young people in huge numbers, and they were walking towards Him. Praise God.

In the shadow of the spotlight, I saw multitudes of our older people, walking slowly in the opposite direction, with apparently nobody noticing or stopping them. There was almost no guiding light for them, and so they had no idea where they were heading, but day after day they headed that way.

This vision kept me awake for most of that night and has continued to disturb my spirit ever since.

On the one hand, utter delight and awe at what God is doing in our nation, especially among younger people. The quiet revival. Please Lord, let it reach every last one, for their eternal salvation, and for your glory.

But on the other hand, what a triumph of the enemy that so many church communities have wholly diverted their attention for decades now, to focus their missional strategy, resources, and people power almost solely on children and young people, whilst night after night older people die without knowing Jesus.

As Christians we celebrate the promise that ‘the gates of hell will not prevail’, but as our eyes and resources are disproportionately fixed on the young, many in the generation closest to death are quietly making their way to an eternal fate we wouldn’t wish on our worst enemies. It’s the silent departure.

Releasing the Light for All

In my role as CEO for UK charity Faith in Later Life, I have seen excellent and intentional seniors ministry in many churches. However, too many more seem to be coasting on under-resourced token seniors ministries and a false confidence that can come with the privilege of having a lot of older people in the church family. I’ve heard some church leaders actually lament that they have ageing congregations and communities. This disturbs my spirit as the Bible says God wants NONE to perish.

If the church is really passionate about saving souls, it needs to act like a lighthouse again; release its rotating mechanism from its currently stuck position where it predominantly casts light in one direction, to sweep the whole 360 horizon again, and bring EVERYONE safely to their final destination.

The stakes could not be higher: the eternal destiny of millions of older people, many of whom have never heard the gospel clearly or experienced the love of Jesus through His people.

The Missional Landscape of our Ageing Population

When we release the lighthouse’s rotating mechanism we see a tremendous missional landscape among our ageing population. Almost 20%, that’s one fifth of our population is aged 65 and over. The current population of older people is the largest in history! The number of children born in England and Wales has been falling for the last decade and is now at its lowest since 1977. And right now, there are more people aged 65 and over than there are aged 5 and under. Furthermore, the proportion of over 65-year-olds with no religious affiliation is on the rise.

If the harvest is plentiful among the young, it is super abundant among the old, and the gospel urgently needs to reach them, before it’s too late.

In case the missional imperative is still hard to see, maybe God’s call to LOVE can shift our attention towards older people once more. Many in later life live alone and experience loneliness week by week. Many carry deep wounds from a lifetime of hurt, multiple bereavements, fractured relationships, or disappointment with the church. Many are hungry for meaning, hope, and companionship.

Can the church be a lighthouse for them and guide them to the solid ground of God’s loving family; to belong, find purpose, and know Jesus?

I think it can.

What can we do?

If we’re serious about reaching older people with the love and hope of Jesus, we must become intentional. Appointing dedicated seniors pastors – paid or voluntary – who can lead this mission in our churches, would be a strong start. Making sure older people are represented on our church leadership, evangelism and strategic planning teams will also help us stay in step with the realities and needs of later life. And from the pulpit, we must be mindful to preach the biblical truth that every life stage matters – that God has purpose and calling for every generation, right to the end.

At Faith in Later Life, we encourage churches to create spaces of welcome and belonging for older people in their communities – places where relationships form and faith can grow. Coffee mornings, lunch clubs, care home visits and midweek gatherings can become lifelines for older people where the gospel can be gently introduced. Alongside these, it’s important to offer intentional opportunities to explore faith more deeply – spaces where seniors can ask questions, wrestle with doubt and encounter Jesus. Courses like Alpha or Hymns We Love, grief support groups and small group discipleship can all play a part in helping older people find not just a church community, but the everlasting hope found in Jesus.

Casting a Light for Every Generation

This is not about turning away from youth ministry or ignoring the incredible work God is doing among the young. It’s about storming the gates of hell by expanding a currently narrow and disproportionate focus, to reclaim the fullness of God’s mission for EVERY generation:

“In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.” Acts 2:17

The church is called to be a lighthouse for all generations, not a spotlight fixed on a few. If we truly want to see the UK ablaze with the glory of God, we must release the stuck mechanism, let the light sweep over the whole horizon again, and bring everyone safely home.

Alexandra Huggins 19.08.25