Florida Megachurch Ends Age-Segregated Worship

We have observed that there is broad discussion in the mainstream church regarding age segregation. Pastors who now embrace at least some of the principles of the sufficiency of scripture are questioning the practice like never before. I believe that in the next decade, we will see thousands of established churches abandon age segregation. I don't believe that this Florida church has abandoned age segregation in it's normal programming or youth ministry, but have at least on one level, have addressed it in the main worship gathering of the church.

The church, Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church, "recognized that many churches in the U.S. are following the lead of the advertising world by targeting specific age groups and employing the separate contemporary and traditional worship services model."

"'That may be good business but it's bad worship; it's bad church,' he stated plainly."

Outlining what we believe is the most important problem of age segregation in the church, he spoke of the unity of the body of Christ,

"He listed some of the drawbacks of segregated worship. In a traditional worship service, the church inadvertently communicates that God was more active in the past that He is in the present, he said. In a contemporary service, the church communicates that God is more active in the present than He was in the past. But a church must communicate God's 'timeless activity,' he indicated."

It was interesting that he made an unusual connection with racial segregation,

"The megachurch pastor also said he doesn't view separate worship services by style or age as any different from racial segregation, except that it's more subtle."