In a passionate and timely call to the UK Church, Alexandra Huggins, CEO of Faith in Later Life, warns against an ongoing imbalance in Christian mission: while much energy is rightly focused on children and young people, millions of older people are heading for eternity without ever hearing the Good News of Jesus Christ.
In her new blog and reflection, A Lighthouse, not a Spotlight, Alexandra shares a vision that has stirred a deep urgency in her spirit:
“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.”
This vision, Alexandra explains, reveals a dangerous reality in the UK church today. For decades, resources and strategies have been overwhelmingly directed towards children’s and youth work, while older people – many of whom are isolated, lonely, and spiritually searching – remain unreached.
The need could not be clearer:
- Nearly 20% of the UK population is aged 65 and over, the largest number in history.
- There are now more over-65s than under-5s in England and Wales.
- A growing proportion of older people have no religious affiliation and may never have heard the gospel message.
Alexandra continues:
“If the harvest is plentiful among the young, it is super abundant among the old. The gospel urgently needs to reach them, before it’s too late. The church must act like a lighthouse again – casting light in every direction, guiding every generation safely home.”
Through Faith in Later Life, Alexandra is calling on churches nationwide to:
- Appoint or empower dedicated seniors pastors.
- Ensure older voices are represented in the church’s mission, leadership and strategy.
- Create intentional spaces for older people—coffee mornings, care home visits, lunch clubs, Alpha groups, hymn-based gatherings—where relationships can form and faith can grow.
- Preach and model the biblical truth that God has purpose for every life stage, right to the very end.
This call is not about turning away from childrens and youth ministry, but expanding the vision:
“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 the whole horizon again, and bring everyone safely home.”
“A Lighthouse, Not a Spotlight: Urgent Call to the UK Church” – CTBI blog: https://ctbi.org.uk/news-and-events/a-lighthouse-not-a-spotlight-urgent-call-to-the-uk-church/
Post expires on December 7th, 2025
