iRetire4Him Show 74: Ageism and the Christ-Following Retiree, Part 3

Intro: While retirement is generally seen as a time of relaxation and self focus, God calls us to love, serve, and help others for a lifetime. He has been preparing us for this retirement season, literally our entire lives. In retirement, countless Christians enter a state of spiritual dormancy not knowing how they are called to have an impact for God's kingdom.

The Retirement Reformation seeks to encourage and empower the 50 million Christians approaching or in retirement to embrace the calling God has been preparing in them. When the world says it's time to stop, you can begin to have your greatest impact. Welcome to iRetire4Him, the mouthpiece of the Retirement Reformation, where our goal is to journey from retirement to reformation so you can say, iRetire4Him!

Jim: Reaching out to the 50 million Christ followers in America who are already in retirement or may be fast approaching. You've tuned into iRetire4Him, the Mouthpiece of The Retirement Reformation. I'm your host, Jim Brangenberg, and of course I am joined as always by the founder of The Retirement Reformation, Bruce Bruinsma.

Check us out online. Please check us out online: Retirement Reformation.org. Retirement Reformation.org. We have phenomenal resources out there for you. Books. We've got other interviews. We've got connections to our YouTube page. We've, we've got tons of podcasts, so many articles, lots of things, small group studies for your church group, so many resources out there. The ability to be mentored and discipled as a, as a Christ following retiree - so much out there. Retirement Reformation.org and make sure when you're out there you sign the manifesto. You gotta sign the manifesto. You'll see what I mean when you get out there.

We're talking about ageism because ageism affects everyone. This is part three of a three part series talking about ageism. Today we finish our series and for the difference or how the ageism is impacting the Christ following retiree. Why? Because we believe how we see ourselves is directly related to the messaging we absorb on a daily basis. If the messaging isn't from a biblical worldview, and most of them are not, that worldview doesn't honor and value the participation of retired folks, the message is harmful.

We've talked about our understanding of ageism, how ageism impacts the world around us. And finally, today, we're gonna focus on how our faith can help us overcome this age discrimination to help us gain a proper understanding of ageism. Bruce Bruinsma of Retirement Reformation is here to add his personal insight and expertise on the subject. Bruce, welcome back to iRetire4Him.

Bruce: Hi, Jim. It's so good and, and to be doing this third part in this show on ageism. It is, is so insidious. It's so embedded into our culture that for our audience to, to really come to grips with, Wow, that's true. And how in fact they can deal with that so that they can walk in the path that God has already established for them to walk.

Jim: Ageism is everywhere, isn't it, Bruce?

Bruce: And ageism is everywhere. It's, it's, it's some places intentionally, it's some places institutionally, it's some places where it's being internalized by those of us that are, are in that older generation. And it changes us. Everything from health to loneliness to just goes on and on and on and on.

And its implications because, you know, we are two things. We are a child of God, and we are a friend of Jesus. And so when we focus on that, those are some of the pieces that are important to push back against those cultural onslaughts that are just everywhere.

Jim: Hmm. So, we're talking today about how our faith can help us overcome ageism in our lives. What are some of the Bible verses that speak to your heart, that speak to the value of people who are chronologically superior or retired, or both?

Bruce: Well, you know, it's one of the things that a friend of mine has encouraged me to do is, is read through a daily chronological Bible and in that daily chronological Bible, where we are in that process is in the book of Job and in the book of Job the other day I was, the other morning I was reading and boom, there was four verses that talked about the value of, of older people interacting with younger people. Wow. It's everywhere.

Well, here's one for example, in Psalms. Try this one. Young men and women alike, old and young together. Let me say that one again. Let me just start that over again. Okay. So that you really get it.

Young men and women alike, old and young. Let them praise the name of the Lord. So it talks about our, our, our commonality of worship and, and praise to the Lord. And in that context, to be able to demonstrate to a younger generation what praise really looks like in that praise continues for all of our life.

What a, what a great insight. Oh, here's another one from Ephesians. So God has made us what we are in Christ Jesus. Go back to that God has made us. So we are created and we're at the end of that creation process, which means we have the greatest benefit that comes from it. God has made us. And what and what we are in Christ Jesus.

God made us as new people so that we would spend our lives, that would mean our whole life, not part of it, our whole life, doing the good he has already planned for us to do. And that plan doesn't stop at 65 or 70 years, 75 or 80 or 85 or 90 as we talk about on this show often that, that he has created the works for us to do and we are to spend our lives doing them.

One more. Here's from Psalm. Psalms 145 verse four, One generation shall commend your works to another. And shall declare your Mighty Acts. And so that talks about a younger generation appreciating the works of an older generation and commending them to others who they influence. And so as the community of Christ followers, as friends of Jesus, we are able then to be able to encourage each other to challenge each other and to realize that God is alive in each of us, whether we're 4, 14 or 94.

Jim: Is there one of those verses, Bruce, that just, it's you, It's the verse that you remind yourself of when you get up, when you're working out at five in the morning when the rest of us are still sleeping? Is there a verse that is Bruce

Bruce: Bruinsma's verse?

Well, here, here's one that that really, that really talks to me. It's from Acts and Acts 10:34. I really am learning that God doesn't show partiality to one group of people over another. When I read that, I'm, I'm encouraged because I'm part of one group and the affirmation that God does not show partiality to one over the other, and that in fact, he sees us as a community of believers.

All are his children again, whether we're 94 or 14 or 24. And so that commonality that we have in Christ is something that should be a bind that should bind us together. Bringing the unique talents and gifts that each one of us has in wherever we are in that development of our spiritual journey, to be able to bring that together. And that in fact, I believe is a, a key part of when, when Christ said you know, I will build my church.

Jim: Do you think that your faith has helped you overcome the ageism that has impacted your life?

Bruce: Absolutely.

Jim: When we come back, I wanna talk more about that cause we're out of time of this segment.

But I want, I wanted to know the answer to that question. When we come back, we're gonna hear from Steve Harling about an amazing ministry that he launched in his retirement, and then in segment three we're going have Bruce answer that question and go into detail on how his faith has helped inspire him to overcome ageism in his life. You're listening to iRetire4Him. We'll be right back.

Break: Recreating Retirement is an interactive small group study helping you to move from nothing to what's next. You can join us on Wednesdays at 6:00 PM East Coast time on Facebook Live. Our goal for this study is to provide a group setting for interaction and new ideas while leading you through a first step in your journey from retirement to reformation.

Here's the big idea. During the next five years, 5,000 small groups will experience this journey of discovery in churches and faith-based organizations across the country. Is your church a place where Recreating Retirement needs to be planted? Join us online to experience the study, or prepare to lead a small group at your church or ministry. Email us at contactus@retirementreformation.org or go to our website at retirementreformation.org. That's RetirementReformation.org.

Jim: Hey, welcome back to iRetire4Him. As we do in every second segment of every show, we always bring on a special guest to share the story of what God's doing in their lives. Bruce, who do you have for us today?

Bruce: Today I've got a new friend that is with us. This is Steve Harling, and you're just gonna really enjoy Steve and you're gonna really enjoy his story. It will be an encouragement to you. So Steve, just give us kind of an executive summary of how God got you through those first 40 years or so and what he's got you doing now.

Steve Harling: Well, I'll tell you what I mean, it's been an amazing journey. I always believe that God wanted me to be a pastor, and I spent almost 40 years being a pastor.

And then I realize, you know what, there's a whole nother chapter in my life, and the chapter God has me on right now is to figure out how do I, how do I raise up as many workers and as many resources as possible to fulfill the great commission? And that's the mission of my life.

Bruce: And how is that mission now the organization. Tell us just a little bit about the organization that you and your son have founded and the, the impact you're having. And then we can talk a little bit about, oh, maybe something off the cuff, like Ethiopia or some place like that.

Steve Harling: That sounds like a plan. Yeah. So basically my son and I started an organization called Compel Global. The basic idea behind it is it goes right back to that verse in scripture that says, I am compelled by the love of Christ. Basically we think of ourselves as sort of the eharmony.com of missions. We match people that wanna give and we match people that wanna go with strategic global opportunities. We're kind of a middle man pointing in, pointing in one direction or the other and making connecting dots for people and it's been an amazing ride.

Bruce: Well, and, and, and you've got lots more to be done. Matter of fact yesterday I had conversations with the leaders of two mission organizations. And when I asked them about, are you having trouble recruiting people? And you know, as a result of that conversation, I'm gonna refer them to to you and, and, and your son. Because there's just a excellent, huge need of helping people. And, and in our, in this age group, there's so many of us that are still desiring to go.

Steve Harling: Absolutely.

Bruce: We're wondering if we have enough value to go and on, and on and on. And, And I know that is now, now God has just also kind of directed your life in a couple of other, other ways that I think people will find interesting. Tell us, tell us about those.

Steve Harling: You know, it's an amazing thing to be in this chapter of life, so many different opportunities and so many different things to contemplate and consider.

So when we started Compel Global one of our sort of clients came to us and said, Hey, would you mind running our foundation along with Compel? So I am actually the executive director of St. Luke's Healthcare Foundation and our passion is to come alongside of medical work throughout Africa, primarily in Ethiopia, but going way beyond that ultimately, and again, looking for workers, looking for resources, and it has been an incredible experience just awakening to the opportunities that are out there.

And quite honestly, I'm looking for anybody in the medical field. You've got experience as a surgeon. Just about any area of medicine. You've got so much energy still to give to the kingdom. If you're retired, newly retired, boy, if we got a place for you. Lots of opportunities in africa to serve God well, there are indeed.

Bruce: Matter of fact you, you've been gently twisting my arm to come journey with you later this year and I'm looking forward to the, to the potential of that happening, as it's always great to go. You know, you and I chuckle together is that, it's amazing whenever we go to someplace different, it's always amazing to find out that God's been there before and he is doing something.

Steve Harling: He is.

Bruce: And then for us to be able to come alongside. Kind of as a last word of encouragement to, to our listeners. These are typically people 55 and older, maybe as old as 85 or 90, but are looking at that next stage of their life. What advice would you give them on, on how to think about what's next?

Steve Harling: Boy, honestly, I'm in that chapter of life and for me it came down to the realization that I'm not, I would be bored if I just sat it out. There is so much potential for the kingdom, and we are kind of at the peak of our opportunity to make an investment in the lives of others. And so to me it's like, Hey, you know, you reached retirement age. Don't think about just going out to pasture or something. This is the time to step into the fullness of your potential for God's kingdom.

Step into the fullness of God's potential for the kingdom. Great work, Steve. So good to talk to you and appreciate your friendship and look forward to what God has in store for all of us.

Absolutely.

Bruce: You got, you got another question?

Jim: Yeah, I got a question. I got a question because I love the fact that you start off, I was a pastor for 40 years and, and then I retired. But why? Okay. I mean the, here's the deal. You're still, are you not a pastor today to pre missionaries and to missionaries?

Steve Harling: Yeah. Well that's right.

Jim: So that's, I just wanted help you with your language.

Steve Harling: What a guy. So you know what, I think you're once a pastor, you're always a pastor. And the gifts and calling of God are are irrevocable. So there's a very real sense in which I continue to serve as a pastor. It's not in the traditional sense, although I'm still very involved in local church ministry. I mean, I'm preaching virtually every single weekend somewhere. So still very engaged in local church ministry, but I'm not the, I'm not the lead pastor in a traditional model, if you will.

Jim: That's okay. That's okay. There's very few of those in the country, but there's a lot of pastors in this country. They run businesses and they run organizations. There's a lot of pastors in the country. All right, so here's, you know, because you, I'm guessing based on what you gave for your resume, you're somewhere in your sixties, is that correct?

Steve Harling: That is correct. Just got on Medicare, so yes, I am in my sixties.

Jim: Way to go - congratulations! There's still money left for you. All right. I'm hoping that there'll still be money left for me when I get there. All right, So here's the question I've got for you though.

This retirement age, this, this magical stamping that you're 65, you are now effectively, you should be retired. And you have a communication with your other friends who are in their mid 60. Do you guys have conversations about the unrealisticness that retirement age is today? I mean, do you guys have conversations about this? Cause it it's, it's one of those things when our grandparents were turning 65, many of 'em didn't even live to 65.

Steve Harling: Yeah. You know, it's funny cuz I, I was recently in touch with a class reunion and it was amazing to hear all these guys, you know, so many of 'em are saying, Yeah, we're, we're slowing down, we're, you know, looking into our retirements and all this, and it's, Dude, there's so much opportunity.

What do you, why are you winding down? This is a time of you winding up for the glory of God. You know? So I yeah. I don't know what else to say on this point other than this is a tremendous opportunity. And to be able to, to quote unquote not be bound, you know, and to have the freedom to go out and live the vision that God has put in your life. That's a tremendous opportunity.

Jim: Oh, that's, Those are some fantastic words. Steve Harling, thank you so much for being an iRetire4Him today, for sharing your story. What's the website of your ministry if people want to go out there and check you out?

Steve Harling: Yes, they should check out compelglobal.org.

Jim: Compelglobal.org.

Steve Harling: You got it.

Jim: And if they, and if they want to interact with you, there's a Contact us page out there I imagine.

Steve Harling: Oh, yes. There's plenty of ways to get in touch with us right on that website. And we'll follow up right away.

Jim: So, if you are a medical professional that you're thinking about retiring and moving away from your current position to do medical work in a different paradigm, please check out compelglobal.org and they could take your medical skills, whether from a CNA, all the way up to a doctor, anywhere in between you could be used. Is that correct, Steve?

Steve Harling: Absolutely. Orthopedic surgeons, the full works. But you know what? It's more than just, it's more than just medical. I mean, right now, honestly, if I had a guy that was willing to go over and be a logistics guy. If I had a retiree, let's say a guy that just retired who's willing to give two years to live in an Africa, We've got a huge project that's an eight story multimillion dollar medical center we need to build and we need a project manager. Tremendous opportunity.

Jim: Wow. You need, you need to have a Facebook page that says WE NEED YOU.

Steve Harling: It's great opportunity. I mean, what a difference you get to make. You're literally saving lives, you're saving souls. You're changing the destiny of a nation. It's an incredible opportunity.

Bruce: You know, Steve, I, I met a guy in the jacuzzi a week ago that fits that category perfectly. His name is Eric, and I will put him in touch with you.

Steve Harling: That sounds like a deal.

Jim: And if Eric's listening to iRetire4Him. Go out to compelglobal.org and get your application started today. Thanks again, Steve Harling.

Steve Harling: All right, thanks guys.

Jim: We'll be right back with more on iRetire4Him.

Break: Our Work on This Earth doesn't end when the paycheck stops. God calls us to be faithful for a lifetime. Whether you're looking forward to retirement or you're already there, our all small group study Recreating Retirement will help you understand, engage, and activate what God has for you in this fourth quarter of life.

Join Retirement Reformation founder Bruce Bruinsma, as you consider your past, strengths, spiritual gifts, and your passions, and how they all come together as the call God has for you in these years. Connect with us on our online community group at facebook.com/RetirementReformation. Wednesdays at 6:00 PM Eastern. Or if you'd like to bring Recreating Retirement to your church, email us at contactus@retirementreformation.org. Are you ready to start your life changing journey?

Jim: Hey, welcome back to iRetire4Him, as we're talking about how our faith helps us overcome ageism in our lives. Now, Bruce, I asked you this question but didn't give you a chance to answer right before the break at Segment one. How has your faith inspired you to overcome ageism in your life? Go into that. Has your faith helped you?

Bruce: Well, without faith, I would be a recipient and a a victim of culture's perception of who culture says I am or I should be. But we had talked earlier one time about how critical it is to be able to do the investigation, to know what is true. And once you know what is true, and, and we talked about it in this last segment just mentioning it, that in fact, you know, I'm a friend of Jesus and I'm a son of God.

And so if I know that that is true, that is foundational to, to my understanding of what my role in relationship to God and that in fact he has, he has designed me, has a plan for my life that he started, you know, before time began. If I read my Bible right, and in all the different periods in between, it has been just a, a growing process.

And to know that what God says about me and about our relationship and what he is calling me to do that is much more important than what the culture is telling me. And, and so to be able to build up the, the wall, if you wish, to build up the, the strength to be able to, to refute what the culture is saying and then to be able to - that our faith is strong enough - to withstand the arrows of the devil.

Jim: So you mentioned in our first show on this, you know, part one of three, that ageism can impact our health. When you see our faith helping us overcome ageism, how does it impact our health?

Bruce: There's been a lot of research that clearly indicates that the attitude that we bring to life and the attitude that we bring to whatever challenges there are that, that come to us. And let's talk about health specifically here, that our attitude makes a huge difference on how our body responds and, and how God works through us to to be healthier, to be happier, to have more meaning and more purpose.

As you know, I'm just in the, about three quarters of the way through treatments for prostate cancer, and I will tell you that it is my confidence in God's plan for my life that I'm able to continue to take next steps in ministry, in relationship, in business, without a thought to the end that in fact, prostate cancer may bring. And that it is God's timing that will bring the end, not mine, and that I ought be excited about every day that he gives me, and I really am.

Jim: Hmm. And there's no question anybody listening to this podcast understands that Bruce Bruinsma loves life and absolutely fills every corner of his life with all kinds of really incredible things.

All right, so how can our faith, we mentioned in one of the past couple shows, Often retirees or people who are chronologically superior, as I like to call them. You keep calling old people. I don't know why. There's a lot of ageism that's in the local four walls, church. How can our faith help us overcome ageism in our church?

Bruce: When we think about ageism in the church, we've talked about it in other, in other contexts where the church is telling older people in the church that just don't be grumpy and don't forget to give and cause we got important people to talk to. To be able to be an encouragement to them as God is an encouragement to you in their faith, in their walk, and to be able to open up a vision of what God still has for them to do.

And in our interview with Steve Harling who is a, you know, is an absolutely classic example of that. To be able to, to be able to take a step. So for example we have a, a. Recreating Retirement, it's about eight or nine weeks, and it allows someone to be able to begin to understand how God has blessed them and, and shaped them, and for them to understand what's next in their life.

I think so often the, the folks that we deal with at church have stopped visioning what's next and are only either looking in the rear view mirror or focusing on nothing, but to be able to have some tools as you always talk about at retirementreformation.org.

But Recreating Retirement I think is a special one, goes along with Oxygen for Life, which is a Friday night, Saturday event that we'd be happy to do with any of your churches. But there are ways to be able to challenge people to have what I call that aha moment. Oh my goodness. There really is. And then when we put God's attitude into that and the action steps that come with it, it really does change our life and change our church and it blesses our community and can impact our grandchildren and our children.

I mean, the impact is just huge everywhere. And knowing that in fact you are God's son or daughter and that you're a friend of Jesus is a wonderful place to be.

Jim: But we also talked in one of the other episodes that one of the factors of ageism or one of the indicators of ageism is people saying, Hey, you know, what? Time for you to retire. Mandatory retirement. You're getting old. Time for you to check out. When are you gonna retire? They've, you said, people have asked you that if not one time they've asked you 50 times. I'm guessing they probably asked you a hundred. How do we, how can our faith help us overcome ageism in our workplace?

Just because the clock ticks 65 doesn't mean you're done. And honestly, there isn't a single company on the planet that doesn't need the wisdom of people 65 to 75 on the payroll, but they often call those payrolls because of money instead of wisdom. Talk to me about how can our faith help us overcome ageism in the workplace?

Bruce: Well, first of all, there are thousand, literally hundreds of thousands of businesses that are owned, managed, and run by people of faith and so that people of faith understanding these issues of ageism that we talked about and realizing that there are ways to be able to take advantage of the wisdom and the energy and the, the, the perspective of someone older in their, in their organization and then to find ways to be able to facilitate that.

I think there's a whole, matter of fact, we probably ought to do a whole couple of studies. What are ways that organizations can utilize older people and, and that in ways that they hadn't thought about before. And we won't get into that now, but I think that's a, that's a real, you know, that's a legitimate conversation that needs to be, needs to be held.

But I, I, I believe that the, you know, when people ask me when are you gonna retire? Let me tell you what my answer is.

Jim: Ooh, careful. No naughty words.

Bruce: After I tell him to get outta my way, cuz I got places to go. But no, that's a joke. Here's what I say. You know, I am already retired. I'm doing exactly what God wants me to do, where he wants me to do it, and with whom he wants me to do it.

And I'm so excited to have that meaning and purpose in my life. And so instead of saying, you know, I'm never gonna retire and going down that way. I just give them a description of what retirement can be - that in fact will bring meaning and purpose and value all to their life and to others. I'm already retired doing exactly what God would have me do with whom he has me do it and where he has me do it. And that then becomes a challenge to them to be able to think about their last years in a similar way.

Jim: That's a great summary. I, I want us to close out, you, you mentioned your Oxygen for Life weekend, Friday night, Saturday event. Why don't you just put a little plug in that? I know people can find out more at retirementreformation.org, but just describe it really quickly.

Bruce: Well, first of all, for many churches they need to jumpstart their appreciation and support of the seniors in their church. And so here is a way to do that because we bring together on a Friday night for a service, perhaps you might even call it an evangelistic service. But first of all, it's a time to be able to say thank you and appreciation and challenge to the seniors that are in the church.

Secondly, we know that seniors are leaving the church in massive numbers, so here's an opportunity to reach out into the community. And to be able to invite them to an Oxygen for Life event that in fact will help them think about their retirement in a way and perhaps even bring them back into the church.

So that's Friday night, Saturday morning, we spend four hours. We pick four or five really key topics that are important to seniors and we deal with them in a workshop situation. So it's a wonderful way for the church to acknowledge and jumpstart a new vision for what their relationship with their seniors can be, to be able to reach out to the community and for some, some really hands on learning to take place.

That then leads to what's next which is in fact the Recreating Retirement workshop that goes on for eight or nine weeks where people can say, Okay, I can go from: Yeah, I need to do something. I need to think about this differently, to how am I going to think about it? Right? And what has God prepared me to do?

Jim: Hmm. How do people find on the website? Do you have like an events tab or how do people find out about oxygen for life?

Bruce: You just look up when you go on the webpage. Look under - you'll see oxygen for Life and recreating retirement.

Jim: Bruce Bruinsma, great conversation in the last three podcasts about ageism and just the awareness of it, how we can overcome it. And really for obviously we got a little a few years between us just to help me be aware of even some of the prejudices and the things that I say even in my language, even in joking, but it's not funny. So it was just a great conversation for all of us. And Bruce, I just thank you for bringing it to our attention.

Bruce: Glad to be able to do it and look forward to our next series.

Jim: You've been listening to iRetire4Him with your host, Jim Brangenberg, and of course, the founder of The Retirement Reformation, Bruce. Bruinsma. We're Christ followers, journeying from retirement to reformation of our retirement ideas so we can ultimately say together. iRetire4Him!

Outro: Thanks for listening to iRetire4Him with your host, Jim and Martha Brangenberg and Retirement Reformation founder Bruce Bruinsma. iRetire4Him is the mouthpiece of the Retirement Reformation. Most Christians tend to follow the world's pattern of rest and self pampering during retirement.

However, in your retirement, you can be focused on God's unique call to serve and help others. This can be your best season of life if you take advantage of a life's worth of knowledge and experience and combine it with a greater freedom of time and money, and invest it all in the generations, both preceding and following you.

The Retirement Reformation is encouraging Christians to find and follow God's call in all seasons and aspects of life, especially in retirement. Take time to sign the manifesto at retirementreformation.org and explore the wealth of resources available on our site. Join this movement of God and Journey from retirement to Reformation.

So you can say, iRetire4Him. Go to RetirementReformation.org.