In just one year – 2026 – Singapore will be a super aged society, with 21% of its population above 65 years of age. What does this mean for the Singapore Church and what action should we be taking?

The State of the Church in Singapore 2024: The Church and Seniors is the third instalment of the State of the Church in Singapore Study, an annual collaboration between Biblical Graduate School of Theology, Singapore Bible College, Trinity Theological College and Salt&Light.

The release of the study results was held on Friday, January 10, 2025 at St Andrew’s Cathedral and saw nearly 200 leaders of churches and para-church organisations in attendance.

Rev Ng Zhiwen presented the key findings from the SOTC 2024 report.

Rev Ng Zhiwen from Zion Bishan Bible-Presbyterian Church, who led the research team, presented a summary of the key findings of the study on seniors in the Church. Click to read the State of the Church 2024 Study Report.

Panel discussion: Navigating this season of opportunity.

Following the presentation, Pastor Edric Sng, also the Editor of Salt&Light, led a panel discussion to review the findings, as well as share experiences and ideas in ministering to and engaging seniors in church.

The panel speakers were Pastor Lim Keng Yeow from Covenant Evangelical Free Church, Rev Dr Niam Kai Huey, the former Senior Pastor of Sengkang Methodist Church and Rev Dr Dev Menon of Zion Bishan Bible Presbyterian Church, who has been engaging other churches with significant elderly demographics.

“Church is always talking about the ‘next generation’ – so that means we are the ‘past generation’.” This is how some seniors have expressed their hurt at some churches’ narrative.

1. The need for a paradigm shift within seniors and about seniors

Ps Niam noted that the way the Church looks at seniors and the way seniors think of themselves need to change. Not all seniors are the same and require the same level of help.

Within the above-65 group known as seniors, there are three groups, she said: The young seniors, the middle seniors and the oldest ones. The younger seniors are physically fitter and mentally stronger, she noted.

“So the question is, how do we mobilise younger seniors to care for older seniors?”

Roping in the children, youths and young adults to engage with the elderly is already something ongoing. 

Ps Kai Huey said that at Sengkang Methodist, “we emphasise the church as a family, so we deliberately group seniors with children and youths in things like prayer walks.”

2. Reframing the last one-third of life

Ps Keng Yeow shared the mindset he has been promoting among the seniors in his church: The idea of the last one-third of life being the finest hour. “The Church must help people believe this goal is possible and worth pursuing,” he said.

The Church must help people to believe that making their final one-third of life their finest hour is a goal possible and worth pursuing, said Ps Keng Yeow.

This is contrary to the common thinking that once one reaches “retirement age” (currently 63 being the mandated age), the best of life is over and seniors are doomed to a slow decline till they pass away.

Ps Keng Yeow shared that he was surprised that the research showed the level of vitality in ministry to seniors – from friendship evangelism (activities designed to facilitate the sharing of the Gospel with seniors) to dementia talks to a healthy number of baptisms of senior converts.

“Seniors can flourish!” he noted.

Ps Kai Huey, who at 66 falls into her own definition of “young senior”, added that much can be done to shift the mindset of this cohort. She mooted the idea of young seniors “(using) our retirement to have a ‘second career’ and find fulfilment.”

“They must have the paradigm shift from ‘I’m running out of time’ to ‘I have all this time’,” she said.

3. Dealing with the pain of being overlooked

The panel had much to share on the feelings of insecurity and inadequacy among seniors.

“They have a sense of loneliness; no one listens to them,” said Ps Kai Huey, adding that some seniors fear being a burden to others and so distance themselves from others.

Ps Kai Huey mooted the idea of young seniors using their retirement to have a ‘second career’ and find fulfilment.

“If the church can foster a culture of value, it may help seniors become more involved,” she said.

To this end, Ps Dev proposed a needed pivot to view seniors as “highly valued” persons, like a mentor who has much to contribute given his wealth of experience.

Sometimes, the narrative of the church may come across as hurtful to a senior, said Ps Keng Yeow, sharing that seniors have told him that “Church is always talking about the ‘next generation’ – so that means we are the ‘past generation’.”

He added, “I tell them, they are the next generation, but we are not the past generation – we are the ‘now’ generation. Younger ones are looking for models like us … and they need us now.”

4. Seniors are a big harvest field

Of 33 churches surveyed in SOTC 2024, between 2022 and 2024, there were 1,967 new regular senior attendees and 548 baptisms among the seniors. 

The SOTC study yielded encouraging results: There are more new regular church attendees among the seniors.

And of these churches, two-thirds – 22 churches – reported that they had more new attendees than senior members who had passed on. This means that growth is very much a possibility.

Churches like Sengkang Methodist are actively reaching out, said Ps Kai Huey, citing how the church’s OAKS (Older Adults Keeping Strong) and Evergreen ministries actively engages seniors beyond church walls to build relationships and invite other to church.

5. Helping seniors stay vital by deepening their faith

Ultimately, a church ministry for seniors must focus on the spiritual health of its members. 

For Ps Dev, the focus is on guiding the seniors to mature in their faith and display the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23).

Ps Dev Menon emphasised that helping seniors to grow in spiritual maturity is important.

Ps Kai Huey echoed the importance of helping seniors to have a deep spiritual relationship with God. Advanced age and literacy need not be an obstacle to this, she shared, using the example of how her church promote Scripture memory among their elderly members: “We set verses to music, and use these songs to help them remember Scripture!”

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