Allegheny East Conference

Pastor Marquis Johns presents at the Columbia Union Young Adult Summit. | Photo by Brian Tagalog

5 Steps for Bridging Generational Gaps

Marquis Johns, senior pastor of Allegheny East Conference’s North Philadelphia church, shares these steps for bridging the gaps between the various age cohorts.

Acknowledge
Talk about generational differences.

Appreciate
Focus on the “why,” not on the “what,” and the common needs.

Adjust
Agree on how to communicate different approaches.

Advantage
Maximize the strengths of each generation.

Story by LaTasha Hewitt

Allegheny East Conference's Baltimore Junior Academy (BJA), located in the Park Heights community of Baltimore, recently received a call from the mayor’s office requesting use of their gymnasium as a cold weather shelter for the homeless. Initially school leadership was hesitant because the school would soon be holding a program in their gym. Staff and students had already prepared the space with lights and decorations, purchased costumes and set up chairs for the crowd.

The Triadelphia Sparks PBE team places first at the North American Division event. Photo courtesy North American Division

Eight teams from the Columbia Union Conference placed first at the recent North American Division Pathfinder Bible Experience (PBE) in Chicago. Six teams placed second. To achieve first place, a team must score 90 percent of the top scoring team's score. Second place teams must earn 80 percent of the top scoring team's score.

See the results below:

Allegheny East Conference

Genesis (NJ) Jaguars: Second Place
Liberty (Md.) Light Bearers Gold: First Place