Ministry in the Second Season of Life

What if your most fruitful years are still ahead of you? In this message from Pleasant Valley Church of the Brethren in Weyers Cave, Virginia, Pastor Harry Jarrett explores what it means to be called by God in the second season of life. Drawing on two ancient stories, a tired rabbi walking among shepherdless crowds and a woman named Sarah who laughed at a promise she thought was impossible, this sermon challenges the cultural myth of retirement and invites us into something deeper: rewirement.Using current research from the 2025 Barna State of the Church study, the message reframes the common worry that younger generations are not stepping up, and asks the harder question of who God is actually calling, and to what. Whether you are nearing retirement, already there, or simply wondering whether your purpose has run its course, this is an invitation to discover that God may not be finished with you yet.SCRIPTURE REFERENCESMatthew 9:35-38, the harvest is plentiful but the laborers are fewGenesis 18:11-14, is anything too hard for the Lord?Psalm 92, they will still bear fruit in old agePsalm 71, until I proclaim your might to another generationBOOKS AND SOURCES MENTIONEDFalling Upward by Richard RohrBarna Group, State of the Church 2025Research and reflections from David Kinnaman, Carl Vaters, and Discipleship MinistriesCHAPTERS00:00 What Happens to the Dream of Retirement?01:44 Two Ancient Stories About a Late-Life Calling02:27 Why Did Jesus Say the Laborers Are Few?03:58 What Did Sarah Learn When She Laughed at God?05:16 Are Younger Generations Really Not Showing Up?05:53 What Does the 2025 Barna Study Reveal About Who Attends Church?08:09 Why Do Gen Z and Millennials Serve Differently?11:00 What Burdens Are Younger Generations Carrying?13:00 If the Next Generation Won’t Continue Our Ministries, Who Will?13:21 Does the Ministry Model Itself Need to Change?14:45 What If Their Calling Lies Somewhere Else?16:22 What If God Is Calling Us Instead?16:32 What Is the Second Season of Life?17:30 Can We Still Bear Fruit in Old Age?18:21 Is Deserved Rest the Whole Story?20:01 What Is the Difference Between Retirement and Rewirement?20:57 Whose Voice Really Tells Us to Step Back?23:03 Why Does Personal Mentoring Matter More Than Programs?24:45 What Does Psalm 71 Teach About Aging and Purpose?26:47 What Does Rewirement Actually Look Like?27:34 How Did God Rewire Pastor Harry’s Own Calling?29:07 What Is God Inviting You Into Today?CONNECT AND GO DEEPERChurch website: https://pleasantvalleyalive.org/Daily Devotional: https://pastorharryjarrett.substack.com/s/daily-devotionalSubstack newsletter: Podcast (Faith at Work): If this message encouraged you, please like, subscribe, and share it with someone who needs to hear that God is not finished with them yet. We would love to have you join us in person in Weyers Cave, Virginia, in the heart of the Shenandoah Valley.#SecondSeasonOfLife #Rewirement #ChurchOfTheBrethren #FaithAndAging #PurposeAfterRetirement #Sermon #ChristianFaith #ShenandoahValley #PleasantValleyChurch #RichardRohr #FallingUpward #ChristianDiscipleship Get full access to Harry Jarrett at pastorharryjarrett.substack.com/subscribe