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I recently came across a seminar title that caught my attention: “Don’t Retire – Reenlist!” Brad Thomas, the former CEO of Columbia Forest Products, will present at an upcoming conference of Strategic Renewal, a ministry with which I have been engaged for several years. The title encapsulates a belief I’ve long held: retirement, at least in the biblical sense, was never meant to be an invitation to coast through our final years. Instead, it may be one of the greatest opportunities we ever have to make an eternal impact.

Yes, there may come a time when you no longer need to work for income, or your career has naturally come to a close. You might be ready for a slower pace—less stress, fewer deadlines, more flexibility. That’s a blessing. But stepping away from paid employment doesn’t mean God is done using you. It may be just the beginning of a new chapter in His calling on your life.

Reenlisting for the Kingdom
The Bible never promotes the idea of spiritual retirement. From Moses to Anna the prophetess, Scripture is filled with men and women who served God faithfully in their later years. Psalm 92:14 says of the righteous, “They still bear fruit in old age; they are ever full of sap and green.” In other words, as long as we have breath, we are called to bear fruit.

Here are a few practical ways to "reenlist" with an eternal purpose:
1. Mentor the Next Generation
You have something younger generations desperately need—wisdom. Your life experiences, your faith journey, your professional lessons, your parenting highs and lows—they all offer perspective that can't be Googled. Consider mentoring a younger believer, meeting regularly over coffee, or discipling a younger couple or parent.

2. Serve with Margin
One of the most powerful gifts you have now is time. You’re not rushing between meetings or trying to balance family and work. You can show up for people. Whether it’s serving at a local ministry, making hospital visits, helping with a church event, or simply being available for someone in crisis—your presence makes a difference.

3. Start Something Small and Significant
Maybe there’s a ministry idea that has been on your heart for years—starting a grief support group, organizing meals for the homeless, visiting the homebound, or writing devotionals. Don’t underestimate the power of small beginnings. The best ministries are often born out of a burden and a little bit of free time.

4. Pray with Purpose
You may no longer be in the boardroom or on the job site, but you can wage war in the prayer room. Reenlisting in prayer is no small thing. Adopt a ministry, a pastor, a missionary, or a young family and commit to regularly praying for them. Let them know you’re lifting them up—it will strengthen them and encourage you.

5. Be a Ministry Partner
Many local ministries need people who can contribute not only financially but with wisdom, encouragement, and accountability. Consider joining a ministry board, offering administrative help, or helping connect others with organizations doing good work.

Retirement from work may be a finish line in one area—but it’s also a launchpad. You have a lifetime of knowledge, connections, and faithfulness that can now be invested in others without the limitations of a 9-to-5.

So let me encourage you: Don’t Retire—Reenlist. The kingdom of God doesn’t have an expiration date for usefulness. It has callings that endure. And God may be preparing to use you in ways you never expected... for such a time as this.

“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus...”
—Colossians 3:17

Let’s keep serving, keep sowing, and keep reenlisting—until He calls us home.