Influence: What is SF City Impact and how did it get started?
Roger and Maite Huang: SF City Impact exists to intervene on behalf of the people in the inner city of San Francisco. We now have five major departments and more than 16 weekly programs, including church at San Francisco Worship Center, a health and wellness center, a thrift shop and more. SF City Impact started with me, Roger, praying to God after I had been a believer for only two years. One day while I was stuck in the Tenderloin district of San Francisco, I witnessed a young boy being picked on by a group of bullies. Torn between intervening to help the boy and not wanting to get involved, I drove away with a heavy heart. On the way home God laid the burden of that young boy on my heart, “What if that was your son being picked on?” I didn’t know how to best serve, so the next morning Maite and I hand delivered 50 sandwiches to the district to feed and serve the homeless. That was 31 years ago. We had no vision, no plan, no support — just the two of us — and God.

What makes SF City Impact so successful?
On our website, sfcityimpact.com, we list five things that make up the core of who we are and how we behave. First, we must be humble. We are not above the people we serve, which means we are not above mopping floors or cleaning bathrooms. Second, prayer is our lifeline. We pray about everything, like the persistent widow in Luke 18. The third thing that makes us successful is our work ethic. We take ownership of God’s work, which means we work hard. Fourth, we maintain a sense of humor. That is crucial in this line of work. And finally, we make it a priority to include and invest in people.

No one is done in the ministry because of old age.

Is there a Scripture that guides you, both in your personal life and in your approach to ministry?
We cling to any Scripture that has to do with fasting. It’s what changed our destiny. We don’t claim a particular verse of Scripture because we want all the gospel. If we had to choose one passage, however, we would pick The Parable of the Persistent Widow found in Luke 18:1–8. Social justice is what we live for.

What is your philosophy on entering the second half of life?
Later in life, there’s nothing that should stop you from doing what you loved doing in the first half of life. Never walk away from your first love of ministry. Never look at the “accomplishment” and brag about it; you must continue to remember that God did everything. God will continue to do everything. In the Kingdom, we consider ourselves bellhops. We open the door for others to step in and experience the glory and grace of God.

What advantages do older adults have in ministry?
Older adults have two distinct advantages; the first is experience. In the second half of life, older adults are better positioned to know what lies ahead of them, including traps and dangers. We can pass on this insight to younger leaders who have not lived as long or experienced as much as we have. The second advantage we have is knowing we can trust God in every situation. We know God will supply all our need because He has thus far, and will continue to do so in the future. Trust in God’s faithfulness comes from years of experiencing it first hand. This is an important attribute of God we can impart to the next generation of leaders.

The younger generation is growing in wisdom, but older adults can help them grow even more. We should invest in the younger generation with our money, energy and time. Extending our friendship and mentorship to the younger generation should be a top priority of older leaders. The reward is great.

Share a word of encouragement with older readers who feel their ministry has ended.
Older adults also need revelation from God. Life-changing revelation still comes to those whose ministry is slowing down and to those who feel their ministry is done because of their age. Such revelation takes place in the innermost room of our hearts when we are alone with the Holy Spirit. No one is done in the ministry because of old age. No one is done because a ministry position has been taken away. We are only done when we refuse to get intimate with the Holy Spirit and discern what God’s will is for the remaining years of our lives.

This article originally appeared in the February/March issue of Influence and has been used with permission. For more print content, subscribe.