What impacts a congregation more: the average age of active participants or the average length of time they have been connected with the congregation? If it is a forced choice question. The answer is tenure.
A 72-year-old recently widowed woman who is new in town and connects with your congregation, is more open to change than the 35-year-old son of a patriarch of the congregation who has been attending since he was born.
To transform a congregation where the average tenure is 20 years or more requires open dialogue and discontinuous transition and change.