PART 2. REIMAGING FAITH FORMATION IN

THE FIRST THIRD OF LIFEJohn Roberto

jroberto@lifelongfaith.com www.LifelongFaith.com

Big Adaptive Challenges

Deeply Systemic Challenges Formational: Intergenerational

Religious Transmission Missional: Diversity of Religious

Practice & Engagement

Key Concepts

21st Century Faith Formation

IntergenerationalFaith Community

Children & Parents

Adolescents & Parents

Young Adults

Mid-Life Adults

Mature Adults

Older Adults

Becoming intentionally intergenerational in church life and ministries

Developing a network-approach to age-group ministry using diverse methods targeted to specific groups and needs

Focusing

Nurture the 8 faith forming processes Become intentionally intergenerational

through church life and ministries Connect church – home – community –

online Utilize a diversity of methods that blend

online-digital and gathered-physical Develop targeted strategies to address

the four religious-spiritual profiles with specific audiences

GROWTH IN

FAITH

Caring Relationshi

ps

Rituals & Milestone

s

Church Year

Seasons

Learning the

Tradition

PrayingSpiritual Formatio

n Reading the Bible

Serving Working

for Justice Caring

for Creation

Worshipping

Processes for Faith Formation

Missional Faith Formation

Scenario 4 Variable

Commitment & Occasional Participation

Scenario 1 Vibrant Faith

& Active Engagement

Scenario 3 Unaffiliated

& Uninterested

Scenario 2 Spiritual but Not Religious

Receptive to Organized Religion

Resistant to Organized Religion

Low Hunger & Commitment to Spiritual Life

High Hunger & Commitment to Spiritual Life

Discipleship Pattern

Approach #1 Catholic and Protestant since Reformation

Believe – Behave – Belong

Approach #2 (Re)Emerging in 21st Century

Belong – Behave – Believe

Intergenerational & Generational FF

At the Center: Intergenerational

Intergenerational Church

Caring

Celebrating

LearningPraying

Serving

Online Life

Community Life

Church Life

Daily & Home Life

Connected Faith Formation

Family

Parents

Grandparents

Church Community

IntergenerationalRelationships

Church Life& Programs

Blended Faith Formation

Online Faith

Formation

Mostly Online with

Regular Interaction

in Gathered Sessions

Online Faith

Formation & Gathered

Sessions (Flipped

Classroom)

Gathered Program

with Online Components beyond

the Program

Gathered Program

with Supportive

Online Content

Missional Faith Formation

Scenario 4 Variable

Commitment & Occasional Participation

Scenario 1 Vibrant Faith

& Active Engagement

Scenario 3 Unaffiliated

& Uninterested

Scenario 2 Spiritual but Not Religious

Receptive to Organized Religion

Resistant to Organized Religion

Low Hunger & Commitment to Spiritual Life

High Hunger & Commitment to Spiritual Life

1. Who we are addressing or involving or reaching?2. Ways we are currently responding/involving/reaching?3. Ways we could respond/involve/reach more effectively?

Scenario #4

Scenario #1

Scenario #3

Scenario #2

Missional Faith Formation

GROWTH IN

FAITH

Caring Relationshi

ps

Rituals & Milestone

s

Church Year

Seasons

Learning the

Tradition

PrayingSpiritual Formatio

n Reading the Bible

Serving Working

for Justice Caring

for Creation

Worshipping

Processes for Faith Formation

Process At Church At Home In Community

Online

Caring Relationships

Church Year Feasts & Seasons

Learning the Tradition

Prayer & Spiritual Formation

Reading the Bible

Rituals & Milestones

Service & Working for Justice

Worship

Planning Faith Formation

Intergenerational Heart & Soul

At the Center: Intergenerational

Intergenerational Church

Caring

Celebrating

LearningPraying

Serving

Intergenerational Faith Formation

1. Caring: Community building activities, storytelling, mentoring, social events

2. Celebrating: Intergenerational Sunday Worship, whole community sacramental celebrations, milestones celebrations, church year feasts and seasons

3. Learning: Structured IG learning programs (weekly, monthly, small group); incorporating IG learning into age group programming

4. Praying: IG prayer experiences, prayer partner, IG prayer groups, spiritual guides

5. Serving: IG service projects and mission trips (local, global), church-wide service day, monthly IG service, IG service nights at church

Caring Community

Cultivating caring relationships across generations in the congregation and community, becoming a life-giving spiritual community of faith, hope, and love. Intergenerational Caring Conversations Intergenerational Community Building Intergenerational Relationships in Existing

Programs Intergenerational Storytelling Intergenerational Relationships through

Mentoring

Celebrating

Worshiping God together through Sunday worship, rituals, sacraments, and the liturgical seasons that involves all of the ages and generations. Intergenerational Sunday Worship Whole Community Sacramental

Celebrations Milestones throughout Life Church Year Feasts & Seasons

Learning

Engaging all ages and generations together in learning experiences that teach scripture and the Christian tradition, informing and forming disciples of all ages in Christian identity. Intergenerational Learning (James White)

1. In-Common All Ages Experiences2. Parallel Learning3. Contributive Occasions4. Interactive Sharing

Incorporating the Five Elements Weekly, Bi-Weekly, and Monthly Models Small Group & Large Group Models

Learning

Incorporating Intergenerational Learning in Church Life

Age Group Programming Sacramental and Milestone

Celebrations Church Year Feasts & Seasons Vacation Bible School Mission Trips & Service Projects Retreat and Camp Experiences

Praying

Nurturing the spiritual life of the whole community through the congregation’s prayer services, rituals, and blessings throughout the year. Intergenerational Formation in Spiritual

Practices Intergenerational Prayer Stations Intergenerational Prayer Partners &

Spiritual Guides Intergenerational Prayer Groups

Serving

Involving all ages and generations in service and mission to the world, especially to the poor and vulnerable, and in the works of justice and advocacy. Intergenerational Mission Trips Churchwide Service Day Intergenerational Monthly Project Intergenerational Service Nights Intergenerational Service Projects

Faith Formation Networks

Age GroupFamily

All Ages

On Your Own & Small

Groups

At Home

Large Group:

Course, Workshop,

RetreatChurch Life

& Events

Community Programs, Events, & Activities

Online Activities & Resources

Faith Formation Network

Network Programming

A wide variety of diverse faith formation experiences, programs, activities, and resources to match with people’s diverse needs and tailored to their busy lives.

Multiple ways to learn and grow Online/virtual & Gathered/physical Mobile - available anytime &

anywhere 24x7x365

Baptism

Mentors

Faith Practices

@ Home

Prayer, Rituals, Bible,

Family Conversation,

ServiceParent Faith Formation &

Parenting Skills

Workshops CoursesOnline

ResourcesSupport Groups

Milestones

Baptism Anniversary, First Prayers,

Start of School

Family Learning

Programs

Church Gatherings

Small GroupsWorkshops

Parent/Family Online

Resource Center

Families in the First Decade of Life

Intergenerational

Experiences with the

Whole Faith Community

Sunday Worship

@ HomeSeasons of the Year

Family Life

Practicing Our Faith

Milestones

For Parents

Children’s

Programs &

Events

Families with ChildrenFaith FormationNetwork

Family Faith Formation Network

Intergenerational Experiences & Connections

Youth Group

Confirmation

Program

Adolescent Life Issues

Parent-Teen

Activities &

Resources

Bible Study & Religious LearningPrayer &

Spiritual Formation

Service Projects Mission

Trips

Milestones

Youth Leadershi

p

Parent Education & Support

Groups

Youth Faith FormationNetwork

Prayer & Spiritual

Life

Daily Devotion Resources

Spiritual Mentoring Resources

Prayer Group Resources

Spiritual Practices Course

Resources

Retreat Resources

Day at the Monastery Resources

Online Prayer

Intentions

YouthNetwork

Intergenerational

Experiences &

Connections

Weekly Gatheri

ng & Worship

Life Issues,

Transitions, &

Milestones

Scripture Enrichme

nt

Faith Enrichme

nt

Spiritual Enrichme

ntJustice, Service, Mission

Third Place Care

Discovering Faith (Alpha Course)

YA Community Events

Social Media

Connections

Young Adult FaithFormationNetwork

Intergenerational

Experiences &

Connections

Sunday Worship through

the Week Scriptur

e Enrichm

ent

Spiritual Enrichm

ent

Faith Enrichm

ent

Discovering Faith

Life Issues

Service &

Mission

Grand-parents

Adult Faith FormationNetwork

Spiritual Enrichme

nt

Online Courses Resource

Apps & E-newsletters Resource

Online Prayer &

SpiritualityResources

Small Group Bible Study Resources

Retreats Resource

Day at the Monastery Resource

Spiritual Book of the Month Club

Resource

Monthly Spiritual Practices

Series

Resource

Adult Faith FormationNetwork

Adult Faith Formation Network

PeopleEvents

Activity 1

Resource

Resource

Activity 2

Resource

Resource

Activity 3

Resource

Resource

Developing Network Programming

Current Activities & Programs

New Activities & Programs

Three Seasons of Programming

Fall Season: September 1 –

January 1

Winter/Spring Season:

January 1 – May 1

Summer Season: May 1 – September 1

Fall

Winter-Spring

Summer

Digital Platform

Other Platformswww.wordpress.org www.wix.com

www.squarespace.com

Blended Faith Formation

Online Faith

Formation

Mostly Online with

Regular Interactio

n in Gathered Sessions

Online Faith

Formation &

Gathered Sessions (Flipped Classroo

m)

Gathered Program

with Online

Components

beyond the

Program

Gathered Program

with Supportive Online Content

Gathered + Online Components

Event or

Program

TALKConversati

on Activities

LEARNReadListenWatch

ACTPracticesServiceProjects

PRAYDevotions

Bible Reading

Daily Prayer

SHARE Blog

FacebookVideo

Projects

You can extend. . . . Sunday worship Church year feasts

and seasons Sacrament and ritual

celebrations Children, teen, or

family programming VBS and summer

camp Mission trips and

service projects Retreat experiences. . . . and more

Extending Worship & Rituals

Church Life Daily & Home Life Online Life

Experience of Worship in the Congregation• Sunday worship

and lectionary• Church year feasts

and seasons• Church rituals:

baptism, communion, funerals, etc.

Experience of Sunday worship, rituals, and church year seasons in daily life • Reflecting on the

sermon and readings at home

• Practices: Lectio, etc. • Application to daily

living

Online worship, church year, and lectionary resources on the church’s faith formation website• Lectionary

commentaries online

• Video reflections and commentary

• Online activities and projects

Share ItBlog/Facebook

QuestionAfter Worship

Sharing@Home

Conversation Activity

Study It“Taking Faith

Home” Sermon Video +

Study GuideDaily Readings

Scripture Commentaries

Online Bible Study

Live ItLiving the Message

DailyLiving Christian

PracticesService/Mission Idea

Action Project

Pray ItWeekly Table Prayer

Praying with the Saints

AM & PM PrayerLectio Divina

Sunday Worship

Example: Sunday Worship

Extending a Church Season

Church Life Daily & Home Life Online Life

• Ash Wednesday• Lenten Sunday

liturgies• Stations of the

Cross• Lenten prayer • Lenten retreat• Lenten service• Lenten soup

suppers

• Fasting• Praying• Service/Almsgiving• Lectionary

reflection• Family activities

• Lenten learning resources

• Lenten calendar• Daily Lenten prayer• Weekly table

prayer• Video resources• Online retreat

experience

Online & Gathered Programming

Flipped Classroom

@ HomeExploring the Content- print, audio, video,

activities

@ The ProgramApplying the Content:

Create – Practice - Perform - Participate

Flipp

ed

C

lassro

om

Flipp

ed

C

lassro

om

Blended Faith Formation

Online Faith

Formation

Mostly Online with

Regular Interactio

n in Gathered Sessions

Online Faith

Formation &

Gathered Sessions (Flipped Classroo

m)

Gathered Program

with Online

Components

beyond the

Program

Gathered Program

with Supportive Online Content

Personalized Faith Formation

Resource Resou

rce

ResourceResou

rce

Resource

Resource

Personalized pathways for discipleship & faith growth. . . . Guide people in discerning their

religious and spiritual needs Equip people with the resources and

tools to learn and grow at their own pace

Provide mentoring and support for the journey

Personalized Faith Formation

Create expectations for participation in faith formation and church life by providing a seasonal/yearly growth plan with a variety of options for experiencing the Christian faith through community life. For example:

Sunday worship Church year feasts and seasons Service/mission projects Retreat experience Faith practices @ home, e.g. reading the

Bible, praying, rituals, and more

Faith Growth Plan

Current Roles Developing

religious content Designing

programming Managing

programming Teaching/

Facilitating programming

Emerging Roles Designing

learning environments—architecture

Curating religious content and experiences

Emerging Roles

Curating Faith Formation

Curating Content & Experiences

1. Church Programs & Activities

2. Denominational Resources3. Community Programs &

Activities4. People Resources5. Print, Audio, Video

Resources6. Art, Drama, Music7. Websites, Courses, Blogs 8. Apps & Digital Resources