Envisioning the Future of Faith Formation
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Envisioning the Future of Faith Formation
Focus What could faith formation
in Christian churches look like in 2020?
Specifically, how can Christian congregations provide vibrant faith formation to address the spiritual and religious needs of all ages and generations over the next 10 years?
Driving Forces
Driving Forces: Outside-In Thinking
Driving Forces
1. Declining number of Christians and growing number of people with no religious affiliation.
2. Increasing number of people becoming more “spiritual” and less “religious”
3. Declining participation in Christian churches
4. Increasing diversity and pluralism in U.S. society
8 Key Driving Forces
Driving Forces
5. Increasing influence of individualism on Christian identity and community life
6. Changing patterns of marriage and family life
7. Declining family religious socialization
8. Increasing use of digital age & web technologies
8 Key Driving Forces
Four Scenarios
4 Scenarios
1. Will trends in U.S. culture lead people to become more receptive to organized religion, and in particular Christianity or will trends lead people to become more resistant to organized religion and Christianity?
2. Will people’s hunger for and openness to God and the spiritual life increase over the next decade or will people’s hunger for and openness to God and the spiritual life decrease.
Two Critical Uncertainties
Faith Formation 2020 MatrixDominant Cultural Attitude toward Organized
ReligionReceptive
Low High People’s Hunger for God and the Spiritual Life
Resistant
4 Scenarios for the Future
Scenario 4
Uncommitted &
Participating
Scenario 1 Vibrant Faith & Active
Engagement
Scenario 3
Unaffiliated &
Uninterested
Scenario 2
Spiritual but Not
Religious
4 Scenarios
Receptive to Scenario #4Uncommitted but Participating
Organized Religion Scenario #1 Vibrant Faith and Active Engagement
Low Hunger
Scenario #3Unaffiliated and Uninterested
Resistant to
for God High
Scenario #2 Spiritual but Not ReligiousOrganized Religion
Strategies Scenario 1
Targeting generations iGeneration Millennials Gen X Baby Boomers
Targeting young families Empowering the community to
share their faith Online & digital faith formation
Family Socialization: Begin faith formation early in life – at Baptism and focusing on early childhood. family faith formation at
home – family faith practices
parent formation parent support system /
mentoring resources for the first 5-6
years of life milestone faith formation
Family Faith Formation
Empowering the Community to Share
their Faith
Strategies Scenario 4
Family faith formation, especially families with children
Milestones faith formation Pathways to vibrant faith and
active engagement Faith formation in Christian
practices Online & digital faith formation
Birth / Baptism & Anniversaries of Baptism
Welcoming Young Children to Worship Starting Faith Formation at Church Starting School Kids and Money Blessing of Backpacks First Communion Receiving a first Bible Confirmation Graduation (HS, College) A New Home / Apartment Career / First Job Engagement Wedding Retirement or AARP Card Adult Transitions Death / Funeral
Milestones Faith Formation
Our Lady of Soledad Catholic Parish
Mini-Retreat 101: “Catholics Alive!” “What does it mean to be a follower of Christ?”
Mini-Retreat 201: “Alive and Growing Spiritually!” maturing in the Catholic faith
Mini-Retreat 301: “Alive and Gifted!” discerning how to serve God in ministry
Mini-Retreat 401: “Alive in the World!” living as witnesses for Christ, as contagious
Catholic Christians Mini-Retreat 501: “Alive to Praise God!”
Catholic worship and the sacraments
Pathways to Vibrant Faith & Active Engagement
Strategies Scenario 2
Targeting the Millennial Generation Milestones faith formation Faith formation in Third Place
settings Targeting spiritual seekers Apprenticeships in discipleship Spiritual formation Faith formation in Christian
practices Online & digital faith formation
Apprenticeship Processes
Apprenticeships in Discipleship
Strategies Scenario 3
Faith formation in Third Place settings
Community-based ministry sponsored by congregation(s):
Family center / early childhood center
Service & mission projects Drama and Art Music
Online & digital faith formation
The Wesley Playhouse
Lifelong Faith Formation Network
Lifelong Faith Formation Network
Shifting from. . . “One Size Fits All” Curriculum &
Programmingto
Personalized & Customized Faith Formation
focusing on addressing people’s spiritual and religious growth by offering a wide
variety of religious content and experiences“Differentiated Faith Formation”
Lifelong Faith Formation Network
ConceptA Lifelong Faith Formation Network that addresses the diverse life tasks and situations, spiritual and religious needs, and interests of all ages and generations in the four scenarios by offering a variety of content, programs, activities, and resources.
Lifelong Faith Formation Network
Move from a curriculum approach to a network approach
Provide 24 x 7 x 365 faith formation for all ages and generations—anytime & anywhere
Integrate faith formation in physical settings—church, home, community—with virtual (online) faith formation—websites, learning programs, resource centers
Incorporate communities of practice to connect individuals and groups throughout the congregation.
Lifelong Faith Formation Network
PHYSICAL SETTINGSInteractive
Transformative Experiences
Lifelong Faith Formation Network
Activity
ActivityActivity
• Face-to-Face• Virtual
1. On Your Own2. At Home3. In Small Group4. In Large Group5. In Church6. In Community
& World
Spiritual & Religious
Needs
Topics or Themes
Faith Formation Curator
Faith Formation Curator Shifting from providing religious
content and programming to curating religious content and experiences for all ages
A content curator is someone who continually finds, groups, organizes, and shares the best and most relevant content on a specific subject to match the needs of a specific audience.
The Process of Curation Resear
ch
Aggregate & Evaluate
Deliver
Communicate &
Connect
Lifelong Faith Resources
www.faithformation2020.net
www.FaithFormationLearningExchange.net
www.LifelongFaith.com
Envisioning the Future of Faith Formation
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