Something Old Something New something Borrowed Something True

Growing disciples in a digital ageJohn Robertojroberto@lifelongfaith.com www.LifelongFaith.com

Part 1. Lifelong Faith Formation

Lifelong & Lifewide Faith Formation for Everyone!

Faith Formation GoalsChurches want faith formation that helps people. . . grow in their relationship with God throughout their liveslive as disciples of Jesus Christ at home, in the workplace, in the community and the worlddevelop an understanding of the Bible and their faith traditiondeepen their spiritual life and practicesengage in service and missionrelate the Christian faith to life todayparticipate in the life and ministries of the faith communityHolistic Faith & FormationA way of the head (inform) demands a discipleship of faith seeking understanding and belief with personal conviction, sustained by study, reflecting, discerning and deciding, all toward spiritual wisdom for life. A way of the heart (form) demands a discipleship of right relationships and right desires, community building, hospitality and inclusion, trust in Gods love, and prayer and worship.A way of the hands (transform) demands a discipleship of love, justice, peace-making, simplicity, integrity, healing, and repentance.(Thomas Groome)

Faith Forming ProcessesFaith Forming ProcessesCaring relationshipsCelebrating rituals and milestonesCelebrating the liturgical seasonsLearning the Christian tradition and applying it to life todayPraying, devotions, and spiritual formationReading the BibleServing people in need, working for justice, caring for creationWorshipping with the faith communityReligious Transmission

Factors Promoting Faith GrowthThe combination of the following factors makes an enormous difference in religious outcomes during emerging adulthood:the teenagers parental religion importance of faithprayerScripture reading lack of religious doubtspersonal religious experiences having supportive nonparent adults in the churchThese most influential factors make differences of sizeable magnitude in substantive outcomes.

In these seven factors alone, we have identified some powerful teenage factors associated with and, we think, causing differences in emerging adult religious commitment and practice. 85% chance of being Highly Religious as an emerging adult if you were in the top 25% on the scales of: parental religionprayerimportance of faithScripture reading

Factors Promoting Faith GrowthFamily Religious Socialization 75% chance of being a Highly Religious emerging adult if you were in the the top 25% on scales of: having support nonparent adults in the church, having personal religious experiences lack of religious doubtsFactors Promoting Faith GrowthFactors Promoting Faith GrowthApproximately 70% of youth who at some time or other before mid-emerging adulthood commit to live their lives for God, the vast majority appear to do so early in life, apparently before the age of 14. Most make their first commitments to God as children or during the preteen or very early teen years.Many religious trajectories followed in the course of lifes development seemed to be formed early in life.

Factors Promoting Faith GrowthParental Influence: The single most important social influence on the religious and spiritual lives of children and adolescents (and emerging adults) is their parents. Embedded Family Religious Practices: Effective religious socialization comes about through specific religious activities that are firmly intertwined with the daily habits of family life. Making a Difference in the Life of FamiliesNurturing the faith life of parents and grandparentsTeaching and resourcing parents and grandparents to provide religious socialization and model the Christian faith and practiceEngaging the whole family in worship and community lifeEquipping families to engage in faith practicesBuilding family assets Encouraging parents to develop a warm, supporting, affirming, and authoritative parenting style

Family Assets - Search InstituteFamily AssetsFamilies with more assets are more likely to:Have children who are actively engaged in school and who earn higher gradesAct in socially responsible ways like spending time together serving their communities.Teach youth to make good decisions.Foster positive identity and values.Nurture spiritual development.Build social-emotional skills.Encourage healthy life habits.Daily & Home Life Through the day: meal times, car times, morning and bedtime, exits and entries, family sharing timesThrough the year: church year seasons, rituals and celebrationsThrough the lifecycle: milestones and rites of passageThrough key family moments good times and hard times, times of joy and sorrowThrough life issues and life skills: parenting, decision-making, financial planning, communication, and moreSettings for Faith FormationIntergenerational & Generational

ProcessAt ChurchAt HomeIn CommunityOnlineCaring RelationshipsChurch Year Feasts & SeasonsLearning the TraditionPrayer & Spiritual FormationReading the BibleRituals & MilestonesService & Working for JusticeWorshipPlanning Lifelong Faith Formation2. A Faith Formation NetworkNew Operating System: Faith Formation Network Intergenerational Faith FormationIntergenerational Faith FormationCaring: Community building activities, storytelling, mentoring, social events Celebrating: Intergenerational Sunday Worship, whole community sacramental celebrations, milestones celebrations, church year feasts and seasonsLearning: Structured IG learning programs (weekly, monthly, small group); incorporating IG learning into age group programmingPraying: IG prayer experiences, prayer partner, IG prayer groups, spiritual guides Serving: IG service projects and mission trips (local, global), church-wide service day, monthly IG service, IG service nights at churchNew Operating System: Faith Formation Network Network ProgrammingA wide variety of diverse faith formation experiences, programs, activities, and resources to match with peoples diverse needs and tailored to their busy lives.Multiple ways to learn and growOnline/virtual & Gathered/physicalMobile - available anytime & anywhere.Families in the First Decade of Life Families with ChildrenFaith FormationNetworkFamily Faith Formation Network

Youth Faith FormationNetwork YouthNetworkYoung Adult FaithFormationNetworkAdult Faith FormationNetworkAdult Faith FormationNetworkAdult Faith Formation Network

Developing Network ProgrammingCurrent Activities & Programs

New Activities & ProgramsThree Seasons of ProgrammingFall Season: September 1 January 1

Winter/Spring Season: January 1 May 1

Summer Season: May 1 September 1

Digital PlatformOther Platformswww.wordpress.org www.wix.com www.squarespace.comConnected Faith FormationVirtual & Physical SettingsExtending Church Events with Online ContentYou can extend. . . .Sunday worshipChurch year feasts and seasonsSacrament and ritual celebrationsChildren, teen, or family programmingVBS and summer camp Mission trips and service projects Retreat experiences. . . . and moreExtending Worship with Online ContentChurch Life Daily & Home Life Online LifeExperience of Worship in the CongregationSunday worship and lectionaryChurch year feasts and seasonsChurch rituals: baptism, communion, funerals, etc.Experience of Sunday worship, rituals, and church year seasons in daily life Reflecting on the sermon and readings at homePractices: Lectio, etc. Application to daily living

Online worship, church year, and lectionary resources on the churchs faith formation websiteLectionary commentaries onlineVideo reflections and commentaryOnline activities and projects Extending a Church Season with Online ContentChurch Life Daily & Home Life Online LifeAsh WednesdayLenten Sunday liturgiesStations of the CrossLenten prayer Lenten retreatLenten serviceLenten soup suppersFastingPrayingService/AlmsgivingLectionary reflectionFamily activities

Lenten learning resourcesLenten calendarDaily Lenten prayerWeekly table prayerVideo resourcesOnline retreat experience LentOnline & Gathered ProgrammingFlipped Classroom

Flipped Classroom

Flipped ClassroomPersonalized pathways for discipleship & faith growth. . . . Guide people in discerning their religious and spiritual needsEquip people with the resources and tools to learn and grow at their own paceProvide mentoring and support for the journey

Personalized Faith FormationCreate 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 worshipChurch year feasts and seasonsService/mission projectsRetreat experienceFaith practices @ home, e.g. reading the Bible, praying, rituals, and more Faith Growth Plan

Current RolesDeveloping religious contentDesigning programming Managing programmingTeaching/Facilitating programming

Emerging RolesDesigning learning environmentsarchitecture Curating religious content and experiencesEmerging Roles

Curated Faith FormationCurating Content & Experiences

Church Programs & ActivitiesDenominational ResourcesCommunity Programs & ActivitiesPeople ResourcesPrint, Audio, Video ResourcesArt, Drama, MusicWebsites, Courses, Blogs Apps & Digital Resources