The Future of Faith FormationJohn Roberto

LifelongFaith Associates

www.lifelongfaith.com

jroberto@lifelongfaith.com

jrlifelong@gmail.com

Topics1. Driving Forces Affecting Faith

Formation Today2. Envisioning Faith Formation through

Four Scenarios3. Applying the Four Scenarios to

Faith Formation4. The Emerging Role of the Faith

Formation Curator

Focus How can churches provide

vibrant faith formation that addresses the spiritual and religious needs of all ages and generations now and into the future?

How can parishes envision the future of faith formation and design initiatives to respond proactively to the challenges and opportunities in the second decade of the 21st century?

www.LifelongFaith.comjroberto@lifelongfaith.com

www.faithformation2020.net

Driving Forces

Faith Formati

on

No Religious Affiliation

Spiritual, not

Religious

Declining Church

Participation

Increasing

Diversity &

PluralismChanging Marriage & Family

Life

Declining Religious Socializati

on

Retiring Baby

Boomers

The Rise of Digital Media &

the Internet

Four Scenarios

4 Scenarios

Scenarios are built around critical uncertainties about the external environment. That is, the stories are based on different outcomes of a few key uncertainties that are both most important to the future of faith formation in Christian churches and most uncertain in terms of future outcome.

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

Applying the Scenarios

#1. A Network of Faith Formation

Shifting from. . . “One Size Fits All” Curriculum &

Programmingto

A Network of Personalized & Customized Faith Formation Activities & Resources

focusing on addressing people’s spiritual and religious growth by offering a wide variety of

religious content and experiences“Differentiated Faith Formation”

#1. A Network of Faith Formation

ConceptAddress 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.

#1. A Network of Faith Formation Utilize a variety of faith formation models to address the diverse life tasks and situations, religious and spiritual needs, and interests of people:

on your own at home in small groups in large groups in the congregation in the community and world

#1. A Network of Faith Formation

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

PHYSICAL SETTINGSInteractive

Transformative Experiences

#1. A Network of Faith Formation 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

Example: Preparing for a New Lectionary Cycle

Whole Church

Gathering

On Your Own (Online

Resources)

Small Group Course

(online & physical settings)

Family @Home (Online

Resources)

4-Week Lecture Series @Church (video online)Family

ProgramYouth

Program

Example: Extending Sunday Worship into Everyday Life

Share It

Blog/Forum

After Mass

In Programs

Family Conversation Activity

Live It

Living the Message Daily

Living Christian Practices

Service Ideas for the Week

Pray It

Weekly Table Prayer

Praying with the Saints

AM & PM Prayer

Sunday Worship

#2. Targeted Faith FormationScenario #4

+ family faith formation, especially young families

+ milestones faith formation+ pathways to deepen faith &

engagement

Scenario #1+ targeting Millennials+ targeting young families+ targeting Baby Boomers+ empowering people to

share their faith

Scenario #3+ Third Place settings+ community-based ministry,

e.g., service and mission+ events / concerts

Scenario #2+ Third Place settings+ targeting 20-30 year olds+ discipleship apprenticeships+ developing pathways to

deepen faith & engagement

Baptism

Mentors

4 Keys Activities for Home

Prayer, Rituals, Bible, Family Conversation, Service

Parent Faith Formation & Parenting Skills

Social Media, Workshops, Online Resources

Milestones

Baptism Anniversary, First Prayers, Start of School

Support Groups

Mom’s Group, Dad’s Group

Early Childhood Program

Family Gatherings

Quarterly Church Gatherings

Family Small Group Clusters

Example: Young Families

Example: Spiritual Seekers

Introduction Dinner: Is there more to life than this? Week 1: Who is Jesus? Week 2: Why did Jesus die? Week 3: How can we have faith? Week 4: Why and how do I pray? Week 5: Why and how should I read the Bible? Week 6: How does God guide us? Week 7: How can I resist evil? Week 8: Why & how should we tell others? Week 9: Does God heal today? Week 10: What about the Church? Weekend: Who is the Holy Spirit? What does the

Holy Spirit do? How can I be filled with the Holy Spirit? How can I make the most of the rest of my life?

Example: Spiritual Seekers

Example: PathwaysOur 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

Example: Pathways

1. Spirituality: What’s the Buzz?

2. Who is Jesus?3. Do We Need the Spirit?4. Can I Accept God’s

Mercy?5. Can Mass Make My Life

Meaningful?6. The Church and Me

Design: Physical & Virtual Settings

Program

Online Resources

Correlated to Topics

Mentors

Blog for Reflections

Social Media for Connection

Online Prayer Partner

@Home – 4 Keys

Resources

The Emerging Role of the 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.

Faith Formation CuratorWhat would you curate?

Congregational Programs & ActivitiesCommunity Programs & ActivitiesPeople ResourcesPrint ResourcesAudio & Video ResourcesArt, Drama, and Music ResourcesOnline Content: Websites, Courses,

Blogs Apps & Digital Resources

The Process of Curation

Research

Aggregate &

Evaluate

Deliver

Communicate &

Connect