Envisioning the Future of Faith Formation

1. Envisioning the Future of Faith Formation

2. 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?

3. Driving Forces

4. Driving Forces: Outside-In Thinking

5. Driving Forces 8 Key Driving Forces • Declining number of Christians and growing number of people with no religious affiliation. • Increasing number of people becoming more “spiritual” and less “religious” • Declining participation in Christian churches • Increasing diversity and pluralism in U.S. society

6. Driving Forces 8 Key Driving Forces • Increasing influence of individualism on Christian identity and community life • Changing patterns of marriage and family life • Declining family religious socialization • Increasing use of digital age & web technologies

7. Four Scenarios

8. 4 Scenarios Two Critical Uncertainties • 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? • 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.

9. Faith Formation 2020 Matrix Dominant Cultural Attitude toward Organized Religion Receptive Low High People’s Hunger for God and the Spiritual Life Resistant

10. 4 Scenarios for the Future

11. 4 Scenarios

12. 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

13. Family 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

16. Empowering the Community to Share their Faith

18. 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

19. Milestones • 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

20. Pathways to Vibrant Faith & Active Engagement 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

21. 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

23. Apprenticeships in Discipleship Apprenticeship Processes

25. 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

26. The Wesley Playhouse

27. Lifelong Faith Formation Network

28. Lifelong Faith Formation Network Shifting from. . . “One Size Fits All” Curriculum & Programming to 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”

29. Lifelong Faith Formation Network Concept A 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.

30. 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.

31. Lifelong Faith Formation Network

35. Lifelong Faith Formation Network • Face-to-Face • Virtual • On Your Own • At Home • In Small Group • In Large Group • In Church • In Community & World Spiritual & Religious Needs Topics or Themes

39. Faith Formation Curator

40. 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.

41. The Process of Curation

48. Lifelong Faith Resources