+

New Approaches & Technologies for Faith Formation @ Home, Parish, and

SchoolJohn RobertoLifelongFaith Associates (jroberto@lifelongfaith.com)

+Topics

1. Envisioning the future of faith formation

2. Addressing the diversity of spiritual and religious needs of people today

3. Developing a 21st century approach to faith formation

www.Lifelongfaith.com

www.LifelongFaith.comjroberto@lifelongfaith.com

www.faithformation2020.net

www.FaithFormationLearningExchange.net

+Driving Forces

The Changing

Landscape

No Religious Affiliation

Spiritual, not Religious

Declining Church

Participation

Increasing Diversity & Pluralism

Changing Marriage & Family Life

Declining Religious

Socialization

Aging Baby Boomers

The Rise of Digital Media

& the Internet

+ Four Scenarios for the Future of Faith Formation

+Four Scenarios for the Future

+Applying the Scenarios

Viewed through the lens of the 4 Scenarios, who is being served by current faith formation programming? Who is not?

Where are the greatest needs or gaps?

What are the priority areas for growth and improvement?

+Applying the

Four Scenarios

+Applying the ScenariosShifting from. . .

“One Size Fits All” Curriculum & Programming

to A Network of Personalized & Customized Faith Formation

Activities & Resourcesfocusing on addressing people’s spiritual and religious growth by offering a wide

variety of religious content and experiences

“Differentiated Faith Formation”

+4 Scenarios for the Future

Scenario 4 Uncommitt

ed & Participati

ng

Scenario 1 Vibrant Faith & Active

Engagement

Scenario 3 Unaffiliate

d & Uninterest

ed

Scenario 2 Spiritual but Not

Religious

Scenario #4+ Marriage & FF+ Baptism & FF+ Family faith formation in the

1st decade of life+ Milestones faith formation+ Pathways to deepen faith &

engagement

Scenario #1+ Millennial Generation+ Marriage & FF+ Baptism & FF+ Baby Boomers FF+ Empowering people to

share their faith

Scenario #3+ Third Place settings+ Family life center+ Events (movie nights, concerts,

festivals)+ Community-based ministry

(service, recovery ministry)

Scenario #2+ Third Place settings+ Targeting 20-30 year olds+ Service: local - global+ Spiritual formation+ Pathways to deepen faith &

engagement

+Applying the ScenariosDiscerning Spiritual Growth

Assessing Spiritual Growth

Working with a Mentor/Guide

Finding Resources on the Network

Engaging in Formation

Sharing with the Community

Reflecting on Growth and

Identifying New Needs

+Applying the ScenariosFaith Formation Models

Face-to-Face& Virtual

On Your Own

Mentored

@Home

Small Group

Large Group

Church Community

Community & World

+Applying the ScenariosFaith Formation Models

Activity

Activity

Activity

• Face-to-Face• Virtual1. On Your Own2. Mentored3. At Home4. In Small Group5. In Large Group6. In Church7. In Community

& World

Spiritual & Religious

NeedsTopics or Themes

+A Network Approach to Lifelong Faith Formation

+Example: Children & Parent/Family Faith Formation

Early Childhood

Faith Formation

Preparation for and

Celebration of

Eucharist

Faith Formation

after Sacramental Celebrations

+ A Network Approach

Faith Formation Network

Church Programs Small

Groups & Support Groups

Mentors

Community Programs

Online Courses & Activities

Online Resources:

Print, Audio, Video

Video Conference

Apps

Blogs

Social Media for

Connection

User-Generated

Content

Discernment

Parent Faith Growth Plans: S1, S2, S3, S4

Family Faith Growth Plans: S1, S2, S3, S4

Mentors

On Your OwnAt Home

Small GroupLarge Group

In ChurchIn Community

Online Resource Center

Families in the First Decade of Life

Baptism

Mentors

Faith Practices @ Home

Prayer, Rituals, Bible, Family Conversation,

Service

Parent Faith Formation &

Parenting Skills

Workshops CoursesOnline ResourcesSupport Groups

MilestonesBaptism Anniversary, First Prayers, Start of

School

Family Learning Programs

Church GatheringsSmall GroupsWorkshops

Parent/Family Online Resource Center

Families in the First Decade of Life

+

Stone 1: Raising a Healthy Babyphysical, emotional and spiritual needs

of infants and their parents; nightly blessing as a family faith practice.

Stone 2: Raising a Healthy Preschooler

physical, emotional and spiritual needs of preschoolers and their parents; add prayer to the nightly blessing as a faith practice

Milestones (Faith Stepping Stones)

+

Stone 3: Entry Into Schoolphysical, emotional and spiritual

needs of kindergarteners and their parents; share highs & lows with children and add it to their nightly prayers and blessing

Stone 4: My Bible 120 key verses in young readers’

Bibles; reading a Bible verse nightly, continue with highs & lows, prayer and blessing nightly

Milestones (Faith Stepping Stones)

+Faith Stepping Stones

Stone 5: Livin’ Forgiven Passover to Lord’s Supper, with

nightly confession and absolution added to the faith practices of Bible reading, highs & lows, prayer and blessing

Stone 6: Surviving Adolescence theological reflection (i.e. setting

the Bible verse and the highs & lows of the day together to ask “What is God saying to us today?”), adding to confession/ absolution, Bible reading, highs & lows, prayer and blessing continue

+ Faith Stepping Stones

Stone 7: Confirmation As Ordination

youth and parents look at their confession, their confirmation, and their call.

Stone 8: Graduation Blessing seniors and their parents look back

God’s blessings, look to the moment, and look to the future of their new callings

Family Faith Formation

+Family Faith FormationMeal and Community Building (30 minutes)

Part 1. Gathering and Prayer (10-15)

Part 2. All Ages Learning Experience (20-30)

Part 3. In-Depth Learning Experience (75-90) Option 1. Whole Group (together) Option 2. Age Group (parallel) Option 3. Activity Center

Part 4. Sharing Learning Experiences and Home Application (15-20)

Part 5. Closing Prayer (5-10)

The Wesley PlayhouseFamily Life Center

+Spiritual Seekers

+Spiritual Seekers

Introduction Dinner: Is there more to life than this?1. Who is Jesus?2. Why did Jesus die?3. How can we have faith?4. Why and how do I pray?5. Why and how should I read the Bible?6. How does God guide us?7. How can I resist evil?8. Why & how should we tell others?9. Does God heal today?10. What about the Church?11. Who is the Holy Spirit?

+Toward Active Engagement & Deeper FaithOur Lady of Soledad Catholic ParishMini-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 faithMini-Retreat 301: “Alive and Gifted!” Discerning how to serve God in ministryMini-Retreat 401: “Alive in the World!” Living as witnesses for ChristMini-Retreat 501: “Alive to Praise God!” Catholic worship and the sacraments

Apps

+ 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 faith formation 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 Curator

What would you curate? Congregational Programs & Activities Community Programs & Activities People Resources Print Resources Audio & Video Resources Art, Drama, and Music Resources Online Content: Websites, Courses,

Blogs Apps & Digital Resources

+Faith Formation Curator

Research

Aggregate & Evaluate

Deliver

Communicate & Connect

+Additional Examples

+Faith Formation on One Theme in a Variety of Formats

Whole Church Theme

On Your Own (Print, Audio, Video, Online Resources &

Courses)

Small Group Course

(online & physical settings)

Family @Home (Online

Resources) Adult 4-Week Lecture Series @

Church(Videotaped &

online)

Age Group Programs:

Children & Youth

+A Variety of Formats for One Program

Confirmation Content & Experiences

Option 1. Church Program

(current model)Option 2.

Small Group Program

Option 2. Online Small

Group Program using

Skype

Option 3. Mentored

Option 4. Online Program (print & video) with Regular

Check-in

Online Projects

(everyone)

Social Networking Space for a

Blog, Project Sharing, etc.

+Extend Worship into Everyday Life

Share ItBlog/ForumAfter Mass

In ProgramsFamily Conversation Activity

Study ItTaking Faith Home Insert

Homily Video + Study GuideDaily Readings

Scripture Commentaries Online Bible Study

Live ItLiving the Message DailyLiving Christian Practices

Service Ideas for the Week

Pray ItWeekly Table Prayer

Praying with the SaintsAM & PM Prayer

Sunday Worship

+Extend Gathered Faith Formation

Monthly Gatherin

g

Talk About It: Conversation

Questions Learn More: Watch a

Video, Listen to a Talk, Read

an Article

Live It: Action

Project for the Month

Pray: Prayers for the Month,

Table Prayers on the Theme

Children Center: Projects,

Activities, and Stories

Parents Center: How-to helps

(video, audio, print)

Share What Your Learning:

Write a Blog Entry, Create &

Share a Video or Project

+Comprehensive Adult Faith Formation

Adult Faith Formation

Online Courses

Audio & Video

Programs

Books & Book Clubs

Life Transitions

Prayer & Spiritual Practices

Justice & Service

Small Group Studies

Life Tasks & Issues

Extended Learning Programs

Faith in Art Tours

+Faith Formation with Young Adults

Adult Faith Formation

Small Group

Studies Weekly Gathering &

Worship

Life Issues Workshops &

Online Resources

Prayer & Spiritual Practices (online,

small groups, retreats)

Justice & Service Projects (local and

global)

Online Courses

Online Audio & Video

Programs

Third Place Café

Alpha Course

Cross-generational Experiences

(worship, service,

mentoring)

Social Network & Blog