hopeful trends, best practices, & promising innovations

Hopeful Trends, Best Practices, & Promising Innovations

www.faithformation2020.net

www.faithformationlearningexchange.net

Factors that Promote Faith Growth


The combination of the following factors makes an enormous difference in religious outcomes during emerging adulthood:1. the teenager’s parental religion 2. importance of faith3. lack of religious doubts4. prayer5. Scripture reading and 6. personal religious experiences 7. having support nonparent adults in the church

These most influential factors make differences of sizeable magnitude in substantive outcomes.


1. Strong relational modeling and support for religious commitment: parental religion, more supportive adults in congregation

2. Genuine internalization of religious significance (importance of faith, religious experiences, no doubts)

3. Personal practice of religious faith: prayer, Scripture reading

4. Paying certain costs for one’s religious beliefs (abstaining from sex, being made fun of for faith)

Factors that Promote Faith GrowthIn 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.


“. . . teenagers with seriously religious parents are more likely that those without such parents to have been trained in their lives to think, feel,

believe, and act as serious religious believers, and that that training

“sticks” with them even when the leave home and enter emerging

adulthood”


“Emerging adults who grew up with seriously religious parents are through

socialization more likely (1) to have internalized their parents religious

worldview, (2) to possess the practical religious know-how needed to live more highly religious lives, and (3) to embody the identity orientations and behavioral

tendencies toward continuing to practice what they have been taught religiously.”


“At the heart of this social causal mechanism stands the elementary process of teaching—both

formal and informal, verbal and nonverbal, oral and behavioral, intentional and unconscious, through

both instruction and role modeling. We believe that one of the main ways by which empirically

observed strong parental religion produced strong emerging adult religion in offspring is through the

teaching involved in socialization.”

(Souls in Transition: The Religious & Spiritual Lives of Emerging Adults by Christian Smith with Patricia Snell)


Approximately 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 life’s development seemed to be formed early on in life.


In the transition from the teenager to the emerging adult years, the religious lives of youth are not thrown up into the air to land in a random jumble.

Where youth end up religiously as emerging adults is highly governed by the nature of their religious upbringings, commitments, and experiences in earlier years.

Most lives during this transition into emerging adulthood reflect a great amount of continuity with the past.


What people have been in the past is generally the best indicator of why

they are what they are in the present and what they will likely be in the future. That is a fact the needs to

condition the understanding of emerging adult religion.

Family Religious Socialization

Strengthen family religious socialization, especially in the first decade of life—by nurturing a vibrant faith in parents and equipping them with the skills and tools for developing faith at home.

Develop the home as a center of faith formation by promoting foundational family faith practices: caring conversations, rituals and traditions, prayer, Bible reading, and service.

Family Religious Socialization Educate and equip parents to

embed foundational faith practices into the daily experience of family life.

Develop family programs: milestone faith formation, family learning, family service

Engage families more fully in the life and ministries of the church community.

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

The Impact of Congregational Culture

The Impact of Congregational CultureCongregational Life

& Ministries

Youth

Ministry

Congregational

Leadership

Family & Househol

d Faith

It is the culture of the whole church that is most influential in nurturing youth of vital Christian faith.

44 Faith Assets of Congregational Culture

Congregational Faith & Qualities

Youth Ministry Qualities

Family & Household

Faith Qualities

Congregational

Leadership Qualities

44 Faith Assets:Congregational Faith

1. Congregation’s Biblical Emphasis2. Congregation Teaches Core Christian

Concepts3. Congregation’s Moral Guidance4. Worship Services’ Positive Characteristics5. Congregation Promotes Service6. Congregation’s Mission Effectiveness

44 Faith Assets:Congregational Qualities1. Warm, Challenge Congregational

Climate2. Welcoming Atmosphere3. Satisfied with the Congregation4. Importance of this Church to Me5. Congregation’s Moral Guidance6. Congregation’s Social Interaction7. Congregation’s Openness to Change8. Members Experience Love and

Support

44 Faith Assets:Youth Ministry Qualities

What impact did involvement in youth ministry have on young people? 1. Deepen my relationship with Jesus2. Understand my Christian faith better3. Apply my faith to daily life4. Make serious life choices (future, relationships, values)5. Share my faithThese congregations are serious about making disciples of Jesus Christ.

Common YM Practices

44 Faith Assets:Family & Household Faith Qualities

Parental Faith Life & Practice

Family

Harmon

yParental Affection toward

Children

Parental Help with Problems

44 Faith AssetsFamily & Household Faith Qualities

Faith of the Parents…1. My faith helps me know right from wrong2. I have a sense of sharing in a great purpose3. I have had feelings of being in the presence

of God4. I have a sense of being saved in Christ5. I am spiritually moved by the beauty of God’s

creation6. God helps me decide what is right or wrong

behavior7. I have found a way of life that gives me

direction.

44 Faith AssetsFamily & Household Faith Qualities

Faith of the Parents…8. Religious faith is important in my life.9. My life is committed to Jesus Christ.10.My life is filled with meaning and purpose.11. I have a real sense that God is guiding me.

Each of the 11 items rate 7.30 or better

on a 9.0 scale.


Teens: How have your parents influenced your faith life?1. Values are focused on serving others and God.2. Positive influence on my religious faith3. Talk with me about my relationship with Jesus

Christ4. Attending Sunday worship5. Talked with my parent about religious faith6. Reading the Bible


One in four teens said their family sat down together and talked about God, the Bible, and other religious things on a weekly or daily basis.

40% of teens said they did this once or twice a month.

44 Faith Assets:Congregational Leadership

Pastors matter immensely in effective youth ministry and in very specific ways.1. Support for Christian education and youth

ministry (and involvement)2. Leadership effectiveness3. Communication skills4. Interpersonal characteristics5. Support for youth staff

44 Faith Assets:Congregational Leadership

6. Creates a healthy culture7. Spiritual Influence (devout faith,

exemplary life)8. Personal characteristics9. Good counselor10.Mission is to make disciples11.Preaches to make disciples

44 Faith Assets:Congregational LeadershipLeadership of the Youth Minister Positive Characteristics & Competence

(devout faith and exemplary life, good counselor, effective model for others, helps youth on their spiritual journey)

Leadership & Effectiveness (trusted and respected, recruits and trains leaders, supports leaders, good organizer, works with parents)

44 Faith Assets:Congregational LeadershipAdult Leaders in Youth Ministry People of Faith

o God consciousnesso Moral responsibilityo Centrality of faitho Theological competenceo Social responsibility

Relational Characteristicso Positive relationship with youtho Positive relationship with parents

Embracing Congregational Culture

Pay attention to the culture of the whole church

Recognize the power of the congregation’s theological commitments.

Nurture the power of faith, multi-generational Christian relationships.

Focus on discipleship. Engage parents and families in faith

practice at home and church.

Embracing Congregation Culture Apply common youth ministry practices

and approaches contextually. Cultivate faith-filled, competent, and

committed leadership.

Faith Formation for EveryoneA Lifelong Faith Formation Network

Features of a Lifelong Faith Formation Network1. A Lifelong Faith Formation

Network 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.

Features of a Lifelong Faith Formation Network2. A Lifelong Faith Formation Network

guides individuals and families in discerning their spiritual and religious needs and creating personal learning pathways—a seasonal or annual plan for faith growth and learning.

Features of a Lifelong Faith Formation Network3. Lifelong Faith Formation

Network incorporates informal learning, as well as formal learning in faith formation.

FORMAL LEARNINGclasses & workshops

speaker seriesonline courses

small group Bible study

self-studyBible study

social networkingfaith-sharing groups

INTENTIONAL UNEXPECTEDreading /watching a DVD

mentoringservice/mission activity

program at the library orlocal bookstore

internet surfingwatching a movie

TV showshopping at a homeimprovement store

INFORMAL LEARNING

Features of a Lifelong Faith Formation Network

Features of a Lifelong Faith Formation Network4. A Lifelong Faith Formation Network

utilizes a variety of faith formation models to address the diverse life tasks and situations, religious and spiritual needs, and interests of people: learning on your own at home in small groups in large groups in the congregation in the community and world


Network blends face-to-face, interactive faith formation programs and activities with virtual, online faith formation programs, activities, and resources. web-based technologies and digital

media provide 24x7 faith formation for all ages and generations, anytime and anywhere

Virtual & Physical Faith Formation

Face-to-Face Interactive

Transformative Experiences

Digital & Face-t0-Face

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

Approach #1 Begin with people’s participation in face-to-face learning

activities and extend the learning online. Sponsor a parish program on the Gospel of Matthew in

preparation for Cycle A (a family or intergenerational program, a 3-session adult program, a youth meeting, etc.)

Extend and deepen the learning with online resources weekly commentaries for each Sunday of Cycle A online Bible study program (independent or with a small

group) on the Gospel of Matthew a university course on the Gospel of Matthew on iTunes

U an online blog that allows people to post their reflections

on each Sunday’s reading and invites discussion online

Begin with people’s participation in online learning activities and invite them to in parish learning programs

Develop an online spiritual formation center (website) for your church using a variety of already existing resources: daily fixed hour prayer (liturgy of the hours) weekly and seasonal prayer resources links to prayer sites around the world an online retreat (A thirty-four week retreat for Everyday

Life from Creighton University online courses with spiritual guides like Thomas Merton,

Joyce Rupp, Henri Nouwen, Joan Chittister from SpiritualityandPractice.com

prayer center to pray for people in the community links to videos on prayer (YouTube) online blog for sharing prayer practices and experiences

Approach #2


Network incorporates communities of practice to connect individuals and groups throughout the congregation.

Network PlanPeople- Age Group

- Family -

Generation

Life Task, Religious

and Spiritual Need

Faith Formation Program, Activity or Resource

Faith Formation

Model- on your

own- at home

- small group- large group

- congregation- community and world

Dates and

Times

Location- physical/

facility- online/website

hopeful trends, best practices, & promising innovations

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