BEYOND BELLS, WHISTLES, & WALLS Christian Formation Across the Lifespan

STATS, STATS, & MORE STATS … American Religious Identification Survey (ARIS) 2008  Identified as Christian:  1990 – 86%  2008 – 76%  Nones:  1990 – 8.2%  2008 – 15%  Challenge to Christianity not from other religions, but from rejection of all organized religion

Sign of lack of attachment to religion 27% do not expect a religious funeral at their death

STATS, STATS, & MORE STATS … U.S. Religious Landscape Survey (2008)  Most Americans:  Non-dogmatic approach to faith  Do not believe their religion is only way to salvation  Religion is very important, attend services regularly, pray daily  Close link between religious affiliation, beliefs and practices & social and political attitudes  Significant minority:  41% unaffiliated say “religion is somewhat important”  across most religious traditions see conflict between being devout person and living in modern society

“Many religions can lead to eternal life” Protestant Churches: 66%  Evangelical 57  Mainline 83  Historically black 59  Catholic 79

STATS, STATS, & MORE STATS …  Belief in God  92% believe in existence of God or universal spirit  70% absolutely certain God exists  Mainline churches: 97% (net) believe in God 62% God is personal 26% God is impersonal force 8% Don’t know  Belief in the Bible  63% it is the word of God  Belief in life after death – 74%

STATS, STATS, & MORE STATS …  Diversity of religious practices  54% attend services regularly (1-2/mo)  39% attend services weekly Evangelical 58% Roman Catholic 42% Protestant 34%  63% parents religious activities with children at home  60% parents send children to religious education  Sharing faith with others 36% - At least once/month 47% - Seldom/never

… AND MORE!  Religion, Moral Values, & Modern Society  78% believe there are absolute standards of right and wrong  52% rely primarily on practical experience & common sense for guidance re: right & wrong  62% reject idea religion causes more problems in society than it solves  Personal Satisfaction  59% very satisfied with life  Weekly worship attenders 65% very satisfied

Stephen Prothero (2002) Today religious illiteracy is at least as pervasive as cultural illiteracy, and certainly more dangerous …  10% teens can name all 5 major world religions 15% cannot name any  60% believe Bible holds all/most answers Only 50% adults can name one Gospel

Religious LITERACY … … the ability to understand and use the religious vocabulary, symbols, images, beliefs, practices, scriptures, heroes, themes, and stories that are used in American public life.

Religious IL LITERACY … makes it difficult for Americans to make sense of a world in which people kill and make peace in the name of Christ or Allah.

CHRISTIAN SMITH (NSYR – 2005) AMERICAN ADOLESCENTS:  Do not rebel vs. parents’ faith  Likely engage in congregation w/ quality programs  Moralistic Therapeutic Deism  God created & orders the world  God wants people to be good, nice & fair but not involved in world except when problems arise  Central goal of life: be happy & feel good about self  Good people go to heaven when they die

9/17/11 – FACT STUDY REPORT  Congregations less healthy than 10 years ago  Drops in financial health & attendance  Continuing high level of conflict (2 out of 3)  Aging membership  Decreasing spiritual vitality  Pockets of innovation and vitality  Interfaith involvement  Worship  Use of electronic technology  Programming & mission opportunities

MAINLINE to OLDLINE …  75 % Oldline congregations < 10% young adult  Aging congregations have reduced capacity for change  Median weekend worship attendance 130 to 108  One in four congregations < 50 in worship  Spiritual vitality down from 42.8% to 28.4%  Rises higher in theologically liberal congregations

W. Edwards Deming “Your system is perfectly designed to give you the results you’re getting.”

WHAT IF … Christianity’s primary delivery system, the local church, is perfectly designed to give us the results we’re getting?

CONGREGATIONS Are competing in a spiritual marketplace for individuals who define their relationship to the church in terms of their own issues and needs. (Osmer, 2008)

CREATIVE INNOVATION

CHARTER FOR LIFELONG FORMATION Lifelong Christian faith formation in The Episcopal Church is lifelong growth in the knowledge, service and love of God as followers of Christ and is informed by scripture, tradition and reason.

THROUGH THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH GOD INVITES

C.S. LEWIS “I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen, not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.”

THROUGH THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH GOD INSPIRES

JANE McGONIGAL GAMING CAN MAKE A BETTER WORLD /watch?v=dE1DuBesGY M

Four Attributes of a Disciple?

Goal of Christian Formation?

How will we know it works?

THROUGH THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH GOD TRANSFORMS

DEUTERONOMY 6:4-9 Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart. Recite them to your children and talk about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise. Bind them as a sign on your hand, fix them as an emblem on your forehead, and write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

SEE THROUGH THE EYES OF GOD?

IMAGE OF FORMATION?

OR THIS?

What really makes a disciple? FACEBOOK FORMATION

MYTHS OF SOCIAL MEDIA 1. Social media gives power to the people 2. Governments easily monitor & censor social media 3. Facebook and Twitter enabled the Arab Spring 4. Only young people use social media 5. Social media creates a global village

MATTHEW 28:16-20 Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. When they saw him, they worshipped him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’