1. Terri Martinson Elton, PhD
Confirmation Summit
Fall 2017
Terri Martinson Elton, PhD

2. Research Question
What is the state of confirmation and equivalent practices within five denominations that practice infant baptism?
Introduction

3. Research Question
How does confirmation and equivalent practices contribute to youth discipleship?
Introduction

4. Introduction Five Denominations:
African Methodist Episcopal, United Methodist Church, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Presbyterian Church (USA), and Episcopal Church.
Introduction

5. Research Design Mixed Methods Introduction Quantitative: Survey
Qualitative: Portraiture
Site visits: 18 congregations and 6 camps/conferences
Population Sample
, Online
Leaders (3,569), Parents (1,121), and students (2,087)
Introduction

6. Understanding of Confirmation
Maturing in faith (or faith that connects knowledge, belief, and action into a confirmand’s identity) is the most commonly expressed goal of confirmation.
Starting with at least some familiarity with the Christian story, Christian practices, and the church’s theology, this maturation happened as young people engaged in learning activities within a community of faith and concluded with young people making a personal commitment while participating in a public rite.
Introduction

7. Understanding of Confirmation
The theological understandings and practices of each denomination:
Influenced the language used to describe this goal,
Shaped their view of knowing (head, heart, hands),
Prioritized their methods
Influenced how they assess maturity
Some described the process and culminating rite as the moment where confirmands commit to be a lifelong follower of Jesus, for other it was the time when they became an adult member of a congregation, and for others it related to their ability to articulate the beliefs of the church.
Introduction

8. Understanding of Confirmation
The appropriate time to ask questions about faith.
Strengthen personal faith.
Learn more about God and faith.
Develop a personal view of faith.
Introduction

9. Reflections Introduction What is your reaction?
How can these findings guide us into the future?
What opportunities do they provide?
Some described the process and culminating rite as the moment where confirmands commit to be a lifelong follower of Jesus, for other it was the time when they became an adult member of a congregation, and for others it related to their ability to articulate the beliefs of the church.
Introduction

10. Size Matters

11. Typical ELCA Program Size Matters
Age - Begins at age 12 (50%) and confirmed at (77%)
Culminates in a public rite of confirmation
Lasts 2 years (25% last 3+ years)
Median class is 10 students (25% have less than 4)
Leadership - Clergy involved in nearly all. (Clergy only = 27%, Clergy adults = 25%, Parents leading = 54%. Training = 75%)
Average ratio of adult to students = 3.86
Size Matters

12. Typical ELCA Program Size Matters
Includes multiple methods of instruction
Group Discussion = 96%
Games = 70%
Catechism = 76%
Camp/retreat/service = 57%
camp and/or retreat = 43%
service project/trip = 33%
Center of program is regular class attendance
Worship attendance required (84%)
Size Matters

13. Size of ELCA Congregations
Size Matters

14. # Students in ELCA Programs
Size Matters

15. # Students in ELCA Programs
Program-driven
24%
51%
Relationally-driven
25%
Mix
Size Matters

16. ELCA Programs by size
- Largest congregations (350+) - less likely to require worship attendance.
Large congregations (151+) - tend to have more extra-class requirements (homework or volunteering)
Small congregations (0-150) — more likely to use denomination’s curriculum (62% vs 54%) and more likely to know all the students before hand. (76% vs 52%)
Size Matters

17. Attended worship Monthly or more before confirmation
ELCA Programs by size
0-150
351+
Attended worship Monthly or more before confirmation
88%
87%
83%
(Moderate or High)
86%
(High or Very High)
82%
67%
75%
(High or Very High)
35%
32%
(High or Very High)
55%
45%
41%
Practices = same across size.
Biggest difference in size = connection to congregation
Size Matters

18. Reflections Size Matters What is your reaction?
What is the impact of this reality?
What needs to be taken into account based on this information?
Some described the process and culminating rite as the moment where confirmands commit to be a lifelong follower of Jesus, for other it was the time when they became an adult member of a congregation, and for others it related to their ability to articulate the beliefs of the church.
Size Matters

19. Wonderings - small Size Matters
Leadership - usually led by solo pastors (full or part-time), with an aging population and few young people, small congregations often expect the pastor to be the primary confirmation leader.
Is this the best way for the pastor to spend their time?
Why should the pastor be the primary leader?
Who else can or should lead confirmation?
What are the implications of our decisions?
Model - the expected model of faith formation, with regular education classes and multi-year programming (the norm), may or may not fit small congregations.
Could sell congregations be released from models designed for different realities?
What assets do small congregations have that are not leveraged in this model?
What other models could be life-giving in their context?
Some described the process and culminating rite as the moment where confirmands commit to be a lifelong follower of Jesus, for other it was the time when they became an adult member of a congregation, and for others it related to their ability to articulate the beliefs of the church.
Size Matters

20. Wonderings - large Size Matters
Ministries do not look alike, except they over 50 young people.
They have broken out of existing models and discovered their own way.
Leadership - Staff-driven, they recruit and train other leaders.
What could large congregations teach others about training volunteer leaders?
Community - intentional about making relational connections and cultivating community.
What could others learn about their practices on cultivating community?
Purpose - Work hard at clarifying their purpose and values, as they also create scaffolding.
Is their process particular to their context, or could others join in the process?
Collaboration - How might large congregations work together?
What can they learn from and with other congregations?
How large congregations help the whole church discover new models for confirmation ministry?
Some described the process and culminating rite as the moment where confirmands commit to be a lifelong follower of Jesus, for other it was the time when they became an adult member of a congregation, and for others it related to their ability to articulate the beliefs of the church.
Size Matters

21. Wonderings - medium Size Matters
Congregations of this size have relational strength, knowing students prior to confirmation,
and a core group of students.
Would working with smaller congregations add relational energy or take away?
Model - With a group this size confirmation needs structure and leadership, but can also adapt or change.
How can leadership learn ways to adapt current models or imagine other models?
Resources - Have formal and informal ministries to partner with and know their limitations with financial/personnel resources.
Could additional partnerships help these congregations steward these resources?
What can be learned from congregations of this size?
What do middle size need to continue to be faithful to discipling young people in the years ahead?
Some described the process and culminating rite as the moment where confirmands commit to be a lifelong follower of Jesus, for other it was the time when they became an adult member of a congregation, and for others it related to their ability to articulate the beliefs of the church.
Size Matters

22. Wonderings Size Matters
Why do all congregations believe they have to be self-contained units?
How might the assets of each “size” be leveraged?
How might confirmation ministry be enhanced if we (the church) were open to reimagining this ministry?
Some described the process and culminating rite as the moment where confirmands commit to be a lifelong follower of Jesus, for other it was the time when they became an adult member of a congregation, and for others it related to their ability to articulate the beliefs of the church.
Size Matters

23. Contextualization Matters

24. Custom-designed Contextualization Matters
Custom-designed and contextually adaptive
confirmation cultivates learning environments
where Christian tradition and life experience intersect.
Starting with a belief that a life of faith makes a difference to individuals, communities of faith, and the world, confirmation ministries custom-designed learning environments that were meaningful for youth to explore their faith and impact their life. These ministries recognized God’s agency, appreciated church tradition, imagined new possibilities, and focused on discipling youth as they drew on available assets, addressed real challenges, and adapted to their context. Using creative pedagogical approaches and attuned to their context, the design of confirmation was overtly attentive to theology and relationships.
Contextualization
Matters

25. Custom-designed Contextualization Matters What are the elements?
Believe God will show up and it matters (give it attention and leadership).
Discern your purpose or congregational understanding.
Contextualization
Matters

26. Custom-designed Contextualization Matters What are the elements?
Believe God will show up and it matters (give it attention and leadership).
Discern your purpose or congregational understanding.
What would make it meaningful for young people (and their families and the congregation) today? What impact would you love to see and why?
What learning environments are needed/helpful to make that understanding come alive?
Contextualization
Matters

27. Custom-designed Contextualization Matters What are the elements?
Believe it matters (give it attention and leadership) and God will show up.
Discern your purpose or internal understanding.
What would make it meaningful for young people (and their families and the congregation) today? What impact would you love to see and why?
What learning environments are needed/helpful to make that understanding come alive?
Lives in the tension of appreciating church tradition AND imagining new possibilities.
What already exists that you can tap into?
What needs to be explored?
It’s all about relationships! Leadership/adults, peers, families, congregation, context.
Contextualization
Matters

28. Custom-designed Contextualization Matters What are the elements?
Believe God will show up and it matters (give it attention and leadership).
Discern your purpose or congregational understanding.
What would make it meaningful for young people (and their families and the congregation) today? What impact would you love to see and why?
What learning environments are needed/helpful to make that understanding come alive?
Lives in the tension of appreciating church tradition AND imagining new possibilities.
What already exists that you can tap into?
What needs to be explored?
It’s all about relationships! Leadership/adults, peers, families, congregation, context.
Contextualization
Matters

29. Your Turn Purpose - What is yours?
- Why does it matter in today’s day and age?
- The Confirmation Project’s, the ELCA’s and yours
Contextualization
Matters

30. Understanding of Confirmation
Confirmation provides an important opportunity for young people to encounter the gospel anew in ways that
strengthen their understanding of the faith,
deepen their experience of the Christian community, and
equip them to discern their calling to join in God’s mission to the world.
As congregations participate in confirmation ministry they bear witness to the redemptive love of God and the covenant of grace into which all Christians are baptized.
Some described the process and culminating rite as the moment where confirmands commit to be a lifelong follower of Jesus, for other it was the time when they became an adult member of a congregation, and for others it related to their ability to articulate the beliefs of the church.
Contextualization
Matters

31. Understanding of Confirmation
“Confirmation ministry is a pastoral and educational ministry of the church that helps the baptized through Word and Sacrament to identify more deeply with the Christian community and participate more fully in its mission.”
The Confirmation Ministry Task Force Report – adopted by the third biennial Churchwide Assembly of the ELCA on September 1, 1993.
Some described the process and culminating rite as the moment where confirmands commit to be a lifelong follower of Jesus, for other it was the time when they became an adult member of a congregation, and for others it related to their ability to articulate the beliefs of the church.
Contextualization
Matters

32. Your Turn Why does confirmation matter in your congregation?
What is the purpose of confirmation in your congregation?
Some described the process and culminating rite as the moment where confirmands commit to be a lifelong follower of Jesus, for other it was the time when they became an adult member of a congregation, and for others it related to their ability to articulate the beliefs of the church.
Contextualization
Matters

33. Your Turn Assets - - What assets are in your congregation?
- What assets are in your synod?
- What assets are in your community?
- What is missing?
Contextualization
Matters

34. Your Turn Resources - Contextualization Matters
- What theological resources do you have?
- What traditions does your denomination and congregation have?
- What Christian practices could you draw on?
- What congregational resources do you have?
- What community resources do you have?
Contextualization
Matters

35. Your Turn Challenges - Contextualization Matters
- What challenges exist inside your congregation?
- What challenges exist outside your congregation?
- Which challenges are obstacles that cannot be changed?
- What challenges could be opportunities?
Contextualization
Matters

36. Ecology Matters

37. Key Findings Ecology Matters One aspect of a larger Whole
There is a relationship between confirmation and the congregation. The congregation’s culture of discipleship impacts the vibrancy of confirmation (and vice versa).
Nurturing one impacts the other
Ultimately both need to be attended to and be the “radar” of leadership.
Ecology Matters

38. Key Findings Ecology Matters One aspect of a larger Whole
5 Factors had clear effects on the confirmation students’ overall faith in terms of believing, behaving, and belonging:
Faith in the Home – far and away the strongest factor
Youth Program/Youth Group attendance
Vacation Bible School attendance
Sunday worship attendance
Camp attendance
Ecology Matters

39. Key Findings Ecology Matters
Relationships are a significant dimension of the curriculum
What happens between and among youth and adults relationally is more important than any printed curriculum.
The web of relationship – among confirmands, among confirmands & adults, and among confirmands & the congregation – provides the necessary energy for making confirmation meaningful and having a long-term, lasting impact.
Ecology Matters

40. Key Findings MENTORS Ecology Matters
Relationships are a significant dimension of the curriculum
Programs are designed to be relational
Clear predictor of faith growth:
MENTORS
Ecology Matters

41. Wonderings Ecology Matters
If confirmation is one piece of a larger whole…
…what does this say about connecting youth with other adults?
…what does this say about connecting youth to the congregation?
…what does this say about connecting with the context?
…what does this say about connecting youth with the larger church?
…what does this say about the importance of discipleship for all people in the church?
Some described the process and culminating rite as the moment where confirmands commit to be a lifelong follower of Jesus, for other it was the time when they became an adult member of a congregation, and for others it related to their ability to articulate the beliefs of the church.
Ecology Matters

42. Ecology Matters

43. Practice Discipleship: Wonder about Confirmation curriculum and video
Third Tuesday Talk -
Coming -
Word & World Confirmation Edition - Spring 2018
Book - Eerdmans Fall 2018
Confirmation Summit - Princeton Seminary