1. Reimagine Faith Formation for the 21st Century Vision & Practices (John Roberto)

2. John Roberto Vibrant Faith Leadership Team jroberto@lifelongfaith
John Roberto Vibrant Faith Leadership Team SeasonsofAdultFaith.com FamiliesattheCenter.com

3. Lifelong Faith Books

4. Topics Vision and Practices
Intergenerational Faith Formation for All Generations
Families at the Center of Faith Formation
Faith Formation across the Life Span
Missional Faith Formation
Digital Faith Formation

5. Part 1. Vision & practices

6. #1. A New Ecology of Faith Forming
Intergenerational
Family
Life Stage

7. A Diversity of Spiritual Religious Identities
Not Spiritual, Not Religious
Unaffiliateds
The Spiritual but Not Religious
Uninvolved
Faith & Engagement – one among many priorities
Occasionals
Faith & Engagement at the Center of Life
Actives

8. Decline in Religious Socialization & Practice

9. Intergenerational
Utilize intergenerational events in the faith community Connect the generations through all events and programs Infuse multiple generations into age group programs Create new intergenerational programs & experiences (learning, service, community life)

10. Family Family Life & Parent Formation Family Faith at Home
Family Engagement in the Intergenerational Faith Community
Family Life & Parent Formation

11. Lifelong & Lifewide Intergenerational Family Children Teens / Youth
Young Adults
Midlife Adults
Mature Adults
Older Adults
Family

12. #2. Faith Forming Dynamic
Belong
Behave
Believe
Believe
Behave
Belong
Post-Reformation Era
(The Catechism Era)

13. The Formation Dynamic
Relationships lead to craft, which leads to experiential belief. That is the path to becoming and being someone different. The path of transformation.
It is also the path found in the New Testament; the Way of Jesus the leads to God. Long ago, before the last half millennium, Christians understood that faith was a matter of community first, practices second, and belief as a result of the first two. Our immediate ancestors reversed the order. Now, it is up to us to restore the original order.
Diana Butler Bass
Christianity without Religion (HarperOne, 2012)

14. #3. Maturing in Faith: Toward What Ends Are We Working
Children
Youth
Young Adults
Midlife Adults
Mature Adults
Older Adults
Characteristics of
Mature Faith

15. Maturing in Faith
Focusing on the essential characteristics of lifelong growth in Christian faith and discipleship
Incorporating knowing and believing, relating and belonging, practicing and living.
Addressing each characteristic in developmentally-appropriate ways at each stage of life

16. Characteristics
Developing and sustaining a personal relationship and commitment to Jesus Christ
Living as a disciple of Jesus Christ and making the Christian faith a way of life
Reading and studying the Bible—its message, meaning, and application to life today
Learning the Christian story and foundational teachings of the Christian faith (Trinity, Jesus, creed, morality and ethics) and integrating its meaning into ones life
Praying—together and by ourselves, and seeking spiritual growth through spiritual disciplines

17. Characteristics
Living with moral integrity guided by Christian ethics and values
Living the Christian mission in the world—serving those in need, caring for God’s creation, and acting and advocating for justice and peace.
Worshipping God with the community at Sunday worship, ritual celebrations, and the seasons of the church year
Being actively engaged in the life, ministries, and activities of the faith community
Practicing faith in Jesus Christ by using one’s gifts and talents within the Christian community and in the world

18. #4. Personalize Faith Formation

19. Pathways of Faith Growth

20. Playlists of Content & Experiences Project-Centered Faith Formation

21. #5. Twenty-First Century Learning

22. 21st Century Learning Blended Learning Micro-Learning
Immersive Learning Environments
Multiple Ways of Learning
Multisensory Learning
Project-Based Learning
Collaborative Learning
Visual Learning
Practice-Oriented Learning
Storytelling

23. #6. Digital Transformation

24. The Print Era (1500s - )

25. Technological Revolution: The Multimedia Era (1960s - )

26. Technological Revolution: The Digital Era (2000+)

27. What is the Digital Transformation Making Possible?
Learning and faith formation are now mobile– anytime, anyplace, 24x7. People have the digital devices to stay connected and to access learning and faith formation on the go.
There is abundance of high quality digital content for faith formation–audio, video, print, websites, apps, online learning platforms, and more.
New digital media and learning methods mean that we can provide multiple ways to learn and grow—activities and experiences that reflect different learning styles and multiple intelligences.

28. What is the Digital Transformation Making Possible?
Digital media and online activities, especially videos, mean that we can develop content in smaller units (micro-learning) that better suit today’s learners who have shorter attention spans.
A faith formation website can serve as an online learning center, a portal to activities and resources, and a connecting point for people.
Online classrooms, like Edmodo, Schoology, and Google Classroom, provide safe spaces for young people, parents, and adult leaders to engage in faith forming experiences and interaction.

29. Digital Approaches in Faith Formation
Extend a church event or program
Design one event or program, offer it in multiple platforms
Prepare for and follow-up an an event or experience
Flip a gathered program
Integrate online and gathered
Create online only experiences
Use webinars, Facebook live, podcasts, etc. to deliver programming directly to people

30. Lifelong Faith Formation – It’s Possible
Whole Community
Worship Theme
- Readings - Sermon - Podcast
Weekly
Intergenerational
Gathering
Monthly
Children & Family Youth Adult
Through the month: - Learn - Pray - Live
Life Stage
Young Children & Families
Grade School Children & Families
Adolescents & Families
Young Adults
Midlife Adults
Mature Adults
Older Adults

31. Part 2. Intergenerational

32. Part 3. Family

33. Part 4. missional

34. Part 5. Digital

35. Part 6. Lifelong