1. Faith Formation in the New age of Mobile
By The Rev. Todd Sorensen
St. Gregory’s, Littleton
Please note the videos, accessed by clicking on the small video camera at the bottom of slides 5 and 25. I’ve also added two new resources to slide 42.
for me:

2. Faith Formation in the current age
The Challenges
Culture
Today’s technological age
Societal orientation
Opportunities
Reaching beyond the borders
Networks
First Steps

3. Eight Significant Driving trends in 21st Century Culture
Declining Number of Christians and Growing Number of People with No Religious Affiliation 
Increasing Number of People Becoming More “Spiritual” and Less “Religious” 
Declining Participation in Christian Churches
Increasing Diversity and Pluralism in American Society
Increasing Influence of Individualism on Christian Identity and Community Life
Changing Patterns of Marriage and Family Life
Declining Family Religious Socialization
Increasing Impact of Digital Media and Web Technologies

4. Society and Communication

5. The Old and New Societies

6. Missional Faith Formation
Receptive to Organized Religion
Scenario 4 Variable Commitment & Occasional Participation
Scenario 1 Vibrant Faith & Active Engagement
Scenario 3 Unaffiliated & Uninterested
Scenario 2 Spiritual but Not Religious
Low Hunger & Commitment to Spiritual Life
High Hunger & Commitment to Spiritual Life
Resistant to Organized Religion

8. Missional Faith Formation
Receptive to Organized Religion
Scenario 4 Variable Commitment & Occasional Participation
Scenario 1 Vibrant Faith & Active Engagement
Scenario 3 Unaffiliated & Uninterested
Scenario 2 Spiritual but Not Religious
Low Hunger & Commitment to Spiritual Life
High Hunger & Commitment to Spiritual Life
Resistant to Organized Religion

10. Reimagining faith formation
Lifelong & Lifewide Intergenerational & Generational Networked Missional Connected & Blended Personalized Curated

11. Networked Programming
A wide variety of diverse faith formation experiences, programs, activities, and resources to match with people’s diverse needs and tailored to their busy lives.
Learner centered vs. Provider centered (lecture)
Addresses spiritual journey over whole life span
Multiple ways to learn and grow
Online/virtual & Gathered/physical-- Connects individuals and groups throughout the congregation
Mobile - available anytime & anywhere.

12. Lifelong Faith Formation Network
Key Features of a Lifelong Faith Formation Network 
A Lifelong Faith Formation Network is a way to provide faith Formation for everyone, anytime, anywhere, 24x7x365. The Network approach to lifelong faith formation has six key features: 
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. 

13. Lifelong Faith Formation Network
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. 

14. Lifelong Faith Formation Network
A Lifelong Faith Formation Network incorporates informal learning, as well as formal learning in faith formation. 

15. Lifelong Faith Formation Network
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, and in the community and world.

16. Lifelong Faith Formation Network
A Lifelong Faith Formation Network blends face-to-face, interactive faith formation programs and activities with virtual, online faith formation programs, activities, and resources. 

17. Lifelong Faith Formation Network
A Lifelong Faith Formation Network incorporates communities of practice to connect individuals and groups throughout the congregation. 

18. Learning Network
The “Re-imaging Learning in the 21st Century” report from the MacArthur Foundation (Digital Media and Learning Network) identifies three key shifts that must occur if the educational system is to transform from the current 19th-century paradigm to a 21st century vision:
A shift from education to learning. Education is what institutions do, learning is what people do. Digital media enable learning anywhere, anytime; formal learning must be mobile and just in time.

19. Learning Network
A shift from consumption of information to participatory learning. A new system of learning must be peer-based and organized around learner’s interests, enabling them to create as well as consume information. It encourages learners to experiment and to create, produce and design things.

20. Learning Network
A shift from institutions to networks. In the digital age, the fundamental operating and delivery systems are networks, not institutions such as schools, which are a node on a person’s network of learning opportunities. People learn across institutions, so an entire learning network must be supported.

21. Faith Formation Network
Age Group Intergenerational Family
On Your Own & Small Groups
At Home
Large Group: Course, Workshop, Retreat
Church Life & Events
Community Programs, Events, & Activities
Online Activities & Resources

22. This is utilizing various means of connecting people
Network settings
This is utilizing various means of connecting people

23. Leraning dynamics

24. Families with Children Faith Formation Network
Intergenerational Experiences & Connections
Sunday Worship @ Home
Seasons of the Year
Family Life
Practicing Our Faith
Milestones
For Parents
Children’s Programs & Events

25. Not “Either/Or,” but “Both And”

26. Connected & Blended Faith Formation
Online Faith Formation
Mostly Online with Regular Interaction in Gathered Sessions
Online Faith Formation & Gathered Sessions (Flipped Classroom)
Gathered Program with Online Components beyond the Program
Gathered Program with Supportive Online Content

27. Faith Formation 2020 Opportunities
1. Faith Formation through the Life of the Whole Church (Scenarios 1 and 4)
2. Faith Formation using Digital Media and Web Technologies (All Scenarios)
3. Family Faith Formation (Scenarios 1, 2, and 4)
4. Intergenerational Faith Formation (Scenarios 1 and 4)
5. Generational Faith Formation (Scenarios 1, 2, and 4): Builder, Baby Boomer, Generation X, Millennial, iGeneration
6. Milestones Faith Formation (All Scenarios)
7. Faith Formation in Christian Practices (All Scenarios)
8. Transforming the World: Engagement in and Formation for Service and Mission (All Scenarios)
9. Spiritual Formation (All Scenarios)
10. Multi-Ethnic Faith Formation (All Scenarios)
11. Faith Formation for Spiritual Seekers (Scenario 2)
12. Apprenticeships in Discipleship (Scenarios 2 and 4)
13. Pathways to Vibrant Faith and Active Engagement (Scenario 2 and 4)
14. Faith Formation in Third Place Settings (Scenarios 2 and 3)
15. Empowering the Community to Share their Faith (Scenario 1)
16. Interfaith Education and Dialogue (Scenario 1)

28. Imagine the Possibilities…
Online faith formation centers where people of all ages and generations can find (and link to) high quality religious content and experiences— worship, prayer, spiritual practices, Bible study, Christian beliefs and traditions, rituals and milestones, music, and so much more.
AND IT’S ALL FREE!!!

29. Possibilities
A wide variety of online Bible and theology courses for individual and small group adult study selected from the best offerings on iTunes University and from college and seminary continuing education programs, cataloged with links to the courses on the church’ faith formation website, and made available to adults who want to study a particular course individual or as a small group, with opportunities via a blog or wiki or Facebook page for people to share their reflections and learn from each other.

30. Possibilities
A parent resource center with the best knowledge, practices, and tools for parenting in print, audio, and video; links to quality parent websites, and a parents blog and/or Facebook page to share their experiences and insights.

31. Possibilities, cont’d
Children’ faith formation that “flips the classroom” so that children are doing projects and activities with their parents at home and online (at a secure site, such as Edmodo, and then refocusing “class time” on practicing and applying, and presenting projects that demonstrate their learning.

32. possibilities
A confirmation program that is tailored to the young people’ spiritual journeys—with online and face-to-face activities—so that young people (with the help of a guide or mentor) can select the content and activities most appropriate to their religious and spiritual growth.

33. possibilities
Online Bible study with small groups of young adults who can connect virtually through a Google+ Hangout each week, and share their written reflections on their Bible study blog or on Facebook or Twitter.

34. possibilities
A virtual art class where people who love art can explore Christian artwork by studying art in the online museums of the world and meeting online and in-person to share their reflections.

35. AND IT’S ALL FREE!!! possibilities
A course for youth or adults on the history, tradition, and practices of world religions with guest speakers from around the country or world presenting live via a Google+ Hangout, or on using YouTube videos, and using the Patheos world religions website ( as a “ext” or study.
AND IT’S ALL FREE!!!

36. Creating a Lifelong Faith Formation Network
Visioning
Promoting
Assessing
Researching
Connecting
Discovering
Integrating
Designing

37. Pick one area of Faith Formation
Who are we addressing? (Scenarios, ages, etc)
What are we offering?
What are their spiritual needs?
Life issues, generational characteristics, milestones
What might a possible next step look like?

39. And…

40. Weebly.com

41. Curation

42. Key resources 21stcenturyfaithformation.com
faithformationlearningexchange.net
vibrantfaithathome.org
buildfaith.org
stickyfaith.org
intergenerationalfaith.com
lifelongfaith.com

43. Your Congregation in the year 2020
Dreaming the possibilities of what you could be doing, how would your congregation be doing faith formation in the year 2020?