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The Future of Faith FormationJohn Roberto
LifelongFaith Associates
www.lifelongfaith.com
Topics
1. Driving Forces Affecting Faith Formation Today
2. Envisioning Faith Formation through Four Scenarios
3. Applying the Four Scenarios to Faith Formation
4. The Emerging Role of the Faith Formation Curator
Focus
How can churches provide vibrant faith formation that addresses the spiritual and religious needs of all ages and generations now and into the future?
How can parishes envision the future of faith formation and design initiatives to respond proactively to the challenges and opportunities in the second decade of the 21st century?
www.faithformation2020.net
Driving Forces
Faith Formati
on
No Religious Affiliation
Spiritual, not
Religious
Declining Church
Participation
Increasing
Diversity &
PluralismChanging Marriage & Family
Life
Declining Religious Socializati
on
Retiring Baby
Boomers
The Rise of Digital Media &
the Internet
Four Scenarios
4 Scenarios
Scenarios are built around critical uncertainties about the external environment. That is, the stories are based on different outcomes of a few key uncertainties that are both most important to the future of faith formation in Christian churches and most uncertain in terms of future outcome.
4 Scenarios
1. Will trends in U.S. culture lead people to become more receptive to organized religion, and in particular Christianity or will trends lead people to become more resistant to organized religion and Christianity?
2. Will people’s hunger for and openness to God and the spiritual life increase over the next decade or will people’s hunger for and openness to God and the spiritual life decrease.
Two Critical Uncertainties
Faith Formation 2020 Matrix
Dominant Cultural Attitude toward Organized Religion
Receptive
Low High People’s Hunger for God and the Spiritual Life
Resistant
4 Scenarios for the Future
Scenario 4 Uncommitt
ed & Participati
ng
Scenario 1 Vibrant Faith & Active
Engagement
Scenario 3 Unaffiliate
d & Uninterest
ed
Scenario 2 Spiritual but Not
Religious
Applying the Scenarios
#1. A Network of Faith Formation
Shifting from. . .
“One Size Fits All” Curriculum & Programming
to A Network of Personalized & Customized Faith Formation Activities & Resources
focusing on addressing people’s spiritual and religious growth by offering a wide variety of
religious content and experiences
“Differentiated Faith Formation”
#1. A Network of Faith Formation
ConceptAddress 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.
#1. A Network of Faith Formation Utilize a variety of faith formation models to address the diverse life tasks and situations, religious and spiritual needs, and interests of people:
on your own at home in small groups in large groups in the congregation in the community and world
#1. A Network of Faith Formation
Activity
Activity
Activity
• 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
PHYSICAL SETTINGSInteractive
Transformative Experiences
#1. A Network of Faith Formation Move from a curriculum approach to a
network approach
Provide 24 x 7 x 365 faith formation for all ages and generations—anytime & anywhere
Integrate faith formation in physical settings—church, home, community—with virtual (online) faith formation—websites, learning programs, resource centers
Example: Preparing for a New Lectionary Cycle
Whole Church
Gathering
On Your Own (Online
Resources)
Small Group Course
(online & physical settings)
Family @Home (Online
Resources)
4-Week Lecture Series @Church (video online)Family
Program
Youth Program
Example: Extending Sunday Worship into Everyday Life
Share It
Blog/Forum
After Mass
In Programs
Family Conversation Activity
Live It
Living the Message Daily
Living Christian Practices
Service Ideas for the Week
Pray It
Weekly Table Prayer
Praying with the Saints
AM & PM Prayer
Sunday Worship
#2. Targeted Faith Formation
Scenario #4
+ family faith formation, especially young families
+ milestones faith formation+ pathways to deepen faith &
engagement
Scenario #1+ targeting Millennials+ targeting young families+ targeting Baby Boomers+ empowering people to
share their faith
Scenario #3+ Third Place settings+ community-based ministry,
e.g., service and mission+ events / concerts
Scenario #2+ Third Place settings+ targeting 20-30 year olds+ discipleship apprenticeships+ developing pathways to
deepen faith & engagement
Baptism
Mentors
4 Keys Activities for Home
Prayer, Rituals, Bible, Family Conversation, Service
Parent Faith Formation & Parenting Skills
Social Media, Workshops, Online Resources
Milestones
Baptism Anniversary, First Prayers, Start of School
Support Groups
Mom’s Group, Dad’s Group
Early Childhood Program
Family Gatherings
Quarterly Church Gatherings
Family Small Group Clusters
Example: Young Families
Example: Spiritual Seekers
Introduction Dinner: Is there more to life than this? Week 1: Who is Jesus? Week 2: Why did Jesus die? Week 3: How can we have faith? Week 4: Why and how do I pray? Week 5: Why and how should I read the Bible? Week 6: How does God guide us? Week 7: How can I resist evil? Week 8: Why & how should we tell others? Week 9: Does God heal today? Week 10: What about the Church? Weekend: Who is the Holy Spirit? What does the
Holy Spirit do? How can I be filled with the Holy Spirit? How can I make the most of the rest of my life?
Example: Spiritual Seekers
Example: Pathways
Our Lady of Soledad Catholic Parish Mini-Retreat 101: “Catholics Alive!”
“What does it mean to be a follower of Christ?” Mini-Retreat 201: “Alive and Growing
Spiritually!” maturing in the Catholic faith
Mini-Retreat 301: “Alive and Gifted!” discerning how to serve God in ministry
Mini-Retreat 401: “Alive in the World!” living as witnesses for Christ, as contagious Catholic
Christians Mini-Retreat 501: “Alive to Praise God!”
Catholic worship and the sacraments
Example: Pathways
1. Spirituality: What’s the Buzz?
2. Who is Jesus?3. Do We Need the
Spirit?4. Can I Accept God’s
Mercy?5. Can Mass Make My
Life Meaningful?6. The Church and Me
Design: Physical & Virtual Settings
Program
Online Resources
Correlated to Topics
Mentors
Blog for Reflections
Social Media for Connection
Online Prayer Partner
@Home – 4 Keys
Resources
The Emerging Role of the Faith Formation Curator
Faith Formation Curator
Shifting from providing religious content and programming to curating religious content and experiences for all ages
A content curator is someone who continually finds, groups, organizes, and shares the best and most relevant content on a specific subject to match the needs of a specific audience.
Faith Formation Curator
What would you curate?Congregational Programs &
ActivitiesCommunity Programs & ActivitiesPeople ResourcesPrint ResourcesAudio & Video ResourcesArt, Drama, and Music ResourcesOnline Content: Websites, Courses,
Blogs Apps & Digital Resources
The Process of Curation
Research
Aggregate &
Evaluate
Deliver
Communicate &
Connect
