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

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

2. John RobertoVibrant Faith Leadership Teamjroberto@lifelongfaith.comwww.LifelongFaith.comSeasonsofAdultFaith.comFamiliesattheCenter.com www.VibrantFaith

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

7. A Diversity of Spiritual Religious Identities

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

11. Lifelong & Lifewide Family

12. #2. Faith Forming Dynamic 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 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 & ExperiencesProject-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 Life Stage

31. Part 2. Intergenerational

32. Part 3. Family

33. Part 4. missional

34. Part 5. Digital

35. Part 6. Lifelong