John Roberto Vibrant Faith com www

Faith Formation for the Generations & Seasons of Adulthood John Roberto (jroberto@LifelongFaith.com)

John Roberto Vibrant Faith jroberto@lifelongfaith. com www
John Roberto Vibrant Faith SeasonsofAdultFaith.com FamiliesattheCenter.com WholeCommunityFaithFormation.weebly.com

Lifelong Faith Books

LifelongFaith.com – Presentations, Journal
ReimagineFaithFormation.com – Adults

Adult Faith Formation Innovation Lab
Adults Today Assessment Process Practices Presentation Develop a Congregational Plan Design New Projects Create a Timeline for Design and Implementation Preparation for Design Webinar

The Big Picture: Faith Forming Ecology
Digitally Enabled and Connected Digitally Enabled and Connected Faith Forming Ecology Inter-genera-tional Family Life Cycle Missional Digitally Enabled and Connected Digitally Enabled and Connected

Faith Forming Environments
Intergenerational Family Peers Children & Adolescents

Part 1. Seasons of Adulthood

Seasons of Adulthood Young Adults 20s-30s Midlife Adults 40s- mid 50s
Millennials Midlife Adults 40s- mid 50s Gen Xers Mature Adults mid 50s- mid 70s Baby Boomers Older Adults 75+ Builders

The Seasons of Adulthood
Life Issues Young Adults (20s-30s) Millennial Generation Midlife Adults (40s-mid 50s) Generation X Mature Adults (mid 50s–75) Baby Boom Generation Older Adults (75+) Building Generation Physical & Cognitive Changes Developmental Tasks Family Life Cycle Faith Development Spiritual-Religious Identities Generational Characteristics

Generations Relationship to Institutions Relationship to Authority
iGeneration (2000- Millennials ( ) Generation X ( ) Baby Boomers ( ) Builders (before 1946) Relationship to Institutions Relationship to Authority Family Relationships Work-Life Balance Communication Style Technology Usage Learning Style Spiritual Expression Worship Style

Spiritual Religious Identities
Not Spiritual, Not Religious Unaffiliated The Spiritual but Not Religious Uninvolved Faith & Engagement – one among many priorities Occasionals Faith & Engagement at the Center of Life Actives

Young Adults (20s-30s)

Young Adults Exploring identity: trying out various possibilities, especially in love and work, developing an individual sense of autonomy, and stabilizing a self-concept and body image “Tinkering”—putting together a life from the skills, ideas, and resources that are readily at hand Developing and maintaining intimate relationships with trust, love, and caring Transitioning from their family of origin toward establishing independence in living arrangement, finances, career, and other aspects of their lives

Young Adults Differentiating self without repudiating or replacing their family of origin—sorting out emotionally what they take from their family of origin, what they leave behind, and what they will create for themselves Developing a career and occupational identity and working to establish a work-life balance. Adjusting to the expectations and responsibilities of the “adult” world Committing to a marital partner, defining and learning the roles of married life Starting families and having children; establishing a new family with its own rules, roles, responsibilities, values, and traditions, and developing parenting roles and skills

Young Adult Faith (and beyond)
Individuative-Reflective faith: internal locus of authority predominates making sense of the particular narrative of their own experience engaging in critical reflection on (inherited) faith/beliefs (Does this work for me? What really matters?) questioning faith (tradition) and if the Christian faith has depth that holds up to questions expressing faith in their own way and seeking a community that embraces them; reinvent faith discovering vocation With young adulthood or beyond, one begins to critically reflect on the beliefs and values formed in previous stages. In this stage, persons begin to rely upon third person perspective-taking. This means constructing a perspective that is neither just that of the self or reliant upon others, but is somehow above them both—a transcendental ego, if you will. The third person perspective brings objectivity and enables us to understand the self and others as part of a social system. Here we begin to see the internalization of authority. This stage brings a new quality of responsibility for the self and for one's choices. It marks the assumption of the responsibility for making explicit choices of ideology and lifestyle. These open the way for more critically self-aware commitments in relationships and in vocation.

Midlife Adults (40s – mid 50s)

Midlife Adults Exploring how the self is adjusted in the context of committed family, work, and civic relationships and to the roles of parents, colleagues, leaders, team members, and more. Anchoring themselves in a particular way of life filled with commitments and relationships Engaging in family life and parenting children and adolescents (and sometimes young adults); working to allow for the increasing independence of adolescents while maintaining enough structure to foster continued family development Maintaining intimate relationships with other adults while developing the capacity for new kinds of relationships with those younger and older than themselves.

Midlife Adults Caring and guiding the next generation and often caring for the older generation Building extensive personal networks for themselves and their families—around their families, coworkers, churches, and other organizations, supplemented by digital social networks Reflecting on “What are we spending and being spent for? What commands and receives our best time and energy? What causes, dreams, goals, or institutions are pouring out our life for? To what or whom are we committed in life and in death? What are our most sacred hopes, our most compelling goals, and purposes in life?” Evaluating their lives at its midpoint.

Midlife Adult Faith (and beyond)
Many still in Synthetic Conventional and Individuative- Reflective faith styles Conjunctive Faith: embracing and integration of opposites or polarities authority of faith is internal renewed appreciation of the religious rituals and traditions of one’s faith of origin, and from other traditions coming into the fullness of one’s own unique personality and gifts; developing generativity and care growing ability to look beyond the pressures of the present moment toward an appreciation of the deeper meanings symbolized in religious traditions

Mature Adults (mid 50s – mid 70s)

Mature Adults Addressing the challenge of generativity (or its failure, stagnation)—establishing and guiding the next generation, striving to create or nurture things that will outlast them through caring for others, and making the world a better place Addressing the challenge of integrity—reflecting on the life they have lived and coming away with either a sense of fulfillment from a life well lived or a sense of regret and despair Experiencing physical changes and decline, coming to terms with the cognitive changes related to a changed perspective on time and a personal, existential awareness of death; seeking to stay physically and mentally fit Thinking about, planning for, and disengaging from their primary career occupations (retirement), launching second career, and developing new identities and ways to be productively engaged

Mature Adults Blending (part-time) work, volunteering and civic engagement, pursuit of new interests, travel, and their role as grandparent into a new lifestyle for the mature adult years Having adequate health care into later life Experiencing changes in the marital relationship now that parenting responsibilities are minimal, developing adult-to-adult relationships between grown children and their parents, becoming grandparents, realigning relationships to include in-laws and grandchildren, and caring for the older generation and dealing with disabilities and death.

Mature Adult Faith Moving to the very core of their faith tradition, while appreciating other religious traditions; seeking a self-reflective quest for individual wholeness, a search for depth and meaning, as well as guidance for living one’s life; recognizing that spirituality must be cultivated through sustained practice Seeking to be in service to others that can make a difference; doing things that give their lives purpose, meaning, and fulfillment Seeking spiritual growth in a time of significant life transitions and in a time when they are searching for meaning and purpose in life as they enter the second half of life; evaluating the things that really provide lasting fulfillment; connecting with others to talk about spiritual life Seeking intergenerational relationships to share their lives, stories, and faith across generations, be united with the faith community

Older Adults (75+)

Older Adults Remaining vital and actively engaged in the lives of their community, church, social network, and family well into their 80s and 90s Experiencing changes in their body and a decline in mental and physical ability, such as a loss of hearing or vision or dexterity Continuing to learn and process new information Addressing the challenge of integrity—reflecting on the life they have lived and coming away with either a sense of fulfillment from a life well lived or a sense of regret and despair. They are cultivating wisdom in which one’s perspective on the world and human relationships reflect an inner sense of liberation from the rules, roles, and rituals of the past.

Older Adults Taking on new roles as senior citizens and adjusting to the role of mentor and sage in their extended family Experiencing losses of friends and loved ones: death of a spouse, family members, and close friends Facing the growing and continuous challenge of maintaining their independence and desiring to stay in their own homes (“aging in place”) or coming to accept being cared for by their family and moving from their own home into other living arrangements (with their children or in senior living or assisted living situations) Becoming reconciled to their impending death and accepting their personal mortality; dealing with questions coming from the nearness of death: How do we want to die?

Older Adult Faith Growing into a deeper, more personal faith that is clearly their own and desire ways to continually enrich their faith life Developing integrity—finding life coherent and meaningful in one’s later years Finding faith in the face of failing healthy, death of loved ones, regrets, and financial insecurity Being engaged in the life of faith communities with a more traditional worship experience Valuing the Bible and the Christian tradition and desiring to continue their learning as Christians

Target an Audience What are the important life stage needs of your audience? What are the important religious-spiritual needs of your audience? What is going in in their lives to motivate them to participate in adult faith formation and engage in experiences that help them in grow in faith and discipleship?

Adult Motivation Facing life transitions: learning and support to cope with changes in their lives, e.g., raising children, aging parents, financial matters, job changes, divorce Addressing life-stage needs Experiencing a gap between their present level of understanding, skill, performance and/or growth and their desired level or goal Appealing to personal and spiritual growth Providing personal benefits; making a difference in other’s lives Enriching and enjoyable experiences Learning something new or that could not be done before Being together with other people – community and belonging Fitting into busy lives – short duration, multiple times and ways to participate

Research the Needs of Adults
Surveys Focus Groups Interviews Research Reviews Sample Themes – Mature Adults Dealing with retirement Making life plans, finances, health Becoming a grandparent Making a difference in the community and world Incorporating family changes and transitions New ways of living and relating as a married couple Caring for aging parents Taking time to read the Bible and learn more about my faith Growing spiritually and exploring spirituality for the 2nd half of life Connecting with people my age; talking about things that matter to us Dealing with loss

Part 2. Maturing in Faith Life stage faith formation addresses the unique life tasks, needs, interests, and spiritual journeys of people at each stage of life.

(The Charter for Lifelong Christian Formation)
Maturing in Faith Christian faith formation is a lifelong journey with Christ, in Christ, and to Christ. Lifelong Christian faith formation is lifelong growth in the knowledge, service and love of God as followers of Christ and is informed by scripture, tradition and reason. (The Charter for Lifelong Christian Formation)

(United Church of Christ, “Foundations, Findings, and Futures,” 2012)
Maturing in Faith Every person is well-equipped to be growing in faith, be theologically conversant, and be active in the global mission of the church. Faith Formation can then be understood and defined as “an engaged process of learning and practice integrated throughout all aspects of congregational and daily life.” (United Church of Christ, “Foundations, Findings, and Futures,” 2012)

Maturing in Faith The definitive aim of catechesis is to put people not only in touch, but also in communion and intimacy, with Jesus Christ. Starting with the "initial” conversion of a person to the Lord, moved by the Holy Spirit through the primary proclamation of the Gospel, catechesis seeks to solidify and mature this first adherence. It proposes to help those who have just converted "to know better this Jesus to whom he has entrusted himself: to know his 'mystery', the kingdom of God proclaimed by him, the requirements and comments contained in his Gospel message, and the paths that he has laid down for anyone who wishes to follow him.” (Roman Catholic, General Directory for Catechesis, 80)

Maturing in Faith A way of the head (inform) demands a discipleship of faith seeking understanding and belief with personal conviction, sustained by study, reflecting, discerning and deciding, all toward spiritual wisdom for life. A way of the heart (form) demands a discipleship of right relationships and right desires, community building, hospitality and inclusion, trust in God’s love, and prayer and worship. A way of the hands (transform) demands a discipleship of love, justice, peace-making, simplicity, integrity, healing, and repentance. (Thomas Groome)

Focus on Maturing in Faith: Toward What Ends Are We Working
Children Youth Young Adults Midlife Adults Mature Adults Older Adults

Focus on Maturing in Faith Search Institute, 1988
Trusting and believing Seeking spiritual growth Integrating faith and life Holding life-affirming values Experiencing the fruits of faith Nurturing faith in community Advocating for social change Acting and serving

Focus on Maturing in Faith
Sustaining a personal relationship with Jesus Christ supported through regular prayer, faith sharing and Bible reading. Making the Christian faith a way of life by integrating their beliefs into the conversation, decisions, and actions of daily life. Possessing a vital faith and being aware of God present and active in their own life, the lives of others, and the life of the world.

Seeking spiritual growth by actively pursuing questions of faith, learning what it means to believe in God, and what it’s like to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. Living a life of service by caring for others, reaching out those in need, and addressing injustice in the world. Sharing the Good News through words and actions, through Christian stewardship and working for peace, justice and human dignity.

Participating fully, consciously, actively and regularly in the ritual and worship life of the faith community. Articulating the fundamental teachings of the Christian faith and demonstrating a commitment to learning and growing in this faith. Exercising moral responsibility by applying Christian ethics, virtues, principles, values, and social teaching to moral decision-making, life situations, and in interactions with the larger culture.

Practicing faith in Jesus Christ, privately and publicly, through participation in the congregation’s worship, ministries, and leadership. Discerning and using their gifts to actively belong to and participate in the life and mission of the Christian community. Exploring God’s call to vocation through prayer, reflection, and discernment. Possessing a positive spirit with loving and hopeful attitudes toward others and life, convinced that they can make the world a better place.

Maturing in Faith We need to focus faith formation on the essential characteristics of lifelong growth in Christian faith and discipleship. These characteristics would incorporate knowing and believing, relating and belonging, practicing and living. With a lifelong vision of maturing faith we could address each characteristic in developmentally-appropriate ways at each stage of life.

Maturing in Faith For example: if “sustaining a personal relationship with Jesus Christ supported through regular prayer, faith sharing and Bible reading” was one of these faith maturing characteristics, the task of faith formation would be to ask how we can accomplish this with children, youth, young adults, midlife adults, mature adults, and older adults. In this approach we would build our “curriculum” around the people and the faith maturing characteristics.

Multiple Ways to Foster Maturing in Faith
@ Church @ Home Activities Resources Programs Online

Part 3. A 21st Approach to Learning
A shift from education to learning anywhere, anytime. A shift from consumption of information to participatory learning. A shift from institutions to networks.

21st Century Learning Characteristics
Personalized Individualized Immersive learning environments Interactive Engaged Participatory Experiential Visual and multimedia Multi-Sensory Abundant content, on demand Episodic experiences Micro-learning Practice-Performance-Feedback Seamless Learning across multiple platforms Production-centered

Transforming Our Approach
Providing an abundance of content & experiences developed around the needs and lives of adults available on demand, 24x7 Using multiple environments: independent, mentored, at home/daily life, small group, large group, church-wide, and in the world Building a digital platform that integrates all faith formation content and experiences seamlessly Using digitally-connected strategies to enhance and expand all faith formation programming Designing episodic engagements and micro-learning experiences Creating personalized pathways for adult faith formation

Part 4. Personalized Faith Pathways

Personalizing Faith Formation
We need to tailor faith formation to the individual journeys of adults in order to address their increasing spiritual and religious diversity and life stage needs. One of the latest educational innovations is personalized learning, i.e., tailoring the educational environment—the what, when, how and where people learn—to address the individual needs and interests of each person. To personalize faith formation we need to create “faith growth pathways” that use the faith maturing characteristics and, with the help of a mentor or small group, guide people in discerning their faith growth needs.

Personalized pathways for discipleship & faith growth Guide people in discerning their religious and spiritual needs Equip people with the resources and tools to learn and grow at their own pace Provide mentoring and support for the journey

Spiritual Religious Identities
Not Spiritual, Not Religious Unaffiliated The Spiritual but Not Religious Uninvolved Faith & Engagement – one among many priorities Occasionals Faith & Engagement at the Center of Life Actives

For example, if we took the characteristic “seeking spiritual growth by actively pursuing questions of faith, learning what it means to believe in God, and what it’s like to be a disciple of Jesus Christ” we could provide a tool that helps them discover their faith growth needs using a continuum from “exploring” to “getting started” to “making progress” to “going deeper” with short illustrations for each one. In this approach we would then develop a personalized faith growth plan—or what educators are now calling “playlists”—of content (print, audio, video, online) and direct experiences to address their needs.

Personalized Pathways of Faith Growth
Vibrant Variety of Experiences & Activities Occasional Uninvolved Unaffiliated

1. Assessing Learning Needs & Competencies 2. Working with a Mentor to Develop a Plan 3. Finding Programs and Resources 4. Engaging in Learning 5. Sharing with the Others 6. Reflecting on Growth and Identifying New Needs

Part 5. Playlists for Learning

Learning Playlists A learning playlist is a curated group of digital and local learning experiences and resources (e.g. videos, websites, books, games, articles, etc.). A playlist weaves together these learning experiences into a sequenced pathway centered on a common theme. Playlists broaden opportunities to engage in cohesive, interest-driven connected learning experiences that combine a variety of ways to learning: peer settings, family settings, intergenerational settings, community/world settings, and online settings. Playlists create a rich network of experiences for learners.

National Film Board of Canada

Playlists

Adult Faith Formation Network

Adult Faith Formation Network
Seasons of the Year Service Spiritual Life Sunday Worship Adult Living Discovering Faith Faith Enrichment Scripture

Playlists of Content & Experiences

Whole Community Network

Playlists of Content & Experiences
Learn Pray Read, Listen, Watch Live

Playlist Format Faith Maturing Characteristic: Faith Pathway Exploring
Getting Started Making Progress Going Deeper Goals for Playlist Plan of Faith Forming Experiences Content Settings Methods Peers/Mentors/Guides Demonstration of Growth

Playlist Plan: Activities
Getting Started Making Progress Going Deeper

Faith Forming Processes
GROWTH IN FAITH Caring Relationships Rituals & Milestones Church Year Seasons Learning the Tradition Praying Spiritual Formation Reading the Bible Serving Working for Justice Caring for Creation Worshipping

Integrating Adult Faith Formation
Process Young Adult Midlife Adult Mature Adult Older Adult Caring Relationships Church Year Feasts & Seasons Learning the Tradition Prayer & Spiritual Formation Reading the Bible Rituals & Milestones Service & Working for Justice Worship Missional Life Issues

Plan a Season Fall Season: September 1 – January 1 Winter/Spring Season: January 1 – May 1 Summer Season: May 1 – September 1 Fall Winter-Spring Summer

Develop a Seasonal Plan & Calendar
Content Area (examples) Programming & Dates Month 1 Month 2 Month 3 Month 4 Scripture Enrichment Faith Enrichment Spiritual Enrichment Service & Mission Life Issues

Part 6. Digitally Enabled & Digitally Connected Faith Formation

Church Event or Program
Extend the Event Church Event or Program At Home & Daily Life

Sunday Worship Learning Praying Reading the Bible: Daily Readings
Living

One Event/ Program, Multiple Formats
Gathered Small Group Independent Online Website Digital Content to Extend & Provide New Ways to Experience Social Media Interaction Connection Communication Demonstration Event/Program

Build on an Event/Experience
Preparing What types of experiences, programming, activities, and resources will you develop to prepare people for the event? Experiencing How will you design the event? How will you engage age groups, families, and the faith community? Living How will you sustain/extend the event? What types of experiences, programs, activities, and resources will you offer people?

Flip the Model @ Home / Daily Life @ The Program
Exploring the Content - print, audio, video, activities @ The Program Applying the Content: Create – Practice - Perform - Participate

Christian Initiation & New Member Formation

Flip the Model

Flip Christian Initiation

Integrate Online and Gathered

Online 40-Day Lent Curriculum
Church  Daily & Home  Online Ash Wednesday Lenten Sunday liturgies Stations of the Cross Lenten prayer Lenten retreat Lenten service Lenten soup suppers Fasting Praying Service/Almsgiving Lectionary reflection Family Lenten activities Lenten learning resources Lenten calendar Daily Lenten prayer Weekly table prayer Video resources Online retreat experience

Online Prayer

Online Pastoral Care

Online Learning

Transforming Our Role Current Roles Emerging Roles
Balancing Both Roles | | Current Roles Emerging Roles Developing religious content Designing programming Managing programming Teaching/Facilitating programming Designing faith forming environments—architecture Designing Digital Platforms for faith forming content Curating religious content and experiences

New Leadership Roles We are becoming learning architects who design and/or identify environments which can become settings for faith formation, e.g., homes, workplaces, coffee shops, online communities, and more. We can design content and experiences to “deliver” to that setting. We are becoming designers of digital platforms (websites, social media) where people can connect with each other, access content, engage in learning activities, and more. These platforms provide 24x7 faith formation. We are becoming curators of religious content and experiences. When there is an abundance of content, our role shifts from creator to curator. Curators are engaged in finding and identifying high quality content in all formats, matching it with the needs of people, providing the content on a digital platform (and often in gathered settings), and engaging people with the content.

Curating Faith Formation

What is Content Curation (Beth Kanter)
Content curation is the process of sorting through the vast amounts of content on the web and presenting it in a meaningful and organized way around a specific theme. The work involves sifting, sorting, arranging, and publishing information. A content curator picks the best content that is important and relevant to share with their community. It isn’t unlike what a museum curator does to produce an exhibition: They identify the theme, they provide the context, they decide which paintings to hang on the wall, how they should be annotated, and how they should be displayed for the public.

Curating Religious Content
Research & Organize Resources Identify Potential Resources for Programming Evaluate Resources Select & Connect Resources to programming

Develop Trusted Sources
Blogs Newsletters Websites Denominations Curated Websites Religious Organizations 6-8 “Expert” Resource People

Develop a Research Checklist
People: teachers, mentors/guides, guest presenters Community programs: churches, agencies, organizations, Educational institutions: colleges, seminaries Retreat and spiritual life centers, monasteries Denominational programs, events, websites Museums Books (with study guides) & E-books Apps Audio podcasts & audio learning programs Videos & video learning programs Online courses & online activities Television shows Organizational websites Resource center websites

Develop Evaluation Criteria
Biblical content and interpretation Theological content and emphasis Developmental appropriateness Ethnic-Cultural appropriateness Inclusive of diversity Respect for diverse ways of learning Appearance and visual appeal Ease-of-Use Quality of Experience Applicable: Able to be incorporated into daily and home life

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