beyond bells, whistles, & walls christian formation across the lifespan
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BEYOND BELLS, WHISTLES, & WALLS
Christian Formation Across the Lifespan
STATS, STATS, & MORE STATS …American Religious Identification Survey (ARIS) 2008 Identified as Christian:
1990 – 86% 2008 – 76%
Nones: 1990 – 8.2% 2008 – 15%
Challenge to Christianity not from other religions, but from rejection of all organized religion
Sign of lack of attachment to religion
27% do not expect a religious funeral at their death
STATS, STATS, & MORE STATS …U.S. Religious Landscape Survey (2008) Most Americans:
Non-dogmatic approach to faith Do not believe their religion is only way to salvation Religion is very important, attend services regularly,
pray daily Close link between religious affiliation, beliefs and
practices & social and political attitudes Significant minority:
41% unaffiliated say “religion is somewhat important” across most religious traditions see conflict between
being devout person and living in modern society
“Many religions can lead to eternal life”
Protestant Churches: 66%
Evangelical 57 Mainline 83 Historically black
59 Catholic 79
STATS, STATS, & MORE STATS … Belief in God
92% believe in existence of God or universal spirit
70% absolutely certain God exists Mainline churches: 97% (net) believe in God
62% God is personal 26% God is impersonal force 8% Don’t know
Belief in the Bible 63% it is the word of God
Belief in life after death – 74%
STATS, STATS, & MORE STATS … Diversity of religious practices
54% attend services regularly (1-2/mo) 39% attend services weekly
Evangelical 58% Roman Catholic 42% Protestant 34%
63% parents religious activities with children at home
60% parents send children to religious education Sharing faith with others
36% - At least once/month 47% - Seldom/never
… AND MORE!
Religion, Moral Values, & Modern Society 78% believe there are absolute standards of
right and wrong 52% rely primarily on practical experience &
common sense for guidance re: right & wrong 62% reject idea religion causes more
problems in society than it solves Personal Satisfaction
59% very satisfied with life Weekly worship attenders 65% very satisfied
Stephen Prothero (2002)
Today religious illiteracy is at least as pervasive as cultural illiteracy, and certainly more dangerous …
10% teens can name all 5 major world religions15% cannot name any
60% believe Bible holds all/most answersOnly 50% adults can name one Gospel
Religious LITERACY …
… the ability to understand and use the religious vocabulary, symbols, images, beliefs, practices, scriptures, heroes, themes, and stories that are used in American public life.
Religious ILLITERACY …
makes it difficult for Americans to make sense of a world in which people kill and make peace in the name of
Christ or Allah.
CHRISTIAN SMITH (NSYR – 2005)
AMERICAN ADOLESCENTS: Do not rebel vs. parents’ faith Likely engage in congregation w/ quality
programs Moralistic Therapeutic Deism
God created & orders the world God wants people to be good, nice & fair
but not involved in world except when problems arise
Central goal of life: be happy & feel good about self
Good people go to heaven when they die
9/17/11 – FACT STUDY REPORT Congregations less healthy than 10 years ago
Drops in financial health & attendance Continuing high level of conflict (2 out of 3) Aging membership Decreasing spiritual vitality
Pockets of innovation and vitality Interfaith involvement Worship Use of electronic technology Programming & mission opportunities
MAINLINE to OLDLINE …
75 % Oldline congregations < 10% young adult
Aging congregations have reduced capacity for change
Median weekend worship attendance 130 to 108
One in four congregations < 50 in worship
Spiritual vitality down from 42.8% to 28.4% Rises higher in theologically liberal
congregations
W. Edwards Deming
“Your system is perfectly
designed to give you the results you’re
getting.”
WHAT IF …
Christianity’s primary delivery
system, the local church, is
perfectly designed to give
us the results we’re getting?
CONGREGATIONS
Are competing in a spiritual marketplace for individuals who define their
relationship to the church in terms of their own issues and needs.
(Osmer, 2008)
CREATIVE INNOVATION
CHARTER FOR LIFELONG FORMATION
Lifelong Christian faith formation in
The Episcopal Church is lifelong
growth in the knowledge, service and love of God as followers of Christ and is informed by scripture, tradition
and reason.
THROUGH THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH
GOD
INVITES
C.S. LEWIS
“I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen,
not only because I see it, but because
by it I see everything
else.”
THROUGH THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH
GOD
INSPIRES
JANE McGONIGAL
GAMING CAN MAKE A BETTER WORLD
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dE1DuBesGYM
Four Attributes of a Disciple?
Goal of Christian Formation?
How will we know it works?
THROUGH THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH
GOD
TRANSFORMS
DEUTERONOMY 6:4-9
Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all
your might. Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart. Recite them to your children and talk about them
when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise. Bind them as a sign on your hand, fix them as an
emblem on your forehead, and write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
SEE THROUGH THE EYES OF GOD?
IMAGE OF FORMATION?
OR THIS?
What really makes a disciple?
FACEBOOK FORMATION
MYTHS OF SOCIAL MEDIA
1. Social media gives power to the people
2. Governments easily monitor & censor social media
3. Facebook and Twitter enabled the Arab Spring
4. Only young people use social media
5. Social media creates a global village
MATTHEW 28:16-20
Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them.
When they saw him, they worshipped him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them,
‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the
Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have
commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’
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