Planning Adult Faith Formation“Faith Formation for Every Adult”

John Roberto, LifelongFaith Associates

AFF Principles & Practices

1. Adult faith formation addresses the diverse life tasks and situations, spiritual and religious needs, and interests of adults in the church by offering a variety of content topics and learning activities out of which adults can develop their own personalized learning pathway.

Personalization

Customization

AFF Principles & Practices

Adult faith formation pays attention to what is going on in the lives of adults and listens to what adults are talking about.

Emerging Adults: 18-30 Young Adult Years: 30s – mid 40s Middle Adult Years: mid 40s – 50s Older Adult Years: 60s – mid 70s Mature Years: mid 70s – 90s

AFF Principles & Practices

For each stage of adulthood. . .

Life Issues

Life Tasks

Milestones and Life Transitions

Spiritual Needs

Religious Needs

Ethnic-Cultural Needs

Features of a Lifelong Faith Formation Network

Guide adults in discerning their spiritual and religious needs and creating personal learning pathways

Seasonal or annual plans for faith growth and learning

Discernment Tool & Process: United Methodist Church of the Resurrection, Leawood, KS

AFF Principles & Practices Adults are motivated to learn when facing life

transitions. They seek learning and support to cope with changes in their lives that give rise to new developmental tasks, e.g., raising children, aging parents, financial matters, job changes, divorce, etc.

Adults are motivated to learn when there is a gap between their present level of understanding, skill, performance and/or growth and the desired level or goal that they set for themselves or that their organization/ community expects of them.

AFF Principles & Practices Adults are motivated by appealing to personal

and spiritual growth and/or personal benefits. Adults are motivated to learn when they identify

they have a need to learn. Adults are motivated to learn when the benefits

of a learning experience outweigh their resistance.

AFF Principles & Practices Adults are motivated to learn when facing life

transitions. They seek learning and support to cope with changes in their lives Adults are motivated to participate in adult learning programs that are enjoyable and enriching.

Adults are motivated to learn when they have the opportunity to do something they could not do before.

AFF Principles & Practices Adults are motivated to learn by settings that

have a natural, interactive, communal feel. They want to be treated and seated as adults in the physical settings where they gather.

Adults are motivated to learn when programs are sensitive to their time constraints by keeping commitments short in terms of duration and offering choices of times for participation.

AFF Principles & Practices

3. Adult faith formation views learning as a lifelong process that involves both formal and informal learning, intentional or unexpected.

AFF Principles & PracticesFORMAL LEARNING

classes & workshopsspeaker seriesonline courses

small group Bible study

self-studyBible study

social networkingfaith-sharing groups

INTENTIONAL UNEXPECTEDreading /watching a DVD

mentoringservice/mission activity

program at the library orlocal bookstore

internet surfingwatching a movie

TV showshopping at a homeimprovement store

INFORMAL LEARNING

AFF Principles & Practices

4. Adult faith formation utilizes a variety of learning models to address the diverse life tasks and situations, religious and spiritual needs, and interests of adults; and incorporates both face-to-face, interactive learning activities and virtual, online learning activities.

AFF Principles & Practices

Learning on Your Own (through reading, online courses, audio and video programs, movies, television programs)

Learning in Small Groups (through Bible and theology study groups, social issues study groups, faith sharing groups, lectionary-based groups, service/mission action groups, support groups, special interest groups)

Learning in Large Groups (through courses, speaker series, workshops, film festivals, retreats, conferences, intergenerational programs)

AFF Principles & Practices

Learning in the Congregation (through Sunday worship, church year events and celebrations, service/mission activities, ministry and leadership in the church and community)

Learning in the Community and World (through programs/courses/clinics/ workshops/presentations at universities, retreat centers, YMCAs, libraries, bookstores, regional church programs; through engagement in community/political action, local and global service/justice organizations and projects)

AFF Principles & Practices

On Your Own reading mentoring / spiritual direction podcasts and audio learning video podcasts and video-based

learning online courses & online learning

centers parish web site

AFF Principles & Practices

Learning in Small Groups discipleship or faith sharing groups Lectionary or Bible study groups topical study groups practice-focused groups special interest groups ministry groups study-action/service groups spiritual formation / prayer groups

AFF Principles & Practices

Learning in Large Groups multi-session courses/workshops single-session program/workshop intergenerational programs speaker series round table discussions film festivals field trips retreats conferences service projects

AFF Principles & Practices

Creating a multi-dimensional platform for faith formation with face-to-face interaction/experience at the core leading to continuing learning and faith growth or virtual interaction leading to face-to-face interactions and experiences.

Approach #1 Begin with people’s participation in face-to-face learning

activities and extend the learning online. Sponsor a parish program on the Gospel of Matthew in

preparation for Cycle A (a family or intergenerational program, a 3-session adult program, a youth meeting, etc.)

Extend and deepen the learning with online resources weekly commentaries for each Sunday of Cycle A online Bible study program (independent or with a small

group) on the Gospel of Matthew university course on the Gospel of Matthew on iTunes U an online blog that allows people to post their reflections

on each Sunday’s reading and invites discussion online

Approach #2 Begin with people’s participation in online learning activities and

invite them to in parish learning programs Develop an online spiritual formation center (website) for your

church using a variety of already existing resources: daily fixed hour prayer (liturgy of the hours) weekly and seasonal prayer resources links to prayer sites around the world an online retreat (A thirty-four week retreat for Everyday Life

from Creighton University online courses with spiritual guides like Thomas Merton, Joyce

Rupp, Henri Nouwen, Joan Chittister from SpiritualityandPractice.com

prayer center to pray for people in the community links to videos on prayer (YouTube) online blog for sharing prayer practices and experiences

AFF Principles & Practices

Online Learning online learning courses and activities online small groups and reading groups faith formation resources spiritual formation / prayer social networking daily Bible study / prayer-of-the-day audio and video podcasts of sermons

and guest speakers, and links to other sources (iTunes)

e-newsletter

Summary of Features

Include a variety of content topics and learning activities in order to address addresses the diverse life tasks and situations, spiritual and religious needs, and interests of adults in the church.

Guide adults in developing their own personalized learning pathway.

Recognizes that the initiative for learning resides in the adult learner.

Summary of Features

Incorporate four types of learning: formal and informal, intentional and unexpected.

Utilize a variety of learning models: learning on your own, in small groups, in large groups, in the congregation, and in the community and world.

Provide learning activities in physical spaces (face-to-face) and virtual places (online).

AFF Design Process

AFF Design Process

Task 1. Form an Adult Faith Formation Task Force

Task 2. Prepare a Statement of Your Church’s Vision and Goals for Adult Faith Formation

Task 3. Develop an Inventory of Your Church’s Current Adult Faith Formation Programming

AFF Design Process

Task 4. Research the Life Issues and Learning Needs of Adults in Your Church

1. Research and Discussion

2. Focus Groups

3. A Profile of Life Issues and Learning Needs

AFF Design Process

• Face-to-Face• Virtual

1.On Your Own2.In Small Group3.In Large Group4.In Church5.In Community & World

AFF Design Process Task 5. Discover Faith Formation

Activities, Leaders, and Resources to Address the Important Life Issues and Learning Needs

1. People Resources

2. Physical, Face-to-Face Learning Activity Resources

3. Print and Media Learning Activity Resources

4. Online Learning Activity Resources

AFF Design Process

Task 6. Design and Implement Your Adult Faith Formation Learning Resources System Plan 1. Develop Timeframe2. Develop an Integrated AFF Activity

Plan

AFF Design Process

Integrated Adult Faith Formation Activity Plans

life issue or learning need variety of ways to learn:

differing levels of depth and commitmentvariety of learning models reflecting the

diversity of learning stylesonline and face-to-face learningtimes and locations convenient for adults

AFF PlanPeople

-Age Group Life Task,

Religious & Spiritual

Need

Faith Formation Program,

Activity or Resource

Faith Formation Model

- on your own- at home- small group- large group- congregation- community & world

Dates and

Times

Location- physical/ facility- online/ website

AFF Design Process

3. Balance

4. Leadership

5. Church Website

6. Program Guide

7. Spiritual/Learning Assessment

8. Marketing

9. Evaluate