Study guide Faith formation: What’s changed? C


By Robert C. Blezard


hristians of every age have faced the dual tasks of guiding adults deeper into discipleship and teaching young people the tradi- tions and teachings of the past. That responsibility is becoming harder as social trends lead people away from organized religion. And although omnipresent technology puts chal- lenges on people’s time, it also offers opportunities for education. Wise congregations are finding ways to develop new models for faith formation.


Exercise 1: Education or formation?


How would you define faith forma- tion? How is it distinct from Chris- tian education? How is it similar? Why must a good faith formation program contain elements of Chris- tian education? Why should Chris- tian education have faith formation as its goal?


How do faith formation and Christian education overlap in your congregation? How could this improve?


Exercise 2: Frustrations John Roberto, author of this month’s cover story, asserts that many con- gregations are frustrated in their attempts to keep Christian education relevant. Is yours?


Has your congregation’s Chris- tian education program grown,


Blezard is pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church, Arendtsville, Pa. He has a master of divinity degree from Boston University and did subsequent study at the Lutheran Seminary at Gettysburg (Pa.) and the Lutheran Seminary at Philadelphia.


shrunk or stayed the same in the last 20 years? What has your congregation tried in order to improve


it? What has your congrega- tion learned? What keeps you from embracing new models and paradigms?


Exercise 3: Information revolution


How do you personally learn or gather information these days? Rank each of the following methods in order of preference: reading printed material, reading online material, listening (live lecture, radio or pod- cast) or watching (lecture, video, television, streaming or podcast)? How would you have ranked the methods in your senior year of high school? What has changed? What kind of resources does your congregation use or encourage? Based on your answers, how would you improve faith forma- tion and Christian education in your congregation?


Exercise 4: Curating faith Explore the “curator” model Roberto suggests for faith leaders (page 25). How does it differ from your congre- gation’s current approach? What are the advantages? What are the limita- tions? What kind of technical and educational expertise would your congregation need to make it work? Do you have that expertise now?


Exercise 5: Spiritual, not religious More people say they are “spiri- tual but not religious.” What’s the difference? How does this affect the future of congregations? Your congregation?


How could your congrega- tion engage, interest and educate “spiritual but not religious” people


through its website and other elec- tronic media?


Exercise 6: Internet resources More and more people earn degrees online. Many non-students enrich their lives with free lectures and classes through college and univer- sity websites. If your class has savvy Internet users, distribute the follow- ing “homework” assignment among members: Explore the availability of free, readily accessible religious study resources, lectures, classes, webinars and the like through such places as iTunes University, iTunes, denominational websites, seminar- ies, foundations, church agencies, blogs, and colleges and universities. When members report back to the group, discuss: Which could be integrated into your congregation’s website or adopted by your Christian education/faith formation commit- tee? Which could be publicized for general use in your congregation’s newsletter or bulletin?


Make a report to your congre- gational council or the appropriate committee.


Exercise 7: Solutions for you In the article, Roberto lists creative ideas for Christian education and faith formation. Review each one and discuss: Would that work in your congregation? What would it take to make it work? Who would do it? How could you start? What technological barriers would have to be overcome? What cultural barriers would have to be handled? When you are finished, compile a report on the top five best options and give it to your congregation’s leaders.


This study guide is offered as one example of the more than 350 that are currently available on The Lutheran’s website. Download guides—free to print and Web subscribers—at www.thelutheran.org (click “study guides”).


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