+
A Faith Forming Congregational Culture
for the 21st CenturyVibrant Faith University - Course #1
+New Ways of Thinking
Systemic: A New Faith Forming Ecosystem
Holistic Lifelong Faith Growth Network Approach to Learning &
Faith Formation Online & Digitally Enabled
+A New Faith Forming Ecosystem
Intergenerational Faith Community
Age Group/Generatio
nal Faith Formation
Family Faith Formation
Missional Faith Formation
Online & Digitally-Enabled Faith Formation
+
GROWTH IN FAITH
Caring Relationships
Rituals & Milestones
Church Year Seasons
Learning the Tradition
PrayingSpiritual
FormationReading the
Bible
Serving Working for
Justice Caring for Creation
Worshipping
Holistic Faith Formation
+
Presentation #2: Faith Formation Networks
Presenter: John Roberto
+
Part 1Faith Formation in a Networked, Connected World
+
1. Internet Revolution2. Mobile Revolution3. Social Media Revolution
Information is now. . . Portable Personal Participatory
The Triple Revolution
+ Resources for Design
Websitewww.ReimageFaithFormation.com
BookChapter 3
A shift from education to learning anywhere, anytime.A shift from consumption of information to participatory learning.
A shift from institutions to networks.
+ A Network Approach to Learning
Bible
Course
Online course
Bible study group
Book
Video Program
Audio book/podcast
Mentor
Bible app
Organize a study group
+ Faith Formation NetworksWhat if we reimagined faith formation as a network of relationships, content, experiences, and resources?
. . . . Offering a wide variety of engaging and interactive content and experiences in online and physical settings.
. . . . Offering content and experiences to respond to the diverse religious and spiritual needs of adults today—from the spiritually committed and engaged to the spiritual but not religious and the unaffiliated.
. . . . Enabling congregations to become centers for learning and faith growth
+ Faith Formation Networks
Variety of content, methods, formats, and delivery systems to address the diverse life tasks and situations, needs and interests, and spiritual and faith journeys of adults in four seasons of adulthood.
Multiple environments to address people’s busy lives and provide more ways to participate: self-directed, mentored, at home, in small groups, in large groups, church-wide, in the community, and in the world
+ Faith Formation Networks
Digitally-Enabled Blending gathered community settings with online learning environments and utilizing the abundance of digital media and tools for learning and faith formation
+
GROWTH IN FAITH
Caring Relationships
Rituals & Milestones
Church Year Seasons
Learning the Tradition
PrayingSpiritual
FormationReading the
Bible
Serving Working for
Justice Caring for Creation
Worshipping
Faith Forming Processes
+ Faith Formation Networks1. Caring Relationships2. Celebrating the Seasons3. Celebrating Rituals &
Milestones4. Learning the Christian
Tradition5. Praying & Spiritual
Formation6. Reading the Bible7. Serving, Working for
Justice, & Caring for Creation
8. Worshipping God9. Life Stage Issues10. Missional
Faith Communi
ty
Content
Area Content
Area
Content
AreaContent
Area
Content
Area
Content
Area
+
Adult Faith
Formation Network
Sunday Worship
Liturgical Seasons
Scripture Enrichment
Spiritual Enrichment
Faith Enrichment
Service & Mission
Life Issues & Milestones
Grand-parents
Discovering Faith
+Sample Themes –Adults
1. Dealing with retirement2. Making life plans, finances, health 3. Becoming a grandparent4. Making a difference in the community and world5. Incorporating family changes and transitions6. New ways of living and relating as a married couple7. Caring for aging parents8. Taking time to read the Bible and learn more about my faith 9. Growing spiritually and exploring spirituality for the 2nd half of life10. Connecting with people my age; talking about things that matter to
us11. Dealing with loss
+Adult Faith Formation Website
+
Content Area
Activity 1Resource
Resource
Activity 2Resource
Resource
Activity 3Resource
Resource
Programming on the NetworkFaith Formation Playlists
+ Faith Formation PlaylistsVariety of Environments: Self-directed, mentored, at home, in small groups, in large groups, church-wide, in the community, and in the world.
Variety of Ways to Learn
+ Faith Formation Playlists
Digitally-Enabled
+
Spiritual Enrichment
Online Courses Resource
Apps & E-newsletters Resource
Online Prayer & Spirituality Resources
Small Group Bible Study Resources
Retreats Resource
Day at the Monastery Resource
Spiritual Book of the
MonthResource
Spiritual Practices
SeriesResource
Faith Formation Playlists
+ Adult Faith Formation Playlists
Playlists are thematic learning plans that integrate a variety of ways to learn, multiple learning environments, and online and physical spaces—from which people can create their own faith formation plan.
Example: Spiritual Enrichment for AdultsTheme: “Spiritual Practices”
1. Spiritual Practices Course (5 sessions at church)2. Spirituality Over 50 Book Group (variety of times & places)3. Online Daily Devotion Resources4. Online Prayer Practices Resources 5. Online Course or Retreat with a Spiritual Master 6. Online Retreat
Family Faith Formation Network
Sunday Worship @ Home Seasons
of the Year
Praying & Growing Spirituall
y
Reading the Bible
Learning the Faith
Celebrating Rituals &
Milestones
Serving
Growing as a
Family
For Parents
Children’s Programs
+ Family Faith Formation Website
+ Family Faith Formation Playlists
Playlists are thematic learning plans that integrate a variety of ways to learn, multiple learning environments, and online and physical spaces—from which people can create their own plan.
Example: Just for ParentsThe "Just for Parents" programming offers a variety of ways for you to enhance and enrich your knowledge and skills: 1. "First Wednesdays" Webinar Series - without leaving your
home!2. Learn More About Your Children 3. Book Groups: The Secrets of Happy Families by Bruce Feiler4. Online Video: "Parenting for the Long Haul"
+ Three Seasons of Programming
Fall Season: Sept 1 – Jan 1
Winter/Spring Season: Jan 1 – May 1
Summer Season: May 1 – Sept 1
FallWinter-SpringSummer
+ Online & Digitally Enabled Strategies
+Gathered using Online Content
A gathered program using online content from websites, videos from YouTube or other video sites, and blogs and other social media. With an abundance of high quality digital content, this first option is the easiest way to bring the digital world into a gathered program.
+Gathered with Online Content
Connecting church programs or events with online content that extends and deepens the experience through learning, prayer, ritual, action, etc. Sunday worship & church year feasts and seasons Intergenerational & family programs Children, youth, and adult classes & programs Extended programs: mission trips, retreat
experiences, and vacation Bible school, summer camp
+
Church Event or Program
At Home & Daily Life
Gathered with Online Content
+Gathered with Online Content
Event or Progra
m
TALKConversation Activities
LEARNReadListenWatch
ACTPracticesServiceProjects
PRAYDevotions
Bible Reading
Daily Prayer
SHARE Blog
FacebookVideo
Projects
+Example: Sunday Worship
Church Life Daily & Home Life Online LifeExperience of Worship in the Congregation• Sunday worship
and lectionary• Church year
feasts and seasons
• Church rituals: baptism, communion, funerals, etc.
Experience of Sunday worship, rituals, and church year seasons in daily life • Reflecting on the
sermon and readings at home
• Practices: Lectio, etc.
• Application to daily living
Online worship, church year, and lectionary resources on the church’s faith formation website• Lectionary
commentaries online
• Video reflections and commentary
• Online activities and projects
+Sunday Worship
Tri-Saints Lutheran Church, NE
+Preschool Faith Formation @ Home
First ChurchSimsbury, CT
+Online and Gathered
“Flip the classroom or program” by creating a digital platform to provide the content that people would learn in the gathered setting in an online learning space using print, audio, video, and more. And then transform the gathered program using interactive activities, discussion, project-based learning, and practice and demonstration.
Flip children’s programming: At home learning with parents (print, video, online); in-class application with activities, project-centered learning
Flip confirmation programming Develop a online justice and service center
+Online and Gathered
+Online and Gathered
+Online and Gathered
+Mostly OnlineUtilizing the digital platform as the primary learning setting and providing opportunities for interaction in gathered settings. Parent webinar programs delivered to parents at home in
four-month semesters: three webinars + a parent gathering; three more webinars + a parent gathering.
Online learning resources for self-study or small group study, and gathering at the conclusion to share their insights.
Online Bible study where groups can meet regularly in a physical setting or virtually through Skype or a Google+ Hangout.
Selected online courses and activities from colleges, seminaries, and religious organization for individualized learning with the option for a mentor or small group gathering.
+Fully Online
The rise of high quality and easily accessible online religious content—courses, activities, print and e-books, audio and video programs, and content-rich websites—has made designing online faith formation feasible. Online Bible and theology courses, video programs,
webinars for individual study Online prayer and spirituality center where people can
access daily prayer reflections and devotions, offer prayer intentions, pray for others, learn about spiritual practices, download prayer activities for the home
Online parent resource center Online retreat experience
+Example: 40-Day Lent Curriculum
Church Life Daily & Home Life Online Life• 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 activities
• Lenten learning resources
• Lenten calendar
• Daily Lenten prayer
• Weekly table prayer
• Video resources
• Online retreat experience
+FacebookDevotion
St Mark LutheranNE
+Online CoursesN.T. Wright Online – Bible Courses
Church Next Online Adult Faith Formation
+
Part 2Designing Faith Formation Networks
+Resources for Design
Websitewww.ReimageFaithFormation.com
BookChapter 4
+Network Design Process(2016 Update)Task 1. Research the Target Audience(s) & Identify NeedsTask 2. Build the Faith Formation Network DesignTask 3. Generate Programming Ideas for the NetworkTask 4. Plan a Network Season of Programming
Add current programming and events Redesign current programming by using a digital strategy Design faith formation playlists Optional: Design a process for personalizing learning
Task 5. Build the Digital PlatformTask 6. Test the Seasonal Plan with the Target AudienceTask 7. Launch the Seasonal Faith Formation Network Task 8. Evaluate the Season of Programming Task 9. Design the New Season of Programming
+Step 1. Research (Using the “Research Guide”)
Tasks1. Gather demographic information about the congregation
and its surrounding community. 2. Observe the people in the wider community. 3. Interview selected church leaders.4. Conduct two or more focus groups of people in your
target audience(s).5. Produce a summary report of the 1) observations, 2)
interviews, and 3) focus groups.6. Identify the most important needs of the target
audience(s) to be addressed.
+Step 1. Research
Audiences • Children & Families• Teens & Families• Emerging Adults: 20s-30s• Young Adults: 30s-40s• Mid-Life Adults: 40s-mid 50s• Mature Adults: mid 50s-70s • Older Adults: 75+• Families• All Ages/Multigenerational
Research Topics1. Life Stage Issues2. Generational Issues3. Milestones & Life
Transitions4. Ethnic & Cultural
Needs5. Spiritual & Religious
Needs
+Step 1. Research
1. Compile the responses for each question from all of the interviews.
2. Review the responses for each question to identify related themes. Group these items together by giving identical or similar items the same number beginning with #1. The #1 item should have the most responses, the #2 item the second most responses, and so on.
3. Name in one phrase or sentence each of the most mentioned responses—themes. Develop a summary report for each question that includes only the top priority themes.
+Empathy Map
SAYWhat do you hear your target group
saying?
DOWhat actions and behaviors do you
notice in your target group?
THINKWhat might your target group be thinking? What
does this tell you about their
beliefs/convictions?
FEELWhat emotions
might your target group be feeling?
+Step 1. Research
Produce summary reports: Compile one report of the major insights from your
community observations. Compile one report of your interview findings—
identifying the major themes for each interview question.
Compile one report of your focus group findings—identifying the major themes for each focus group question.
+Compiling the Themes
Observation Interviews Focus Groups
+Sample Themes – Mature Adults
1. Dealing with retirement2. Making life plans, finances, health 3. Becoming a grandparent4. Making a difference in the community and world5. Incorporating family changes and transitions6. New ways of living and relating as a married couple7. Caring for aging parents8. Taking time to read the Bible and learn more about my faith 9. Growing spiritually and exploring spirituality for the 2nd half
of life10. Connecting with people my age; talking about things that
matter to us11. Dealing with loss
+Step 2. Design Network Themes1. Caring Relationships2. Celebrating the Seasons3. Celebrating Rituals &
Milestones4. Learning the Christian
Tradition5. Praying & Spiritual
Formation6. Reading the Bible7. Serving, Working for Justice,
& Caring for Creation8. Worshipping God9. Missional10. Life Stage Issues
Faith Communi
ty
Content
Area Content
Area
Content
AreaContent
Area
Content
Area
Content
Area
+
Adult Faith Formation Network
Sunday Worship
Liturgical Seasons
Scripture Enrichment
Spiritual Enrichment
Faith Enrichment
Service & Mission
Life Issues &
Milestones
Grand-parents
Discovering Faith
+
Family Faith
Formation Network
Sunday Worship @ Home Seasons
of the Year
Praying & Growing Spirituall
y
Reading the Bible
Learning the Faith
Celebrating Rituals &
Milestones
Serving
Growing as a
Family
For Parents
Children’s Programs
+
Adolescent Faith
Formation Network
Youth Programs
Confirmation
Adolescent Life Issues
Bible Study & Religious
Learning
Prayer & Spiritual
FormationService & Mission
Trips
Youth Leadership
For Parents
Family Life
Missional Outreach
+Step 3. Generate Programming IdeasPart 1
1. Correlate the most important needs from the research into the appropriate content areas of the network. Some of the important needs will be included in multiple content areas.
2. Add the faith formation programs that will continue to be offered for the target audience into the appropriate content areas of the network. Some may be listed more than once.
3. Add events, ministries, and programs from the intergenerational faith community into the appropriate content areas of the network. Some may be listed more than once.
+
Content Areas Needs Current Programs
Intergenerational Events
Caring Relationships
Church Year Seasons
Learning the Tradition
Prayer/Spiritual Form.
Reading the Bible
Rituals & Milestones
Service, Justice, Creation
Worship
Life Stage Issues
Missional
Additional Area
Profile Form - Part 1
+Generate Programming Ideas
Part 2 – New Programming
1. What new programming do we need to address the needs that surfaced in the research?
2. What would our target audience like to see the church offer them through faith formation?
3. How can we address the audience’s needs through age-specific programming?
4. How can we address the audience’s needs through intergenerational and/or family programming?
5. How can we develop missional outreach programming and strategies with this target audience?
+Generate Programming Ideas
6. How can we utilize multiple environments: self-directed, mentored, at home, in small groups, in large groups, church-wide, in the community, and in the world?
7. How can we utilize digitally-enabled strategies?
+Idea Generating
How Might We. . . . Brainstorm responses to the question: “How Might We Address this Need?” Go for quantity, not quality at this point. Post all of the ideas on sheets of easel paper. Cluster similar HMW statements. What If. . . . List as many “What If” statements as you can on Post-it notes – one idea per note. After several minutes, ask people to place their notes on a sheet of easel paper. Then cluster similar ideas together. A sense of priority is often revealed as one or more of the clusters claim the energy and interest of the group.
+
Content Areas Needs Current Programs
Inter-generational
New Ideas
Caring Relationships
Church Year Seasons
Learning the Tradition
Prayer/Spiritual Form.
Reading the Bible
Rituals & Milestones
Service, Justice, Creation
Worship
Life Stage Issues
Missional
Additional Area
Profile Form – Part 2 Programming Possibilities
+Step 4. Plan a Network Season
Fall Season: September 1 – January 1
Winter/Spring Season: January 1 – May 1
Summer Season: May 1 – September 1
FallWinter-SpringSummer
+Design a Network Season
Using your Network Design (and content areas): 1. Add currently scheduled programming for this season (age
group, family, and/or intergenerational) in the appropriate Network content areas and month(s).
2. Use digitally-enabled strategies to redesign current programming (extending programs with online content, offering online-only programs, etc.)
3. Select new programming ideas for this season from the ideas generated in Step 3. Where appropriate, schedule the programming (e.g., a monthly focus).
4. Develop playlists of content, programs, and experiences. 5. Develop the final version of the seasonal plan and design
the seasonal faith formation website.
+Develop a Seasonal Plan & CalendarContent Area
(examples)Programming & Dates
Month 1 Month 2 Month 3 Month 4Scripture EnrichmentFaith EnrichmentSpiritual EnrichmentService & MissionLife Issues
+Design Playlists of Programming
Playlists are thematic learning plans that integrate a variety of ways to learn, multiple learning environments, and online and physical spaces—from which people can create their own faith formation plan.
Example: Spiritual Enrichment for AdultsTheme: “Spiritual Practices”
1. Spiritual Practices Course (5 sessions at church in one month)2. Spirituality Over 50 Book Group (variety of times & places)3. Online Daily Devotion Resources4. Online Prayer Practices Resources 5. Online Course or Retreat with a Spiritual Master 6. Online RetreatWebsite: http://holytrinityadults.weebly.com
+Faith Formation Playlists
1. Variety of Environments: Self-directed, mentored, at home, in small groups, in large groups, church-wide, in the community, and in the world.
2. Variety of Ways to Learn
+Faith Formation Playlists
3. Digitally-Enabled: Blending gathered community settings with online learning environments and utilizing the abundance of digital media and tools for learning and faith formation
+
Theme or Content
Area
Activity 1Resource
Resource
Activity 2Resource
Resource
Activity 3Resource
Resource
Developing a Playlist
+Personalized Faith Formation(Optional)
Discerning Learning Needs
Working with a Mentor/Guide
Finding Resources on the Network
Engaging in Formation in a
Variety of Learning Environments
Sharing Learning with Others
Reflecting on Growth &
Identifying New Needs
+Personalized Faith Formation(Optional)
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.
+Assessment Tool
+Personalized Plan
+Step 5. Build a Digital Platform
Other Platformswww.wordpress.org www.wix.com www.squarespace.com
+Build a Digital Platform
1. Choose a domain name.2. Select a website template that is “mobile”
responsive.3. Create the primary navigation system (main
menu) from the network content areas.4. Build each webpage to incorporate all
programs, activities, and resources for each content area.
5. Design the webpage for your target audience—write the website content to your audience.
+Things to Remember…1. Don’t make the user think—make web pages self-
explanatory so the user hardly has any perceived effort to understand them, for example, clear choice of labels, clearly “clickable” items, simple search.
2. People generally don’t read web pages closely; they scan, so design for scanning rather than reading.
3. Create a clear visual hierarchy and menu system (main menu, submenus).
4. Make it very clear how to navigate the site, with clear “signposts” on all pages.
5. Omit needless words.6. The home page needs the greatest design care to
convey site identity and mission.7. Promote user goodwill by making the typical tasks easy
to do, make it easy to recover from errors, and avoid anything likely to irritate users.
+Step 7. Test the Plan & Website1. Let your user experience the network online. Show don’t tell. Let
them review the website and the programming. Just the minimum context so they understand what to do. (Have computers or tablets available for people to use or ask them to bring a device.)
2. Have them talk through their experience, e.g., “Tell me what you are thinking as you are doing this.”
3. Actively observe. Watch how they use (and misuse!) the website. Don’t immediately “correct” what your user is doing.
4. Follow up with questions, such as: “Show me why this would (or would not) work for you.” “Can you tell me more about how this made you feel?” “Why? “ “Do you find things that interest you and connect with your life?” “Are there things you would have liked to see?”
+Step 8. Launch the Network
Be sure to pay careful attention to the titles and descriptions so that they capture people’s interests. Develop descriptions that are positive in tone, indicate clearly the content or focus of an activity. 1. Describe how your offerings respond to something within the
lives of people. Highlight the relationship between the content and the particular spiritual or religious needs, interests, passions, concerns, or life issues of people.
2. Describe the 2-3 benefits of participating or engaging in faith formation.
3. Explain to people how to use the Network and how to access the activities and resources.
+Promotion Ideas
1. Connect to (or extend from) a gathered event.2. Use personalized invitations. 3. Establish a Facebook page for faith formation for
announcements, updates, stories and photos from people engaged in faith formation, etc.
4. Use Twitter to announce updates, events, and invite reflections from people on their experiences.
5. Send email or e-newsletters to targeted groups (use a service like Constant Contact, Mail Chimp, Flocknote).
6. Provide ways to share experiences using blogs, Twitter, Facebook: videos, reports, photos, etc.
+Connect to Social Networks
Our social network is made up of all the people we’re connected to, all the people they are connected to, all the people they are connected to, and so on.
You
Your Friends
Your Friends’ Friends
Your Friends’ Friends
Your Friends’ Friend’s Friends
Your Friends’ Friend’s Friends
Your Friends’ Friend’s Friends
Your Friends
Your Friends’ Friends
Your Friends’ Friends
+Step 9. Evaluate Program
ming
+
Part 3Curating Faith Formation Content, Programming, & Experiences
+Resources for Curating
Websitewww.ReimageFaithFormation.com Chapter 5
+Emerging Roles
Developing religious content
Designing programming
Managing programming
Teaching/Facilitating programming
Designing learning environments—architecture
Curating religious content and experiences
Current Roles Emerging Roles
+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.
+Faith Formation Curators
A Faith Formation Curator is a trusted guide who continually finds, groups, organizes, evaluates, and connects the best and most relevant content and experiences on a specific topic to match the needs of a specific audience.
+Why Curation?
1. The increasing diversity of the religious and spiritual needs and practices of people today require personalized and customized content and experiences
2. An overwhelming abundance of high quality faith formation resources: print, audio, video, programs and activities, apps, e-books, websites, and more
3. The rise of online providers of religious content and experiences—“open repositories” of freely accessible faith formation and learning content hubs
+Why Curation?
4. There is a growing demand for trusted guidance in finding and selecting quality religious content and experiences. People are looking for trusted guides to help them select quality faith formation experiences and curated learning paths and resources to explore and learn more deeply on a specific topic.
5. The tools are now available for finding and accessing the content, storing it (websites), delivering it to people 24x7x365 (computers, iPhones, iPads, etc.), and communicating & connecting people to the content (Facebook, Twitter, email, text, etc.).
+Curating Religious Content
Research & Organize
Resources
Identify Potential
Resources for Programming
Evaluate Resources
Select & Connect
Resources to programming
+Build a Curation Support System1. Develop trusted expert curators to assist.
2. Develop a list of high quality online resource centers.
3. Subscribe to faith formation blogs and newsletters.
+
BlogsNewsletters Websites
Denominations Curated Websites Religious
Organizations
6-8 “Expert” Resource People
Developing Trusted Sources
+Curation Resource Centers
+Curation Blogs
+Curate with ReadKit - Mac & iOS
+Curate with G2Reader - PC & Android
+Curate with Feedly
+Curate with Social Bookmarking
+Research Checklist
1. People: teachers, mentors/guides, guest presenters2. Community programs: churches, agencies, organizations, 3. Educational institutions: colleges, seminaries4. Retreat and spiritual life centers, monasteries 5. Denominational programs, events, websites 6. Museums 7. Books (with study guides) & E-books8. Apps9. Audio podcasts & audio learning programs10. Videos & video learning programs11. Online courses & online activities 12. Television shows13. Organizational websites14. Resource center websites
+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
+Curating Religious Content
Research & Organize
Resources
Identify Potential
Resources for Programming
Evaluate Resources
Select & Connect
Resources to programming