Each week, the Faith Formation Ministries team will use this "In Case You Missed It" space to bring you some of the best conversations about faith formation and discipleship floating around on the web. We hope this might become part of your regular rhythm of weekly reading and ministry prep, something you'll consider sharing with your ministry team, your family, or whoever else you like to bounce things like this around with.
In Case You Missed It (July 7):
- Welcoming Children Well - Faith Formation Ministries' own Karen DeBoer shared some thoughts about FFM's new Welcoming Children to the Lord's Supper toolkit over at HOPE4CE
- Practical Summer: Simple Ways to Invite Jesus into Summer Vacation - the ReFocus blog shared easy ways to make sure that Jesus is a part of all your great summer experiences
- How Adulthood Happens - The New York Times' David Brooks on formation and emerging adulthood in today's culture
- Dismantling Youth Ministry - the first in a series of interesting posts about the future of youth ministry from Vibrant Faith Ministries
- This viral video on combining preschools and nursing homes has been shared all over social media in the past few weeks but we're wondering what it might mean for how we view and create spaces in our churches that are truly intergenerational
If you have something you'd like to share, feel free to post it in the comments!
Comments
Exactly what does "faith formation" mean? In this century, how is it different from a sales pitch? Isn't it the Holy Spirit that "does" "faith formation?"
Interesting question Bill. I'm not sure I get the sales pitch angle you are getting at since we aren't "selling" anything in an effort to make money.
And yes, the "real" work of forming faith is done by God (see, for example Eph 2:8). However we are called to nurture faith in each other as covenant communities who promise at each person’s baptism to “love, encourage, and support . . . by teaching the gospel of God’s love, by being an example of Christian faith and character, and by giving the strong support of God’s family in fellowship, prayer, and service.” These relational and communal acts of faith formation are part of the discipleship process... things that occur as we look for ways to invest in each other’s lives and live into our identity in Christ together. Our lives are constantly being shaped by God, and part of our responsibility as lifelong disciples is to be looking for ways to be used by the Spirit to help others be “formed, transformed, and conformed to the image of Christ,” as Holly Allen writes. That may be by teaching Sunday School, mentoring a teenager, helping parents nurture faith in their kids, leading an adult bible study, hosting a missional community, serving together, etc.
So we help leaders in congregations who are charged with helping people of all ages grow in their faith (in all the ways that happens). Does that help?
Let's Discuss
We love your comments! Thank you for helping us uphold the Community Guidelines to make this an encouraging and respectful community for everyone.