This is a book about hope. Hope in the future of faith formation. Hope in the next generation. Hope in churches that are resilient and adaptive in the face of great challenges and opportunities. Hope and trust in God who will do marvelous and wondrous things in our churches and world through us. Faith Formation 2020: Designing the Future of Faith Formation will guide your church in envisioning and developing dynamic, engaging, and inspiring faith formation in the second decade of the 21st century. The new environment in which Christian faith formation operates today requires new thinking, models, practices, resources, and technologies to address the spiritual and religious needs of all ages, families, and generations. The book presents four scenarios for envisioning the future of faith formation with 1) people of vibrant faith and active engagement in the church community, 2) people who participate occasionally but are not actively engaged or spiritually committed, 3) people who are spiritual but not religious, and 4) people who are uninterested in the spiritual life and unaffiliated with religion. The book presents the knowledge and tools for envisioning the future in your church, for utilizing practices and strategies for bringing the future to life in your church, and for developing your capacities for leading faith formation into the future. It is organized in four sections: 

Part 1. Envisioning the Future of Faith Formation 2020
Part 2. Designing the Shape of Faith Formation 2020
Part 3. Leading Faith Formation 2020
Part 4. Bringing the Faith Formation 2020 Scenarios to Life: 16 Strategies for Faith Formation 2020

Order your copy of the Faith Formation 2020 book in the LIfelong Faith Store      
     
          $20 per copy     5+ books: $18 per copy     25+ books: $17 per copy

• All workshops are full day programs (e.g., 9 am to 4 pm)
• For more information contact John Roberto at jroberto@lifelongfaith.com. 
  

One-Day Introductory Presentation “Envisioning the Future of Faith in Your Congregation” 

• What could congregational faith formation look like in 2020? 
  
• How can faith formation flourish in Christian churches over the next ten years? 
  
• How can congregations prepare for the future of faith formation and address the diverse spiritual and religious needs of people today? 
  
• What are the hopeful signs and promising innovations that can guide faith formation for all ages and generations? 
  

We know that the first decade of the 21st century has brought dramatic political, economic, social and cultural changes affecting virtually every dimension of American religious life. Faith formation in 2020 will require new principles, models, approaches, and technologies. First, this program will explore the driving forces influencing faith formation (social, cultural, religious, demographic, economic, technological) and the diversity of spiritual and religious needs of people and communities today. Second, it presents four scenarios for envisioning the future of faith formation in churches from 2010-2020 by viewing people through four profiles: 1) people of vibrant faith and active engagement in the church community, 2) people who participate occasionally but are not actively engaged or spiritually committed, 3) people who are spiritual but not religious, and 4) people who are uninterested in the spiritual life and unaffiliated with religion. Third, the workshop offers a variety of practical strategies, ideas, innovations, and resources for targeting the spiritual and religious needs of people in all four scenarios.

Two-Day Workshop Program “Designing the Future of Faith Formation in Your Congregation” 

This two-part workshop series focuses on developing new initiatives in faith formation to address the religious and spiritual needs of people in all four scenarios. It is designed with a team approach, encouraging churches to develop a “faith formation 2020 team”—pastor, church staff, faith formation leaders, ministry coordinators, and church leaders—to envision and design faith formation innovations for their  congregation. The two workshops are separated by several months so that teams have time for research and planning. 

Workshop #1. “Envisioning the Future of Faith Formation 2020”  
(See description above.)

Homework 
A congregation team will implement a research plan to determine the key needs of target audiences in their congregation, develop a summary report of their research, and compile a profile of current faith formation programs, activities, and initiatives prior to Workshop #2. 

Workshop #2. “Designing the Future of Faith Formation 2020” 
Teams will experience a design process that helps them address the priority religious and spiritual needs of people in their communities by creating faith formation innovations tailored to their congregation (programs, activities, resources, strategies). A wide variety of practical strategies, models, approaches, and resources will be offered to help teams design their innovations. Each team will leave the workshop with a plan for implementing at least one innovation in faith formation.
Topics

• Analysis & Interpretation: Analyzing the Profile of Faith Formation using the Four Scenarios
  
• Analysis & Interpretation: Identifying the Most Important Spiritual and Religious Needs of People in the Church Community using the Four Scenarios
  
• Design: Designing Innovations to Address the Priority Religious and Spiritual Needs of People in the Church Community
  
• A Survey of Innovations in Faith Formation Today
  
• Principles and Process of Design and Innovation: Inspiration, Ideation, Implementation
  
• Designing Innovations in Faith Formation (creative strategies, programs, resources)