Parents are the most important factor in the healthy development and faith formation of their children and adolescents. 

The Fall 2011 issue of Lifelong Faith on “Parents & Faith Formation” provides insights and wisdom for working with parents and developing programs, strategies, and resources for supporting and equipping parents. This issue can help churches to create or strengthen an intentional plan for equipping, supporting, and resourcing parents.

1. What Makes a Good Parent? - A Scientific Analysis Ranks the 10 Most Effective Child-Rearing Practices - Robert Epstein
   
2. How Igniting Our Children’s Sparks Can Support and Save Our Children and Their Future - Peter L. Benson
   
3. And a Little Child Shall Lead Them: The Advent and Event of Parenting as Spiritual Journey - Dawn M. Alit
   
4. Nurturing the Faith of Parents - Catherine Stonehouse and Scottie May
   
5. Parents and “Sticky Faith”—Building a Lasting Faith in Young People - Kara E. Powell, Brad M Griffin, Cheryl A. Crawford, and Chap Clark
   
6. The Parenting Environment - Barna Research & Orange
   
7. How to Pass Your Faith to Your Kids - Jim Burns

The Summer 2011 issue of Lifelong Faith focuses on the theme of “A Lifelong Faith Formation Network for the 21st Century.” What would a 21st century approach to lifelong faith formation look like?  This issue of Journal is an attempt to present one vision of a 21st century approach to lifelong faith formation. It is now possible for a congregation to provide faith formation for everyone, anytime, anywhere, 24x7x365. It is now possible to customize and personalize faith formation around the lives of the people in a congregation and offer a wide diversity of programs, activities, and resources in a variety of formats delivered in physical gathered settings and virtual online settings. 

We are experiencing a convergence of new web and digital technologies that are transforming life and learning and the tremendous growth of religious content and experiences in digital form. A Lifelong Faith Formation Network provides one way to integrate this convergence for the good of the whole congregation. 

This issue is organized in three sections: 

• Part 1 presents the vision and features of Lifelong Faith Formation Network
• Part 2 offers a guide to develop a Network with several illustrations of how to organize content and experiences on the Network
• Part 3 provides an overview of a variety of digital tools that can be integral elements of your Network. 
  

• "A Reflection on Ageism" by Joan Chittister, O.S.B. 
  
• "How Well Do You Know the Baby Boom Generation? - A Survey of Research & Analysis"

        - Myths and Facts about Baby Boomers - Focalyst Insight Report
        - Approaching 65: A Survey of Baby Boomers Turning 65 Years Old - AARP
        - Baby Boomers Approach 65 - Pew Research Center
        - The MetLife Report on Baby Boomers – MetLife Mature Market Institute
        - Six Baby Boomer Segments – Yankelovich Boomer Dreams Survey
        - Discovering What Really Matters – MetLife Mature Market Institute
        - Lifelong Learning Activities in the 55+ Population – Road Scholar / Elderhostel
        - Baby Boomers Online 2010 – Pew Internet & American Life Project 

• "A Reflection on Learning in the Third Chapter of Life" by Sara Lawrence-Lightfoot
• "A Reflection on Spirituality for the Two Halves of Life" by Richard Rohr, OFM
• "Developing Faith Formation for the Baby Boom Generation" by John Roberto (with contributions from Gary McIntosh and Amy Hanson)

• "Saturated Spirituality: Creating Environments that Nurture All Children" by David M. Csinos
  
• Book Excerpt: "Listening to Children in Changing Times" by Catherine Stonehouse & Scottie May
  
• Faith Development and Faith Formation: More Than Just Ages and Stages by Robert J. Keeley
  
• "Influencing Children’s Faith Now" - Reflections from What Matters Now in Children’s Ministry by Matt Guevara, Amy Dolan, Henry Zonio, and Friends
  
• "Family Daily Living Faith Practices" by Christy Olson
  
• "Teaching & Learning with the iGeneration: Perspectives, Strategies, and Ideas" by John Roberto 
  

This issue is out-of-print. 

Download a free copy of Volume 2.4 in PDF format.