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Family Faith Formation with Three Generations


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Read Chapter Five
"Family Faith Formation with Three Generations" for the complete presentation. 
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A family is the first community and the most basic way in which God gathers us, forms us, and acts in the world. The family is the primary mechanism by which Christian identity becomes rooted in the lives of young people through the day- to-day religious practices and the ways parents model their faith and share it in conversation, collaboration, and exposure to outside religious opportunities. Through the processes of religious socialization, young people with seriously religious parents come to think, feel, believe, and act as serious religious believers, and that that training “sticks” with them even when they leave home and enter emerging adulthood.
 
Churches that make families a priority equip parents and grandparents with practices for forming faith at home (celebrating rituals and milestones, observing the seasons of the church year, praying, serving, learning the Christian faith, reading the Bible). They provide the knowledge and skills for parenting and grandparenting today. They provide experiences for the whole family that pro- mote growth in faith and discipleship, and resources to strengthen the connection between what happens at church and Christian practice at home. Churches also involve families in congregational activities. Churches can create a plan for family faith formation designed around the specific life stage needs of families with young children (0–5) elementary school children (6–10), young adolescents (11–14), and older adolescents (15–19).

Chapter Five describes five strategies for enhancing family and parent faith formation at home and church: 
  1. Family faith practices
  2. Milestones
  3. Seasons of the year
  4. Sunday worship and scripture
  5. Parent formation and parenting skills

Application: Serving, Equipping, Supporting, & Resourcing the Family

Reflect on how well your church and faith formation serves, equips, supports, and resources parents and the whole family. Download the article with the reflection tool to use with your church staff and team. 
Family Faith Formation Reflection Tool.pdf
File Size: 59 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File


Lifelong Faith Training Videos:
Family Faith Formation
(click on the Training logo)

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Video: Family Faith Formation with Three Generations
Exploring research, programming, & strategies from the Lifelong Faith book

These three video programs were originally created for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops in 2020.

Part 1. Research

family_faith_formation_presentation_-_part_1_research_findings.pdf
File Size: 281 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Family Faith Formation - Part 1 Research from Lifelong Faith on Vimeo.

Part 2. Programming

family_faith_formation_presentation_-_part_2_programming.pdf
File Size: 660 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Family Faith Formation - Part 2 Programming from Lifelong Faith on Vimeo.

Part 3. Strategies 

family_faith_formation_presentation_-_part_3_strategies.pdf
File Size: 1304 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Family Faith Formation - Part 3 Strategies from Lifelong Faith on Vimeo.


Family Faith Formation Resources 

Book: Families at the Center of Faith Formation 

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We know that parents and the family are the most powerful influence for virtually every child and youth outcome—personal, academic, social, and spiritual-religious; and that parents are the most important influence on the social and religious lives of children, youth, and emerging adults. Families at the Center of Faith Formation proposes a new comprehensive approach to family faith formation that places families at the center of faith formationand develops the family as a community of faith and school of discipleship while equipping parents (and grandparents) to transmit the Christian faith at home. Families at the Center of Faith Formation includes seven chapters rich in foundational insights and practical application:
  1. Transforming Our Narratives of Families in the 21st Century
  2. Understanding 21st Century Parents and Families: A Review of Research Trends
  3. Reimagining Family Faith Formation for the 21st Century
  4. Growing in Faith as a Family
  5. Nurturing the Faith of Young People through the Family
  6. Developing the Family-at-the-Center Approach to Faith Formation: Eight Strategies for Family Faith Formation
  7. Designing Faith Formation with Families at the Center​
Download a free PDF of Families at the Center of Faith Formation in the bookstore

Articles

Family Faith Formation Toolkit 
(Faith Formation Ministries, Christian Reformed Church NA)
This toolkit will help you develop a vision for family faith formation in your congregation and equip parents and caregivers with family faith practices and resources.
​www.crcna.org/FaithFormation/toolkits/family-faith-formation-toolkit
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Family Faith Formation: Practices and Approaches 
Download the Family Faith Formation Journal Collection
  • Best Practices in Family Faith Formation -  John Roberto
  • The Importance of Family Faith for Lifelong Faith Formation - John Roberto
  • The Rule of Family Faith - Bonnie J. Miller-McLemore
  • The Joy of Practice in Families - Brad Wigger
  • Faith Formation with Families in Today’s Church - Leif Kehrwald
  • Faith Formation with Hispanic/Latino Families - Ida Miranda 
  • Transforming Faith Formation One Family at a Time -  Jim Merhaut
  • Family Daily Living Faith Practices - Christy Olson 
  • Passing on Faith—Milestone to Milestone - Linda Staats​​
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Researching Families

family_faith_practices_survey_1.docx
File Size: 20 kb
File Type: docx
Download File

research_guide.pdf
File Size: 83 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

family_faith_practices_survey_2.docx
File Size: 19 kb
File Type: docx
Download File

research_guide.docx
File Size: 32 kb
File Type: docx
Download File

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This website is developed by John Roberto as a service of Lifelong Faith Associates - committed to helping churches develop lifelong faith formation for all ages and generations.
John Roberto
 Lifelong Faith Associates
133 Old Towne Road, Cheshire, CT 06410
203-232-1129
​  jroberto@lifelongfaith.com 
  • Home
    • About John Roberto
    • Lifelong Faith Team
    • FORMA Conference
    • Lifelong Faith Course - Presbyterian Church in Canada
  • Faith for a Lifetime
    • Course Registration
  • Lifelong Vision & Practices
    • Goals
    • Intergenerational
    • Family
    • Networks
    • Hybrid
    • Pathways
    • Playlists >
      • Digital Tools & Apps >
        • Learning Apps
    • Models
  • Christian Practices
    • Caring for the Body
    • Celebrating Life
    • Discernment
    • Eating Well
    • Forgiveness
    • Keeping Sabbath
    • Managing Household Life
    • Participating in Community
    • Prayer
    • Reading the Bible
  • Digital Ministry
  • Library
    • Lifelong Faith Articles
    • Books
    • Journal
    • Virtual VBS