Intergenerational Faith Formation |
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Read Chapter Four
"Intergenerational Faith Formation for the Christian Community" for the complete presentation. |
Integral to lifelong faith formation is the primacy of intergenerational community—relationships, and faith-forming experiences for developing and sustaining faith and discipleship in people of all ages and generations. When a church commits itself to building a culture of intergenerationality, it becomes a sign of and instrument for the full experience of the body of Christ by all ages and generations.
Churches with a vibrant intergenerational faith-forming community create a welcoming environment of hospitality and care that is conducive to promoting faith growth and mutual support across generations. They build caring relationships among the generations through worship, learning, ser- vice, and community events and activities. They create intentional opportunities for bringing the generations together to build relationships and engage in shared activities. They involve all generations together in Sunday worship, and engage all generations together in learning experiences that teach the Bible and the Christian tradition and form disciples of all ages in Christian identity. They nurture the spiritual life of all generations together through the community’s prayer life, rituals, and blessings. They engage all generations together in service to the poor and vulnerable, in the works of justice and advocacy, and in care for creation. Chapter Four describes four strategies for enhancing intergenerational faith forming:
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Presentations at the 2025 InterGenerate Conference
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Practices for Forming Faith Intergenerationally
We have known for some time that a graded-level, schooling model of faith formation focused almost exclusively on children and youth, all by itself, fails to move the needle in the quest for effective faith transmission, i.e., passing faith to the next generation. Rather, a whole life approach that offers intergenerational programming and home/family learning options, along with age-specific efforts has a much greater chance of authentic and lasting faith transmission.
Research and other literature clearly indicate that intergenerational faith formation plays a crucial role in the faith transmission process, and every church should consider how to incorporate it in their faith formation efforts. This report can help.
Download the article in PDF and share it with your leaders and colleagues.
Research and other literature clearly indicate that intergenerational faith formation plays a crucial role in the faith transmission process, and every church should consider how to incorporate it in their faith formation efforts. This report can help.
Download the article in PDF and share it with your leaders and colleagues.
| Practices for Forming Faith Intergenerationally.pdf |
Application: Strengthening an Intergenerational CultureUse the process outlined in Chapter Four of the book to build or strengthen an intergenerational culture in your church. Make copies of the two-page process below to use with your church staff and your team.
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Video: Building an Intergenerational Church Culture
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This was a presentation given to the Minneapolis Synod of the ELCA.
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Intergenerational Faith Formation Resources
Intergenerational Faith is our library of over 50 family and intergenerational programs that churches can download and easily adapt.
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Generations Together: Caring, Praying, Learning, Celebrating, and Serving
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Faith is transmitted from generation to generation in extended families and intergenerational congregations. Every congregation can discover its intergenerational heart and soul, and become an intentionally intergenerational community that nurtures the faith of all ages and equips them for living as disciples of Jesus Christ in our world today. When a congregation commits itself to building a culture of intergenerationality through its congregational life of caring, celebrating, learning, praying, and serving, each element becomes a sign of and instrument for the full experience of the Body of Christ by all ages and generations. Generations Together guides leaders in learning what this vision looks like in practice, and how to guide a congregation in envisioning and designing projects and initiatives to become more intentionally intergenerational.
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Articles
Article: Current Research on Intergenerational Faith Formation
| intergenerational_faith_formation.pdf |
Article: Strategies for Intergenerational Faith Formation
| intergenerational_faith_formation_strategies.pdf |
Article: "Principles of Intergenerational Faith Formation" - John Roberto
| principles_of_intergenerational_faith_formation__roberto_.pdf |
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Intergenerational Faith Formation: Practices and Approaches
Download the Intergenerational Faith Formation Collection.
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Intergenerational Ministry Toolkit
(Faith Formation Ministries, Christian Reformed Church NA)
This toolkit is designed to encourage and equip your church to cultivate a culture that nurtures faith in God and fosters deep relationships as all ages learn and grow, serve, and worship together.
www.crcna.org/FaithFormation/toolkits/intergenerational-church-toolkit
Ten Ways to Be a More Intergenerational Church
(Faith Formation Ministries, Christian Reformed Church NA)
www.crcna.org/sites/default/files/ten_ways_more_intergenerational_church.pdf
Ten Ways to Strengthen Intergenerational Worship
(Faith Formation Ministries, Christian Reformed Church NA)
network.crcna.org/sites/default/files/documents/ten_ways_strenghten_intergenerational_worship_0.pdf
(Faith Formation Ministries, Christian Reformed Church NA)
This toolkit is designed to encourage and equip your church to cultivate a culture that nurtures faith in God and fosters deep relationships as all ages learn and grow, serve, and worship together.
www.crcna.org/FaithFormation/toolkits/intergenerational-church-toolkit
Ten Ways to Be a More Intergenerational Church
(Faith Formation Ministries, Christian Reformed Church NA)
www.crcna.org/sites/default/files/ten_ways_more_intergenerational_church.pdf
Ten Ways to Strengthen Intergenerational Worship
(Faith Formation Ministries, Christian Reformed Church NA)
network.crcna.org/sites/default/files/documents/ten_ways_strenghten_intergenerational_worship_0.pdf
