Symposium 2023

​Resources

---

Lifelong Faith Books

Faith Formation with the New Generation (published 2018)

Faith Formation with a New Generation is written as a proposal for the future of faith formation with children and adolescents. It is a proposal to transform the way to envision and design faith formation. It reflects a more holistic and comprehensive approach to faith formation grounded in the best understanding of the key factors that contribute to growth in faith and discipleship in the first two decades of life and build a solid foundation for a lifelong faith. 

1. Chapter one presents the essential features of a twenty-first century approach to faith formation with children, adolescents, and their parents. 
2. Chapter two explores how the intergenerational faith community provides rich resources for faith formation and guides you in identifying how to provide intergenerational faith forming experiences for children and adolescents.
3. Chapter three explores the central role of families in faith community and guides you in utilizing five core strategies for family faith forming experiences for children and adolescents.
4. Chapter four explores how Generation Z is learning in new ways and guides you in reimagining and redesigning age-group faith formation with children and adolescents.
5. Chapter five integrates the key concepts and practices so you can design a faith formation plan for children and adolescents (and their families!) that integrates intergenerational, family, and age group faith formation.

 
Download a PDF of the Book

faith_formation_with_a_new_generation_book.pdf
File Size:	2162 kb
File Type:	pdf

Download File

---

---

Families at the Center of Faith Formation (published 2016)

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 PDF of the Book

families_at_the_center_of_faith_formation.pdf
File Size:	3386 kb
File Type:	pdf

Download File

---

---

The Seasons of Adult Faith Formation (published 2015)

The Seasons of Adult Faith Formation  provides leaders with a deeper understanding of adulthood today, a vision of twenty-first century adult faith formation, and the tools and processes for designing faith formation for all the seasons of adulthood. The book’s chapters include:

1. Faith Formation for All the Seasons of Adulthood—John Roberto
2. The Development of Modern Adult Education and Faith Formation—Ed Gordon
3. Young Adulthood—Kyle Oliver
4. Midlife Adulthood—Jim Merhaut
5. Mature Adulthood—Janet Schaeffler
6. Older Adulthood—Dorothy Linthicum
7. Spiritual Transformation for Adult Faith Formation—Tom Zanzig
8. Developing Adult Faith Formation Programming—John Roberto
9. Designing Twenty-First Century Adult Faith Formation—John Roberto

​
​Download a PDF of the Book

seasons_of_adult_faith_formation.pdf
File Size:	2269 kb
File Type:	pdf

Download File

---

---

Generations Together (published 2014)

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. 

1. Chapter 1. Generations Together: A Vision of an Intergenerational Church - John Roberto
2. Chapter 2. Faith Development from Generation to Generation - Kathie Amidei
3. Chapter 3. The Journey to Intergenerationality: One Church’s Story - Kathie Amidei
4. Chapter 4. Outcomes and Practices of Intergenerational Faith Formation - Jim Merhaut
5. Chapter 5. A Toolkit for Becoming Intentionally Intergenerational – John Roberto and Jim Merhaut
6. Chapter 6. Welcoming All: Intergenerational Faith Formation for People with Disabilities – Sharon Urbaniak 
7. Chapter 7. Leadership for an Intergenerational Church - Jim Merhaut

​Download a PDF of the Book

generations_together_book.pdf
File Size:	2053 kb
File Type:	pdf

Download File

---