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Reimagining Church: Revamping Faith Formation

Visioning a future church for the now; creating communities centered on Christ, cosmic good, and conscientious living.

Books & Downloads

Find books, curricula, prayer, music, and worship elements (including a full sermon), and community organizations and businesses grouped to help congregations take next steps in antiracism work, creation care, and addressing intergenerational mental health and well-being in the WaterThreads - Woven Together: Water, Community, Well-Being. Available online and via requested download for member congregations - who should email: ministrylab@unitedseminary.edu - for access.

Laweproject.jpg     Amazon.com: A Beautiful Constraint: How To Transform Your Limitations Into  Advantages, and Why It's Everyone's Business eBook : Barden, Mark, Morgan,  Adam: Kindle Store          The Gifts They Bring     Girl/Friend Theology | God-Talk with Young People (Baker)     God's Monsters: Vengeful Spirits, Deadly Angels, Hybrid Creatures, and Divine Hitmen of the Bible     A Gospel for All Ages: Teaching and Preaching with the Whole Church     Hear Us Out: Six Questions on Belonging and Belief     Picture of The Mission-Minded Guide to Church and School Partnerships          Our Unforming: De-Westernizing Spiritual Formation     Spiritual Consipation     The Storied Church: A Strategy for Congregational Renewal     Teaching at Twilight     Teaching Outside the Box: Five Approaches to Opening the Bible With Youth - eBook  -     By: Andrew Zirschky     This Is God’s Table     To Mend the World: A New Vision for Youth Ministry     BL_TheWorkIsTheWork_Cover_9781506493374c     Youth Ministry as Peace Education: Overcoming Silence, Transforming Violence

Blogs, Podcasts, & Articles

Diverse group of young peopleLeading Ideas Talks Podcast — Episode 127

“The Changing Contours of Youth Ministry” featuring Deech Kirk

What new approaches to youth ministry are emerging in our post-Covid era? Deech Kirk of the Center for Youth Ministry Training describes some of the common challenges confronting youth ministry today and some of the characteristics of the newer, innovative ministry models that are taking shape. Listen nowread transcript, and watch on YouTube.

Hand holding class ball which is magnifying a tree in fall colors.21st Century Faith Formation Trends by Building Faith Editors

The Rev. Keith Anderson, Associate for Digital Content at Lifelong Learning and Pastor of Upper Dublin Lutheran Church in Ambler, PA, believes the COVID-19 pandemic may have sped up some of the shifts in faith formation. After reviewing the research Keith joins church leaders in re-visioning faith formation in their congregation.

People sitting in church pews with a small child turned towards back of church looking at camera.

Building Faith's By  offers wisdom in All Ages Worship: Shifting Language & Why it Matters.

Living Lutheran:Generations of Faith

Read how ELCA congregations are using intergenerational ministries to bring people together and connect members of all generations.
Follow along on social media, using the hashtag #LLGenerations, to read more. 

howtokeepgenzinyourpews

How to Keep Gen Z in Your Pews by St Olaf College Senior, Holly Beck.

Rev. Dr. Michael Piazza encourages us to reconsider our Sunday school - and adult - approach to reading, understanding, and interpreting the Word of God / the Bible in Liberation Word: Is God Still Speaking?

In RevGalBlogPals, The Pastoral Is Political blog, Rev. Emily Heitzman clarifies the importance of creating Affirming Spaces for LGBTQIA+ Youth.

Diverse group of young adults

A Call to Overinvest in the Young

Bishop Janice Huie calls for a new approach to engaging younger people in the church. She argues for overinvesting in young people who don’t sit in our pews every Sunday by drawing resources from the center to the periphery of the church.

Webinars & Training

Urbanization and Its Impact on Youth Culture with Efrem Smith

Urban culture in its various forms is impacting youth culture as a whole. Through urbanization, suburbs are becoming more like cities and rural areas like suburbs. Through social media, hip hop culture and multi-ethnicity is having a tremendous influence as well. 

Register to View

CONVERGENCE offers numerous leadership and community development webinars on-demand or in a cohort:

Intergenerational Curricula

2.pngWorship at the Table is a six-week small group practice. Each week is designed for you to gather at the table as you learn about gathering as a practice, setting up sustainable rhythms you can follow long after the curriculum concludes. The materials arrive straight to your inbox—a digital Leader’s Guide and Participant’s Guide that can all be downloaded and printed for your whole group to use.

Everyone prepares for the gathering by reading the weekly Scripture and reflection prompt. Then, you’ll gather around the table, ready to share a meal and your thoughts. Weekly discussion prompts are included to guide your dinner conversations along the way!

All six lessons include:

  • A meal plan with recipes, including recommendations for dietary restrictions

  • Scripture reading and reflection

  • An optional ice breaker question or activity

  • Dinner table discussion prompts

  • Action points to engage with during the week

  • 3 podcast episodes for further reflection

     

Follow Me: Biblical Practices for Faithful Living

This thirty-six-unit curriculum is based on practices Jesus did and taught us to do as faithful followers. Written for people of all ages who wish to live out their faith, this new curriculum examines where these practices are found in the Bible and how they have been used in Christian faith then and now.

Watch the Webinar

Download Sample

Download Media Kit

Download the Preaching Guide

All Living the Questions curricula are available to stream or download; includes a variety of progressive topics.

 

The State of Religion & Young People 2020 from Springtide Research Institute: unpacks the complexity of young peoples' religious lives, with special features exploring how they feel about politics, careers, and online gatherings.

In Our Library

CHURCH ON PURPOSE          Picture     9781770645745: Faith Forward: A Dialogue on Children, Youth, and A New Kind of Christianity     Faith Forward : Re-Imagining Children's and Youth Ministry     Faith Forward Volume 3: Launching a Revolution through Ministry with Children, Youth, and Families  -     Edited By: David M. Csinos     Book - Paperback     Kitchen Table Youth Ministry | Inviting God to Dinner (Strukova)     SoulTypes: Matching Your Personality and Spiritual Path, Revised Edition          Cover Image     Reimagining Faith Formation for the 21st Century: Engaging All Ages and Generations by [John Roberto]