A New Model of Christian Formation for Children and Youth – A Five Pointed Star Approach
By Cynthia Coe
Christian formation is in the process of huge change. Sunday School – which was originally started as a means of literacy training for children living in the slums of 18th century England – is waning as a means of formation. Although a few of the larger churches still have dynamic, well-attended and high quality programs, attendance in many congregations continues to drop, and smaller parishes find it increasingly difficult to provide any formal formation program at all.
The upside is that we are now able to look at new and likely more effective ways of forming children in the Christian faith. One method might work best for some families; another method might work better for others. Realistically, most families who have an interest in planting the seeds of lifelong faith in their children and teens will likely utilize more than one method of formation in this new 21st century.
This is a preliminary assessment, but it’s looking like these five venues of formation will nurture children in the Christian faith in coming years:
•<strong>Parishes</strong>: a number of parishes – particularly larger parishes – will continue to provide lively, quality Sunday School or weeknight/afternoon programs.
•<strong>Schools</strong>: Episcopal schools are providing terrific religious education classes, taught by professionals, with chapel attendance a vital part of school life
•<strong>Home Life</strong>: As weekends get busier and busier, parents may increasingly turn to books, prayers, and other at-home devotions to both teach children basic Bible stories and concepts, along with practical examples of a life lived in faith. I would love to see more tools available in the Episcopal tradition for parents to use with their own children. Many parents read with their children every night before bedtime, and schools require daily reading by children as well. If quality, affordable resources were available and publicized, at-home formation could be huge. (And you get the added bonus of being able to have conversations one-on-one with children, daily if you want.)
•<strong>Media</strong>: For better or for worse, children and teens watch a heck of a lot of movies and television programs, both online and off. Whether we like it or not, the media plays a hugely formative role in what children and teens think about. As a church, we would be wise to make relevant, interesting, well-done videos and other mass media resources and place them where they can be found and shared.
•<strong>Camps and Summer Programs</strong>: Parents may not have the wherewithal to get kids to Sunday School early Sunday mornings, but a week during the summer is a whole different matter. What parent isn’t looking for a quality program during the summer? Do the math, and a week at a summer church camp can provide more formative time spent with a faith community than a Sunday morning only formation experience. Camps and VBS programs create memorable, in-depth formation programs, along with a sense of community for both regular church-going kids and those whose parents may not attend church regularly.
Do children need to participate in ALL these types of formational activities? My own opinion as a busy mom of 3 kids is…no. In my very humble opinion, taking part in 2 or maybe 3 of these formational activities would be ideal. Attending all 5 types of activities might be overdoing it.
We all learn in different ways and from different sources. As leaders of formation programs, we may need to leave it up to the Holy Spirit to direct each child (and adult) to the formational experience that will best meet that individual where they are.
<em>A note: It would be nice if “home life” were at the very center of this five-pointed star formation. However, I think we need to acknowledge that not all children learn Christianity from their parents. Plenty of children from agnostic homes or homes of faiths other than Christianity are first exposed to Christianity in Episcopal schools or elsewhere.
And did I mention there are 143 million orphans in our world? Many children in our world, sadly, live in institutions or homes where they are not given anything near ideal care. This is a social justice issue we might like to tackle as a key component of any discussion of “children’s ministry.” </em>
<strong>Resource Recommendation:</strong>
I just finished reading Shane Claiborne’s “<strong>The Irresistible Revolution</strong>” (Zondervan, 2006). It is both challenging and delightful to read. Shane spoke at Kanuga’s recent Christian Formation conference. He has many stories to tell, complete with a quirky East Tennessee wit.
<strong>Page Updates:</strong> I’m in the process of updates this website. A new page, “<a href=”http://etchristianformation.org/food-faith-gardening/” title=”Food, Faith and Gardening”>Food, Faith and Gardening</a>” is found at http://etchristianformation.org/food-faith-gardening/. Included are my favorite resources as I’ve written <a href=”http://www.episcopalrelief.org/children” target=”_blank”>Abundant Life Garden Project</a> resources.
Blessings, Cindy
Cindy Coe 