Innovation: Faith Formation
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Faith Formation with Young Adults


Principles & Practices 

Faith Formation with Young Adults - Kyle Oliver
Kyle Oliver, one of the authors of The Seasons of Adult Faith Formation, describes effective practices and strategies for faith formation with young adults. 

Engaging Young Adults Effectively - Asa Lee
The Faith Communities Today (FACT) study focused on the active involvement of young adults in participating faith communities and involved a multi-year examination of ten congregations with a sizable presence of young adults between the ages of 18 and 35. These case studies revealed some key lessons in how to attract and engage younger adult populations.

Faith Formation in Christian Practices with Youth and Young Adults - Don Richter
Don Richter offers thoughtful commentary and practical ideas for developing Christian practices faith formation with young adults based on his experience with the Valparaiso Project on the Education and Formation of People in Faith and his work on the book, Way to Live. 

Faith Formation with Emerging Adults - John Roberto
How can churches address the distinctive spiritual and religious needs of emerging adults? What does faith formation with emerging adults look like? Part 1 of this article presents research findings on what young adults are seeking in a congregation and what congregations are doing to address their religious and spiritual needs. Part 2 presents a variety of congregational examples of approaches, ideas, and practices in faith formation with emerging adults.

Programming

Building a Young Adult Network - Mary Cat Young
First-person story of a young adult minister’s involvement in building a denominational young adult network across multiple churches in a large metropolitan area.

Churches Emerging Adults Like (The Changing Spirituality of Emerging Adults Project)
What kinds of churches do emerging adults attend? Why do they go? How involved are they? How do churches engage emerging adults in meaningful ways? Here are reports of churches that are reaching the emerging adult population. 
  1. The Emerging Church Movement and Young Adults 
  2. Engaging Young Adult Catholics in D.C.
  3. Clay United Methodist Church
  4. Consolidated Baptist Church
  5. The Crossing: Worship, Community, and Action in Emergent Episcopal Ministry
  6. Diversity and Spirituality Drive Young Adults at New Life Fellowship
  7. Engaging Young Adults at a Catholic Mega-Parish
  8. Middle Collegiate Church
  9. St. Peter’s Catholic Student Center
Anthony Pogorelc on the "Changing Spirituality of Emerging Adults" Project - An Interview by Louis Weeks (www.resourcingchristianity.org)

How to Attract Young People to Church - Noami Schaefer Riley
In her book “Got Religion?” a journalist profiles seven religious institutions that have created new models for inviting young adults into lives of faith. Interestingly, she says technology is not the answer.

How to Reach Young Adults - Anthony Robinson
The author has eight suggestions for reaching Generation Next, starting with the reminder: We're not just another social club or civic group. (FaithandLeadership.com)

Increasing Young Adult Participation in Churches and Other Faith Communities: Profiles & Case Studies (Faith Communities Today Research) 
What is the involvement of young adults in local congregations across the United States? And how are faith communities with significant proportion of young adults distinctive? The resources below explore patterns and practices of congregations with significant young adult involvement. 
  1. Summary of Best Practices
  2. Profile of Churches
  3. Congregational Engagement of Young Adults
  4. Profile: Christway Community Church
  5. Profile: Herriman Utah LDS Ward
  6. Profile: Houston Bahai Center
  7. Profile: Kirkwood United Church of Christ
  8. Profile: Life Center
  9. Profile: New Life Covenant Church
  10. Profile: Old St. Patrick's Church
  11. Profile: St. Mary Orthodox Church
  12. Profile: Temple Micah
  13. Profile: The Well

Kevin Offers a DIY Approach to Jewish Millennials - Yonat Shimron
A startup in California has adapted the small group model to Jewish life, offering support for people to study ancient texts in community. The approach is attracting both young and old, the unaffiliated as well as synagogue members.

Taking a Coalition Approach to Young Adult Ministry - Kate Hine, SND and Margaret Vogel
The Coalition with Young Adults (C-YA) is an intentional network of community leaders and young adults who work collaboratively to reveal a Church that is relevant to today’s young adults.

Books

Selected books on young adult faith formation

Research

young adult research
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