The reason that the church exists is to form faith and then to live that faith in the world, spreading the kingdom of God. It takes work to sculpt play dough, but that work doesn’t create the play dough, just shapes it.īack to top Where should we be doing faith formation at church? However, our thoughts and actions shape this faith, and God calls us to live it (after all, faith without action is dead ( James 2:17)). God has to be the one to create the connection and transform us so that we can fully engage in the relationship. We could never create a transforming relationship with God under our own power. Yes, faith is most certainly a gift from God. Our worldview changes when we learn (experience, believe, etc.) something new.īack to top Isn’t faith a gift from God, not something earned by our works? The same event interpreted through different worldviews. What one person sees as a miracle, another sees as a coincidence. Our worldview consists of things like what we believe, what we have learned, our philosophy of life, what we have experienced, and even our personalities. You may have heard the phrase “seeing the world through rose-colored glasses,” referring to someone who sees everything in a positive light. You can think of it as the lens through which we see, experience, and understand our environment and events around us. In terms of faith formation, it is the process by which our relationship with God, our worldview, and therefore our lives are shaped over time.īack to top What do you mean by “worldview”?Ī worldview is simply a word to describe how we view our world. A worldview can be formed as well, being shaped by what we learn and experience. A relationship can be formed as well, not only in the sense of it beginning but also how it is deepened and changes our lives. We can take a blob of play dough and form it into whatever shape we want (and have the skill to do). To “form” something is simply to change its shape.

This faith (relationship with God and the resulting way we interact with the world), is a gift from God and transforms our lives completely.īack to top What do you mean by “formation”? But, this relationship also involves trust in a specific worldview (the way we see and interpret the world around us). Christian faith is primarily a transformative relationship of trust between ourselves and God (through Christ, by the activity of the Holy Spirit). The Greek word often translated “faith” in the New Testament is pistis, but it can also be translated as “trust” and “belief.” Faith (trust, belief) is not an object or an abstract idea, it’s a relationship. “Faith” is a word with a long and complicated history. Faith is formed through any action, experience, or relationship, and education is only one part of that. However, faith formation goes way beyond the classroom.

To have our faith and life formed by God’s love in Christ, we need to know something about the story of God, what it means that God loves us, and how God wants us to act in our daily lives. Education is a critical part of forming the faith of all disciples. The term “faith formation” is sometimes used as a synonym for Christian education classes (which many still call “Sunday School”). Basically, faith formation is the process by which our faith grows, and our lives are shaped by God’s love.īack to top Is faith formation the same as Christian education (Sunday school)? Faith formation is the very mission of God’s church, to equip followers of Jesus Christ so that they may be sent out into the world to spread God’s kingdom. Spirit & Truth Publishing produces faith formation resources, but what is faith formation? We define faith formation as every action, experience, or relationship that nurtures a transformative relationship of trust with God and shapes the way we see and interact with God’s world. Why do you keep using the term “disciples”?ĭo you have a faith statement? What is it? How does Spirit & Truth Publishing support faith formation? How do you make faith formation effective? Where should we be doing faith formation at church? Isn’t faith a gift from God, not something earned by our works? Is faith formation the same as Christian education (Sunday school)?

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