PLAGIARISM FREE "A" WORK HIS & PHILO

9 Congregational Education and

Formation

The most formative aspects of our faith take place within the context of local congregations. As Christians, we are shaped and formed through the practices, activities, and events of the local church. Practicing Christian education involves social gatherings, Bible studies, worship, and service, which all play an important role in forming our faith. Some have said that it takes a village to raise a child; in the same way, it takes a congregation to form a Christian. In this respect, the practices and activities of a local congregation are critical in faith formation. So why do some congregations do a better job of faith formation than other congregations? What are the specific practices and activities in these congregations that shape faith? These questions become critical in understanding what it really means to do Christian education comprehensively in local congregations, which, by God’s grace, form and shape people’s faith. What is congregational formation? Congregational formation is primarily concerned with

how, through its practices, the community of faith forms and transforms Christians. Congregations serve a distinct mission, providing a sacred place where God’s Spirit promises to dwell among believers. Congregational formation exists to “build up,” to construct communities of faith that serve God and love neighbors, for the sake of transforming the world. Congregational formation describes the corporate educational effort that nurtures and forms the faith and the witness of community members.1

Corporate Memory

Each local congregation possesses a unique personality or history that shapes what its members believe and how they practice their faith. Congregations exist in diverse groups of faith traditions and denominations, each reflecting a particular aspect of the vision and mission of the church. For example, a congregation shapes its identity when it focuses more on social justice and compassionate ministries. Or a congregation shapes the ethos and identity of a local church when it gives more attention to the sacramental practices. In the same way that families have a memory of the events and activities of their past, so do

congregations. Congregations have a corporate memory. This corporate memory provides the primary avenue to pass beliefs on to the next generation. Practicing Christian education in local churches requires us to pass on the beliefs, practices, and values to other believers, especially

Maddix, M. A., & Estep, J. R. J. (2017). Practicing christian education : An introduction for ministry. Baker Academic. Created from amridge on 2022-03-01 04:49:51.

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the next generation. This includes the biblical and theological traditions of that particular faith community. Who we are and what we believe influences how the congregation shapes and forms faith. In essence, we are a product of our local congregation or tribe. Congregational memory includes the recognition of our place in the faith tradition and how that tradition will be carried on to the next generation. Charles Foster expresses concern that congregations continue to lose corporate memory,

especially with the loss of connectedness across generations and the diminishing loyalty to faith communities.2 Many congregations lose their memory due to the increasing number of new people attending church. Recognizing, preserving, and developing memory remains one of the primary purposes and tasks of congregational formation. The Christian educator is to provide intentional practices that ensure the corporate memory

of a congregation, which includes its beliefs, values, and practices, is passed on to the next generation. This becomes especially important given that many new attenders do not have an understanding of the Bible, theology, or Christian practices. In other words, they do not have a sense of memory about the faith tradition. Therefore, Christian education needs to intentionally ensure that new believers are taught about the faith tradition. This is best done through modeling Christian practices that are important in teaching the faith story.

Community as Formation

Forming faith in congregations includes the development of biblical community. An important biblical passage regarding community is Acts 2:42: “And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.” Christians often view this passage as the beginning of the church because it represents the first example in Scripture after Pentecost of believers gathering together for worship and fellowship. The passage focuses on four qualities of this new church: the apostles’ teachings, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayers. These four qualities are reflected in the formation of many congregations. The passage provides two distinct pairs that are linked together. The first pair is “the

apostles’ teachings” and “fellowship,” or koinonia. The apostles’ teachings refers to the testimony or witness of the Twelve about Jesus’s ministry and resurrection. Fellowship was common in the Greco-Roman world and referred to the relation or bond between persons. This passage focuses on the bond among all the groups of believers. The second pair is “the breaking of bread” and “prayers,” and has similar connections. The

breaking of bread doesn’t refer to taking Communion together, as some interpreters have suggested; rather, it focuses on believers sharing a meal together at someone’s home. It is representative of how many congregations gather together around a meal or potluck. The prayers refers to times of prayer in the temple for worship and times of prayer among believers. Both of these pairs provide a connection between worshipful activities and the social bond between believers as they gather in homes for prayer and a meal.3 Luke further describes the communal life of the ancient church in Acts 2:44–45, observing that everyone

Maddix, M. A., & Estep, J. R. J. (2017). Practicing christian education : An introduction for ministry. Baker Academic. Created from amridge on 2022-03-01 04:49:51.

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had everything in common and shared their resources. They gave to anyone in need. This communal approach to living was a characteristic of the early Christians. The ancient church example in Acts provides a basis for Christian community or koinonia.

Koinonia means “communion,” “participation,” or “joint participation.” In the New Testament, the word means that the collective well-being of the community supersedes the self-interest of the individual members. In other words, everyone is to work and produce for the sake of the community. This has two primary implications for practicing Christian education today. First, koinonia means that Christians are to gather together with other Christians for times of prayer, worship, fellowship, and to share a meal. Second, it refers to social equality. The early Christians understood that fellowship included the acceptance of all people regardless of their socioeconomic, ethnic, religious, gender, or cultural context. Their identity in Jesus Christ took precedence over social systems and classes of people. They shared their resources and viewed everyone as equal. Community or koinonia has become more difficult in societies influenced by a Western

individualistic mind-set. Many Christians maintain a privatized faith and believe they have no responsibility to other people or to a local congregation. Faith is often divorced from relationships with others. But as John Wesley believed, referring to the importance of social relationships within the context of community, there is no holiness without social holiness.4 This includes the sharing of spiritual lives together in small groups as places of spiritual accountability. Christian educators have an opportunity to speak to these challenges by creating a sense of

community. Authentic community breaks through the fragmentation and individualism and provides a place for acceptance. Communities share a “common heritage” originating in God’s love and grace, which binds all ages and diverse groups together. We need to practice Christian education in such a way as to preserve and advance the qualities of a distinctively formative Christian community.

Intergenerational Ministries

Practicing Christian education is obviously a generational ministry, involving children, adolescents, and adults of all ages, but often it is not intergenerational. Many congregations have moved away from the segmentation of age groups to embrace intergenerational ministries. One example of this is the recent development of Sticky Faith by Karen Powell and Chap Clark.5 Their thesis is that intergenerational ministry isn’t something that congregations do; it is something they become. Christian educators and congregations need to value intergenerational relationships. In order for this to take place, there needs to be a shift away from an individualistic mind-set to develop a mind-set that includes assimilating children and youth into the church today. This shift does not mean moving away from age-level-specific ministries, but it means supplementing them with intentional intergenerational practices and activities. For example, many youth ministers began to acknowledge that their ministries seemed

isolated from the life of families and the general church, creating one-eared Mickey Mouse

Maddix, M. A., & Estep, J. R. J. (2017). Practicing christian education : An introduction for ministry. Baker Academic. Created from amridge on 2022-03-01 04:49:51.

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ministries that isolated youth from intergenerational influence.6 So they have begun to develop activities and practices that include youth within the overall life of the congregation. These intergenerational forms of Christian education include the whole family. The shift to intergenerational ministries has also included a focus on family ministry. One

example of this is intergenerational forms of worship that include all age groups. Through worship, the stories, rituals, and symbols provide a means to remember the faith story and to “tell” the faith story to others. Congregation formation as family ministry includes providing education about the sacraments of baptism and the Eucharist as central aspects of the worshiping community. These sacraments foster faith formation in individuals and the family. Another important aspect of intergenerational ministries is acts of compassion and service.

All age groups can be engaged in mission projects and acts of justice. These can be some of the most formative events in a person’s faith formation. When people have an opportunity to practice their faith with others, it can be very formative. Also, when faith is practiced within the context of the church, specific habits, beliefs, and behaviors are developed. The benefit of intergenerational ministries is that they allow each generation the opportunity

to learn from the others. An intergenerational ministry fosters activities for all age groups, providing opportunities for intergenerational formation. Children and youth can be nurtured and modeled by adults, while adults can listen to and learn from the younger generation. Congregational formation includes all ages in worshiping, learning, and serving together. This may be a challenge for congregations that have age-level ministries, but faithful discipleship includes finding creative avenues to integrate all generations.7 Practicing Christian education in the contemporary congregation requires us not just to embrace believers of all ages—though we can never wholly abandon age-related ministries—but also to foster intergenerational opportunities for learning and relationships to facilitate formative Christian communities.

Catechesis

Catechesis describes the way Christians are made. It means all the intentional learning within a community of Christian faith and life. Historically, the mark of a Christian is our baptism. We spend the rest of our lives involved in a process of becoming more Christian. That lifelong process is one of catechesis. John Westerhoff describes catechesis as essentially a pastoral activity intended to transmit the church’s tradition and to enable faith to become living, conscious, and active in the life of maturing persons and a maturing community.8 It is concerned not only with conversion and nurture, commitment and behavior, but also with aiding the community to become more Christian. It is about passing on living tradition in the form of a story and vision for all those who share in the life and mission of the Christian faith community. Westerhoff affirms that “catechesis is the deliberate (intentional), systematic (related) and sustained (life-long) processes within the community of Christian faith and life which establish, build up, equip, and enable it to be Christ’s body or presence in the world to the end that all people are restored to unity with God and each other.”9 Catechesis is at the heart of practicing Christian education.

Maddix, M. A., & Estep, J. R. J. (2017). Practicing christian education : An introduction for ministry. Baker Academic. Created from amridge on 2022-03-01 04:49:51.

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Westerhoff’s view of catechesis includes three aspects: formation, education, and instruction.10

Formation implies intentional, relational, and experiential activities within the life of the congregation. Examples include mission trips, service projects, and service learning. Education implies “reshaping” and refers to critical, reflective activities related to these communal experiences. Instruction implies “building” and refers to knowledge and skills useful to communal life that are transmitted, acquired, and understood through a teaching process.

These three distinct aspects are interrelated processes in catechesis. Formation is how the body of Christ is formed through intentional practices. Christian education is the process of reflecting on these practices; and instruction or teaching is the processes of building knowledge so the congregational corporate memory can be communicated. The goal of catechesis is to help Christians both individually and corporately grow in their relationship with God and in their relationship with other believers. The result is that as people grow spiritually, they will be engaged in acts of justice, mercy, and compassion.

Worship and Catechesis as Formation

Catechesis begins in worship. Worship remains central to congregational formation. In worship, people gather to give praise and thanksgiving to God. Many Christian educators believe that worship anchors formation and that all efforts of forming and discipling Christians should take place in worship.11 Debra Dean Murphy believes that Christians are formed and transformed through worship, praise, and doxology. She argues that worship and Christian education often appear as two separate enterprises because Christian education has been influenced by modern models of education that divide worship and Christian education. Murphy’s primary thesis calls for a catechesis that provides a richer theological heritage that unites Christian education and worship with discipleship and doxology. For Murphy, catechesis more fully captures the goal of Christian education as formation and transformation. Any formalized teaching about creed or doctrine must concede the primacy of worship for shaping people to be able to receive and understand such doctrinal instruction.12 A deep unity exists between Christian formation and worship, between discipleship and

doxology. Catechesis is a journey of transformation that culminates in the praise and adoration of God. Catechesis begins and ends with liturgy, ultimately giving praise and worship to God. Thus worship confers and nurtures Christian identity. Therefore, corporate worship through preaching, prayer, and the sacraments provides a more robust form of congregational formation. An important part of congregational formation through worship is the significant events

within the worshiping community. Charles Foster identifies four events that form congregations and nurture faith: paradigmatic events, seasonal events, occasional events, and unexpected events.13

Maddix, M. A., & Estep, J. R. J. (2017). Practicing christian education : An introduction for ministry. Baker Academic. Created from amridge on 2022-03-01 04:49:51.

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First, paradigmatic events establish a pattern for Christian life and community that have their origin in ancient traditions and rituals. These can include such events as caring for the poor and ministry to widows or widowers. Second, seasonal events are rhythmic patterns of congregational formation that include

following the Christian calendar. The ritual processes that structure these events carry the congregation through the liturgical seasons from Advent through Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter, and Pentecost, and through saints’ days. Observing seasons helps Christians “relive” Jesus’s birth, ministry, death, resurrection, and ongoing ministry through the church. As we participate in the liturgical life of the church, we participate in the events of God’s story of salvation. There is a renewed interest in following the Christian calendar and lectionary readings in

worship. The lectionary describes a list of Bible passages for reading, studying, or preaching in services of worship that cover the majority of Scripture in a three-year pattern. The lectionary readings usually include passages from the Old Testament, Psalms, Gospels, and Epistles. Following the lectionary provides an educational curriculum to tell the complete story of Scripture. In worshiping contexts, the lectionary is used to guide Scripture reading in worship and preaching. Congregational reading of Scripture provides an interpretive act that brings Scripture to the center of the worshiping community. The story of Scripture is also taught and experienced through preaching through the lectionary. The benefit of including the lectionary as a curriculum in worship is the retelling of the Christian story, which allows people to participate in the story each year. Third, occasional events intensify community identity and mission by providing community

meaning and life. These events include weddings, funerals, baptisms, anniversaries, mission trips, homecomings, and church building dedications.14 For example, a community’s identity is heightened when a young couple brings a child to be dedicated or baptized. Homecoming ceremonies provide a time of retelling the heritage of a congregation. Through these significant church events, faith formation takes place in the context of congregational practice. Fourth, unexpected events include events that interrupt the rhythmic patterns and structures

that give order to the worshiping community. These unexpected events bring joy and sorrow, blessing and suffering. They come in various forms, such as a tragic loss of life, the loss of employment, or a birth of a child with a disease. These unexpected events of life interrupt the normal flow of congregational life and worship,15 and provide new meaning and understanding as the community responds to these situations. Each of these movements or events forms and shapes lives as the community of faith

worships and lives life together. Worship is formative and transformative as people engage in praise and adoration of God, as they hear the Scripture read and preached, and as they participate in the telling of the gospel story each week. All of this is crucial if practicing Christian education is going to foster congregational formation.

Word/Preaching and Table/Communion as Formation

Maddix, M. A., & Estep, J. R. J. (2017). Practicing christian education : An introduction for ministry. Baker Academic. Created from amridge on 2022-03-01 04:49:51.

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Historically, as the church gathers for worship, it gathers around the proclamation of the Word through preaching and the Table for Communion. The combination of Word and Table provides important aspects of congregational formation. Many evangelical congregations identify more with the proclamation or preaching of the gospel than with regular participation in Communion. The reason for this is the influence of the Protestant Reformation, which emphasized a high view of Scripture and the proclamation of the gospel. In most evangelical congregations, preaching is central to the worshiping community. The proclamation of the gospel is a powerful means of forming and fostering faith among believers. Regular participation in the Eucharist or Table doesn’t replace the role of the Word in

worship; rather, Eucharist provides balance in worship. The Table expands our understanding of and discourse about God’s grace by including a living sign of the same gospel, now in tangible and visible form.16 With an increased interest in ancient and historical practices of the church, particularly as

they relate to worship, many evangelical congregations are rediscovering the formative power of the Eucharist. One reason for this movement is the influence of postmodern forms of worship that place a great emphasis on experience, community, and mystery. Postmodern worship critiques modern approaches to worship that focus primarily on more cognitive and transmissive forms of worship. There is a greater emphasis and focus on the experiential aspects of Communion as a means to encounter the living God. The role of the Christian educator is to help believers view the formative power of both

proclamation and Communion. Most evangelical churches struggle with practicing Communion frequently, even weekly, because they reflect more of a “low” view of liturgy. However, as mentioned above, with a renewed interest in ancient practices, the Christian educator can help educate and equip congregations to understand the value of the formative role of Communion. This also reminds us that practicing Christian education involves more than teaching content; it also involves embracing and participating in the ancient practices of the church.

Baptism

Historically, baptism marked the entrance into the faith community. Someone believed and was baptized. Most evangelical congregations hold to two biblical sacraments: Communion and baptism. Communion is discussed above, and baptism in the modern evangelical tradition includes both infant and adult baptism. Some faith traditions practice infant baptism as the beginning of the faith formation of a

child. An infant is baptized and becomes a member of the faith community. In essence, their baptism makes them Christian. As a member of the faith community, the infant is nurtured and educated through the faith community. When the child reaches age twelve or thirteen, they will go through a confirmation class. The confirmation class includes instruction about the beliefs and practices of the faith tradition and provides an opportunity for the child to either affirm or reject their baptism.17 Some Christian faith traditions practice adult baptism. Adults who were not baptized as an

infant are baptized for the first time. If a person was baptized as an infant, they can reaffirm

Maddix, M. A., & Estep, J. R. J. (2017). Practicing christian education : An introduction for ministry. Baker Academic. Created from amridge on 2022-03-01 04:49:51.

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their baptism as an adult. Adult baptism is more than a testimony of a person’s faith; it is the dying to sin and being resurrected in Christ. Through baptism, adults receive grace from God that provides death to sin and resurrection in Jesus Christ. It is through baptism that the adult is empowered by the Holy Spirit to live a life of Christlikeness (Acts 2:38, 41; 8:12, 34–39; 22:16; Rom. 6:1–4; Gal. 3:26–27; Col. 2:11–12; 1 Pet. 3:21).18 Baptism, both infant and adult, is an important sacrament in which grace is received and the

recipient becomes a member of the faith community. Baptism is formative for the person and the faith community. When someone is baptized, it reminds all Christians of their baptism and provides an opportunity for them to reaffirm their baptism. Practicing Christian education, whether it is in a congregation that practices infant or adult baptism, requires the Christian educator to prepare individuals for baptism, facilitate the practice of baptism, and provide nurture and instruction following baptism.

Conclusion

We, the authors, are deeply appreciative of the local church’s impact on our faith formation. It was through the strong sense of koinonia that we developed deep relationships that shaped our lives. The preaching, teaching, and worship provided challenge and renewal in our lives, and through weekly participation in Communion we received healing and renewal to live out God’s mission in the world. More so, it was the preachers, the teachers, those who led and participated with us in worship, the examples and relationships that have shaped and mentored us in the Christian life. We are grateful that pastors and leaders were intentional about the practices that were incorporated in congregational formation. As you finish this chapter, we hope you will reflect on the ways in which your local congregation has shaped and formed your faith, and that you recognize the significant role it has in your life. As you do Christian education in your own ministry, do not forget this lesson. The Christian educator’s role is to value the importance that congregations have in forming

and shaping faith. This includes intentional focus on developing community, engaging in intergenerational ministry, serving in mission together, and practicing the sacraments of Communion and baptism regularly and frequently. It is through these practices that Christians are made into and nurtured as faithful disciples of Jesus Christ. It is through the catechetical process of forming, educating, and instructing believers that God’s redemptive purposes in the world come to fruition.

Reflection Questions

1. What is congregational formation? What practices, activities, and events form faithful disciples in your local congregation?

2. What is your congregation’s corporate memory? In what ways are the congregation’s beliefs, values, and faith tradition being passed on to the next generation?

Maddix, M. A., & Estep, J. R. J. (2017). Practicing christian education : An introduction for ministry. Baker Academic. Created from amridge on 2022-03-01 04:49:51.

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