This document outlines a proposed approach to designing faith formation networks for the 21st century. It discusses moving from an education model to lifelong learning anywhere, anytime through online and digitally-enabled resources. A network approach integrates a variety of content, environments, and delivery methods to meet diverse needs. Content areas include caring relationships, rituals, learning, prayer, service, and more. Networks can include intergenerational, age-group, family, missional, and online components. The design process involves researching needs, developing themes, generating programming ideas, planning seasons of programming, building digital platforms, testing, and evaluating.

1. +
A Faith Forming Congregational
Culture for the 21st Century
Vibrant Faith University - Course #1

2. +
NewWays ofThinking
 Systemic: A New Faith Forming
Ecosystem
 Holistic Lifelong Faith Growth
 Network Approach to Learning & Faith
Formation
 Online & Digitally Enabled

3. +
A New Faith Forming Ecosystem
Intergenerational
Faith Community
Age
Group/Generational
Faith Formation
Family Faith
Formation
Missional Faith
Formation
Online & Digitally-
Enabled Faith
Formation

4. +
GROWTH
IN FAITH
Caring
Relationships
Rituals &
Milestones
Church Year
Seasons
Learning the
Tradition
Praying
Spiritual
Formation
Reading the
Bible
Serving
Working for
Justice Caring
for Creation
Worshipping
Holistic Faith Formation

5. +
Presentation #2:
Faith Formation Networks
Presenter: John Roberto

6. +
Part 1
Faith Formation in a
Networked, ConnectedWorld

7. +
1. Internet Revolution
2. Mobile Revolution
3. Social Media Revolution
Information is now. . .
 Portable
 Personal
 Participatory
TheTriple Revolution

8. +
Resources for Design
Website
www.ReimageFaithFormation.com
Book
Chapter 3

11. A shift from education to learning anywhere, anytime.
A shift from consumption of information to participatory learning.
A shift from institutions to networks.

12. +
A Network Approach to Learning
Bible
Course
Online
course
Bible
study
group
Book
Video
Program
Audio
book/p
odcast
Mentor
Bible
app
Organize
a study
group

16. +
Faith Formation Networks
What if we reimagined faith formation as a network of
relationships, content, experiences, and resources?
. . . . Offering a wide variety of engaging and interactive
content and experiences in online and physical settings.
. . . . Offering content and experiences to respond to the
diverse religious and spiritual needs of adults today—from
the spiritually committed and engaged to the spiritual but
not religious and the unaffiliated.
. . . . Enabling congregations to become centers for learning
and faith growth

17. +
Faith Formation Networks
 Variety of content, methods, formats, and delivery
systems to address the diverse life tasks and
situations, needs and interests, and spiritual and
faith journeys of adults in four seasons of
adulthood.
 Multiple environments to address people’s busy
lives and provide more ways to participate:
self-directed, mentored, at home, in small groups,
in large groups, church-wide, in the community,
and in the world

18. +
Faith Formation Networks
Digitally-Enabled
Blending gathered community settings with online
learning environments and utilizing the abundance of
digital media and tools for learning and faith formation

19. +
GROWTH
IN FAITH
Caring
Relationships
Rituals &
Milestones
Church Year
Seasons
Learning the
Tradition
Praying
Spiritual
Formation
Reading the
Bible
Serving
Working for
Justice Caring
for Creation
Worshipping
Faith Forming Processes

20. +
Faith Formation Networks
1. Caring Relationships
2. Celebrating the Seasons
3. Celebrating Rituals &
Milestones
4. Learning the Christian
Tradition
5. Praying & Spiritual
Formation
6. Reading the Bible
7. Serving, Working for
Justice, & Caring for
Creation
8. Worshipping God
9. Life Stage Issues
10. Missional
Faith
Communit
y
Content
Area
Content
Area
Content
Area
Content
Area
Content
Area
Content
Area

21. +
Adult
Faith
Formation
Network
Sunday
Worship
Liturgical
Seasons
Scripture
Enrichment
Spiritual
Enrichment
Faith
Enrichment
Service &
Mission
Life Issues &
Milestones
Grand-
parents
Discovering
Faith

22. +
SampleThemes –Adults
1. Dealing with retirement
2. Making life plans, finances, health
3. Becoming a grandparent
4. Making a difference in the community and world
5. Incorporating family changes and transitions
6. New ways of living and relating as a married couple
7. Caring for aging parents
8. Taking time to read the Bible and learn more about my faith
9. Growing spiritually and exploring spirituality for the 2nd half
of life
10. Connecting with people my age; talking about things that
matter to us
11. Dealing with loss

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TheSeasonsofAdultFaithFormation.com

24. +
Content
Area
Activity 1
Resource
Resource
Activity 2
Resource
Resource
Activity 3
Resource
Resource
Programming on the Network
Faith Formation Playlists

25. +
Faith Formation Playlists
Variety of Environments: Self-directed, mentored, at
home, in small groups, in large groups, church-wide, in the
community, and in the world.
Variety of Ways
to Learn

26. +
Faith Formation Playlists
Digitally-Enabled

27. +
Spiritual
Enrichment
Online Courses Resource
Apps & E-
newsletters
Resource
Online Prayer
& Spirituality
Resources
Small Group
Bible Study
Resources
Retreats Resource
Day at the
Monastery
Resource
Spiritual Book
of the Month
Resource
Spiritual
Practices
Series
Resource
Faith Formation Playlists

28. +
Adult Faith Formation Playlists
Playlists are thematic learning plans that integrate a variety of
ways to learn, multiple learning environments, and online and
physical spaces—from which people can create their own faith
formation plan.
Example: Spiritual Enrichment for Adults
Theme: “Spiritual Practices”
1. Spiritual Practices Course (5 sessions at church)
2. Spirituality Over 50 Book Group (variety of times & places)
3. Online Daily Devotion Resources
4. Online Prayer Practices Resources
5. Online Course or Retreat with a Spiritual Master
6. Online Retreat

29. +
Family Faith
Formation
Network
Family Life
Parents
God in
Daily Life
Faith @
Home
Milestones
Seasons of
the Year
Bible &
Sunday
Worship
Intergener
-ational

30. +
FamiliesAtTheCenter.com

31. +
Family Faith Formation Playlists
Faith @ Home Playlist
Reading the Bible
 A 12-week Summer Bible Reading Plan for Children
 An Old Testament Bible heroes 5-minute devotional
Learning the Christian Tradition
 Ten Commandments Magnet
 Church Scavenger Hunt
 I L-O-V-E G-O-D
 Stand Up for Others
Praying
 Meal Prayers for All Occasions
Serving Others
 Assemble Promise Kits for Refugees
 Participate in a "Serve the Community" Day
 Collect Food for the Hungry

32. +
Three Seasons of Programming
Fall Season:
Sept 1 – Jan 1
Winter/Spring Season:
Jan 1 – May 1
Summer Season:
May 1 – Sept 1
Fall
Winter-
Spring
Summer

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Online & Digitally Enabled Strategies

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Gathered using Online Content
A gathered program using online content from
websites, videos from YouTube or other video
sites, and blogs and other social media. With an
abundance of high quality digital content, this first
option is the easiest way to bring the digital world
into a gathered program.

35. +
Gathered with Online Content
Connecting church programs or events with online
content that extends and deepens the experience
through learning, prayer, ritual, action, etc.
 Sunday worship & church year feasts and
seasons
 Intergenerational & family programs
 Children, youth, and adult classes & programs
 Extended programs: mission trips, retreat
experiences, and vacation Bible school, summer
camp

36. +
Church Event
or Program
At Home &
Daily Life
Gathered with Online Content

37. +
Gathered with Online Content
Event or
Program
TALK
Conversation
Activities
LEARN
Read
Listen
Watch
ACT
Practices
Service
Projects
PRAY
Devotions
Bible Reading
Daily Prayer
SHARE
Blog Facebook
Video
Projects

38. +
Example: SundayWorship
Church Life  Daily & Home Life  Online Life
Experience of
Worship in the
Congregation
• Sunday worship
and lectionary
• Church year
feasts and
seasons
• Church rituals:
baptism,
communion,
funerals, etc.
Experience of
Sunday worship,
rituals, and church
year seasons in daily
life
• Reflecting on the
sermon and
readings at home
• Practices: Lectio,
etc.
• Application to
daily living
Online worship,
church year, and
lectionary resources
on the church’s faith
formation website
• Lectionary
commentaries
online
• Video reflections
and commentary
• Online activities
and projects

39. +
Sunday
Worship
Tri-Saints
Lutheran
Church, NE

40. +
Preschool
Faith
Formation
@ Home
First Church
Simsbury, CT

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Online and Gathered
“Flip the classroom or program” by creating a digital
platform to provide the content that people would learn in
the gathered setting in an online learning space using print,
audio, video, and more. And then transform the gathered
program using interactive activities, discussion, project-
based learning, and practice and demonstration.
 Flip children’s programming: At home learning with
parents (print, video, online); in-class application with
activities, project-centered learning
 Flip confirmation programming
 Develop a online justice and service center

42. + Online & Gathered Programming
Flipped classroom Model
@ Home
Exploring the Content
- print, audio, video,
activities
@ The Program
Applying the Content:
Create – Practice -
Perform - Participate

43. + “Flip” Christian Initiation /
New member formation

44. +
Online and Gathered

45. +
Online and Gathered

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Mostly Online
Utilizing the digital platform as the primary learning setting and
providing opportunities for interaction in gathered settings.
 Parent webinar programs delivered to parents at home in
four-month semesters: three webinars + a parent gathering;
three more webinars + a parent gathering.
 Online learning resources for self-study or small group study,
and gathering at the conclusion to share their insights.
 Online Bible study where groups can meet regularly in a
physical setting or virtually through Skype or a Google+
Hangout.
 Selected online courses and activities from colleges,
seminaries, and religious organization for individualized
learning with the option for a mentor or small group
gathering.

47. +
Fully Online
The rise of high quality and easily accessible online
religious content—courses, activities, print and e-books,
audio and video programs, and content-rich websites—has
made designing online faith formation feasible.
 Online Bible and theology courses, video programs,
webinars for individual study
 Online prayer and spirituality center where people can
access daily prayer reflections and devotions, offer
prayer intentions, pray for others, learn about spiritual
practices, download prayer activities for the home
 Online parent resource center
 Online retreat experience

48. +
Example: 40-Day Lent Curriculum
Church Life  Daily & Home Life  Online Life
• Ash Wednesday
• Lenten Sunday
liturgies
• Stations of the
Cross
• Lenten prayer
• Lenten retreat
• Lenten service
• Lenten soup
suppers
• Fasting
• Praying
• Service/Almsgiv
ing
• Lectionary
reflection
• Family activities
• Lenten learning
resources
• Lenten
calendar
• Daily Lenten
prayer
• Weekly table
prayer
• Video
resources
• Online retreat
experience

49. +
Facebook
Devotion
St Mark
Lutheran
NE

50. +
Online Courses
N.T. Wright
Online –
Bible
Courses
Church Next
Online Adult
Faith
Formation

51. +
Part 2
Designing Faith Formation
Networks

52. +
Resources for Design
Website
www.ReimageFaithFormation.com
Book
Chapter 4

53. +
Network Design Process
(2016 Update)
Task 1. Research the Target Audience(s) & Identify Needs
Task 2. Build the Faith Formation Network Design
Task 3. Generate Programming Ideas for the Network
Task 4. Plan a Network Season of Programming
 Add current programming and events
 Redesign current programming by using a digital strategy
 Design faith formation playlists
 Optional: Design a process for personalizing learning
Task 5. Build the Digital Platform
Task 6. Test the Seasonal Plan with the Target Audience
Task 7. Launch the Seasonal Faith Formation Network
Task 8. Evaluate the Season of Programming
Task 9. Design the New Season of Programming

54. +
Step 1. Research
(Using the “Research Guide”)
Tasks
1. Gather demographic information about the
congregation and its surrounding community.
2. Observe the people in the wider community.
3. Interview selected church leaders.
4. Conduct two or more focus groups of people in
your target audience(s).
5. Produce a summary report of the 1) observations,
2) interviews, and 3) focus groups.
6. Identify the most important needs of the target
audience(s) to be addressed.

55. +
Step 1. Research
Audiences
• Children & Families
• Teens & Families
• Emerging Adults: 20s-30s
• Young Adults: 30s-40s
• Mid-Life Adults: 40s-mid 50s
• Mature Adults: mid 50s-70s
• Older Adults: 75+
• Families
• All Ages/Multigenerational
Research Topics
1. Life Stage Issues
2. Generational Issues
3. Milestones & Life
Transitions
4. Ethnic & Cultural
Needs
5. Spiritual & Religious
Needs

56. +
Step 1. Research
1. Compile the responses for each question from all of the
interviews.
2. Review the responses for each question to identify
related themes. Group these items together by giving
identical or similar items the same number beginning
with #1. The #1 item should have the most responses,
the #2 item the second most responses, and so on.
3. Name in one phrase or sentence each of the most
mentioned responses—themes. Develop a summary
report for each question that includes only the top
priority themes.

57. +
Empathy Map
SAY
What do you hear
your target group
saying?
DO
What actions and
behaviors do you
notice in your target
group?
THINK
What might your
target group be
thinking? What does
this tell you about their
beliefs/convictions?
FEEL
What emotions might
your target group be
feeling?

58. +
Step 1. Research
Produce summary reports:
 Compile one report of the major insights from your
community observations.
 Compile one report of your interview findings—
identifying the major themes for each interview
question.
 Compile one report of your focus group findings—
identifying the major themes for each focus group
question.

59. +
Compiling theThemes
Observation Interviews Focus Groups

60. +
SampleThemes – Mature Adults
1. Dealing with retirement
2. Making life plans, finances, health
3. Becoming a grandparent
4. Making a difference in the community and world
5. Incorporating family changes and transitions
6. New ways of living and relating as a married couple
7. Caring for aging parents
8. Taking time to read the Bible and learn more about my
faith
9. Growing spiritually and exploring spirituality for the 2nd
half of life
10. Connecting with people my age; talking about things
that matter to us
11. Dealing with loss

61. +
Step 2. Design NetworkThemes
1. Caring Relationships
2. Celebrating the Seasons
3. Celebrating Rituals &
Milestones
4. Learning the Christian
Tradition
5. Praying & Spiritual
Formation
6. Reading the Bible
7. Serving, Working for Justice,
& Caring for Creation
8. Worshipping God
9. Missional
10. Life Stage Issues
Faith
Communit
y
Content
Area
Content
Area
Content
Area
Content
Area
Content
Area
Content
Area

62. +
Adult
Faith
Formation
Network
Sunday
Worship
Liturgical
Seasons
Scripture
Enrichment
Spiritual
Enrichment
Faith
Enrichment
Service &
Mission
Life Issues &
Milestones
Grand-
parents
Discovering
Faith

63. +
Family Faith
Formation
Network
Family Life
Parents
God in
Daily Life
Faith @
Home
Milestones
Seasons of
the Year
Bible &
Sunday
Worship
Intergener
-ational

64. +
Adolescent
Faith
Formation
Network
Youth
Programs
Confirmation
Adolescent
Life Issues
Bible Study
& Religious
Learning
Prayer &
Spiritual
Formation
Service &
Mission
Trips
Youth
Leadership
For Parents
Family Life
Missional
Outreach

65. +
Whole Community Network

66. +
Step 3. Generate Programming Ideas
Part 1
1. Correlate the most important needs from the research
into the appropriate content areas of the network.
Some of the important needs will be included in
multiple content areas.
2. Add the faith formation programs that will continue to
be offered for the target audience into the appropriate
content areas of the network. Some may be listed more
than once.
3. Add events, ministries, and programs from the
intergenerational faith community into the appropriate
content areas of the network. Some may be listed more
than once.

67. +
Content Areas Needs Current
Programs
Intergenerational
Events
Caring Relationships
Church Year Seasons
Learning the Tradition
Prayer/Spiritual Form.
Reading the Bible
Rituals & Milestones
Service, Justice, Creation
Worship
Life Stage Issues
Missional
Additional Area
Profile Form - Part 1

68. +
Generate Programming Ideas
Part 2 – New Programming
1. What new programming do we need to address the
needs that surfaced in the research?
2. What would our target audience like to see the church
offer them through faith formation?
3. How can we address the audience’s needs through age-
specific programming?
4. How can we address the audience’s needs through
intergenerational and/or family programming?
5. How can we develop missional outreach programming
and strategies with this target audience?

69. +
Generate Programming Ideas
6. How can we utilize multiple environments: self-
directed, mentored, at home, in small groups, in large
groups, church-wide, in the community, and in the
world?
7. How can we utilize digitally-enabled strategies?

70. +
Idea Generating
How Might We. . . .
Brainstorm responses to the question: “How Might We
Address this Need?” Go for quantity, not quality at this
point. Post all of the ideas on sheets of easel paper. Cluster
similar HMW statements.
What If. . . .
List as many “What If” statements as you can on Post-it
notes – one idea per note. After several minutes, ask
people to place their notes on a sheet of easel paper. Then
cluster similar ideas together. A sense of priority is often
revealed as one or more of the clusters claim the energy
and interest of the group.

71. +
Content Areas Needs Current
Programs
Inter-
generational
New
Ideas
Caring Relationships
Church Year Seasons
Learning the Tradition
Prayer/Spiritual Form.
Reading the Bible
Rituals & Milestones
Service, Justice, Creation
Worship
Life Stage Issues
Missional
Additional Area
Profile Form – Part 2
Programming Possibilities

72. +
Step 4. Plan a Network Season
Fall Season:
September 1 – January 1
Winter/Spring Season:
January 1 – May 1
Summer Season:
May 1 – September 1
Fall
Winter-
Spring
Summer

73. +
Design a Network Season
Using your Network Design (and content areas):
1. Add currently scheduled programming for this season (age
group, family, and/or intergenerational) in the appropriate
Network content areas and month(s).
2. Use digitally-enabled strategies to redesign current
programming (extending programs with online content,
offering online-only programs, etc.)
3. Select new programming ideas for this season from the ideas
generated in Step 3. Where appropriate, schedule the
programming (e.g., a monthly focus).
4. Develop playlists of content, programs, and experiences.
5. Develop the final version of the seasonal plan and design the
seasonal faith formation website.

74. +
Develop a Seasonal Plan & Calendar
Content Area
(examples)
Programming & Dates
Month 1 Month 2 Month 3 Month 4
Scripture
Enrichment
Faith
Enrichment
Spiritual
Enrichment
Service &
Mission
Life Issues

75. +
Adult Faith Formation Playlists
Playlists are thematic learning plans that integrate a variety of
ways to learn, multiple learning environments, and online and
physical spaces—from which people can create their own faith
formation plan.
Example: Spiritual Enrichment for Adults
Theme: “Spiritual Practices”
1. Spiritual Practices Course (5 sessions at church)
2. Spirituality Over 50 Book Group (variety of times & places)
3. Online Daily Devotion Resources
4. Online Prayer Practices Resources
5. Online Course or Retreat with a Spiritual Master
6. Online Retreat

76. +
Family Faith Formation Playlists
Faith @ Home Playlist
Reading the Bible
 A 12-week Summer Bible Reading Plan for Children
 An Old Testament Bible heroes 5-minute devotional
Learning the Christian Tradition
 Ten Commandments Magnet
 Church Scavenger Hunt
 I L-O-V-E G-O-D
 Stand Up for Others
Praying
 Meal Prayers for All Occasions
Serving Others
 Assemble Promise Kits for Refugees
 Participate in a "Serve the Community" Day
 Collect Food for the Hungry

77. +
Faith Formation Playlists
1. Variety of Environments: Self-directed, mentored, at
home, in small groups, in large groups, church-wide, in
the community, and in the world.
1. Variety of Ways to Learn

78. +
Faith Formation Playlists
3. Digitally-Enabled: Blending gathered community
settings with online learning environments and utilizing
the abundance of digital media and tools for learning
and faith formation

79. +
Theme or
Content
Area
Activity 1
Resource
Resource
Activity 2
Resource
Resource
Activity 3
Resource
Resource
Developing a Playlist

80. +
Personalized Faith Formation
(Optional)
Discerning Learning
Needs
Working with a
Mentor/Guide
Finding Resources on
the Network
Engaging in
Formation in a
Variety of Learning
Environments
Sharing Learning with
Others
Reflecting on Growth
& Identifying New
Needs

81. +
Personalized Faith Formation
(Optional)
Personalized pathways for discipleship & faith
growth. . . .
 Guide people in discerning their religious and
spiritual needs.
 Equip people with the resources and tools to
learn and grow at their own pace.
 Provide mentoring and support for the journey.

82. +
AssessmentTool

83. +
Personalized Plan

84. +
Step 5. Build a Digital Platform
Other Platforms
www.wordpress.org www.wix.com www.squarespace.com

85. +
Build a Digital Platform
1. Choose a domain name.
2. Select a website template that is “mobile”
responsive.
3. Create the primary navigation system (main
menu) from the network content areas.
4. Build each webpage to incorporate all
programs, activities, and resources for each
content area.
5. Design the webpage for your target audience—
write the website content to your audience.

86. +
Things to Remember…
1. Don’t make the user think—make web pages self-
explanatory so the user hardly has any perceived
effort to understand them, for example, clear
choice of labels, clearly “clickable” items, simple
search.
2. People generally don’t read web pages closely;
they scan, so design for scanning rather than
reading.
3. Create a clear visual hierarchy and menu system
(main menu, submenus).
4. Make it very clear how to navigate the site, with
clear “signposts” on all pages.
5. Omit needless words.
6. The home page needs the greatest design care to
convey site identity and mission.
7. Promote user goodwill by making the typical
tasks easy to do, make it easy to recover from
errors, and avoid anything likely to irritate users.

87. +
Step 6.Test the Plan &Website
1. Let your user experience the network online. Show don’t
tell. Let them review the website and the programming. Just
the minimum context so they understand what to do. (Have
computers or tablets available for people to use or ask them
to bring a device.)
2. Have them talk through their experience, e.g., “Tell me what
you are thinking as you are doing this.”
3. Actively observe. Watch how they use (and misuse!) the
website. Don’t immediately “correct” what your user is
doing.
4. Follow up with questions, such as: “Show me why this would
(or would not) work for you.” “Can you tell me more about
how this made you feel?” “Why? “ “Do you find things that
interest you and connect with your life?” “Are there things
you would have liked to see?”

88. +
Step 7. Launch the Network
Be sure to pay careful attention to the titles and
descriptions so that they capture people’s interests.
Develop descriptions that are positive in tone, indicate
clearly the content or focus of an activity.
1. Describe how your offerings respond to something
within the lives of people. Highlight the relationship
between the content and the particular spiritual or
religious needs, interests, passions, concerns, or life
issues of people.
2. Describe the 2-3 benefits of participating or engaging
in faith formation.
3. Explain to people how to use the Network and how to
access the activities and resources.

89. +
Promotion Ideas
1. Connect to (or extend from) a gathered event.
2. Use personalized invitations.
3. Establish a Facebook page for faith formation for
announcements, updates, stories and photos from
people engaged in faith formation, etc.
4. Use Twitter to announce updates, events, and invite
reflections from people on their experiences.
5. Send email or e-newsletters to targeted groups (use a
service like Constant Contact, Mail Chimp, Flocknote).
6. Provide ways to share experiences using blogs, Twitter,
Facebook: videos, reports, photos, etc.

90. +
Connect to Social Networks
Our social network is made up of all the people we’re
connected to, all the people they are connected to, all the
people they are connected to, and so on.
You
Your Friends
Your Friends’
Friends
Your Friends’
Friends
Your Friends’
Friend’s Friends
Your Friends’
Friend’s Friends
Your Friends’
Friend’s Friends
Your Friends
Your Friends’
Friends
Your Friends’
Friends

91. +
FeedbackCaptureGrid
METHOD
WHY use a feedback capture grid
HOW to use a feedback capture grid
Useafeedbackcapturegridtofacilitatereal-timecapture,or post-mortemunpacking,of feedbackon
presentationsandprototypes–timeswhenpresenter-critiquer interactionisanticipated. Thiscanbeused
either togivefeedbackonprogresswithinthedesignteamor tocaptureauser’sfeedbackabout a
prototype. Youusethegridbecauseit helpsyoubesystematicabout feedback,andmoreintentional about
capturingthoughtsinthefour different areas.
1.Sectionoff ablankpageor whiteboardintoquadrants.
2.Drawaplusintheupper left quadrant,adeltaintheupper right quadrant,aquestionmarkinthelower
left quadrant,andalight bulbinthelower right quadrant.
It'sprettysimple,really. Fill thefour quadrantswithyour or auser’sfeedback. Thingsonelikesor finds
notable,placeintheupper left;constructivecriticismgoesintheupper right;questionsthat theexperience
raisedgointhelower left;ideasthat theexperienceor presentationspurredgointhelower right. If you
aregivingfeedbackyourself,strivetogiveinput ineachquadrant (especiallytheupper two:both“likes”
and“wishes”).
Step9.Evaluate
Programming

92. +
Part 3
Curating Faith Formation Content,
Programming, & Experiences

93. +
Resources for Curating
Website
www.ReimageFaithFormation.com Chapter 5

94. +
Emerging Roles
 Developing religious
content
 Designing
programming
 Managing
programming
 Teaching/Facilitating
programming
 Designing faith
forming
environments—
architecture
 Designing Digital
Platforms for faith
forming content
 Curating religious
content and
experiences
Current Roles Emerging Roles

95. + What is Content Curation
(Beth Kanter)
Content curation is the process of sorting through the vast
amounts of content on the web and presenting it in a meaningful
and organized way around a specific theme.
 The work involves sifting, sorting, arranging, and publishing
information.
 A content curator picks the best content that is important
and relevant to share with their community.
 It isn’t unlike what a museum curator does to produce an
exhibition: They identify the theme, they provide the
context, they decide which paintings to hang on the wall,
how they should be annotated, and how they should be
displayed for the public.

96. +
Faith Formation Curators
A Faith Formation Curator is a trusted guide
who continually finds, groups, organizes,
evaluates, and connects the best and most
relevant content and experiences on a
specific topic to match the needs of a
specific audience.

97. +
Why Curation?
1. The increasing diversity of the religious and
spiritual needs and practices of people today
require personalized and customized content and
experiences
2. An overwhelming abundance of high quality faith
formation resources: print, audio, video, programs
and activities, apps, e-books, websites, and more
3. The rise of online providers of religious content
and experiences—“open repositories” of freely
accessible faith formation and learning content
hubs

98. +
Why Curation?
4. There is a growing demand for trusted guidance in
finding and selecting quality religious content and
experiences. People are looking for trusted guides to
help them select quality faith formation experiences
and curated learning paths and resources to explore
and learn more deeply on a specific topic.
5. The tools are now available for finding and accessing
the content, storing it (websites), delivering it to
people 24x7x365 (computers, iPhones, iPads, etc.),
and communicating & connecting people to the
content (Facebook, Twitter, email, text, etc.).

99. +
Curating Religious Content
Research &
Organize
Resources
Identify
Potential
Resources for
Programming
Evaluate
Resources
Select &
Connect
Resources to
programming

100. +
Build a Curation Support System
1. Develop trusted expert curators to assist.
2. Develop a list of high quality online resource
centers.
3. Subscribe to faith formation blogs and
newsletters.

101. +
Blogs
Newsletters
Websites
Denominations
Curated Websites
Religious
Organizations
6-8 “Expert”
Resource People
DevelopingTrusted Sources

102. +
Curation Resource Centers

103. +
Curation Blogs

104. +
Curate with ReadKit - Mac & iOS

105. +
Curate with G2Reader - PC & Android

106. +
Curate with Feedly

107. +
Curate with Social Bookmarking

108. +
Research Checklist
1. People: teachers, mentors/guides, guest presenters
2. Community programs: churches, agencies, organizations,
3. Educational institutions: colleges, seminaries
4. Retreat and spiritual life centers, monasteries
5. Denominational programs, events, websites
6. Museums
7. Books (with study guides) & E-books
8. Apps
9. Audio podcasts & audio learning programs
10. Videos & video learning programs
11. Online courses & online activities
12. Television shows
13. Organizational websites
14. Resource center websites

109. +
Evaluation Criteria
 Biblical content and interpretation
 Theological content and emphasis
 Developmental appropriateness
 Ethnic-Cultural appropriateness
 Inclusive of diversity
 Respect for diverse ways of learning
 Appearance and visual appeal
 Ease-of-Use
 Quality of Experience
 Applicable: Able to be incorporated into daily and
home life

110. +
Curating Religious Content
Research &
Organize
Resources
Identify
Potential
Resources for
Programming
Evaluate
Resources
Select &
Connect
Resources to
programming