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Webinar: Reimagining Adult Formation

Reimagining Adult Formation: Forming Disciples Called Out into the World

Join the Rev. Dr. Altagracia Perez-Bullard and Dr. Lisa Kimball in a lively conversation about how we form adult disciples. Topics include how adults learn, moving from a “going faith” to a “growing faith,” what is broken in our current model of adult formation, and new ideas for formation on the macro and micro levels. Sam Sheridan was our host. You can find the video below, or archived on YouTube, and the slides available on Google Drive.

This webinar is part of our Lifelong Learning series Wisdom From the Field.

Three Take Aways

  1. A “Going Faith” Is Not Always A “Growing Faith” – Many of us are good at showing up to church on Sunday mornings, but that does not necessarily correlate to spiritual growth. In order to grow spiritually, to move from people being formed to people sent into the world bearing Good News, we need intensive faith experiences.
  2. How Adults Learn Best – Adults learn best in healthy relationships, in real time, with their senses, and in dialogue. Leading adult formation well requires mentors to slow down and listen well so that they can provide offerings and opportunities that are contextual, relevant to their people in their place.
  3. Two Dimensions of Formation – Adult formation happens on two levels: the level of macro formation and the level of micro formation. Macro formation is the ongoing life of the church (worship, coffee hour, adult forum, committees, stewardship, outreach). Micro formation is intentional faith intensification (retreats, spiritual direction, pilgrimage, Lenten series). We need both macro and micro formation for ongoing spiritual growth.

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