Forming a lifelong Christian faith is a profound journey that combines spiritual practices, the guidance of faith mentors, a clear understanding of one's calling, and open dialogue with others about their faith journeys. In this article, we explore the multifaceted process that sustains and deepens one's Christian faith over a lifetime.

1 | Spiritual Practices
At the core of a lifelong Christian faith are spiritual practices. These rituals provide a foundation for faith development, nurturing a deep connection with God. Common practices include daily prayer, scripture reading, meditation, and attending church services. Engaging in these practices consistently strengthens one's spiritual bond and helps navigate life's challenges.

2 | A Web of Faith Mentors
Mentorship is pivotal in the formation of a lifelong Christian faith. Having a web of faith mentors – experienced Christians who offer guidance, wisdom, and support – is invaluable. These mentors can include parents, pastors, older friends, or spiritual leaders. They provide insight, answer questions, and model a life of faith. By learning from their experiences, individuals can grow in their own faith journey.

3 | Clarity About One's Calling
Understanding one's calling within the Christian faith is a transformative step. This involves discerning how God wants them to serve in the world. Whether it's through mission work, leadership in the church, or any other calling, clarity about one's purpose within the faith deepens the connection to God. Reflecting on one's talents, passions, and prayerful guidance can aid in discovering this calling.

4 | Talking with Others about Their Faith Journeys
Conversations about faith are enlightening and enriching. Engaging with others about their faith journeys offers fresh perspectives and insights. It allows individuals to learn from different experiences, adapt their beliefs, and grow in their own faith. These conversations create a sense of community and remind individuals that they are not alone in their spiritual journey.

5 | Navigating Doubt and Questions
A lifelong Christian faith is not devoid of doubt or questions. In fact, it's through grappling with these uncertainties that faith can mature. Honest discussions with mentors and peers about doubts can lead to a stronger, more resilient faith. God can use these moments of uncertainty to reveal deeper truths and strengthen one's relationship with God..

6 | Continual Growth and Adaptation
A key aspect of forming a lifelong Christian faith is the ability to adapt and grow with changing circumstances. Life brings various challenges, and faith needs to evolve to address them. This requires an open heart and a willingness to continuously seek God's guidance through prayer, scripture, and mentorship.

Forming a lifelong Christian faith is a dynamic, ongoing process that weaves together spiritual practices, the wisdom of mentors, clarity about one's calling, and meaningful conversations with others. It is a journey filled with moments of inspiration and doubt, but ultimately, it is a path toward a deeper connection with God and a life filled with purpose and meaning. By nurturing these essential elements, individuals can navigate the complexities of life while remaining grounded in their Christian faith.

Introduction
The Faith Formation Blueprint provides an overview of how our faith community intends to support and equip individuals in becoming lifelong followers of Christ and to help households practice faith every day, everywhere and with everyone living into our tagline, “Where faith and life connect”. The blueprint underscores that Christian faith formation is a life-long process that takes place in the home, the congregation and in the community. It also assumes that everyone is at a different place in their life and faith journey. Our blueprint engages five principles, five faith practices, and eight pathways of lifelong faith formation—faith for every age and every stage.

Five Principles for Faith Formation

• Faith is formed by the power of the Holy Spirit through personal, trusted relationships, often in our own homes.
• The Church is a living partnership between the ministry of the congregation and the ministry of the home.
• Where Christ is present in faith, the home is church, too.
• Faith is caught more than it is taught.
• If we want spiritual children and youth, we need spiritual adults/parents.

1 | Gathering in Grace
Caring conversations express an interest in others, their hurts, their joys, their concerns and dreams, their values and faith. Caring conversation requires time to be available to listen and to speak. Congregations are encouraged to help families identify the holy ground of their lives where precious, caring conversations take place and where lives are strengthened and nurtured by the love and mercy of God through the support, guidance and genuine interest of others.

2 | Growing in Faith
A devotional life is a way to practice the presence of God through the word of God. Many families and individuals need help with the language of prayer and faith in daily life. A devotional life is more of a consciousness and way of life than a formula to accomplish a certain task. Family devotions connect the generations with faith, hope and love in a world that speaks and operates on a different basis than the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Giving Generously Generosity is a response to the goodness and generous nature of God. Learning to give our time, our unique gifts, and our money we see how this is an act of stewarding what God has already given to us. Giving generously is a hallmark of a growing Christian and a growing church.

3 | Going to Serve
Service to one’s neighbor is the calling we all are given through the life and message of Jesus Christ. For a Christian, service is motivated out of love we have first received from God. Service communicates that love to others and is a concrete expression of one’s own faith and values. Family service projects have been shown to be a vital way to pass on faith from generation to generation. Children and youth are greatly influenced by what they see in the lives of others, especially parents and other family members.

4 | Gratefully Sharing ‘God Sightings’
Gratitude directly impacts the deep joy that grows in us as we learn to trust God’s faithfulness more and more. An essential component to seeing God’s faithfulness is the ability to see God in action both in our past and in our present. God promises that when we seek God, we will find God. (Jer. 29:13). Furthermore, God promises that we will find him. In essence, we will find what we are looking for. When we look for God’s action our lives we are better equipped to help other’s see God’s action in their lives. As we see God’s faithfulness to us, we become deeply and profoundly grateful and we are filled with an unspeakable joy. God’s unspeakable joy in our lives changed everything.