4 questions to ask faith mentors

Most church leaders have a deep desire to help people become lifelong Christ-followers but usually have a pretty fuzzy of what that looks like and how to help people become more like Jesus everyday.  Ask your faith formation leaders/mentors these questions to help clarify outcomes, approaches, and practices related to supporting people's faith journey.

Here's a sample dream statement: Our deepest desire is to equip people to be living expressions of Jesus Christ in the world where they gather, grow, give, and go to serve and bless others. Therefore, we will provide pathways that support:

• Transformational and intergenerational worship experiences. Long-lasting, life-giving, and faith-shaping intergenerational relationships.
• Practicing faith at church, in our homes, online, and on the go.
• The celebration of meaningful rituals and traditions.
• Opportunities to serve and bless our neighbors and communities.

List your core beliefs and convictions about how faith is formed and how one lives vibrant faith in their daily lives. Listed below are sample belief statements from congregations that Vibrant Faith has coached:

• We believe that God is present and active in the world; our task is to help people become aware of what God is "up to" in our lives.
• Faith formation is about learning to follow in the way of Jesus, with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength. Faith formation as a lifelong process that’s lived out every day, everywhere.
• Faith is formed in the context of community that includes settings at and beyond the congregation.
• The world we interact with every day is our mission field and where we practice and experience our faith. Households are learning laboratories for forming faith every day.
• Our homes serve as mission outposts to our neighborhoods where we serve and bless.
• We recognize the uniqueness of each person and strive to meet people where they’re at in life and faith. We believe that everyone has a gift to share, a story to tell, and callings to fulfill.
• We believe that stewardship involves everything we say and do after we say "yes" to God.
• Extending Christian hospitality is an integral element of following in the way of Christ.
• Celebrates people’s gifts, honors people’s sense of call, and helps them develop and use their gifts.

Describe what a faith forming greenhouse looks like for your setting.

• Make faith central in all that we say and do?
• Is Jesus/God the subject of our conversations?
• Do we demonstrate radical and genuine hospitality where people experience God’s love through each another?
• Is our church a place where stories of faith are shared everywhere - during worship, in small groups, online gatherings, etc.?
• Do we introduce people to life-giving, faith-forming spiritual practices that enliven one’s soul?
• Do we celebrates people’s gifts, honors people’s sense of call, and helps them develop and use their gifts?
• Is our approach Spirit-driven, joyful, and filled with laughter?  Do we teach people to discern?
• Do we exude grateful hearts and exhibit an abundance mindset?
• Do we embrace experimentation?  Encourage risk-taking?   Challenges assumptions?

1.  How clear is your vision for forming lifelong followers of Christ?
2.  What are you doing now that's working?  How can we do more of this?
3.  What could we do now - in the next 30 days - to cultivate a spiritually vital environment?