"""One generation commends your works to another; they tell of your mighty acts."" -Psalm 145:4 Most churches and faith communities segment their ministries by age and generation. In some congregations, people may never interact with those of other ages. But it was not always so. Throughout biblical tradition and the majority of history, communities of faith included people of all ages together in corporate worship, education, and ministry. The church was not just multigenerational; it was intergenerational, with the whole church together as one family and people of all ages learning from one another in common life. The process of becoming Christlike does not happen alone, and intergenerational faith communities are designed for Christian formation. All generations are gifted parts of the body, and churches need all the parts. In this comprehensive text, Holly Allen, Christine Lawton, and Cory Seibel offer a complete framework for intentional intergenerational Christian formation. They provide the theoretical foundations for intergenerationality, showing how learning and spiritual formation are better accomplished through intergenerational contexts. Then the authors give concrete guidance for intergenerational praxis on how worship, learning, community, and service can all be achieved intergenerationally. Case studies of intergenerational congregations provide models for how a culture of intergenerationality can be created in local churches. This second edition has been revised and updated throughout with new empirical research, intergenerational spiritual practices, and Gen Z realities, with fresh stories of intergenerational formation both in the US and around the world. Discover the riches of intergenerational ministry, and let all generations commend the works of God to one another."
By:
Holly Catterton Allen,
Christine Lawton,
Cory L. Seibel
Foreword by:
Jason Brian Santos
Imprint: IVP Academic
Country of Publication: United States
Edition: Revised, Second Edition
Dimensions:
Height: 229mm,
Width: 152mm,
Spine: 30mm
Weight: 635g
ISBN: 9781514001424
ISBN 10: 151400142X
Pages: 352
Publication Date: 13 June 2023
Audience:
General/trade
,
ELT Advanced
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active
Acknowledgements Foreword Prologue: Venturing into Intergenerationality: Our Stories Introduction: A New Edition PART 1. Generational Realities 1. A Changing Paradigm 2. What Is Happening and How Did We Get Here? 3. Why Bring the Generations Back Together? The Benefits of Intergenerationality PART 2. Biblical and Theological Foundations 4. Critical Moments, Feasts, and House Churches: Biblical Foundations 5. The Intergenerational Dance: Forging an Intergenerational Ecclesiology PART 3. Sociological, Theoretical, and Empirical Support 6. Becoming Christian in Community: Sociological Foundations 7. Gen Z, Millennials, Xers, Boomers, and Silents: Generational Theory 8. Growing Each Other Up: Theoretical Foundations 9. By the Numbers: Empirical Research PART 4. Intergenerational Christian Formation Practices 10. Intergenerational Worship 11. Practicing Spiritual Disciplines Intergenerationally 12. Intergenerational Small Groups 13. Learning Experiences in Intergenerational Settings 14. Intergenerational Story Sharing 15. Intergenerational Service and Missions 16. Intergenerational and Intercultural Connections 17. Leadership: Fostering an Intergenerational Culture 18. Intergenerational Ministry: An Idea Whose Time Has Come Appendix A: Interview Protocol for Ministry Leaders in Intergenerational Research Congregations Appendix B: Biblical Passages That Reflect a Generational Outlook Appendix C: Intergenerational Resources Appendix D: Fifty-Five Intergenerational Ideas
Christine Lawton (PhD, St. Louis University) is a lifelong Christian educator who has served as youth and family minister in various churches, teacher in Christian schools, and professor/director of the Christian education program at Concordia University Irvine. She is the author of several Bible studies and Sunday school curriculum resources. She lives in Washington State. Cory Seibel (PhD, Pretoria) is a pastor at Central Baptist Church in Edmonton, Alberta. He also serves as an online tutor for Ridley College in Australia and as a research fellow with the University of the Free State in South Africa. He edited The Generative Church and Engage All Generations and chairs the InterGenerate conference leadership team. Holly Catterton Allen (PhD, Talbot) served as professor of Christian ministries and family science at Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee. She was the founding director of InterGenerate, an international biennial conference for those who are passionate about intergenerational ministry. She is the author of Forming Resilient Children.
Reviews for Intergenerational Christian Formation: Bringing the Whole Church Together in Ministry, Community, and Worship
"""Intergenerational Christian Formation informs, inspires, provokes, and guides practical action in Christian ministry better than any book I've read in years. The authors' vision is compelling, grounded in thoughtful biblical exegesis, rigorous social science research, engaging ministry experiences, and the practical realities of contemporary church life. Not only will you be convinced that intergenerational Christian formation is important, you will also be empowered to see a practical path forward to reimagine congregational ministry in a way that actually echoes the ways Christians have lived, learned, worshiped, prayed, and served others for centuries."" --Eugene C. Roehlkepartain, senior scholar at the Search Institute in Minneapolis, Minnesota"
