DISCPLESHIP TRAINING |
Confirmation training is faith formation. Confirmation training is usually given by the pastor to persons who have reached the age of 13. This training generally involves teaching on Luther’s Small Catechism, The Lords’s Prayer, and Baptism. To confirm means to strengthen, and the intent of confirmation training is to strengthen the faith of the baptized believer. Ten Elements of Confirmation Ministry 1. Mentoring Mentoring links a young person with an adult member of the congregation who exemplifies the Christian faith to share together in conversation, prayer and other activities such as projects, recreation or service opportunities. A mentor supports parents and is an advocate for youth in the congregation. 2. Spiritual Gifts Identification A number of congregations place high priority on helping their young people identify and use their unique God-given gifts to fulfill their call and mission in the congregation and in the community. Some invite their young musicians into worship leadership roles. Others find creative ways to employ the gifts of their young athletes, writers, dancers, computer experts, artists, debaters, actors, cooks, story tellers and leaders in other areas of ministry in the congregation. 3. Community service Young people are eager to engage in a community service where they can put into action what they are learning in confirmation, Sunday school and worship. Social action projects for young people can be life-transforming experiences as they see the world through new eyes or experience a diversity in cultures and settings unlike their own. 4. Memory work: Memory work is a valuable component in confirmation ministry for many congregations. They see memorizing the catechism, books of the Bible, selected scripture passages and parts of the liturgy as an important way to build a firm foundation for lifelong discipleship. 5. Computer learning There are a variety of ways congregations engage the multi- media learner through use of the computer in confirmation ministry: class instruction, individual self-guided work, leadership development, program planning and even on-line prayers. 6. Congregation connections A value modeled by many congregations is their passion for connecting the confirmation experience to the whole of congregation life. At baptism, the entire congregation welcomes the child to the family of God and publicly affirms a relationship born of the Holy Spirit. That assurance of belonging grows as a young person comes to know their faith community as a place where they are safe, loved, valued and respected. Spiritual growth is enhanced when youth are known by name, prayed for daily by others besides parents and the pastor and called into leadership, service and discipleship right alongside adults. One tangible and interesting way the congregation surrounds it's young people with love and affirmation is through their confirmation stoles. Various members of the congregation sew stoles to be worn at the service of affirmation of baptism. 7. Parents as Partners Families matter! Studies show that the most significant influence on a child's faith formation is a parent who models Christian values. Parents are summoned to take seriously God's call to be witnesses to their children and to grow in faith maturity along side of them. Many congregations invite parents to take leadership roles in the confirmation program. A family devotional packet that includes prayer helps, scriptural suggestions, discussion starters and family activities is one of the most important ways parents can be equipped to nurture their child's faith while at the same time grow in their own discipleship. 8. Projects A number of congregations are enhancing their confirmation program by including "projects" that focus on experiential learning to help the young person better understand the church and it's mission and to equip them for discipleship in their setting. Projects might involve learning about Lutheran heritage, worship, liturgy, community service, faith and daily life issues, social issues, such as Aids or pornography, or even self-selected interests. Projects can be done individually, in small groups or in family settings. 9. Worship and music Worship is an important faith-shaper for a young person particularly when the parents model consistent Sunday worship patterns. Confirmation ministry can also be an opportunity for "youth-oriented", active music, worship and prayer. Many congregations begin confirmation sessions with worship, often planned and carried out by the young people. It's a time to learn new ways to praise God through contemporary Christian songs and to be drawn into a deeper comfort level with prayer. 10. Cooperative clustering Cooperative clustering with other Lutheran congregations or ecumenical partners for confirmation ministry is a viable and valued option in many settings. In places where numbers are small, leadership is unavailable, confirmation clustering pools people and resources to benefit everyone. Some clusters rotate leadership by passing responsibility for the session to each leader in the group. |