Lifelong Faith Journal

Are you looking for ways to keep informed on the best thinking and practices in faith formation across the whole life span? Are you looking for practical strategies for improving and enhancing faith formation in your church?

Lifelong Faith can help! Designed for pastors, church staff, and faith formation leadership, Lifelong Faith provides the best thinking and practice in Christian lifelong faith formation in churches and homes. Each issue focuses on a particular aspect of lifelong faith formation and includes five-six major articles by national experts, book reviews, and practical strategies and program models that you can use to enrich your leadership and enhance faith formation

You can subscribe online using our online store or mail-in your subscription form with a check.

Subscription Rates

• One year (4 issues): $36 US, $41 Canada
• Two years (8 issues): $64 US, $74 Canada
• International: $56 per year
• See the special group rates in our online store.

Lifelong Faith Journal Back Issues

Volume 1 and 2 back issues are available for purchase: $5 per issue + $2 for shipping.You can purchase them in the online store or send a check and an order with issue numbers.Quantity discounts are available so the journal can be used with groups, and in courses and workshops.

Volume 4 Issues (2010)

Volume 4.2 Summer 2010 - Emerging Adulthood and Faith Formation

• "Faith and Spirituality among Emerging Adults" by Penny Edgell
• "Religion & the Millennial Generation: Insights from the Latest Research" from the Pew Research Center & Marist College Institute for Public Opinion
• "Religious Trajectories from the Teenage Years into the Emerging Adult Years" by Christian Smith with Patricia Snell and Kyle Longest
• "Young Adults in a Changing Church" by Shannyn Magee
• "Emerging Adult Participation in Congregations" by Conrad Hackett
• "Faith Formation with Emerging Adults: Congregational Practices"

Volume 4.1 Spring 2010 - Faith Formation and the New Digital Media

• " Where Two or More Are Gathered . . . on Facebook" by Cathleen Falsani
• "A is for App – How Smartphones and Handheld Computers Sparked an Educational Revolution" by Anya Kamentetz
• "WE-ALL-LEARN – The World is Open: How Web Technology is Revolutionizing Education" by Curtis J. Bonk
• A Resource Guide for WE-ALL-LEARN
• "World without Walls: How to Teach When Learning is Everywhere" by Will Richardson
• "Nurturing Faith Online" by Lynn Baab
• "Moving Online: Faith Formation in a Digital Age" by Julie Anne Lytle
• "By the Numbers…Internet and Digital Media Use" by Pew Internet & American Life Project

Volume 3 Issues (2009)

Volume 3.4 Winter 2009 Youth Ministry and Adolescent Faith Formation

• The Way of Jesus: Adolescent Development as Christological Process by Nancy Going
• Four Paradigms of Youth Ministry in the Urban Context by Fernando Arzola Jr.
• Every Church Can Build a Sustainable Youth Ministry by Mark DeVries
• Special Report: The Spirit and Culture of Youth Ministry by Roland Martinson and Wesley Black

Volume 3.3 Fall 2009 Adult Faith Formation

• Special Research Report: Ecumenical Study of Lifelong Faith Formation by Joan Weber
• Reading the Future of Adult Learning: Seven Hopeful Predictions by Richard J. Rothwell
• Drink for the Thirsty: Planning for Adult Faith Formation by Pam Coster
• Faith Formation for Every Adult in Your Church—It’s Possible Today! by John Roberto
• Four Principles of an Adult Faith Formation Learning Resources System
• Designing an Adult Faith Formation Learning Resources System

3.2 Summer 2009: Faith Formation 2020 Special Report: Envisioning the Future

The Summer 2009 issue presents Version 1.0 of the Faith Formation 2020 Working Paper. It presents descriptions of thirteen driving forces affecting the future of faith formation in the next decade and four scenarios—pictures of the future—that describe what faith formation in 2020 could be like.

• Part 1. A Way to Think about the Future of Faith: Creating Scenarios for Faith Formation 2010-2020
• Part 2. Thirteen Trends and Forces Affecting the Future of Faith Formation in a Changing Church and World
• Part 3. Envisioning the Future: Four Scenarios for the Future of Faith Formation 2010-2020
• Part 4. Descriptions of the Thirteen Trends and Forces Affecting the Future of Faith Formation in a Changing Church and World

3.1 Spring 2009: Generations Learning Together

• "Bringing the Generations Together: Support from Learning Theory" by Holly Catterton Allen
• "Fostering Intergenerational Relationships" by Carol Howard Merritt
• "Developing Reverse Mentoring Relationships" by Earl Creps
• "Becoming Intentionally Intergenerational: Models and Strategies" by John Roberto
• "Church Profiles: Intergenerational Faith Formation"

Volume 2 Issues (2008)

2.1 Spring 2008: Approaches to Lifelong Faith Formation

• "Worship as a Model for Faith Formation" by Ann E. Streaty Wimberly
• "Passing on Faith-Milestone to Milestone" by Linda Staats
• "Total Community Catechesis for Lifelong Faith Formation" by Thomas Groome
• "Lifelong Faith Formation for All Generations" by John Roberto
• "The Emerging Vision of Lifelong Formation in the Catholic Church" by Bill Huebsch

2.2 Summer 2008 Issue: Faith Formation in Christian Practice

• "A Theological Understanding of  Christian Practices" by Craig Dykstra and Dorothy Bass
• "The Joy of Practice in Families" by J. Bradley Wigger
• "Faith Formation in Christian Practices with Youth and Young Adults" by Don Richter
• "Strategies for Faith Formation in Christian Practices" by John Roberto
• "Eating Well" Chapter from Living Well: Christian Practices for Everyday Life

2.3 Fall 2008 Issue: Teaching in the Faith Community

• "The Art of Jesus the Teacher" by John Shea
• "A Decidedly Different Mind" by Stephanie Pace Marshall
• "Attentive Teaching in Diverse Communities and Lifelong Faith Formation" by Kathleen T. Talvacchia and Su Yon Pak
• "Adult Faith Formation: A Catholic Vision" by Edmund Gordon
• "Living Faith in a Media World" by Mary Hess

2.4 Winter 2008 Issue: Innovations in Faith Formation

Innovations with Children

• "Let Those Who Have Ears to Hear, Listen: Silence with Children" by Karen Marie Yust
• "Doing a New Thing: Advocacy Ministries for Children" by J. Bradley Wigger

Innovations with Youth

• "Learning to Question: Critical Questioning as Faith Formation" by Tonya Y. Burton
• "Worship and the Formation of Christian Identity in Youth" by Fred P. Edie
• "Service that Transforms" by Sean Lansing
• "Feet to Faith" by Marti Burger
• "Learning about Innovation through Publishing" by Mike Carotta
• " What Happens When the Church Prays" by Susan Hay
• "A Faith Journey on a Ropes Course" by Paul Hill

Innovations with Technology

• "Podcasting Faith: Media for Ministry" by Mike Hayes

Innovations with Young Adults

• "The Latte Factor" by Tim Muldoon
• "Cooking, Blogging, and Faith" by Joan Weber

Innovations with Parents

• "Parents Share: A 30-Year Old Innovation" by Marilyn Sharpe
• "Coaching Parents to Form their Own Children" by Bill Huebsch

Innovations with the Whole Church

• "Expanding Horizons Intergenerational Learning" by Mariette Martineau
• "Invite a Friend to Church Sunday" by David Anderson
• "An Organic Curriculum for the Small Church" by Theodore Brelsford
• "Small Innovations Helping Huge Problems" by Carol Howard Merritt

Volume 1 Issues (2007)

1.1 Spring 2007: Faith Formation through the Life Span

• "Becoming a Child, Becoming a Christian: Faith Formation of Children" by Dr. Karen Marie Yust
• "Forming Young Disciples: Opportunities for the Faith Formation of Adolescents" by Tom East
• "The Faith Formation of Young Adults: Challenges and Opportunities" by Joan Weber
• "Adult Faith Formation at the Crossroads" by Cathy Minkiewicz
• "Shaping a New Vision of Faith Formation for Maturing Adults" by Dr. Richard Johnson
• "Faith Formation across the Generations" by Mariette Martineau

1.2 Summer 2007: Family Faith Formation

• "The Rule of Family Faith: Practicing the Presence of God in Our Outward Lives" by Dr. Bonnie J. Miller McLemore
• "Faith Formation with Families in Today's Church" by Leif Kehrwald
• "Faith Formation with Hispanic/Latino Families" by Ida Miranda
• "Making Parents a Priority" by Jolene and Eugene Roekhlkepartain
• "Transforming Faith Formation One Family at a Time" by Jim Merhaut
• "The Human Body in Family Spirituality" by Cynthia Dobryznski

1.3-4 Fall-Winter 2007 Double Issue: Best Practices in Faith Formation

• "Best Practices in Intergenerational Faith Formation"
• "Best Practices in Family Faith Formation"
• "Best Practices in Children's Faith Formation"
• "Best Practices in Adolescent Faith Formation"
• "Best Practices in Young Adult Faith Formation"
• "Best Practices in Adult Faith Formation"
• "Best Practices in Parent Faith Formation"