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Confirmation in the 21st Century
In order for this to work ...
• I want to have some open and honest discussion
• Take it or leave it I am sharing with you what I think and what I feel should be done
• Challenge my thinking (in a Jesus way) and ask questions the only way to learn is to ask.
• I plan to answer why I have these certain opinions - which might hopefully change the way that you and/or your congregation run their confirmation program.
• Then give you some practical ways to help change the way to change confirmation for the better.
• I am a DCE/Principal in Hannibal, MO
• I have been in teaching and DCE and principal ministry for 19+ years
• Have overseen confirmation programs for the last 8+ years in different parishes
• With Confirmation classes ranging from 50+ to 7 youth
Information about me...Boring
1. I believe that Confirmation should be taken out of our day schools and made as an evening program.
1. I believe that Confirmation should be taken out of our day schools and made as an evening program.
2. Your Church’s Confirmation program is your congregations Jr. High Youth program and everything should stem out of it.
1. I believe that Confirmation should be taken out of our Lutheran day schools and made as an evening program.
2. Your Church’s Confirmation program is your congregations Jr. High Youth program and everything should stem out of it.
3. I believe that we need to follow the first line of the Catechism which states that “This should be taught from Fathers to their children.”
I know this will be somewhat
controversial.
I believe that Confirmation should be taken out of our day schools and made as an evening
program.
What are we trying to accomplish with Confirmation?
What was your confirmation like and
what year was it?
• When we keep it in our schools we exile students that do not attend during the program
• If we move it to the night we connect the youth with each other
• We can also do more with the religion class we have in our Lutheran schools
Your Church’s Confirmation program is
your congregations Jr. High Youth program and everything should stem
out of it.
First Stop Calling it Confirmation
Call it what it is Christian Discipleship
Training (CDT)Call it what it is
Christian Discipleship Training (CDT)
Fun Events Fun Events
Sunday Sunday School School Confirmation Confirmation
Retreats Retreats Small Small Groups Groups
Jr. High Jr. High Youth Youth
Servant Servant Events Events
Confirmation Confirmation
Sunday Sunday School School
Other Other Ministry Ministry
RetreatsRetreatsFun Fun Activities Activities
Small Small Groups Groups
Servant Servant Events Events
I believe that we need to follow the first line
of the Catechism which states that “This should be taught from Fathers
to their children.”
• Why can’t we put more responsibility on the parents?
• Why can’t we put all the lessons online and force our student to (as a family unit)
Go to youtube and watch them or
Podcast our lessons for them to listen to in a round table discussion with the pastor, DCE, teacher, Elder
Why can’t we make our teaching into an app - “There’s an app for that”
• These would all be ways that we can help families teach their child (and still have the control that the church wants over their learning).
Thoughts and Questions
Remember that this is not your Father’s Confirmation Era
• The two year rotation - Small Group Large Group - and make it an experience
✓ Have your Sr. High mentor your Jr. High
✓ Start the evening with a chapel or opening
✓ Get the youth involved with a game or activity to start
Ideas
• In all that we do we should not teach but make Confirmation an experience for the youth
• Something that they will enjoy and want to attend week in and out
• Use different ways to get your point across
• Use active openers and thought provoking questions
• Get to know your youth don’t just teach them
• Use movie clips to get the point across
Like this for prayer
Or The First
Commandment and what God thinks about
other godsThe First
Commandment and what God thinks about
other gods
What about this???
• Confirmation Retreat
✓ Have confirmation for 4 days at a camp
✓ 26 hours of education (same as in a midweek setting)
✓ Plus you can have more fun and get to know the youth
OR
What about this
• Confirmation retreat
✓ Have a weekend retreat for each part of the Catechism
✓ In between each have a assignment (project or something)
What about ...
• Instead of having a paper done at the end of Confirmation have the students do a service project and report on that to the congregation
Or what about ...
• Having public questioning for your confirmands
✓ But do this as a Jeopardy event in your church
✓ Have prizes for all the youth
✓ Let them have fun with it and do it during Sunday School time
Any other ideas that you can think of?
