What is Faith Formation?

And why we’re using it to talk about what we’ll do from 9:40-10:40 am every Sunday morning.

Did you know that the first Sunday School classes were originally designed to teach literacy to children? The Sunday School movement began in Britain in the 1780s. The Industrial Revolution had resulted in many children working in factories all week long. Christian philanthropists wanted to teach these children how to read, so they started a program that came to be known as “Sunday School.” The first Sunday School classes really were school!

Of course, what we do now from 9:40-10:40 am on a Sunday morning has a different purpose. We’re after another kind of learning. It’s the kind that certainly informs but also challenges us to see ourselves differently as we grow into a deeper relationship and experience with God.

This is one of the reasons why First Presbyterian Church in New Bern has adopted the phrase “Faith Formation” in place of “Sunday School.” Whether it’s the “Follow Me” classes for our children or the many adult classes offered throughout the year, what we’re doing is not just for our heads but also for the reshaping of our hearts and souls. When we give ourselves to the adventure of faith formation, we say “Yes” to being with Jesus, learning to do as Jesus did, and becoming more like Jesus.

This is a journey that refashions us as we seek an ever-deeper relationship with our God, and the phrase “Faith Formation” describes this pursuit. You could say it’s what we’ve always done from 9:40-10:40 am on Sunday mornings!