The common thread that nurtures faith formation within one’s life journey are the Four Key Faith Practices. These essential faith practices articulate a foundational spirituality that shapes the work of congregations and the lives of Christians. Faith is formed through relationships, and those relationships engage in fundamental Christian practices. These basic faith practices are evident in Scripture, church history, and modern research. It is through such practices that faith is transmitted between the generations and over time.
The Four Keys
Caring Conversation
In essence, “caring conservation” involves weaving faith into our daily interactions. Great times for caring conversation include mealtimes, on the way to and from school, bathtimes and bedtimes, before and after church, and during leisure activities.
While formal, structured conversation can be helpful, it is often the unplanned spontaneous interactions that have more impact in conveying our heartfelt passions, convictions and values.
Devotional Practices
In his letter to the Colossians, the apostle Paul writes: “Let the word of Christ completely fill your lives, while you use all your wisdom to teach and instruct each other. With thankful hearts, sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs to God” (Col.. 3:16).
Devotional practices are repeated activities through which the word of Christ can, as Paul, puts it “completely fill our lives”. They are the spiritual equivalent of daily meals: things we do daily, almost without thinking, that permit God to feed us and sustain us, to keep us spiritually alive and healthy.
Service
In the concrete formation of faith, service appears to play a particularly important function. As a visible expression of Christian love and belief, service puts “wheels on faith”, bringing it into the arena of daily life and connecting Christian proclamation with tangible situations and practices.
It shows how faith makes a difference in the world and bears Christ into the hurts, hopes and struggles of day to day existence.
Rituals and Traditions
Ask adults to recall their best childhood experiences and they’ll frequently recall events involving family traditions or rituals. Family mealtimes, holiday get-togethers and nightly bedtime routine are examples of rituals and traditions that make deep and lasting impressions on children.
From a faith perspective, rituals and traditions are no less important. In fact, they sit at the very heart of the Christian faith. Sunday worship services, the Lord’s Supper and Baptism are each God-given rituals and traditions that bond us into God’s family and remind us of whose we are and what is truly important.