Confirmation is a big step in our church journey. It is meant to prepare believers for future living and learning. But confirmation isn’t just a one-time process; rather, it encourages continual growth and lifelong learning. The Enduring Faith Confirmation Curriculum does just that. Read on to see everything the curriculum offers!
Customizable Courses
Your confirmation students are unique, and their biblical educational needs differ. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all confirmation curriculum that will satisfy the needs of every congregation. However, the Enduring Faith Confirmation Curriculum allows you to create the format ideal for your church. There are four courses to build from: the Bible Overview, the 30-Lesson Catechism Study, the 60-Lesson Catechism Study, and the Apologetics Study. Piecing these together to suit your needs, these courses can make one-, two-, three-, or four-year programs.
30-Lesson Bible Overview
Whether students have been in a Lutheran school since age 3 or their families joined the church a year ago, the Bible Overview is perfect for new and seasoned readers of the Bible. Introducing Bible stories with plenty of additional information to satisfy learners of every stage, this course levels out the gaps in biblical knowledge.
The overview has six units:
- Bible Basics
- The Beginning
- The Exodus and Conquest
- The Kings
- The Life of Christ
- The Church
The Bible Overview, a one-year course, is intended to be used before students start their study of the catechism.
30-Lesson Catechism Study
The 30-lesson study provides one year of instruction on Luther’s Small Catechism with Explanation. The lessons are broken into six units: an introduction to confirmation, the Ten Commandments, the Apostles’ Creed, the Lord’s Prayer, the Means of Grace, and the Christian life. While the leader guide and student book provide all the instruction needed, there are additional digital tools for each lesson to bring parents or caregivers alongside learners.
60-Lesson Catechism Study
A more extensive two-year study can be facilitated with the 60-lesson study of the Small Catechism. This study is broken into the same six units as the 30-lesson study, with each unit having twice the number of lessons. The leader guide and student book delve into each lesson and allow space for notes, reflection, and interaction. Just like the 30-lesson study, there are digital tools included for each lesson.
30-Lesson Apologetics Study
More and more, students are challenged in their biblical worldview by their classmates, the media they consume, or the ever-changing world. The apologetics study gives students a foundation from which to defend their faith and learn to communicate what their faith means to them. This study has five units. The first unit is an introduction to apologetics. There are also units on Jesus, trusting God and His Word, and Beginnings. The study concludes with an extensive unit on the Christian life that answers common questions. Leaders are encouraged to use this one-year course to wrap up their confirmation curriculum and send their youth out into the world prepared to be challenged and to respond in love.
Features of the Leader Guides
All four course options feature a leader guide with supplemental information and aids for any DCE, pastor, or volunteer to effectively teach. These aids include additional assessments, extra activities, educational tips, explanations of theological concepts, and background information. With these added features, all instructors can customize the confirmation experience to best suit their students.
Features of the Student Book
Graphic organizers and visual representations aid students’ understanding of the various lessons. Reflection questions help students think critically. Instructors are encouraged to embrace silence following such questions to ensure students are given time for deep thoughts. Space to journal, take notes, or jot questions down helps students engage with the material.
Family Involvement
Teaching the same truth at home is vitally important to retain students. However, parents and caregivers often struggle with knowing how to teach the faith at home. Materials for families to engage with the content together are included in each course. Materials include videos and audio devotions for the 30-Lesson and 60-Lesson Catechism Studies.
Each course also has self-study tools through Quizlet to support student learning at home:
Even busy caregivers can review lessons with their students to reinforce learning and build relationships. Having parents or caregivers teach the faith at home reinforces the foundation that creates disciples for life.
Supporting Resources
Luther’s Small Catechism with Explanation
The Enduring Faith Confirmation Curriculum is made for use with Luther’s Small Catechism with Explanation. The 2017 edition comes in multiple formats to cater to different learners. There is the classic hardcover edition with simple graphics, prayers, and answers, a note-taking edition with spiral binding and extra space for margin and side notes, and a visual edition with colorful graphics, charts, and illustrations. All three of these Small Catechisms are formatted with the same bones so students can follow along as a class and learn in a way that best fits individual learning styles.
Timeless Truth
Using current educational research and best practices, Timeless Truth: An Essential Guide for Teaching the Faith is a must-read for anyone who will be teaching confirmation. After confirmation classes are over, students and their families often seem to lose interest in the church. This resource provides practical help for teaching that catechesis is a lifelong adventure. Accompanying this book is a video study of the concepts from the text to help guide all back to God’s Word.
The Enduring Faith Confirmation Curriculum provides options to equip students to take charge of their faith throughout their lives and guide parents to walk alongside their children.
Find your perfect confirmation resources.
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