Maybe you are like me when it comes to Confirmation classes. No, I don't mean being tempted with commiting a felony in dealing with the students! Well, maybe a little bit. However, I have struggled, over the years, with just what confirmation should be, how long it should be, and who should be involved.
I have been involved in confirmation programs that were 2 years in duration all the way down to ones that have been completely conducted over a weekend. How in the world do you approach such an important area as confirmation? Let me share some of my thoughts on developing a confirmation program.
First, I have decided that I do not want it to be a quasi-youth group, sunday school class, or Bible study program that replaces responsibilities of the parents/church. I want only for this class to address one major subject - The questions asked each confirmand during confirmation.
These are very basic questions that can be dealt with in various timeframes. But, I believe that each confirman needs to know enough to answer each question without hesitation. They will not know everything there is to know about God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and christian responsibilities (most of us don't, even at this juncture in our lives and professions), but they at least will have had intentional instruction in the areas to which they are asked to commit.
Many conferences have confirmation retreats as part of their camping programs. I would encourage you to consider using this as a finale to your confirmation program. It will be sort of a reward to the confirmands for their past study and further prepare them for the final act of confirmation.
Again, I think confirmation should be intentional in its focus. Too much of the literature I have seen is just "more of the same stuff" they receive in other venues.
Just thinking!
1 comment:
I think you're right, Don, that there's no way that confirmands can "get it all" and also that it shouldn't just be part of Sunday School. I try to make it special. I tend to do more than basic vows, though. I want confirmands to get in touch with core beliefs - the Trinity, the humanity/divinity of Christ, the Bible as God's story of grace, an overview of Christian history (using the "tree"), what Methodism is, the Christian year, etc. I usually meet with them personally (like on Wednesday nights) for 7 or 8 weeks. I also take them on a field trip to a Catholic Church and to someone's garage or basement, mocked up to be the "catacombs," to learn the symbols of the ancient church. To give them a sense that they are joining a greater mystery than the local church. I also assign mentors, who are basically prayer partners, and teach them journaling and use of the Bible. This year, I also took them on the conference retreat and I had them help me lead our multi-sensory Maundy Thursday service. Then at the last session explaining the vows to them, I give them a time to write a letter to Jesus about why, or why not, they feel ready to be confirmed. Anyway, it has been something I have developed over the years and the best part is personally spending time with them. I don't think they'll "get it" all but at least they'll be exposed to the whole picture.
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