In the spiritual dimension of each individual’s life, ”God is experienced in different types of expressions of faith through the cycle of life. Consequently, faith takes on a different meaning and emphasis during various times in life.” * We refer to this spiritual growth as faith development.

Within faith development theories, faith experiences, stages or situations are proposed as categories that “can aid in both describing the faith experience that is seen in the growing person as well as providing some sort of focus and basis for nurture and ministry.” **

“The promise of faith development theory is that by understanding the dynamics of the human dimension of faithing we can better disarm the blocks to authentic faith and assist others to grow.” ***

Understanding developing faith is particularly important for youth ministry leaders. Expressing faith in language teens understand, giving them a frame of reference, is a crucial step for faith development.

Seven Faith Development Questions

1. How is faith seen?
2. How is religious experience known?
3. How do we enrich the faith experience?
4. What does this experience do for people at various ages?
5. What is the experience of faith like at various age levels?
6. How do you develop a faith experience?
7. How do individuals grow toward a certainty in God and know the vision God has for them in a personal way? ****

Five Characteristics of Teenage Faith

1. Religious experience must make sense in the present.
2. Faith must be freely chosen, without coercion.
3. There is a searching, questioning, committing and examining of one’s faith.
4. There is a rapid change and reordering of the worldview.
5. Faith now becomes a verb. *****  

* V. Bailey Gillespie, The Experience of Faith (Birmingham, AL: Religious Education Press, 1988), 75.
** Ibid, 76 
*** Gary L. Chamberlain, Fostering Faith (Mahwah, NJ: Paulist Press, 1988), 19.
**** Gillespie, The Experience of Faith, 66, 67
***** Ibid, 125-149.


From: ABZ’s of Adventist Youth Ministry
Permission to copy for use in the local congregation or group.