Here are textbooks, workbooks, and vision for adult formation:

Astley, Jeff, Leslie J. Francis, and Colin Crowder, eds. Theological Perspectives on Christian Formation: A Reader on Theology and Christian Education. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1996.

Most pastors and lay congregational educators have not spent time in sustained theological reflection regarding the task of adult formation. This textbook, which is ideal for a seminary course in adult education, could also be used as a self-study for leaders who want to deeply understand the theological foundations and implications of Christian formation in a postmodern framework. While the essays vary in theme, quality, readability, and relevance, overall the book serves as a single-volume library for formation and includes pieces by prominent Christian educators in the United States and Great Britain—most of the articles are reproduced from limited circulation journals. Particularly appropriate for clergy, lay leaders with some theological education, and lay theology programs and schools.

Cully, Iris V. and Kendig Brubaker Cully, eds. Harper's Encyclopedia of Religious Education. San Francisco: Harper and Row, 1990.

Includes helpful discussions of "Faith," "Faith Development," "Adult Education," and education in most major religious traditions—including Roman Catholicism, Judaism, and Islam. In addition to theological and historical information, the Encyclopedia includes practical guides to topics ranging from music, prayer, and mission to lesson planning and finger painting. Good bibliographies for further reading are listed with most entries.

Driskill, Joseph D. Protestant Spiritual Exercises: Theology, History, and Practice. Harrisburg, PA: Morehouse, 1999.

In this short and engaging book, Joseph Driskill writes for mainline Protestants—who, as he argues, have been shy of speaking about prayer, intense spirituality, or a "personal relationship with God." He believes that the "failure of mainline Protestant churches to nurture the spiritual lives of their members reflects a religious ethos that is out of touch with the spiritual needs of many human beings." Drawing from Protestant tradition, Driskill provides mainline churchgoers with a paradigm for the spiritual life, the theology to undergird it, and a set of practices to deepen it. The book's third section is a guide for teachers; the fourth section teaches the practices themselves. Included is a helpful list of centers that train and teach Christian spiritual practices and an annotated bibliography.

Foltz, Nancy T., ed. Handbook of Planning in Religious Education. Birmingham, AL: Religious Education Press, 1998.

Despite its boring title, this book is an interesting, thoughtful, and often revolutionary guide to the complete process of congregational education. Its thesis—"the planning process in religious education is pregnant with potential to reform, to transform and to reclaim a contribution to the meaning of life"—drives the multi-authored essays that range from congregational analysis to conflict management, evaluation, leadership development, and theology. This Handbook is full of helpful charts, graphs, and worksheets that would be especially appropriate for a planning or visioning retreat involving clergy and lay leaders. It is also religiously inclusive—with material appropriate for Roman Catholics, Protestants, and Jews—and would work with any size congregation. A great resource that will be used and used again.

Fowler, James W. Stages of Faith: The Psychology of Human Development and the Quest for Meaning. San Francisco: Harper and Row, 1981.

Still going strong after twenty years in print, James Fowler's Stages of Faith is the standard work in understanding adult faith development. Although scholars argue about some of its nuances, presuppositions, and conclusions, Fowler's characterization of the stages of spiritual growth are helpful and enlightening in coming to terms with one's own journey and the faith journeys of congregants. No adult educator should ignore this book—and many churches would benefit if adult formation were informed by some of the concerns presented in its pages. On the relationship between Fowler and Christian formation, see Craig Dykstra, "Faith Development and Religious Education," in Faith Development and Fowler. (Birmingham, AL: Religious Education Press, 1986, pp. 251-269). For clergy, educators, and leaders interested in adult spiritual development, Fowler may be read in conjunction with the standard on women's development, by Mary Field Belenky and others, Women's Ways of Knowing: The Development of Self, Voice, and Mind (New York: Basic Books, 1986).

Harris, Maria. Teaching and Religious Imagination: An Essay in the Theology of Teaching. San Francisco: Harper and Row, 1987.

This lovely, inspiring book for teachers envisions teaching as a work of art, a profoundly creative and grace-filled vocation of imagination. It pushes teachers out of the mode of the information "expert" and into that of an artist creating space for mystery and God's transformative power. If teachers are artists, then they engage in a set of practices—taking care, taking steps, taking time, taking risks, and taking form—that shape the communities in which they work out their vocation. I read this book while in graduate school and it served to remind me—against the stress-filled setting of academic standards, research, and evaluation—that teaching is, at heart, a reflection of God's creative power and beauty.

Juengst, Sara Covin. Equipping the Saints: Teacher Training in the Church. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 1998.

Sometimes congregations forget the old adage "the best way to learn is to teach." In her guidebook, Sara Juengst presents teaching training as adult education and formation. She argues that "traditioning," the passing of faith from one generation to another, strengthens the whole congregation in biblical reflection and sense of Christian vocation. The book is full of lesson plans to teach the teachers—including everything from "Foundations for Faith" to "Timely Teaching Tips"—in a nine-month teacher training course. In addition to being a thoughtful book, it is practical—with a good format, handouts, and worksheets.

Krau, Carol F. Keeping in Touch: Christian Formation and Teaching. Nashville: Discipleship Resources, 1999.

This short, popularly-written book argues that "if the Christian church is to be relevant (as well as prophetic) in today's culture, we must change the way we teach and learn." Krau borrows insights from a number of postmodern Christian thinkers and leadership development experts to craft a practical guide for reworking Christian education as faith formation in the context of a missional church. Easy to read, with good charts and graphics, includes questions for group discussion. A solid resource for Christian education committees, adult education groups, and church boards.

Matthaei, Sondra Higgins. Faith Matters: Faith-Mentoring in the Faith Community. Valley Forge, PA: Trinity Press International, 1996.

Matthaei offers a vision for formation in the context of relationships—that faith mentors serve as guides, models, guarantors, and mediators who accompany God's people on their spiritual journey. The book integrates classical theology, psychology, leadership theory, and pastoral theology in order to help congregations create faith-mentoring as an "intentional practice of ministry." Based in sound research and especially sensitive to concerns raised by gender studies. A thoughtful and challenging book for congregations seeking spiritual maturity.

O'Connell, Timothy. Making Disciples: A Handbook of Christian Moral Formation. New York: Crossroad, 1998.

The fruit of twenty-five years of teaching moral theology in a Catholic college, O'Connell's book seeks to integrate theology, the social sciences, narrative theory, and practical ministry and apply these insights to religious education, public worship, and congregational life. The guiding pastoral questions of the work include: How can I help develop Christian character in my people? How can I cultivate the virtues, both as skills and inclinations, within them? How can I be more successful in inviting my people into the life of intentional discipleship? O'Connell concludes that such learning can only occur in a community of "living discipleship," a parish of "gifts, stories, and standards." At the intersection of moral theology and pastoral ministry, Making Disciples takes complex classroom ideas and shows how and why they matter in the fundamental quest of embodying the life of Christ in community. Written from a Roman Catholic perspective, it is a broad, intelligent, and inviting book—and a very good read for clergy and thoughtful lay leaders.

Office of Evangelism Ministries, The Episcopal Church. The Catechumenal Process: Adult Initiation and Formation for Christian Life and Ministry. New York: Church Hymnal Corporation, 1990.

Although an official publication of the Episcopal Church, the model and process described in this book is appropriate for all liturgical Protestants, Roman Catholics, and Eastern Orthodox congregations. The book discusses the recovery of the catechumenate and baptismal ministry—and establishes the outlines of year-long adult newcomer and incorporation processes. Includes case studies of actual congregations and dioceses with sample materials and liturgies. Developing the process in a congregation would take six months to a year of preparation before the actual formation process could start. Intense commitment is required of clergy, lay leaders, and the congregation to embark on a journey from the traditional six-week newcomers class to creating a culture of baptismal discipleship throughout the church community. But every church that I know who has made this journey says it has changed them forever.

Osmer, Richard Robert. Teaching for Faith: A Guide for Teachers of Adult Classes. Louisville, KY: Westminister/John Knox, 1992.

A practical guidebook for teachers that helps with everything from preparing good lectures to leading discussions. Osmer presents adult education as a "faith cube" of belief, relationship, commitment, and mystery—along with the pedagogical techniques that best support each task. A good chapter on "teaching yourself or others with this book" provides helpful "idea starters," and an appendix includes an outline for a class and a retreat on adult spirituality.

Parks, Sharon Daloz. Big Questions, Worthy Dreams: Mentoring Young Adults in Their Search for Meaning, Purpose, and Faith. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2000.

Parks examines the critical decade of the "twenty-something" years through developmental and faith lens and urges institutions to create "mentoring communities" for young adults. Although the book discusses a broad range of institutions, Parks pays special attention to religious faith communities—and the general principles of mentoring twenty-somethings are clearly applicable in congregations. An excellent resource for university and college ministries or churches seeking to reach young adults.

Seymour, Jack L., Margaret Ann Crain, and Joseph V. Crockett. Educating Christians: The Intersection of Meaning, Learning, and Vocation. Nashville: Abingdon, 1993.

If you never had a seminary course on Christian education and now find yourself running an adult education program, this introductory text is a good place to begin. The first section of the book explores meaning, identity, and vocation through education. The second section outlines processes that empower learners, how education happens in congregations, and how it happens in the world. The final section describes education itself, how to shape learning environments, and the relationship between learning, leadership, and ministry. Activities are suggested throughout the text and a "Key Concepts" index enables readers to find primary terms and ideas.

Wenger, Etienne. Communities of Practice: Learning, Meaning, and Identity. Cambridge and New York: Cambridge University Press, 1998.

Usually I am skeptical of business management books applied to congregational life. However, Wenger's theories of learning and practice in corporations can be directly appropriated in churches—to the point that they actually seem more relevant in faith communities than in businesses. He begins with the assumption that traditional education models have failed with words that would resonate in many congregational adult education classes: "much of our institutionalized teaching and training is perceived by would-be learners as irrelevant." Instead, "what if we adopted a different perspective, one that placed learning in the context of our lived experience of participation in the world?" What if, indeed, churches adopted such a perspective on adult formation? Etienne continues by showing that the best learning happens in "communities of practice" that "people form as they pursue shared enterprises over time." When his concepts are translated imaginatively into theological, spiritual, and congregational language, they open the possibility for learning and living in a way that would renew both individual lives and congregations. Every pastor and Christian educator should read and think about this book in relation to learning, meaning, and faith identity. Wenger's work provides the possibility of linking the theological work on practices to the corporate and organizational life of a congregation. See also the follow-up volume, Etienne Wenger, Richard McDermott, and William M. Snyder, Cultivating Communities of Practice (Boston: Harvard Business School Press, 2002).

Wilson, Jonathan. Gospel Virtues: Practicing Faith, Hope and Love in Uncertain Times. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1998.

Wilson's book, another look at Christian practices, helps both teacher and learner understand the urgency of shaping a Christian way of life by cultivating virtues. Gospel Virtues might be used as a text in an adult education course. Or, more creatively, congregational leaders should read it to re-envision the ways in which Christian nurture might take place across a congregation. Most of the chapters end with a provocative question or two drawn from a situation of daily ethical choices. And, as a pastor-scholar, Wilson is ultimately concerned with the practices of education, worship, and hospitality—and how each is shaped by faith, hope, and love. This book is meant for churches to use and live.