Spreading the word necessarily involves good communication. Yet few congregations think of communication as ministry, much less a practice of faith! Adult formation, however, depends upon words: the words of the Word, word-of-mouth, words with the power to create community, information, and response. In your capacity as educator, you will find yourself talking for a living. Too often congregational leaders have conceived of communication as a one-way street from those who have information to those who don't. According to this model, the clergy or lay leaders "communicate" with the congregation in a Sunday bulletin or church newsletter.

In a learning congregation, communication is more of a conversation: there is an assumption that everyone has something to share and that the common wisdom of a congregation is as worthwhile as the expertise of its trained leadership. Everybody talks and everybody is expected to listen. Communication becomes a process whereby relationships are created.

Conversations take skill and practice. Christian formation calls congregants to be faithful conversationalists—those who develop into an art their ability to talk about God, faith, and their spiritual journeys.

This is not easy. Communication can sometimes seem like babble. And it can be difficult to adjudicate good theology and spiritual growth from bad. As a congregation practices and models conversation-as-communication, however, everyone learns to listen better and gains confidence in their skills.

Talk takes place both inside and outside the congregation. Conversations need to occur internally:
·  between the clergy and staff,
·  between the staff and the board,
·  between clergy and clergy; and
·  between staff and congregation.

Conversations also need to take place externally:
·  between congregation and community,
·  between clergy from different congregations,
·  between members and newcomers, and
·  between congregants and the unchurched.

Much Christian formation happens around conversation—both information shared and the ways in which information is shared. The processes and practices developed around creative communications will be one of your greatest assets in growing congregational spirituality.

Questions to consider:

• Who controls information in your church?
  
• Does "talk" currently serve (as in conversation) or undermine (as in gossip) the mission of the congregation?
  
• In what ways could information better move around the parish to make Adult Formation more effective?