When a parish seeks to hire or call forth a leader for the ministry of Adult Faith Formation, what key elements should the parish include in the position description?
          Since needs vary from region to region, diocese to diocese and parish to parish even within the same diocese each position description will be as unique as the parish. Members of individual parishes will want to take time to reflect on those qualities most important for the Adult Faith Formation leader in their setting.
          This article offers some general and by no means exhaustive suggestions to assist parish staffs and Adult Faith Formation committees as they construct a position description for this ministry.
          In developing any position description there are three basic categories, namely, qualifications, skills, and responsibilities. Before moving into the specific suggestions for each category, however, it would be worthwhile to explore these two preliminary questions:

1. Who is responsible for Adult Faith Formation in the parish?
2. Why does a parish need an Adult Faith Formation Leader?

Who Is Responsible For Adult Faith Formation in the Parish?

          Adult Faith Formation is the responsibility of the entire parish. This is so because all adults in the parish are called by their baptism to a life of mature discipleship. As mature disciples we are called to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and to a participation in his mission to the world. Adult Faith Formation is a ministry entrusted by baptism to the entire adult population of the parish.
          While Adult Faith Formation is the responsibility of the entire parish, it is nonetheless the specific responsibility of some parish members to lead this ministry. As with other areas of parish life the pastor has the responsibility to lead in the ministry of Adult Faith Formation. He is the chief Adult Faith Formation leader. Along with the parish staff the pastor demonstrates this leadership by directing the environment and culture of the parish toward a focus on mature discipleship. He has a commitment to Adult Faith Formation and a personal commitment to lifelong learning.

Why Does the Parish Need An Adult Faith Formation Leader?

          If the pastor is the chief Adult Faith Formation leader in the parish why is there a need for a specific person to function as the parish Adult Faith Formation Leader? The direct and simple answer is that the pastor has the responsibility to lead the whole parish and serve in so many areas that the parish needs someone who can devote their full attention and energy solely to the ministry of Adult Faith Formation.
          This individual will advocate on behalf of this ministry viewing all dimensions of parish life through the lens of Adult Faith Formation and ensuring that Adult Faith Formation is the central task of all the formation activities of the parish.

The Qualifications of the Parish Adult Faith Formation Leader

          As indicated above, each parish community will have to decide on the specific qualifications they will seek in a candidate. Following are a few basic qualifications every Adult Faith Formation Leader should possess.

• The Adult Faith Formation Leader should be a person who has had a personal “conversion” to the vision of Adult Faith Formation. This is probably the most important point of all. This means that the person hired or designated as the leader must have a firm personal grasp of the vision of Adult Faith Formation. He/she must have made the shift in context and horizon to an understanding that Adult Faith Formation is more than just a series of programs offered as part of the parish’s many activities. He/she will realize that the parish is the curriculum. Everything in the parish, Liturgy, meetings, how people are welcomed or visited, social events, community outreach, as well as a highly organized and sophisticated speaker series, is forming adults in their faith on some level.
• The Adult Faith Formation Leader should have a personal commitment to and knowledge of adult learning principles. This second qualification is important as a follow-up to the first. Included in the vision of Adult Faith Formation is the commitment to viewing the activities and culture of the parish through the lens of adult learning principles. The leader will utilize adult learning principles in reflecting on the everyday activities and events of the parish. He/she will use these same principles to evaluate the overall parish culture as well as specific offerings. Finally, the leader will plan activities and future offerings with these principles in mind. These principles are well known in Adult Education circles even though their number and description vary.

There are three fundamental principles for Adult Faith Formation:

• The first is that adults learn by searching or seeking. They should be encouraged to ask questions and search out answers in a variety of ways.
• The second principle is that the adult learner’s life experience must be acknowledged and valued in any faith formation situation or offering.
• Finally, there should be an understanding that adults learn best from other adults. Interaction is the key. Sharing life experiences and personal stories moves most adults toward an appropriation of the ideas, values, and behaviors presented. The goal is conversion and a movement toward mature discipleship not scholarship and the acquiring of information.

• The Adult Faith Formation Leader should have a sound grasp of Catholic theology especially the pastoral theology expressed in catechetical documents such as the General Directory for Catechesis(GDC). The third qualification deals with the personal formation of the leader. He/she needs to have a good foundation in catechetics, liturgy, spirituality, basic theology, and scripture. It is important to have this basic formation and to be committed to lifelong formation in order to be an effective parish leader. A firm foundation in Catholic theology will enable the Adult Faith Formation Leader to assist a wide variety of parish adults as they search for the meaning of their faith in our contemporary situation. For example, knowing how the Catholic Church reads and interprets the Bible is essential to promoting beneficial scripture study groups and providing sound scripture study resources.

The Skills of the Parish Adult Faith Formation Leader

          A parish Adult Faith Formation Leader will need a substantial number of personal and professional skills. Beyond the usual skills of good organizational and communication abilities he/she will also need certain skills with technology and media. Again, each parish will want to determine the specific skills their candidates will need. Some basic skills that every Adult Faith Formation Leader should possess in some measure include:

• The Adult Faith Formation Leader should have well developed listening skills. Listening skills are vital for the leader responsible for Adult Faith Formation ministry. Many Catholic adults are not accustomed to thinking about their own faith formation needs much less seeking out the kind of formation that will address their personal situation. The parish Adult Faith Formation Leader must be able to hear the questions and needs of adult parishioners no matter how they articulate them.
• The Adult Faith Formation Leader should have the ability to collaborate. This is another vital skill comprised of two foundational elements. The first is the realization that everyone in parish ministry is engaged in Adult Faith Formation. Therefore, to be effective the leader will need to work side by side with all parish ministers complementing, supporting, and if necessary challenging their ministry efforts from an adult faith formation perspective. The other element is the leader’s realization that he/she cannot do it alone. Adult Faith Formation is a community effort. The leader provides direction, vision, motivation, and energy. The service of leadership is accomplished by a team or committee collaborating under a common vision.
• The Adult Faith Formation Leader should be an empowerer and team builder. An effective Adult Faith Formation effort needs an effective team or committee. The leader needs to be able to recognize people’s strengths and fit them together into a team dedicated to advancing the parish’s vision of Adult Faith Formation. This includes the skill of inviting many voices to speak. It also includes creating the relationships and context where a person will feel the freedom to share his/her story and faith life with the other Adult Faith Formation team members.

The Responsibilities of the Adult Faith Formation Leader

          Although the ministry of Adult Faith Formation is the responsibility of the entire parish there are specific responsibilities that should be undertaken by the person charged with leading the parish efforts. While the detailed responsibilities of an Adult Faith Formation Leader will be unique to each parish the following responsibilities should be included among those being considered.

• The Adult Faith Formation Leader should provide for the development, formation and preparation of the Adult Faith Formation Team or Committee. Since the effectiveness of the team or committee is key to the parish’s Adult Faith Formation efforts, this is one of the leader’s major responsibilities. Taking the time to develop a strong team representative of the full spectrum of the parish is vital. Moreover, seeing to the team’s formation establishes a solid foundation on which to build a dynamic and deliberate approach to Adult Faith Formation. The team members do not need to have the qualifications of the leader in the area of Catholic theology. However, they should receive some initial and ongoing formation in the vision and principles of Adult Faith Formation and a basic understanding of adult learning principles.
• The Adult Faith Formation Leader should be the lead agent in establishing the overall Adult Faith Formation environment in the parish. As mentioned above, it is the responsibility of the leader to advocate for the perspective and place of Adult Faith Formation in all parish activities and discussions. The leader is the one who directs the shaping and implementation of the parish’s vision. He/she must make an effort to grasp the culture of the parish and lead the way in moving that culture toward the values of lifelong learning and the goal of mature discipleship.
• The Adult Faith Formation Leader should be responsible for directing, organizing and coordinating the total parish approach to Adult Faith Formation. In addition to the skills and responsibilities already mentioned, the leader needs to lead a process of strategic planning which will move the parish into deliberate efforts to advance the vision and reality of Adult Faith Formation. This will include evaluating the existing parish efforts in all areas with a focus on determining their impact on the faith formation of adults. It will also involve assessing the current faith formation needs of the adult members of the parish. All subsequent efforts should be viewed and planned through the lens of Adult Faith Formation vision.

Supporting the Adult Faith Formation Leader

          When a parish community seeks to hire or call forth an Adult Faith Formation Leader, the above considerations can be very helpful in developing a comprehensive position description. Having a clear idea of the needs and expectations of the parish community are essential to the overall Adult Faith Formation vision and effort.
          By making the decision to have an Adult Faith Formation Leader a parish enters into a relationship that is marked not only by expectations but also by a readiness to support the leader in his or her ministry. The parish needs to be ready with resources, both physical and financial to support Adult Faith Formation Ministry. In addition, the parish leadership needs to take the time to acquaint themselves with the vision and principles of Adult Faith Formation as they are articulated in the GDC and such documents as, Our Hearts Were Burning Within Us.
          Supporting the Adult Faith Formation Leader in all aspects of their ministry will enable parishes to have Adult Faith Formation that is vital, dynamic, and most of all, effective.