Constructing Religion’s Favourite Free Christian Formation Sources

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Christian formation doesn’t should be pricey. But discovering formation sources which are substantive, helpful, and reasonably priced could be robust. Bills for curricula, books, provides, gear, and seasonal supplies add up rapidly. For communities working with decrease formation budgets, these prices can merely be too excessive to bear 12 months after 12 months and depart formation leaders feeling underresourced.

In case your neighborhood is experiencing monetary pressure or searching for methods to stretch extra {dollars}, we’ve obtained your again. On this article, we’ve compiled a listing of our favourite formation sources which are obtainable without cost. This checklist contains short-term and year-round curricula, devotional sources, and supplies for Introduction and Lent.

If you already know of a useful free useful resource that isn’t on this checklist, please depart a remark and inform us about it!

Curricula (Up to date Could 2025)

1. Considerable Life Backyard Challenge

This curriculum emphasizes the ample life that God provides to creation and the significance of sharing that life with others. It consists of 6 classes on the matters of “Water,” “Soil,” “Seeds,” “Animals,” “Harvest,” and “Celebration.” It may be used all year long or as a Trip Bible Faculty curriculum.

2. Grownup Religion & Wellness Circle

This curriculum is designed to assist adults enrich their understanding and follow of wellness by grounding wellness of their religion. It addresses wellness in relation to “coronary heart,” “soul,” “power,” and “thoughts.” Classes provide steerage for classes as much as 90 minutes lengthy and embody contemplative prayer practices, journaling actions, group dialogue questions and takeaways, and scriptures associated to wellness. The curriculum consists of a facilitator information and a participant workbook, which may each be downloaded from the Residing Compass web site.

Age group(s): adults
Writer and date: Residing Compass, 2023 (not affiliated with a particular denomination)
Variety of classes: 6

3. Connecting Religion and Justice: Youth Lectionary Curriculum

This curriculum follows the Revised Widespread Lectionary with a give attention to justice every week. Classes discover matters like poverty, racism, range, inclusion, advocacy, protest, civil disobedience, peacemaking, environmental justice, and extra. Every lesson provides a “centering second” or follow, scripture studying and dialogue, group actions, and a “closing second.”

4. Trustworthy Resilience: Constructing Religious, Bodily, and Social Local weather Resilience

It is a curriculum for exploring how communities may follow resilience and search fairness and justice within the face of imminent modifications that the local weather disaster is bringing, particularly rising sea ranges and folks having to relocate to different communities and locations because of this. Its classes embody scripture, questions for reflection, analysis prompts to study native ecologies, actions to take, and tales spotlighting communities that put resilience into follow.

5. Lesson Plans That Work for Youth and Younger Adults

This curriculum gives youth and younger adults alternatives to have interaction justice by way of scripture, group studying and dialogue, actions, and prayer. It consists of two sequence of classes, one on “Racial Justice” and one other on “Local weather Justice.” The curriculum contains age-specific classes for each youth and younger adults.

6. Residing the Method of Love in Neighborhood / Vivir el Camino del Amor en comunidad / Vivre la Voie de l’amour en communauté

This curriculum allows adults to study concerning the seven practices of the Method of Love in small teams and to discern methods of incorporating the practices into their lives. Its classes are designed for 90-minute classes with potential meal fellowship for a further half-hour. The teachings embody prayer, group dialogue, reflection and writing actions, and worship. You may entry further accompanying sources in English, Spanish, and French by way of the Method of Love web site.

Age group(s): adults
Writer and date: The Episcopal Church, 2018, revised 2019
Variety of classes: 9

7. “Love God, Love God’s World” Creation Care Curriculum

This digital curriculum brings collectively documentary movies, movies, podcasts, readings, and theological reflections by eight authors to offer a discussion-oriented formation alternative on the subject of creation care. It’s designed to assist adults mirror critically and constructively on local weather change in tandem with their religion in addition to to encourage engagement in caring for creation of their contexts. The curriculum includes three components with three classes every: exploring the query “What Is God’s Dream?”; “Reality-telling” concerning the damaging impacts of ecological degradation on human and non-human lives; and grappling with what “Restoring the Covenant, Repairing the Earth” can appear to be. Every lesson contains: a guiding scripture, prayer, sources to overview (that are accessible without cost on the curriculum web site), theological reflection, dialogue questions, a closing follow, and instructed motion steps to do through the week. Advisable session size is between 75 and 90 minutes, however just like the Sacred Floor curriculum (see under), size and format could be tailor-made to every group.

8. Sacred Floor: A Movie-Primarily based Dialogue Collection on Race & Religion

This multimedia digital curriculum allows adults to study extra concerning the historical past of race and racism within the U.S. and to look at that historical past critically in dialog with their religion. The curriculum illuminates the histories and experiences of Indigenous, Black, Latinx/Latine, and Asian/Pacific individuals on this land and addresses matters like European colonization, the Doctrine of Discovery, white supremacy, the mannequin minority delusion, mass incarceration, and racial trauma. The curriculum makes use of documentaries and different movies in addition to downloadable studying picks, which could be accessed without cost on the curriculum web site. Periods could take as much as 2 hours to finish (and could be longer with choices for sharing a meal and viewing the movies collectively), however size and format could be tailor-made to every group.

Word: The required studying for the curriculum contains two books that aren’t free.

9. Teen Compass Religion & Wellness

This curriculum helps youth discover wellness in their very own lives. It incorporates story examples, scripture, group dialogue, journaling, and prayer to allow youth to mirror on what wellness means in relation to Christian religion and to create targets for practising wellness. The curriculum is designed for no less than 26 classes, and the scope and sequence incorporates 8 items on completely different parts of wellness with 3 classes in every unit.

Age group(s): center and highschool youth
Writer and date: Residing Compass, 2016 (not affiliated with a particular denomination)
Variety of classes: 27

10. Reworking Questions

This curriculum is designed to assist adults grapple with key questions on religion and life. It seeks to create space for asking questions and being shaped and reworked by way of the asking. The matters handled embody questioning religion, Jesus’s identification, tips on how to learn the Bible, what occurs after demise, and extra. Classes contain chief shows and small group discussions with the choice for extending a 60-minute session with a 30-minute meal collectively.

Word: Whereas the curriculum is free, the curriculum’s companion e-book isn’t a free useful resource.

Devotional Sources (Up to date Could 2025)

1. The BIG Method of Love for Children / El GRAN Camino del Amor para Niños / La GRANDE voie de l’amour pour les enfants

This useful resource for youngsters’s formation is a deck of taking part in playing cards that kids can use, with or with out an grownup, to use the Method of Like to their every day lives. The playing cards present prayers, dialog prompts, and exercise concepts that correlate with the seven practices of the Method of Love. They’re designed to be a versatile and cell useful resource for participating religion at dwelling, open air, at church, and past. Additionally they provide a number of choices in order that the playing cards could also be accessible to each younger and older kids in addition to to kids at numerous developmental levels, and they’re obtainable on-line without cost as digital downloads in English, Spanish, and French. For extra particulars and concepts for utilizing this useful resource, take a look at Kristin LeMay’s Constructing Religion article “‘The BIG Method of Love for Children’: A Youngster-Centered Formation Useful resource.”

Word: Printed variations of the cardboard decks are additionally obtainable for buy at Ahead Motion.

Age group(s): kids ages 2 – 10, intergenerational
Writer and date: The Episcopal Church, in partnership with Ahead Motion, 2024
Extra particulars: deck contains 76 playing cards; further free accompanying sources can be found on the BIG Method of Love web site linked above

2. d365

This every day digital devotional for youth and adults follows the Revised Widespread Lectionary and guides individuals by way of 5 steps: “pause,” “pay attention,” “suppose,” “pray,” and “go.” The devotions embody a chance for centering, scripture passages, meditations with reflection questions, prayer, and a follow to strive. The location additionally gives an choice to hearken to music whereas utilizing the devotional. You may entry it by way of their cell app or an internet browser.

3. Ahead Day by Day

This devotional follows the Every day Workplace Lectionary in “The Guide of Widespread Prayer” and Revised Widespread Lectionary and gives every day meditations that join with scripture. Entries characteristic a scripture verse, every day scripture references, a brief meditation or story, a immediate for reflection or motion, and a name to wish for church buildings and dioceses all through the world. It’s obtainable without cost in a number of alternative ways: every day emails (to which you’ll subscribe for English or Spanish variations), every day podcast episodes, cell app, every day prayer web site in English or in Spanish, and a Braille version.

Word: Printed and e-book variations in English or Spanish are additionally obtainable by way of paid subscriptions.

4. Praying in Colour Templates

Sybil MacBeth has created a number of free sources to enrich her e-book “Praying in Colour: Drawing a New Path to God” (Paraclete, up to date 2019). These sources embody guides for educating adults and youngsters tips on how to “pray in shade,” a follow developed by MacBeth that includes writing, drawing, and coloring to supply prayers and thanksgivings to God. Additionally they embody suggestions for utilizing praying in shade with “Lectio Divina” and collections of printable templates for practising praying in shade any time of 12 months in addition to through the seasons of Introduction and Lent.

Word: The e-book “Praying in Colour” isn’t a free useful resource.

Seasonal Sources (Up to date Could 2025)

1. AdventWord

This digital useful resource is an interactive Introduction calendar that not solely provides a phrase and meditation for every day of Introduction, but additionally invitations individuals to develop and share their very own artistic expressions for the phrase of the day by way of photographs, reflections, and extra. The every day meditations are accessible without cost by electronic mail or on the AdventWord web site linked above. For a bunch of concepts on participating AdventWord, take a look at Miriam Willard McKenney’s article “Methods to Use AdventWord.”

2. The Good Guide Membership (varies between Epiphany, Lent, Summer season)

This on-line program is like an asynchronous every day Bible studying problem for adults. It gives a chance to learn a e-book of the Bible with others throughout a season of the church 12 months. This system contains free every day reflections you could obtain by electronic mail. It may be a helpful useful resource to have interaction individually, with a accomplice, or in a Bible examine group.

Age group(s): adults
Writer and date: Ahead Motion, ongoing (The Episcopal Church)
Extra particulars: quantity of really helpful every day studying can differ by biblical e-book and size of the season; see the web site for studying schedules from earlier years

3. Journeying the Method of Love Introduction Curriculum & Calendar / Recorriendo el Camino del Amor Currículo de Adviento y Calendario / Cheminement sur la Voie de l’Amour Programme de l’Avent et Calendrier

These sources allow adults to convey the Method of Love into the season of Introduction. The curriculum attracts upon Luke 1 – 2 to light up the Method of Love practices. Classes are designed for 60-minute classes and embody prayers, scripture readings, and questions for group dialogue. The curriculum and calendar are each obtainable for digital obtain in English, Spanish, and French.

Age group(s): adults (curriculum); adults and intergenerational (calendar)
Writer and date: The Episcopal Church, 2018; ongoing for calendar editions
Extra particulars: curriculum incorporates 4 classes; calendars are up to date yearly

4. Life Remodeled: The Method of Love in Lent Curriculum & Calendar / Una Vida Transformada: El Camino del Amor para la Cuaresma / La Vie Transformée: La Voie de l’Amour dans le Carême

These sources are designed to convey the Method of Love into the season of Lent. The curriculum makes use of the Easter Vigil scripture classes to discover the practices of the Method of Love. Classes contain prayers, scripture readings, educating commentaries, and group dialogue questions. The curriculum and calendar are each obtainable for digital obtain in English, Spanish, and French, and the web site additionally gives a further free curriculum in all three languages for a Lenten quiet day.

Age group(s): adults (curriculum); adults and intergenerational (calendar)
Writer and date: The Episcopal Church, 2019; ongoing for calendar editions
Extra particulars: curriculum incorporates 7 classes; calendars are up to date yearly

5. Residing Properly by way of Introduction & Residing Properly by way of Lent / Vivir un buen Adviento y Vivir una buena Cuaresma

In preparation for Introduction and Lent, Residing Compass repeatedly publishes every day devotionals that convey a give attention to wellness to the liturgical seasons. The devotionals can be found in English and in Spanish, and they are often downloaded as PDFs or obtained through every day emails without cost.

Word: Printed variations are additionally obtainable for buy on the Residing Compass web site.

Age group(s): adults
Writer and date: Residing Compass, new releases yearly (not affiliated with a particular denomination)
Extra particulars: facilitator guides to accompany the devotionals are additionally provided without cost as downloadable PDFs for particular person or group use

6. Making ready to Turn into the Beloved Neighborhood (Introduction & Lent) / Preparación para convertirse en la Amada Comunidad (Adviento y Cuaresma) / Preparation a la Conversion en Communauté Bien-Aimee (Avent et Carême)

These curricula have interaction the seasons of Introduction and Lent by way of the theology and practices of Changing into Beloved Neighborhood. They mix scriptures that comply with the Revised Widespread Lectionary with the 4 key practices of Changing into Beloved Neighborhood: “Telling the Reality,” “Proclaiming the Dream,” “Repairing the Breach,” and “Practising the Method.” Classes are designed for 45-minute classes and embody prayers, scripture readings, reflections, dialogue questions, and group actions. The Introduction classes additionally contain a lighting of the Introduction wreath candles. Curricula for each seasons in all three lectionary years can be found to obtain in English, Spanish, and French.

Age group(s): adults
Writer and date: The Episcopal Church, 2021 – 2024
Extra particulars: each Introduction and Lent curricula include 5 classes for all three lectionary years

7. Room within the Inn: Concepts for Celebrating Posadas / Lugar en el mesón: Concepts para celebrar posadas (Introduction)

This useful resource is a information to assist communities higher perceive and have a good time the Latin American custom of Las Posadas, which often takes place between December 16–24. The information describes the custom together with its theological significance, and it features a host of concepts, finest practices, and useful resource suggestions plus music for organizing Posadas and constructing relationships amongst Anglo and Latinx/Latine communities in your context. The useful resource is accessible as a free digital obtain in English and in Spanish. For extra on the historical past and that means of Posadas, see Yuriria Rodríguez’s article printed in Spanish and English variations: “Celebrando los dones de Dios para todo el mundo: El significado y la invitación de Las Posadas” and “Celebrating God’s Presents for All Folks: The Which means and Invitation of Las Posadas.”

8. Stations of the Cross: An LGBTQIA+ Lenten Journey (Lent, Holy Week)

This digital printable useful resource provides a Stations of the Cross liturgy that invitations individuals to ponder the story of Jesus’s demise by way of the lenses of LGBTQIA+ lives and experiences. It options 16 stations based mostly on scripture, a few of which overlap the normal stations, and every features a scripture studying, paintings, quick reflection with a query immediate, and prayer. You too can obtain their printer-friendly model without cost.

Extra Sources (Up to date Could 2025)

1. Changing into Beloved Neighborhood The place You Are / Convertirse en la amada comunidad allí donde esté

This free PDF is a hub of sources and concepts for getting began and going additional within the racial and social justice motion towards Changing into Beloved Neighborhood. It lays out the theological and sensible commitments of the motion and provides hyperlinks to data like coaching packages, a racial justice audit handout, pilgrimages, and web sites concerning the work that communities are doing towards justice, reparations, and reconciliation. Whereas this doc is grounded within the Episcopal Church’s explicit strategy to in search of racial justice, a lot of the sources could be useful for communities affiliated with different church denominations as properly. Each English and Spanish variations of the downloadable PDF could be accessed by way of the hyperlinks above.

Age group(s): adults
Writer and date: The Episcopal Church, English version up to date 2024, Spanish version up to date 2021

2. Ministry Planning Calendar

This digital printable month-to-month calendar is designed to make it simpler for ministry leaders to plan packages and occasions of their communities. It contains hyperlinks to useful on-line sources just like the lectionary and provides suggestions and concepts to arrange for each the present month and occasions occurring in future months. On the hyperlink above, you possibly can entry the calendar PDF in addition to an directions doc for getting began. For extra on this free useful resource, see Heidi J. A. Carter’s article “A Free Instrument for Formation Planning: The Ministry Planning Calendar.”

3. Reality, Therapeutic, and Restore: A Christian Name to Environmental Justice and Solidarity with Indigenous Peoples

This useful resource is a digital downloadable booklet that engages the legacy of colonization and ecological destruction with Indigenous individuals and nations on the middle. It highlights church buildings’ complicity within the hurt and oppression that Indigenous peoples and their lands have endured, and it illuminates numerous methods for church buildings to become involved in restorative justice with Indigenous peoples and the earth. The booklet’s give attention to California could also be notably useful for residents and communities in that context, however it’s nonetheless instructive for individuals in communities throughout the U.S. and provides reflection prompts for discerning resonances and functions to different contexts. Though this useful resource isn’t a proper curriculum with lesson plans, its data is organized into a number of completely different sections with a gap exploration of the story of Zacchaeus in Luke’s gospel, which may make this booklet a helpful useful resource round which to assemble a formation sequence.

Editor’s Word: This text was initially printed on July 31, 2024. Its formatting has been up to date and extra sources have been added for its republication on Could 14, 2025.

Featured picture is by Josh Appel on Unsplash

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