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Looking for the “best” curriculum for your catechesis or confirmation class? There are many options from a variety of publishers and denominations. The right choice depends entirely on your context and goals.
Below you will find a list of Building Faith’s favorite curriculum options based on theology, availability, and pedagogy. As of 2024, we’ve expanded this list to include both catechesis and confirmation resources to help you prepare candidates for baptism, reaffirmation of their baptismal vows, reception, or confirmation. The articles in our Curriculum Center can help you identify your needs, capabilities, and hopes. Looking for more support? Join Lifelong Learning’s free weekly Office Hours or reach out via email.
How To Use This List
For each curriculum “top pick” we list the name, publisher, publication date, age group, curriculum contents, and a brief summary. We have done our best to include helpful information such as:
- how the curriculum works
- number of lessons included
- digital media options
- additional accompanying resources
- materials available in Spanish
We have organized the options alphabetically by name under the general categories of Catechesis & Baptismal Preparation and Confirmation. The Catechesis section includes resources on Christian faith, discipleship, and the meaning of baptism, and the Confirmation section provides materials on reaffirming baptismal vows and the meaning of confirmation in various church denominations. Because these categories are overlapping and interrelated, you may find materials in both lists helpful for both catechesis and confirmation programs.
Additionally, while some of the options may work well in various formation settings and with various age groups, the list does not focus on seasonal or year-round curriculum. For age-specific curricula, check out our other top picks articles for children’s, youth, adult, and intergenerational formation. For seasonal resources, a good place to start is our Articles by Topic page.
The name of the curriculum or resource provides a link to the curriculum’s website. The name of the publisher links to their “About” page where you can learn more about their theological approach. If you follow the link for each church denomination, you can review their statement of belief.
As always, when choosing a curriculum for your setting, take into account the theology, biblical interpretation, context, materials, and representation of human identities and experiences as you discern which curriculum might be the best fit for your context.
Catechesis & Baptismal Preparation Top Picks (Created February 2024)
1. Animate
This curriculum seeks to facilitate formative learning, conversation, critical and creative thinking, and practices about central dimensions of Christian faith and life. It is designed for adults of all ages. The curriculum addresses three main topics: Faith, Bible, and Practices (see links for each scope and sequence). Each topic contains 7 lessons that feature videos with church leaders and scholars as well as journals to prompt group discussion. You can view sample materials on the publisher’s website.
Additional Information
- Publisher and date: Sparkhouse, 2012 – 2014 (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America)
- Age group(s): adults; we think it may also be beneficial for high school youth (grades 9 – 12)
- Contents: This curriculum is available for purchase by topic in printed or digital format; it involves a facilitator guide, participant journal, and DVD; lessons can also be purchased individually
2. Go Make Disciples: An Invitation to Baptismal Living
This book offers guidance on grounding baptismal preparation as well as the life of a church community in Christian discipleship. It features a three-stage process of catechesis for adults from “inquiry” to “exploration” and “intense preparation.” The chapters include recommendations for approaching and implementing the different stages as well as outlines for group sessions. You can access an excerpt on the publisher’s website.
Additional Information
3. Pilgrim: A Course for the Christian Journey
This curriculum offers an introduction to Christian faith and formation for deepening Christian discipleship. It contains two stages, “Follow” and “Grow,” and both stages cover 4 topics with 6 – 7 lessons for each topic, totaling over 48 lessons. Topics include the Baptismal Covenant in The Book of Common Prayer, the Lord’s Prayer, creeds, the Bible, and more. Lessons involve prayer, scripture reading with lectio divina, reflections to read and discuss, and ways to continue engaging the lesson during the week. You can view a sample lesson on the publisher’s website.
Additional Information
- Publisher and date: Church Publishing, 2016 (The Episcopal Church)
- Age group(s): adults
- Contents: This curriculum is available for purchase by topic in printed format; it involves a participant book for each topic and a leader guide
4. Transforming Questions
This curriculum is designed to help adults grapple with key questions about faith and life. It seeks to make space for asking questions and being formed and transformed through the asking. The curriculum covers 10 lessons on different questions with a bonus lesson on the Episcopal tradition, and the topics treated include questioning faith, Jesus’s identity, how to read the Bible, what happens after death, and more. Lessons involve leader presentations and small group discussions with the option for extending a 60-minute session with a 30-minute meal together. You can access a sample with the scope and sequence as well as the full curriculum in digital format for free on the curriculum website.
Additional Information
- Publisher and date: Forward Movement, 2015 (The Episcopal Church)
- Age group(s): adults
- Contents: This curriculum is available for free in digital format; it involves a facilitator’s guide and participant guide; the participant guide and a companion book called Faithful Questions are also available for purchase in printed format
5. Will You?: A Lenten Study of Baptismal Promises
This curriculum offers an in-depth exploration of the “Will you . . . ?” questions of the Baptismal Covenant. It is designed to be a five-week study for Lent, engaging one question each week, and it approaches these questions through the theme of evangelism. The book for participants and leaders includes short daily readings with stories, scriptures, prayers, and reflection questions. The accompanying group leader guide provides lesson plans for each week of the study. You can view a sample from the book as well as the full leader guide on the publisher’s website.
Additional Information
- Publisher and date: Forward Movement, 2023 (The Episcopal Church)
- Age group(s): adults
- Contents: The book is available for purchase in printed or digital format; the leader guide can be downloaded for free
Confirmation Top Picks (Updated February 2024)
1. Confirm
This curriculum offers 39 sessions, organized into 6 units that cover church history, Methodism, church life and practices, core beliefs and theology, and calling. Lessons provide instructions and scripts for leaders, community-building and creative activities, discussion questions, and ways for youth to continue engaging the session topic during the week ahead. You can view samples and videos about the curriculum on the publisher’s website.
Additional Information
- Publisher and date: Cokesbury, 2016 (United Methodist Church)
- Age group(s): youth
- Contents: The resources are available for purchase, and all the curriculum materials except for the student guide (available only in printed format) can be accessed in printed or digital format; the resources include a director guide, teaching plans book, student guide, mentor guide, parent guide, and an accompanying DVD with videos for each session
2. I Will, with God’s Help
This curriculum consists of 6 lessons that explore the Apostles’ Creed and Baptismal Covenant. It includes options for devoting 6 or 12 weeks to the confirmation program. Lessons incorporate tactile materials, activities, and worship along with group discussion. The leader guide provides detailed instructions and scripts. You can access a sample on the publisher’s website.
Additional Information
- Publisher and date: Church Publishing, 2000 (The Episcopal Church)
- Age group(s): youth, adults
- Contents: The curriculum is available for purchase in printed or digital formats; it consists of a leader guide, a mentor guide, and participant journals tailored to youth and adults
3. Making Disciples
This curriculum uses a mentorship model for confirmation preparation. It consists of 13 sessions and engages both youth and mentor in a collaborative learning and formation experience through reflection, reading the gospel of Luke, writing, discussion, worship, and other activities together. Session topics encompass theology, worship, scripture, church life and ministry, and baptism. You can view samples of the curriculum at the Cokesbury website.
Additional Information
- Publisher and date: Abingdon Press, 2018 (United Methodist Church)
- Age group(s): youth
- Contents: This curriculum is available for purchase in printed and digital formats (except for the confirmand’s journal, which is printed only); resources include a coordinator’s guide, mentor guide, and confirmand’s journal
4. My Faith, My Life
This resource is a book written for youth. It contains 9 chapters that cover baptism, confirmation, and Episcopal traditions and practices, as well as core dimensions of Christian faith and life, including scripture, church history, and mission. Each chapter concludes with prompts for conversation and personal reflection. A separate leader guide provides options for developing a 6- or 10-session confirmation program using the book. Lessons offer suggested activities for each session, and they incorporate tactile materials, community-building games, and worship. You can view excerpts on the publisher’s website.
Additional Information
- Publisher and date: Church Publishing, revised 2014 (The Episcopal Church)
- Age group(s): youth
- Contents: This curriculum is available for purchase in printed and digital formats; it consists of a book for youth and a leader guide
5. Practicing Our Faith
This curriculum offers an overview of faith and life in the context of the Episcopal Church. It involves 26 lessons that dive deeply into The Book of Common Prayer. Lessons cover topics like sacraments, liturgical seasons, theology, scripture, church organization, and spiritual practices. The curriculum is designed to work with an accompanying book, Walk in Love: Episcopal Beliefs and Practices, which can be used by leaders only or by everyone in the group. The lesson plans provide options for teaching lectures and group discussion, along with group activities and prayer. You can access a sample on the publisher’s website.
Additional Information
- Publisher and date: Forward Movement, 2018 (The Episcopal Church)
- Age group(s): adults; a related 7-lesson curriculum called “Stepping Out in Faith: Teaching Children Episcopal Beliefs & Practices” is also available for elementary-age children
- Contents: This curriculum is available for free in digital format; the accompanying book is available for purchase in English and Spanish and in printed and digital formats
6. Professing Our Faith
This curriculum is designed with options for a short 8-session program or a weekly program for the academic year with 35 lessons. It focuses on the Apostles’ Creed, Ten Commandments, and the Lord’s Prayer with attention to theology, sacraments, Presbyterian beliefs and polity, mission, and justice. Lessons include group games and activities for multiple learning styles, scripture, discussion questions, prayer, and activities for youth to do at home during the week. You can access a downloadable digital sample through this link.
Additional Information
7. Your Faith, Your Life / Tu Fe, Tu Vida
This book is similar to My Faith, My Life, but it is written for adult readers. It covers similar topics in 9 chapters, like baptism, reading scripture, church history, Episcopal traditions and practices, and mission. The adult edition incorporates narrative interludes between chapters as well as questions at the end of each chapter that invite holistic, multi-layered reflection on readers’ personal experiences. You can view samples of the book in both English and Spanish on the publisher’s website.
Additional Information
- Publisher and date: Church Publishing, English version revised 2017; Spanish version published in 2022 (The Episcopal Church)
- Age group(s): adults
- Contents: This book is available for purchase in printed and digital formats
Confirmation Curriculum Chart (2018)
Featured image is by Dawn McDonald on Unsplash
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