Christian formation for
the whole of life.
Why CLC Exists.
01 — The Calling
Jesus calls us into the fullness of life.
Christian formation is not simply about learning more or preparing for a role. It is about becoming who God created us to be in Christ.
02 — The Formation
That becoming involves the whole person.
What we know, who we are becoming, how we love, and the way we live cannot be separated. Faith takes shape across the whole of everyday life.
03 — The Church
This work belongs to the whole church.
Pastors cannot carry formation alone. People throughout the congregation need space, practices, and relationships that help them grow in the way of Jesus.
04 — CLC’s Response
CLC comes alongside people in that becoming.
Through sustained learning communities, CLC brings together guided teaching, shared conversation, daily spiritual practice, and spiritual friendship.
This is why CLC exists.
To come alongside “people in the pew” as they grow into the fullness of human life in Christ—strengthening congregations to live God’s mission among their neighbors.
Discover recent researchA closer look · The research
What helps faith
take root?
CLC’s commitment to formation grows from our faith in Christ. Research helps us listen more closely to the people and congregations we hope to serve.
These findings highlight three places to pay attention: opportunities to contribute, friendships that encourage growth, and the formative life of the local church.
Choose a finding to read more.
01 · Gifts & participation Room to contribute. Only one in five Gen Z churchgoers strongly agrees they can use their gifts at church.
What the research found
American Bible Society’s 2025 study found that about one in three respondents in other generations strongly agreed they could use their gifts at church, compared with one in five among Gen Z.
This finding concerns U.S. adults who identified as Christian and had attended a Christian church within the previous six months. Gen Z respondents were ages 18–28.
Read the American Bible Society findings (opens in a new tab)State of the Bible 2025 · Chapter 5
Published August 14, 2025 · Survey: January 2025
The connection to CLC
Recognizing a gift and knowing how to use it can take time, conversation, and encouragement. CLC makes room for that discernment within a learning community.
What might God be inviting me to contribute?
02 · Faith & friendship Faith needs room to be shared. In Barna’s study, 56% of U.S. Christian adults described their spiritual lives as entirely private.
What the research found
Alongside that sense of privacy, 82% agreed that friends should challenge one another to grow in healthy ways. The findings suggest an openness to growth through friendship, even when faith feels deeply personal.
Barna published this analysis in 2022, drawing on surveys conducted in 2020 and 2021. It offers a perspective on spiritual friendship from that period.
Read the Barna findings (opens in a new tab)Growing Together · Barna & The Navigators
Published March 16, 2022 · Surveys: 2020–2021
The connection to CLC
Shared conversation and spiritual friendship give people space to bring questions, speak about faith, and encourage one another as they learn to follow Jesus.
Who helps me notice how I am growing?
03 · Congregations & growth There is good work to build on. In the 2026 report, churchgoers rated their churches an average of eight out of ten across measures of satisfaction with support for spiritual growth.
What the research found
American Bible Society asked about biblical depth, relationships, opportunities to take spiritual next steps, a culture of service, and pastoral example. Most churchgoers expressed satisfaction with their churches.
These are churchgoers’ assessments of their congregations, rather than a direct measurement of personal spiritual growth. The report also identifies lower satisfaction among Gen Z men.
Read the American Bible Society findings (opens in a new tab)State of the Bible 2026 · Chapter 5
Published August 12, 2026
The connection to CLC
CLC comes alongside the worship, teaching, care, and witness already taking place in congregations. Sustained learning gives people additional space to connect that shared life with daily practice.
How can we deepen the good work already taking root?
These U.S. studies describe wider church life; they do not evaluate CLC participants or programs. The connections to CLC reflect how we understand their relevance to our work.