In recent decades, educational institutions have been in crisis and religious education is in an unenviable position. Today's time is marked by weak role models, small stories, individualism and is a big obstacle to education. Religious education, among others, requires new models, ways and means of education and formation of educators. The topic of this paper is the role of the educator who takes as an example the life and experience of St. Francis of Assisi. An essential label of upbringing is the process. The three essential elements of education are the educator, the educated and the educational values. The essential labels to which we will pay more attention are: educational values, educational principles, methods and means of educational work. After the general presentation of education, we move on to religious education, and especially of Christian communities, which is described in the second chapter. The key to successful parenting lies in the educator’s personality. Religious upbringing emphasizes three vows: poverty, purity, and obedience. Given the degree of progress in religious education, there are educational periods. The third chapter moves on to a concrete example of education and self-education following the example of St. Francis of Assisi. His personality and view of poverty, purity and obedience are presented. The paper concludes with the fourth chapter, in which the focus is on the topicality of Francis' upbringing in religious communities today.