Comforting Hearts, Teaching Minds by Starr Meade

Here are six reasons why catechism make “gospel” and “discipleship” stick. They are devices for Christian to use that make doctrine and culture gospel-centered. Because of the many faithful pastors who have gone before us, we have at our disposal a collection of confessional, rich, and succinct declarations of our God and our faith. They give us clearer insight into who we are, who God is, how we respond, and how to live life with others. The catechisms are excellent tools to focus like a scope of a rifle. It’s important to note here the various benefits of catechisms, and how easy it is to make them the “glue” for the gospel in our pursuit of a life of discipleship.

This may be the likely reason they aren’t a part of our regular worship and study of God. Studying a catechism might seem dated, laborious, and overwhelming for many Christians today. Although many evangelicals who are unfamiliar with catechisms might associate this practice with the Roman Catholic Church, many Protestant traditions have gospel rich catechisms waiting to be re-discovered.

They are meant for instruction and teaching. What is a Catechism?Ī catechism is a collection of theological questions and answers. But in our search for fresh answers to this question sometimes we forget time tested resources. Thankfully, we’ve had many faithful men and women in our generation labor to help us. Therefore, our discipleship efforts and relationships must converge with the foundation of our faith.

In his short and powerful book The Gospel: How the Church Portrays the Beauty of Christ, Ray Ortlund champions one pivotal idea: “Gospel doctrine creates gospel culture.” Ortlund concisely demonstrates that the Christian life is founded on the truths of our faith, which then become the lifeblood for our relationships. We’re called to be disciples who make disciples, but how? In our desperate search to answer this profound question, we devote books, studies, podcasts, and resources to uncover how we live this out. Many Christians have a hard time knowing how to make “gospel” and “discipleship” stick in our personal lives and relationships.

Comforting Hearts, Teaching Minds by Starr Meade