Catechism – Introduction | Elizabeth City EMC

What’s the Deal with a Catechism?

The What:
A catechism is an ancient practice of the church that would disciple young Christians into the basic theology and ethics of Christianity.

The Why:
As the culture continually moves away from a Christian worldview, many of our children (and adults) are losing basic Christian concepts that are fundamental to our faith. First, we are introducing a catechism so that within your family basic Christianity will become so ingrained in the thinking that when alien, non-biblical ideas are introduced by the culture they can be immediately rejected.

Second, we desire to give a theological foundation which will allow the Bible to be more accessible. The catechism is arranged to take your family through the large sweep of the biblical narrative: creation, fall, covenants, Christ, and the consummation of all things. Themes will be introduced so that as you read through the Bible you will have basic understandings of what is happening.

Third, we are concerned with the trend in students, young people, and even many adults that, devoid of a proper foundation, are asking the wrong (perhaps even heretical) question–“How does God fit in my story?” In presenting the biblical worldview and narrative, we hope that this question will be flipped as your children ask, “How do I fit into God’s story?” Then (and only then) will we have succeeded in discipling them into a biblical worldview.

The How:
There’s not a one-size fits all approach to the catechism, but the following may help get you started.

Look over the material ahead of time:
Some lessons have object lessons that may require purchasing items. Others may contain information that you may feel inclined to go deeper with. They are written to be understood by pretty young children, though you may be blessed with a child who desires to go deeper, requiring you to prepare. Watch any videos ahead of time to discern whether your children would benefit from watching them.
Pick a day of the week to set aside to go through material:
Each lesson is set up with question/answer format, though it is meant to draw the answers from a text. For older students, perhaps make the questions more ambiguous to help them think critically over how the text provides the answer. For younger students, perhaps make the questions lead them more. Feel free to supplement the material with other verses or commentary.
Spend time daily reinforcing material:
Setting time apart daily to reinforce material is good for at least two reasons. First, it helps structure your daily family time around God. Even without the content, centering time around seeking God as a family does a lot to show his importance to our children.Second, if you want these basic theological concepts to become part of the mindset and worldview of your child, continued reinforcement is necessary. We forget so much. Unless things are continually before us, we will forget it. Like learning a new language, a little practice every day goes the furthest. When you reach week 14, week 2 material may be incredibly distant. Memory verses also take time to fully remember for children.

Other Tips/Suggestions:

After a couple weeks in, perhaps make flashcards of the material. Have a child or parent pull out a question before supper and see if they or another child can answer it. It could make a game for them to play, while reinforcing material.
For children, perhaps ask them the weekly question and memory verse each night before bed, helping them to remember and then the following morning. It not only provides repetition but starts and ends each day thinking about God.
Press into the commitment even if it feels awkward and the kids don’t seem to enjoy it at first. Change is almost always rejected at first.
Encourage, encourage, encourage

What about you? Share your game-plan or any thoughts, questions, or confusions.