Head, Heart, Hands: How to make Whole Disciples through the Apostle’s Creed, Lord’s Prayer, and Ten Commandments

Scenario 1

New Believers

10 Students repented of their sins and trusted in Jesus.

They want to be baptized.

What is your plan to prepare them for baptism, help them be discipled, and grow in their walk with Jesus?

What are the key things they need to know to be a strong and faithful Christian?

Scenario 2

Long-time Believers who are still babies in the faith.

You have a student who has grown up in church all his life, involved in Bible studies, and is in worship each week.

Yet, he cannot tell you what the gospel is, what he believes about God, or why the church exists.

He does not feel confident in his prayer life, nor does he know how to pray.

He has trusted in Jesus for salvation, but has not connected his faith to his actions and the way he lives.

Michael Spencer says this about our current generation:

“Our young people have deep believes about the culture war, but do not know why they should obey Scripture, the essentials of theology, or the experience of spiritual disciplines and community.” -Michael Spencer

The Problem

Lack of Discipleship among Millennials and Gen Z

For these numbers. . . a Biblical worldview is defined as someone who believes:

God is ruler of the universe.

Human Beings are sinful from birth.

Jesus is the only way to salvation.

The Bible is truth.

Absolute moral truth exists.

The purpose of life is to know God.

Success is obedience to God.

Barna Research:

9% of those who profess to be Christians have a Biblical worldview.

Among those who are “theologically-identified, Born-Again Christians,” only 24% believe the doctrine of the Trinity.

Those who “possess a Biblical worldview” according to Barna, only 62% claim to believe in the Trinitarian God of Scripture.

Ligoneer Ministry and LifeWay Research State of Theology:

Half of evangelicals deny. .

God’s immutability (God can change and change his mind)

God’s omniscience (God knows all things past, present, and future)

Nearly 2/3rds believe all people are born innocent.

43% of evangelical Christians believe “Jesus was a great teacher, but he was not God.”

What about parents of pre-teens and teens?

Only 2% have a Biblical worldview and only 8% of self-identified Christian parents of teens have a Biblical worldview.

What about pastors?

Barna reported in 2022 that only half of evangelical pastors held to a Biblical worldview.

The Solution: Catechesis

“Cate. . What?”

Raise your hand if you have ever heard the word “catechesis?”

Raise your hand if you have ever heard the word “catechism?”

What is the first thing that comes to mind when you hear or think of the word “catechism?”

What is Catechesis?

Catechesis comes from the Greek word katecheo, with means to “share a communication that one receives,” and “to teach or instruct.”

So, in short, catechesis is teaching a message one has received.

J.I. Packer and Gary Parrett provide a little more nuance to the word and define Catechesis as:

“The church’s ministry of grounding and growing God’s people in the Gospel and its implications for doctrine, devotion, duty, and delight” (J.I. Packer and Gary Parrett, Grounded in the Gospel, 29).

Other words associated with catechesis:

Catechism: the content in which the person is catechized.

Catechist: the teacher who catechizes others.

Catechumen: the learner, one being catechized.

Catechumanate: the school of faith that emerged in the early church to prepare new believers for baptism and full preparation in the church’s life.

The Key Teachings of Catechesis.

Since the time of the Apostles, the church has sought to teach followers of Jesus all that Christ has commanded.

In general, Jesus’ teachings can be lumped into two commands that are taught in three categories.

What are the two commands?

Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and mind.

Love your neighbor as yourself.

Three categories:

Christian Doctrine

Head, what we need to think and believe about God.

Creeds (Romans 1:3-5; Philippians 2:5-11; 1 Corinthians 15:3-5), The Apostle’s Creed. . from the Old Roman Creed, dated back to the end of the second century.

“Highlight Reel” of the Christian faith. . what the Scriptures teach.

Short and Concise Systematic Theology. . . The Creed teaches on. . .

The Trinity

Creation, Doctrine of Humanity.

Christology: Incarnation

Christology: Atonement

Christology: Jesus’ death/descent into the grave (hell=hades).

The Holy Spirit

Doctrine of the Church

Doctrine of the Return of Christ

Doctrine of the Resurrection of Believers and Abundant Life in Christ

The Power of the Gospel.

Christian Formation

Heart, what we need to desire and how to have communion with God.

The Lord’s Prayer

Teaches us how to pray and have communion with God. . . for example:

“Our Father,” directs us to praise God for our relationship with him.

“In heaven, hallowed be your name” calls us to praise God for his holiness.

“Your Kingdom come, your will be done,” teaches us to ask for grace to live for his kingdom and not our own, praying his will would be done in our lives and the world.

Christian Living

Hands, how we live out our obedience to God.

The Ten Commandments

Show us God’s character and will, our sinful nature and need for a savior, and the way we can live a holy life that pleases our savior.

The Biblical Foundations of Catechesis

Old Testament Foundations

Deuteronomy 6:4–9 ESV

4 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

“teach diligently” in verse 7, is the Hebrew word for “whet or sharpen” and communicates making a deep impression upon the learner.

What should we teach?

The law/Torah.

Direction, guidance, instruction.

The Torah communicates more than just the commands of the Lord but the “way” or “path” of life (derek in the Hebrew).

Psalm 1 ESV

1 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way (derek) of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; 2 but his delight is in the law (Torah) of the Lord, and on his law (Torah) he meditates day and night. 3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. 4 The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away. 5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; 6 for the Lord knows the way (derek) of the righteous, but the way (derek) of the wicked will perish.

This demonstrates God’s teaching and instruction is not restrictive or oppressive, but life giving, as it teaches us the way we should live and the way God designed us.

Thus, teaching and instruction in the way through the torah involved parents and teachers instructing the next generation to love God with their minds and hearts so they could walk in obedience in the way.

In the Old Testament, Teaching and instruction was not just about facts and head knowledge, but led to walking in obedience in “the way” of the Lord.

New Testament Foundations

Like the Old Testament, the gospels and the Apostles letters contain imperative commands for the people of God to pass down the faith through teaching and instruction for Christian knowledge, formation, and living.

New Testament Examples of Catechesis

Theophilis had been catechized.

Luke 1:3–4 ESV

3 it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught (katacheo).

Apollos had been catechized.

Acts 18:25 ESV

25 He had been instructed (katacheo) in the way of the Lord. And being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John.

Paul commands believers to catechize one another.

Galatians 6:6 ESV

6 Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches.

“The catechumen must share all good things with the catechist.”

New Testament Content of Catechesis

The Gospel

Colossians 1:5–6 ESV

5 because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, 6 which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and increasing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth,

The Faith

1 Timothy 4:6 ESV

6 If you put these things before the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, being trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine that you have followed.

The Teachings or Doctrines

2 John 9–11 ESV

9 Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, 11 for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works.

The Traditions

2 Thessalonians 2:15 ESV

15 So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our letter.

Traditions implies a key aspect of catechesis as the phrases “deliver,” “commit,” or “pass on” are normally tied to the traditions.

1 Corinthians 11:2 ESV

2 Now I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions even as I delivered them to you.

Once more, this means that the New Testament instructs disciples to “pass down” the traditions, the faith, the teachings, and the gospel that they received from Jesus. . . and disciples should study (Acts 2:42), abide in (2 John 9-10), and obey (Acts 6:7) these teachings.

Paul’s letters provide one last example of the content of Catechesis points to the three key categories we discussed earlier (doctrine, communion, living). . . as his letters are mixed with doctrine, prayers, and commands for Christian living.

Catechesis is not only Biblical but an imperative from our Lord in Scripture

1 Timothy 4:11–13 ESV

11 Command and teach these things. 12 Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. 13 Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching.

The key aspect of Jesus’ ministry consisted in catechizing (teaching) his disciples and the crowds about the Kingdom of God. . . and Jesus commanded his disciples to teach others during his earthly ministry and when he ascended into heaven.

Thus, catechesis is a faithful and fruitful ministry that flows directly from the “Great Commission” given by Jesus.

Building Believers “The Old Fashioned Way”

The Early Church

First to Third Centuries of Catechetical documents:

Didache of the Apostles (70 AD)

Irenaeus’s Demonstration of the Apostolic Teaching (180-190 AD)

Hippolytus’s The Apostolic Tradition (215 AD)

The Church after the Apostles saw the need to develop catachumenates to instruct and train new believers in the faith because most new believers were Gentiles who came from pagan backgrounds.

They had no or minimal background knowledge of the Christian faith and teachings of Scripture.

In the first catechumenates were developed in the second century to help prepare new believers, especially Gentile converts, for baptism and entry into full participation in the church.

In the final weeks leading up to their baptism, which usually occurred on Easter Sunday, catachumens were catachized by the pastor through daily instruction on the exposition of the Creed, the Lord’s Prayer, and the Ten Commandments.

These were things that they would later confess as part of their testimony at their baptism, which resulted in a large celebration by the whole church.

The Reformation

Around the 5th-6th centuries the practice of catechesis waned as the church became a state institution and mass amounts of people “became Christians” and apart of the church “from birth.”

But, the reformation of the 16th century was a response to the centuries of catechetical decline.

John Calvin said, “Believe me. . . the Church of God will never be preserved without catechesis.”

The reformers championed catechesis and were the first Christians to develop the catechetical tool that we know as the catechism.

The catechisms that were developed during this period were made up of instruction of questions and answers from the Apostle’s Creed, Ten Commandments, and Lord’s Prayer.

The reformers based these instructions off of the Early church’s model and Augustine’s, who said “every Christian must be instructed in three things-faith, hope, and love.”

These three things, faith, hope, and love, became the outline for the catechisms:

Faith is taught through an exposition of the Creed.

Hope is cultivated through teaching on the Lord’s Prayer.

Love for God and others is fostered through instruction on the Ten Commandments.

If Catechesis is commanded in Scripture and was practiced by Jesus, the apostles, the early church, and the reformers, why is it a foreign concept today in evangelical churches?

The Evangelical Church has given up on rigorous teaching and instruction.

Three Trends:

Movement from Reformational Piety to Evangelical Pietism

Shift from Sola Scriptura to Solo Scriptura.

Shift from The glory of God in the church to the godliness of the individual.

Shift from implementing the historical heritage of the church to personal Bible Study.

The significance of the church dwindled and individual “island Christians” grew.

Widespread adoption of the Sunday School Model

Lay-driven ministry that started in the 1780’s.

Ministry was driven by untrained lay members and Pastors who had been called and equipped by God remove themselves as key instructors in the teaching ministry of the church.

Shift from teaching doctrine in the Scriptures to telling Bible stories to not offend anyone who held to different beliefs within the church.

Bible stories are a great teaching method, but often they can be pulled out of context and away from God’s grand story of redemption.

This leads to moralization. . . that we should be like Moses, Noah, David, etc.

Also, Most Bible stories leave out important details that teach doctrinal truths.

Emphasis on “Growing the Church” that is often simplistic and lacks holistic concern.

Unfortunately we have been too focused on getting people to come to church and neglecting what they will become once they join the church.

Instead of the church being the equipping center of the saints (Ephesians 4:11-18), it has only become the hospital for sinners.

The church should be both of these things, but the New Testament teaches that sermons and teaching should seek to equip believers not cater to “seekers” and non-believers.

Practical Ways To Implement Catechesis in Youth Ministry

Large Group Sermons/Small Group Study

One way to disciple all your students through catechesis is by using the Apostle’s Creed, Ten Commandments, and Lord’s Prayer for large group sermons or a small group study.

Each section can be broken down into 10-12 lessons, which makes it ideal to teach in a semester.

I have taken each section in our student ministry and walked through it in 12 weeks during our Fall semester each year.

One benefit to this method is ALL your students can be discipled through this process.

One drawback is you do not have the one-on-one setting to allow students to ask specific follow-up questions as you walk through each lesson.

However, this drawback can be countered if you train your leaders to allow room for this in small group discussions after the sermon or during their small group study.

Preparation for Baptism

As was seen by the Early Church, Catechesis was originated out of a need to prepare catechumens for baptism. Thus, implementing catechesis for new believers who desire baptism in your student ministry is an ideal way to utilize these teachings.

When a student comes to faith in Jesus, you probably will not want to wait 36 weeks (if you spent 12 weeks on each section as above) to baptize them unless they or their parents want more time. Thus, you can shorten each section into four weeks, making the time of preparation 12 weeks total. In separating the lessons, you can break up the sections as follows:

Apostle’s Creed

2 weeks on God the Father and the Person and work of Jesus (I Believe in God. . . to. . . was crucified, dead, and buried).

2 weeks on the Resurrection, Ascension, and Return of Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and the Church.

Ten Commandments

1 Week on the first four Commandments (Loving God) and 1 Week on the last six commandments (Loving Others).

2 weeks on the ordinances (Baptism and Lord’s Supper)

The Lord’s Prayer

2 weeks on Matthew 6:5-10.

2 weeks on Matthew 6:11-13.

Another consideration is taking one of the sections and teaching through it for twelve weeks.

As you study the Apostle’s Creed, Ten Commandments, and Lord’s prayer, you will find that many things overlap.

For example, the Creed not only teaches us what we should believe but also how we should live.

The Ten Commandments are not simply rules we should follow but teach us what to believe about God’s character.

The Lord’s prayer also tells us who God is and how we should live. Lastly, all three sections of the catechesis can guide our students on how to pray according to God’s will.

For our Student Ministry, I utilize the Apostle’s Creed in preparation for Baptism.

Parent Training

As a youth leader, you know that your ministry is to your students and their parents. Therefore, catechesis can also be an effective tool for discipling the parents you shepherd in your ministry.

Since parents will be with their students ¾ more than you will, to allow your teaching to stick in your students' hearts, you should also seek to equip your parents.

One suggestion might be meeting with your parents four times (2x per semester) a year for a fellowship meal and training.

You could give a broad overview of the Apostle’s Creed, Ten Commandments, and Lord’s Prayer in the first three trainings.

Then, in the fourth meeting at the end of the year, you could have parents share testimonies of how they have implemented catechesis in discipling their kids.

Our goal as youth leaders should be to equip our parents to disciple their kids and live out Deuteronomy 6:5-9.

Catechisms

The last way to implement catechesis is through a Q and A format.

The Ten Commandments and the Lord’s Prayer are given in the Westminster Shorter Catechism (Q 42-106) and the Apostle’s Creed is given in the Heidelberg Catechism (Q 26-49).

Another catechism that is a combination of the Westminster, Heidelberg, and London Baptist Confession is the New City Catechism. This what we use in our Student Ministry.

There are a few ways to utilize catechisms for discipleship in your student ministry.

First, you can take one question a week and ask it in your small group before you start your lesson or as you close. You can ask your students, “What do you believe when you say, ‘I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of Heaven and Earth?’” and then have them answer the question in their own words. Then, they can recite the question and answer 1-3 times. 

Second, you could spend 3-5 minutes at the beginning of your large group worship before the first song explaining a section of the Apostle’s Creed and then reciting the Creed together.

Third, suppose you have discipleship groups in which you hold students accountable to Bible reading, journaling, Scripture memory, and evangelism. In that case, you can have them memorize a section of the Creed, Commandments, or Lord’s Prayer and give them a Scripture passage with each phrase.

One thing to note if you choose to implement catechisms is that you must play the long game.

Your students may not understand what they are saying and recite when they say the Creed or answer the questions each week.

However, if you keep this process consistent over the years, by the time they graduate, they will have a thorough understanding of what they believe, how they should pray, and how they should live without even realizing it.

Resources

Youth Pastor Theologian Curriculum.

Grounded in the Gospel by J.I. Packer and Gary Parrett.

Growing in Christ by J.I. Packer.

Lexham Press’ Christian Essentials Series.

New City Catechism

Creeds, Confessions, and Catechisms by Crossway

Questions?