J.I. Packer became an international figure through scores of pamphlets and books, especially his 1973 bestseller, Knowing God. Packer’s institutional engagement is less famous than his books but arguably even more influential.
Catechesis in the Digital Age: The ACNA Catechism App
In 2020, after a decade of planning and testing, the ACNA produced To Be a Christian: An Anglican Catechism, a companion to the 2019 Book of Common Prayer, which was published the year before. To be a Christian was itself an extraordinary achievement: a comprehensive introduction to what it means to think, to pray, and…
How to Make Disciples at Home: Use the Creeds!
In giving the Great Commission, Jesus does not call us to make converts, nor does he call us to make professional theologians. He calls us to make disciples. Then He plainly tells us the “Who” – all nations – and the “How” – baptize and instruct in the teachings of Christ. This is both a…
Learn About the Essential Texts of the Christian Faith: Introducing the “This We Believe” Podcast
Have you wondered how you can continue to grow in your knowledge of God during this difficult time? Do you want to learn more about the essentials of the Christian faith, but don’t know where to begin? If so, I would like to invite you to listen to the “This We Believe” podcast, which answers…
We Need a Path To Develop Mature Christians. Could Catechesis Be the Answer?
Alpha is great, but we need more! You’ve probably heard of the Alpha Course. Alpha is a place for seeking, curious, or burned-out people to ask questions and explore the basics of the Christian faith without judgment or expectation to believe. Some people use it to introduce people to the Christian faith, others as a…
Manipulating Catechesis: A Note of Caution
As one who thinks and writes a lot about catechesis, I was delighted to read Zachary Jones’ recent article, “Catechesis as a Weapon against Racism.” In it, Jones makes the salient but easily neglected point that racism is a cosmic as well as terrestrial force, a battle over what it means to be human as…
Is Christian Maturity Attainable? It Depends on How You Define It
Growing up in the Church, Scripture passages that tell me to be perfect, mature, or grow up in Christ gave me both a pit in my stomach and a desire for maturity. I wanted to be mature, but it always felt like an impossible feat. Have you felt that? It kind of feels like the…
Catechesis as a Weapon against Racism
These are trying times in our country. As if a global pandemic was not bad enough, the great pandemic of racism has reared its ugly head once again through the deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd. It is not as if this issue disappeared for a season and came back in a…
Why Do We Baptize Babies If They Cannot Make a Profession of Faith?
Many people coming to Anglicanism stumble over infant baptism. They come for the beauty of the liturgy, the appreciation of both Word and Sacrament, of Scripture and Tradition. But for many, whether Baptist or not, infant baptism is a hang-up. There are many good reasons for such worries and many good answers—including on this site…
Here’s a Bookmarked, Easy-to-Navigate PDF of the ACNA’s New Catechism
As the Anglican Church in North America just recently announced, the PDF of the new “Approved” edition of the Catechism is now available. Crossway will be publishing this edition of To Be a Christian: An Anglican Catechism in early 2020. You can pre-order a copy on Amazon here (affiliate link). I’ve added bookmarks to the…
What Does It Mean to Believe in the “Communion of Saints”?
The Illustration I remember the sermon illustration well. A tightrope walker strings a tightrope across a gorge. He walks back and forth across the rope to the awe and delight of the audience. He then pushes a wheelbarrow back and forth. After that feat, he asks the astonished crowd, “Do you think I can do…
The Formational Power of Digital Habits: Practical Recommendations for Pastors
This post originally appeared at LeaderWorks. A while ago, I wrote about the ‘Formation Gap in the Information Age.’ I’m troubled by the incredible formational power our technologies exert on us and how slow local churches have been to account for this in their discipleship. If we are not speaking to the digital habits of…
