How do we invest in the future leaders of the church? What might it look like for local churches to help college graduates step into adulthood? How can we cultivate lasting habits in young women and men about to embark on their vocations of work and ministry? These are the questions driving Brazos Fellows, a…
What is Catechesis?
The Ancient Roots of Catechesis The word catechesis comes from the Greek word katēcheō, which means simply to teach or instruct. It appears some eight times in the New Testament—four by Luke (Luke 1:4; Acts 18:25; 21:21, 24) and four by Paul (Rom. 2:18, 1 Cor. 14:19; Gal. 6:6, where it occurs twice)—usually to refer…
Encouraging Family Discipleship
Having children is one of life’s most wonderful privileges, and it carries with it an amazing responsibility to shape their hearts and lives. In fact, I can’t think of any greater responsibility than being entrusted with a human life. We have been made stewards of our children’s physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. Grace is Key…
Want Your Church to Grow?
So you want your church to grow, do you? Listen, I get it, every pastor wants their church to grow. And it’s not just selfish ambition, although there will always be some of that. On our best days, we know the hard work we put into preaching and pastoral care, in equipping our people to…
Catechesis & Anglican Church Planting
What do Anglican church planting and catechesis have in common? The answer is a lot. As Fr. Lee Nelson recently and masterfully pointed out, Christians have used catechesis to teach the essentials of the faith for centuries, and Canon Dan Alger pointed us recently to sacramental church planting. One of the biggest challenges church planters face…
Catechesis 3: On Building a Culture
Wendell Berry, in his 1977 book The Unsettling of America, argued that agribusiness was taking the practice of farming out of its cultural context and away from families. It was a prophetic work, and in the years since, we have seen continued decline in family farming in favor of a system that devalues community and…
Catechesis 2: Recovering the Old Ways
As I studied the ways of the ancient Church, I discovered two things. First, they had a very high standard for catechetical discipleship and subsequent Church membership, and second, that high standard only aided in their progress in evangelism. As we enter the age of Post-Christendom, it seems to me that if we seek to…
Getting Catechesis Back on Track (Part 1)
Recovering the Lost Tools The church father Gregory of Nyssa once remarked in the middle of the Arian controversy of the 4th century, If you ask anyone in Constantinople for change, he will start discussing with you whether the Son is begotten or unbegotten. If you ask about the quality of the bread, you will…
