For centuries, it has been the godparents’ primary role, second only to that of the parents themselves, to raise and disciple children in the Christian faith.
3 Aspects of Christian Living: A Framework for Thinking about Discipleship
How would you explain โdiscipleshipโ to a new believer? How would you help a busy person know how to grow and live as a Christian? If you are a trained pastor or theologian, you might have a lot to say about discipleship. It might even feel difficult to summarize. One could say, โLiving as a…
Infant Baptism: The First Step of Family Discipleship
I am all about believersโ baptism; let’s immerse them! A couple of weeks into my time as assistant rector at my local parish, we celebrated as a church family when the father of one of our members was baptized as an adult Christian believer. I am also all about infant baptism. Sprinkle that child. Bring…
What is Catechesis?
The Ancient Roots of Catechesis The word catechesis comes from the Greek word katฤcheล, which means simply to teach or instruct. It appears some eight times in the New Testamentโfour 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)โusually to refer…
Pastoral Leadership and the Economy
The decline of the American church is often overblown. However, we have felt a seismic shift in cultural values in the 21st century. Even in the โBible Beltโ, it canโt simply be presumed that most peopleโs moral frameworks are founded on even a hazy understanding of the Bible. In looking for guidance in the behaviors…
Trellises and Vines
The Church is a tended vine. The metaphor runs through all of scripture, from Isaiah 5 to John 15. It’s our model for making disciples. But have we taken a moment to ask what we know about the plants themselves? Consider: Some days our churches feel very aligned with these descriptors, don’t they? We imagine…
Encouraging Family Discipleship
Having children is one of lifeโs most wonderful privileges, and it carries with it an amazing responsibility to shape their hearts and lives. In fact, I canโt think of any greater responsibility than being entrusted with a human life. We have been made stewards of the physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being of our children. Grace…
Becoming a Mature Christian Is More Than Learning Information
Maturity in our Faith requires no secret or advanced knowledge. Yes, the gospel and the creeds are a great mystery that we can spend a lifetime pondering and studying. But, nonetheless, our Faith is public, knowable, and learnable. The catechism shows us exactly that, and its a wonderful way to learn. But the catechism itself teaches…
Family Discipleship
We need a revival of family discipleship that begins in the home. Parenting is an amazing responsibility. I will never forget February 25, 2004. It was the day our first daughter was born. It was the day that I became a parent, which was a very emotional day. After a long day of labor, my…
