Last Sunday, I preached from 2 John about walking in truth, God’s commandments, and love. As part of the application, I made a point directed at parents. We talk a lot about how to build and pass on generational wealth. Well, the greatest wealth we possess is the treasure of Christ! We ought to work diligently to pass on the riches of knowing and loving Jesus to our kids and our kid’s kids.

Left on the cutting room floor was a brief discussion of a tool I have come to love, a tool designed to help parents, and Mother Kirk, do just that.

Catechism.

Maybe you think catechism is a Catholic thing. It’s not. Virtually every denomination that has any history has a catechism. Anglicans, Lutherans, and Presbyterians have catechisms. So do Methodists, Baptists, and Nazarenes.

Let me offer two recommendations: Heidelberg Catechism and New City Catechism.

I began making use of the Heidelberg Catechism more than a decade ago. I’ve worked through on my own, with my kids (a couple of times), and with young men I’ve discipled. I love it. Like the Westminster Catechism of the Presbyterian Church, Heidelberg is Reformed (Calvinistic) in its theology. But I find Heidelberg to be broader, warmer, and less focused on doctrinal precision. Like most catechisms, it covers the Apostles’ Creed, the Ten Commandments, and the Lord’s Prayer. But Heidelberg does it with incredible warmth and a pastoral tone, as its goal is the comfort and encouragement of believers. For example:
Q. What is your only comfort
in life and in death?

A. That I am not my own, but belong—body and soul, in life and in death—to my faithful Savior, Jesus Christ.

Heidelberg can be broken down into three sections: guilt, grace, and gratitude. The 129 Questions and Answers are spread over 52 weeks, making it a great tool for families to use in weekly devotions and the church to use in its normal Sunday ministry.

If you are looking to pass Jesus on to your kids, I highly recommend taking the time to work through the core teachings about Jesus with them. And Heidelberg is a great resource for that. I would recommend picking up Kevin DeYoung’s book The Good News We Almost Forgot. It’s a wonderful commentary on Heidelberg that would guide you in the catechism and give you good things to discuss each week.

Heidelberg is a tried and true catechism, having been used in Reformed churches for 450 years. But New City Catechism, a much newer tool for the church, has some advantages too. New City was modeled after and borrows from Heidelberg, Westminster, and the Geneva Catechism. New City is more concise – only 52 Questions and Answers. Additionally, it is more modern in its language. And, while still a Reformed catechism, it is less narrow even than Heidelberg, as demonstrated by its usage in many non-Reformed churches of late.

Coaching my kids in sports, I looked for all kinds of aids – hit nets, ball returns, weighted balls, etc. Well, the church has provided us parents with wonderful tools for coaching them in the faith.

If you have questions about any of these catechisms or catechism in general, I’d love to talk to you about them.