The final words of Matthew's gospel are the marching orders for the church: Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matt 28:19-20). In the middle of this great commission is the command to teach believers to observe all he has commanded. For centuries the church used catechisms, a question-and-answer tool, to teach and train Christians.
Theologian Craig Carter applied this tried-and-true discipleship tool in his home church, Westney Heights Baptist Church, by writing the Westney Catechism. In The Faith Once Delivered, he blesses the broader body of Christ by working through that catechism in more detail.
Why We Need Catechisms
In Deuteronomy 6 God instructs the Israelites to teach their children about him. He gives them a pattern of instruction to pass the faith on to the next generation. Joshua repeats this command to instruct after they enter the promised land but sadly, they don't obey. Judges 2:10 tells us what happened after Joshua’s generation died: “That whole generation was also gathered to their ancestors. After them another generation rose up who did not know the Lord or the works he had done for Israel” (Judges 2:10). We are always within one or two generations of losing the faith. This is why catechisms are important.
A catechism is a teaching tool, a way to instruct believers in the essentials of the Christian faith in a way that roots truth in memory. Without instruction, we cannot pass on the faith. Carter warns, “If new Christians are not properly instructed in the faith, they will not become mature, contributing members, able to pass on the faith effectively to the next generation” (12). The. winds and waves of the world toss a shallow and immature Christianity in every direction until they finally sink it. Sound Biblical instruction buttresses mature Christianity to persevere beyond one generation.
But if the Bible is clear then why can’t we just give people Bibles and have them read it?
We should absolutely give people Bibles. And the Bible alone is the norming norm of our life and worship. But the Bible is a hard book. I recently took a course on preaching and was struck by a remark one of the more seasoned pastors made during one session. He said, “It's incredibly easy to be a heretic and not know it.” Right interpretation of the Bible cuts the line between heresy and orthodoxy “For as long as the Bible has existed, there has been a need to ensure that it is interpreted correctly.” (36). A good catechism does not replace the Bible but teaches us the meaning and message of God’s word. We need help to understand and training to read the Bible well. We need good tools, like catechisms and creeds to help us rightly worship God and follow Jesus.
Why read this book?
The Faith Once Delivered is not a shiny new toy on the discipleship shelf. Rather, it is rooted in the long tread pathway of Christian instruction throughout church history.
The book is structured around teaching on Christian theology, ethics, worship, and mission. Or, to put it as questions: What do Christians believe? How has God called us to live? What shapes and defines our worship? And why has Jesus left us on earth?
One strength of the book is its connection to the historical church. In the past, the church's discipleship pathway was formed around the Apostles Creed, the Ten Commandments, and the Lord’s Prayer. These churches would also put the Lord’s Supper in the center of their worship gatherings. Carter works through these as well. The Apostles Creed, which summarizes the core of Christian theology, teaches what Christians believe. The Ten Commandments are the core of Christian Ethics and the Lord’s prayer is the core of Christian spirituality. The Lord’s supper informs and shapes our worship.
What’s different in the Westney Catechism compared to others is the last section on the mission of the Church. There are a lot of questions and much confusion around the mission of the church today. Carter works through the great commission in Matthew 28, bringing clarity to why Jesus has left us on earth. He works through the different views on how evangelism and social action relate and gives helpful guidance for thinking through that issue. He lands the plane on the one thing the church can do, which no government or social organization can do:make disciples. This is the mission of the church.
Carter cuts down the weeds around many of these topics. I’m a nerd, so I enjoy thick theology books. But I’m also a pastor and a father. I know most people in my church, and my sons, have questions about these topics but don’t have the time or training to read a 600-page book on the Trinity. Carter is a sound theologian and wise writer. He gets to the core of these doctrines and makes them accessible for ordinary Christians. After all, the catechism is for the church. I would gladly hand this book to everyone in my church.
The Faith Once Delivered would be a great addition to your reading list and an asset to your church.