by Kelli Garms | Jan 3, 2022 | Bible Study, Family, Spiritual Growth
I was not catechized as a kid. I don’t know if it is because catechism was a foreign concept to my parents, or if it was because I grew up in a Roman Catholic country, where catholicism is engrained in the culture, and there is a lot of repetition with very little belief. For whatever reason, this is something I wasn’t exposed to as a kid. Now that my own kids are teenagers, I have only recently discovered catechisms.
According to Meriam-Webster, a catechism is “a summary of religious doctrine often in the form of questions and answers.” Different religions have their own catechisms. Two catechisms I’ve encountered are the Heidelberg catechism and the Westminster catechism. They are a series of questions about the different aspects of theology, along with the answers supported by Scripture.
The idea is the teacher asks a question, and the students respond in unison with a memorized answer. For example, question 1 of the Westminster Shorter Catechism is “What is the chief end of man?” And the answer is “Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.” The Scriptures that supports this answer include 1 Corinthians 10:31 and Psalm 73:25-26.
For those who grew up in a strict or legalistic environment that required catechism, it can be difficult to separate catechism from negative memories, but most adults I’ve asked who were catechized as children are grateful. They have had the memorized answers bouncing around in their memories as the world seems to have spun out of control.
But let me encourage you. God’s timing is perfect. So you are not too old to be catechized. And, truth be told, you may understand and appreciate it more as an adult. It is never too late to learn the catechism questions and answers and to dive into the Scripture that teaches the principles.
Are you ready to learn about things like justification, the commandments, and prayer? If so, join me in learning the Westminster Shorter Catechism. I have linked a couple of resources, and I will be creating posts of the different questions each week on my Instagram account.
Resources
by Kelli Garms | Jan 3, 2022 | Family
There is a huge difference between breaking a rule because you don’t like the rule and breaking a rule because the rule is wrong, based on lies or fear, or harmful physically, mentally, or emotionally. And teaching your kids to discern the difference is the epitome of good parenting.
Teaching your kids to stand for truth is not encouraging a rebellious spirit. It means you’ve taught them what truth is, and you’ve taught them HOW to think instead of WHAT to think.
“Then the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other Puah, ‘When you serve as midwife to the Hebrew women and see them on the birthstool, if it is a son, you shall kill him, but if it is a daughter, she shall live.’ But the midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but let the male children live. So the king of Egypt called the midwives and said to them, ‘Why have you done this, and let the male children live?’ The midwives said to Pharaoh, ‘Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women, for they are vigorous and give birth before the midwife comes to them.’ So God dealt well with the midwives. And the people multiplied and grew very strong. And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families.”
Exodus 1:15-21 (ESV)
by Kelli Garms | Oct 28, 2021 | Book Review
Live Not by Lies: A Manual for Christian Dissidents by Rod Dreher is a great summary of where America is politically, and roadmap for where she is headed. It also provides great encouragement for Christians who are concerned about holding on to their faith in the current and coming political climate.
Dreher does a great job of showing how critical theory leads to totalitarianism and, ultimately, tyranny. He demonstrates how it leads to giving up freedoms one step at a time. And he provides examples from countries and cultures that have walked this road before us.
Part 2 of the book provides testimonies from brave men and women who survived totalitarian regimes with their faith intact, coming out on the other side as heroes. It teaches principles we need to be honing and strengthening now so they are firmly ingrained in us when difficult times come. Many of these principles are directly correlated to how God created us, giving us the tools we need to survive tyranny.
This book is a great addition to a worldview curriculum.
Other Book Reviews
by Kelli Garms | Oct 14, 2021 | Book Review
Teaching Others To Defend Christianity by Carolyn Sterling is a fantastic read.
It is a bit more academic than other apologetics books I’ve read, but that is because Sterling takes you through arguments that read like a science book. She explains things like blood clotting to demonstrate how it couldn’t be perfected over time, eliminating the possibility of macro evolution.
In all fairness, I read the chapters out of order for an apologetics class I was taking, so there were times when it felt a bit disjointed.
If you are looking for a source that will walk you through from arguing for a creator all the way through the validity of the New Testament and Christ, this book is what you’ve been looking for.
It would make a great addition to a worldview or apologetics curriculum, too.
Other Book Reviews
by Kelli Garms | Oct 8, 2021 | Book Review
Them Before Us by Katy Faust & Stacy Manning is incredibly eye-opening and convicting.
This book challenged me to look at all reproduction through the rights of the child instead of the desires of the adults. It covers everything from divorce to same-sex parents to fertility clinics to adoption. There are so many things I had never considered about the loss to children in all of these situations.
It is not written from a Christian perspective, yet it proves through studies, interviews, and investigation that the ideal family structure for every child is married biological father and mother.
While we can’t go back and undo what has been done to this point, and while Christ can heal any trauma (primal wound) a child experiences, when we know better, we should do better.
**If you start the book, I strongly urge you to finish it so you don’t walk away with misconceptions.
Other Book Reviews
