The Whole Counsel of God catechism is now available. It includes 66 questions that can be used in a variety of contexts, but are divided into six chapters for initial use in a catechism class or “catechumenate.” This article provides practical tips for catechists (teachers) on how to expound the questions when teaching through a chapter in a single sitting.
1. Don’t say too much (focus on the big ideas and the big picture). The goal of catechesis is not to dump everything that you know on your students. The goal is to pass on the “big ideas” of the faith in a clear and impactful way, and to show how these ideas cohere. Two illustrations are helpful. First, think about each question as hanging a new “bucket” for your catechumen. That bucket will be filled up with more and more biblical truth across their years of discipleship. But the bucket needs to be firmly in place. Second, think about each question as a thread in a tapestry that’s being woven across the duration of the class, or as a tile that’s being laid in a mosaic. When you’re done, you want your students to see the Christian faith as entailing many truths, but truths that are like facets of a diamond, forming a formidable unity.
2. Mind your time (aim for about 4–7 minutes per question). I’ve taught many catechism classes with good success, and I’ve found that the ideal time for a single class is about two hours in a comfortable setting like a coffee shop or your living room. Some of that time will be spent chit-chatting, eating, and just getting to know your catechumens. If you take a more formal or focused, “get-down-to-business” approach (which I don’t recommend but can be done effectively in some settings), you can get through the material in a little over an hour (about the length of a college class). The longest chapter is Chapter 2 on the Ten Commandments, which has 15 questions, but these questions are more straightforward and require less exposition. The shortest chapter is Chapter 3 on Christ, which has nine questions, allowing you to spend more time on each question. On average, plan for about 4–7 minutes per question. If you’re well-prepared and thoughtful, you can say a lot in that amount of time.
3. Prepare, prepare, prepare (plan what you will say about each question, and how you will transition to the next question). The best way to avoid rambling on and on about any one question (point 1 above) and to mind your time (point 2) is to prepare thoroughly in advance. Decide in advance what you will say about each question. Make notes in the margins of your book, and/or use sticky notes. Be sure to also plan your transitions, so that you can move seamlessly from one question to the next. Your teaching shouldn’t feel choppy, as if you’re jumping from question to question. There’s a fairly obvious logic to the order of the questions, but it’s often helpful to plan good transitions that draw out that logic.
The rest of this article gives suggestions for how to expound the individual questions.
4. Sometimes highlight one or more of the key Scriptures. If you’re only going to use one key Scripture, the boldfaced one is recommended. For the sake of time, I usually quote it (or a portion of it) and other Scriptures from memory, only occasionally looking up a verse or passage in my physical Bible, or having a catechumen look it up and read it for the class.
5. Sometimes share a related Bible story. Martin Luther used Bible stories to expound the Ten Commandments. For example, when expounding the commandment “You shall not commit adultery,” you could give a short summary of David and Bathsheeba and the brokenness that ensued, then talk about how martial unfaithfulness always leads to misery and will be judged by God. Although the weekly Bible reading assignments will immerse your students in the biblical narrative, it’s valuable to include narrative portions in your catechism classes as well. Story is powerful.
6. Sometimes share your personal experience or testimony. I came to the faith while reading the Bible in public high school, so I often share my testimony in the very first lesson when we talk about how Scripture is the Word of God and contains everything necessary for salvation (Question 3). A great place to share your personal testimony is in Chapter 5 on salvation, repentance, faith, etc. You can also sprinkle personal stories throughout the class. For example, when expounding Question 51 on good works, you might share a time when the Lord helped you to impact someone’s life for Christ by showing them kindness or care. Don’t just impart information; impart your very self to your students.
7. Sometimes read one of the explanatory notes verbatim. From time to time, I will ask the catechumen to read one of the notes below the question. For example, on Question 1, I might ask a catechumen, “Can you read the Note that begins with the word ‘restless’ in bold?” Or, you can read it for the class, slowly and carefully.
8. Sometimes read or sing a verse or more of one of the hymns. If you’re a decent singer, don’t be afraid to sing some of the hymns for your catechumens, and invite them to sing along if they know the tune. In my experience, people really enjoy this. Singing often combines theology with doxology and intellect with affections. It’s a great way to catechize: “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom” (Col. 3:16).
9. Sometimes read the more lengthy passages from the church fathers and reformers. There’s value in letting your catechumens hear from other voices in the Christian tradition—in letting Athanasius or Augustine or Wesley or Calvin join you in the catechism class for a few minutes. You can even occasionally introduce the passage with a very brief introduction to the historical figure, weaving history into the catechetical process. For example, “Augustine was a man who lived a very sinful life, jumping from philosophy to philosophy until he finally encountered Christ and his life was transformed. He devoted his intelligence to studying the Scripture and the true God, and had a big impact on the history of the church. Augustine wrote…”
10. Sometimes take a few minutes to reflect on the Christian artwork in conversation with a catechism question. Some students will be very visual and the artwork will impact them deeply. I know because I am one of those people, and I’ve worked with others who feel the same way. For example, after the question on repentance and faith, you could tell your catechumens the story of the prodigal son, or even read the story right out of Luke’s Gospel, and then ask them what stands out to them in the painting “Return of the Prodigal” by Rembrandt on page #. Other times, you might just quickly highlight something in a piece of art and then move on. For example, “Everything that God created he declared ‘very good.’ I love how the painting on the next page, page #, is filled with so many plants and animals, symbolizing the fullness, abundance, and flourishing that God intended for his creation.”
11. Sometimes just break down the answer phrase by phrase. When in doubt, the simplest (and sometimes the best) way to expound a catechism question is to just break it down as it’s written. For example, I always do this with question 5 on God because every word of that answer is bursting with meaning and incredibly important. With other questions, this is more difficult and less effective. For example, the questions on the Ten Commandments often list numerous sins, and it would take too long to treat each one, so I just highlight one or two sins as examples of how people commonly break the commandment being considered.
12. Occasionally ask open-ended questions. I usually don’t ask many questions or open it up for questions until the end of the class, because it’s all too easy to get off track and spend a lot of time on a rabbit trail. But from time to time, there’s great value in asking a meaningful question, provided that you direct the discussion so that the class stays on track. For example, at the beginning of the class on Chapter 3, you might ask, “If someone asked you, ‘Who is Jesus?’ what would you say?”
13. Teach with love, sincerity, and appropriate passion, constantly remembering that the goal is not just information but salvation and transformation. Catechism classes tend to be more relaxed, intimate, personal, and relational, but there should also be dead-serious moments and times when you let your emotions come through in appropriate ways. Because catechesis is about so much more than an information dump. It’s about saving from hell and helping on the road to heaven. It’s about an encounter with the living God and his Church. When I think of catechesis, I think of lives changed across the years. Like an older man who I met in the hospital, and he told me that he didn’t know how to be saved or even how to pray. I took him through the catechism, he gave his heart to the Lord, he was baptized, and about a year later, he ended up back in the hospital. But this time when I visited him, he had his Bible and his catechism book next to him on the bed, and he was excited to tell me what he was learning. He still reads and rereads the notes, and uses the resources in the book. I remember another time when I was expounding the question on the Holy Spirit and I looked up to see tears running down a young man’s face. He said, “I’ve understood that the Father is a person, and that Christ is a person, but the Holy Spirit has been confusing to me. This makes so much sense of what I’ve been experiencing inside me, it’s actually a person with me that’s guiding and directing me.” He later told me, “This class was transformational.” You’re not always going to have those times, but the goal is to reach the hearts of your catechumens, and ultimately to help them experience the Triune God in fellowship with the Church.
Catechesis is a lost art that takes some time to learn.
14. Make it your own and enjoy it! Catechesis is a unique kind of teaching. While preaching or teaching Sunday School can be a form of catechesis, catechesis often takes a different form that is more intimate, personal, and flexible. Catechesis is a lost art that takes some time to learn, but I love it! Every catechism class is a little bit different. While the substance of the holy apostolic faith remains the same, the unique questions, curiosities, and needs of my catechumens help to shape each class in interesting ways.
