What if it’s true . . . that you are free
What does freedom look like? Perhaps a more pertinent question is, what does the pursuit of freedom look like? Maybe even more pertinent: Can the pursuit of freedom be successful?…
What if it’s true . . . that you are a child of God
We live in a world that is having an identity crisis. We tie our identities to political parties, to work, to relationships, to popularity, to finances (or lack thereof), to…
Catechism truths from Matthew: Baptism
“The Bible never says we should baptize babies.” So goes the stale argument against infant baptism. I like to respond, “And the Bible never says we should commune women, either.”…
Catechism truths from Matthew: The Lord’s Supper
Everything in Luther’s catechism revolves around the forgiveness of sins in Jesus. The Ten Commandments reveal sins that need forgiving. The Apostles’ Creed proclaims the forgiveness of sins in Jesus’…
Empowering lay leaders to teach Bible information classes
When Don and Jennifer Serkowski first began attending Christ, Big Bend, Wis., they were looking for a church family to call their own. During a church service, they filled out…
Catechism truths from Matthew: The keys and confession
If the hymn “Amazing Grace” were written about Matthew, it would end, “I once was lost, but now I’m found. Was out but now I’m in.” Matthew's experience The Jewish…
Catechism truths from Matthew: The Lord’s Prayer
To be a good listener, it’s good to practice reflective listening. You listen intently to another person’s words to understand their meaning. You then respond by paraphrasing the message in…
Catechism truths from Matthew: The Ten Commandments
At the end of the 13th century, King Edward I of England invaded Scotland. The Scots yearned for a leader to restore their kingdom. They found one in William Wallace,…
Catechism truths from Matthew: Apostles’ Creed
Imagine you are one of three thousand in Jerusalem at Pentecost who repent, are baptized, and are gathered by the Spirit into the Christian church—the messianic kingdom of Jesus. An…
