Mission and the Small Catechism: Aspects of the Connection, and Realities to Face

The connection between mission and the Small Catechism has a number of aspects. Some of them are:

• state of catechesis
• marriage
• family
• congregation
• community
• generations

Some realities we need to face are that:

• The state of catechesis is poor.
• We are suffering a death rate among our own offspring who, after being confirmed, depart the faith. This is death by apostasy.
• The strength of outreach depends on the strength of inreach.
• Because we are vague and faint on the Catechism, our outreach is weak.
• We need to strengthen catechetical inreach in marriage, the family, and the congregation for their own sakes, and then also for the sake of outreach to the community.
• The Small Catechism teaches what needs to be presented in evangelism and outreach. It contains the six chief parts of Christian doctrine. Do we think something else is what outreach should present?

I have been writing a series of articles that make initial rough sketches of these aspects and realities.

State of Catechesis

• Stage 4 Cancer – Do Our Families Have It; or, the Sorry State of Catechization in the Home, Brothers of John the Steadfast, December 16, 2015.
• Reactions to BJS Publication of “Catechesis: The Quiet Crisis,” Brothers of John the Steadfast, February 9, 2016.

Marriage

• Husband, Love your Wife with the Small Catechism, Brothers of John the Steadfast, June 17, 2016.

Family and Congregation

• Real Men Catechize their Children, Brothers of John the Steadfast, January 4, 2016.
• Mission: Inreach, Outreach, and the Small Catechism, Brothers of John the Steadfast, June 11, 2016.
• Free the Catechism, Brothers of John the Steadfast, January 18, 2016.

Community

• Mission and Outreach: Mapping the Small Catechism against the Enemy’s Stock Lies, Brothers of John the Steadfast, May 28, 2016.
• Mission: Decline of the Church, Self-Esteem, and the Small Catechism, LutheranCatechism.com, July 20, 2016.

Generations

• The No-Name Evangelistic Association, or How the Faith Came to My Grandchildren, Brothers of John the Steadfast, November 12, 2015.

I welcome your feedback, ideas, suggestions, evidences, and experiences in these areas. Please use the contact form to write to me.