Our current mid-week study Real Christianity has challenged us as to whether as Christians we have a handle upon the mere basics of Christianity. I was challenged from my studies this week by reading Isaac Watt’s Catechism for Children (1741).[1] Do our children know the basics, do we know them? John Ryland (the man I am studying) was instructed in the faith with these 24 Q&A’s by the age of 6 (by instructed I mean taught to memorize)! Many adults today who consider themselves Christians and have been in the church many years may struggle with these. Add then, the 78 Q&A’s, Apostles Creed and Lord’s Prayer for children aged 7 to 8 and the expanded version for children aged 9 to 10, and the whole catechism (presumably) for teenagers!

How lax and lacking in in desire can 21^st century Christians be when we have available to us innumerable resource to grow in our factual and relational understanding of God and Christianity. One American church study revealed that their church was “a mile wide and an inch deep.” May the same NOT be said of us! Let us strive, let us endeavour to be known as a people who are zealous to know the Lord and in turn make Him known.

“My little children,” as the apostle John wrote (1 Jn 2:1), is our affection for God so cold that we would not seek to build ourselves “up in the most holy faith” (Jude 20)?

O Lord help us to have a deeper handle on the Faith!

The Lord’s Sweetest Blessings,

Pastor Chris

[1] Isaac Watt’s (1674-1748) was an independent pastor who is known as the father of English hymn writing. He is also credited with helping preserve orthodox Christian beliefs amongst Congregationalists at a time when many Christians were slipping into heresy or unbelief altogether.