Catechism Preaching: Faithful Exposition for the Church Today

By Dr. J. Mark Beach, Professor of Doctrinal Studies

What Is Catechism Preaching?

When we think about catechism preaching, I think it's first important to realize that it's simply preaching. Like all preaching, it's concerned with conveying what God's Word has to say about a given text, subject, or topic. So catechism preaching as preaching—something about what God's Word teaches—is like all preaching. But it's distinct in that, of course, the catechism, the questions and answers of the catechism, form something of the perimeter or the focus of what is the topic, the words in discussion. So catechism preaching isn't independent of Scripture. It accompanies Scripture, and the questions and answers very much form the focus and topic of a given sermon.

How Does It Differ from Other Kinds of Preaching?

Catechism preaching differs from textual, thematic preaching or expository preaching, and even a doctrinal, topical kind of sermon, in that the questions and answers of the catechism give you the framework, the boundaries by which you're seeking to understand God's Word, to convey what God's Word says, and to say what the church is confessing about God's Word.

Whereas in an expository sermon, you're seeking to be true to the text and context, and as part of that to explain the Word in its application for today; catechism preaching is seeking to be true to the Bible in its comprehensive scope, alongside—often, usually—a very specific text read alongside the catechism. But again, to then apply that to the church in its life today and its needs, its struggles of faith, its concerns, its worries. Like all preaching, it seeks to convey God's Word, explain, and apply it in a manner that helps us walk by faith, trust in God, and understand what God's Word actually teaches.

Why Does the Church Need It?

Catechism preaching is part of the answer, but it seeks to help us understand what the Word of God says about who God is, what sin is, what the human predicament is, what ails us, and what the remedy is for that. And so it helps the church become wise about the world in which it lives, about the struggle of sin, about God's grace, kindness, strength, power, sovereignty—to walk alongside us and help us live a Christian life.

There are numerous challenges facing the church today. Again, catechism preaching helps the church focus on particular questions and issues that challenge the Christian life and the sorts of issues the church faces. The church is never strong when it's doctrinally dumb. And doctrine, of course, can be conveyed in a cold, narrow, very polemical, even arrogant kind of manner. However, proper catechism preaching helps the church recognize the kinds of errors it has faced in the past and the answers to overcome them. It helps us see what's most important about the doctrine of God and ourselves in the way of salvation. And it helps us focus on how we can together say what God's Word says about these things.

So, it's different from just doctrinal preaching, where a preacher might opine from various theologians or abstractly discuss difficult questions and polemical issues. Catechism preaching is practical in that it aims to keep things focused at a level that is accessible to everyone in the church, including children. And it helps us then to say together with God—that's really what it is to confess something—you're saying with God what God's Word says.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

I think the church has seen some of these problems many times. We find, for example, that if you haven't been trained in how you might go about catechism preaching, then you're really just sort of shooting in the dark. So, you get examples of people who think catechism preaching is reading the question and answer, having a brief five-minute explanation of what that might mean, set apart from everything else. And then the pastor will proceed with a Bible passage and preach on that passage. Perhaps the text has something relevant to the questions and answers on a given Sunday, but essentially, you're not engaging in catechism preaching. You're just kind of reading and giving very rudimentary instructions that really don't explore the Christian life and its struggles.

Or people will make it into a cold, Louis Berkhof-like summary of Christian doctrine, a lecture that is not really grounded in Christian living.

Keeping It Relevant

This is a challenge not only for catechism preaching but also for all preaching. So, when people act like catechism preaching is less relevant or not as important, or prone to being boring, remember: like all preaching, a focus on fallen condition needs to be in view. Any given text is addressing something in a time and context, and so the questions and answers you find in a catechism are also addressing issues, problems, errors, and practical ways to live.

Catechisms typically include the Apostles' Creed, the Ten Commandments, and the Lord's Prayer, with the doctrine of sacraments added later. Well, when you're getting to the Ten Commandments and the Lord's Prayer, you're automatically in very relevant material. But if you keep yourself focused also in catechism preaching on what is a fallen condition focus—what is a need, a burden that needs a remedy, that needs an answer or solution—then you're already starting to play around in the area of application. Good catechism preaching is highly relevant to living the Christian life and offers a wealth of practical application.

Integrating Scripture

When it comes to catechism preaching remaining firmly rooted in Scripture rather than becoming merely theological lecturing, I think, admittedly, it has sometimes been a problem. In fact, sometimes it's even been taught in a way as if the Scripture reading is sort of decoration, and then you focus on the catechism and its questions and answers somewhat independent of the Scripture.

The problem with that is that the catechism itself was never intended to be a document where we're supposed to leave the Bible closed. The catechism itself is a document that invites us to open the Bible. This is why a course like this is important, so you can learn the kind of sources that help you do this kind of work, and you get good examples versus bad examples—maybe the examples you grew up with or were hearing as a child turned you off to catechism preaching, or you just were never shown any good examples. By learning from good sources and examples, you discover that almost to a man, such practitioners don't leave the Scripture behind but integrate it into an exposition and an application of the questions and answers.

An Invitation

The Seminary would greatly appreciate it if pastors, whether they've had a catechism course or not, would consider auditing or enrolling in this course. I assume that if you didn't attend this institution, it's unlikely you had a course like this. Perhaps you did. But even if you did, how would you not benefit? How would you not be reinvigorated, get new ideas, maybe be refreshed in how you might approach the catechism?

Especially if you're a veteran minister who has gone through the catechism two, three, or five times, a course like this can show you different angles on how you might approach a given Lord's Day from a different perspective, or employ a different strategy from one year to the next.

And so, a warm invitation is extended to all pastors to audit a course like this, to be refreshed in catechism preaching, and to gain new ideas for pursuing a fruitful ministry in the Reformed churches.

If you are interested in auditing this course, contact our admissions office to begin your registration today.