Catechism: What We’ve Been Singing Around Here
Alright, I just need to take a moment to tell you about something.
Years ago, during a weekly community presentation, a friend of mine helped her son do a catechism example for the class. She asked him simple questions, like: “Who made you?” (“God made me.”) “What else did God make?” (“God made everything.”) “Why did God make you and all things?” (“For His own glory.”) and he just rattled off the answers.
I asked to see her book, and ended up buying my own copy using my phone right there in class. Since then my family has used the Truth and Grace Memory Books edited by Thomas K. Ascol for our own catechism.
I had never known the value of catechism prior to that day. Now, I see how beautiful it is. “Catechism” is defined as “a series of fixed questions, answers, or precepts used for instruction in other situations,” but because I didn’t grow up in a strongly liturgical faith, I had never experienced catechism in its glory.
What I love about the Truth and Grace Memory Book is that in addition to the catechism questions, it also offers options for learning songs to go along with the questions, and the Biblical references for each question and answer. So as an adult, when I have questions, I have a jumping off spot for my own research. They also offer what could be a fabulous Sunday School or weekly Bible Study curriculum in each book. (Here’s a link to the ebook too: Truth and Grace eBook.)
Fast forward a few years and suddenly I discover Dana Dirksen’s Songs for Saplings. Similar to the way that Seeds Family Worship puts Scripture to music, Songs for Saplings puts the catechism we’d been learning to song. It’s beautiful – and (forgive me for saying this) the “lame” factor is quite low for a listener used to the yawn-inducing plethora of children’s music.
Songs for Saplings has all of the catechism questions and answers, as well as songs that provide Scripture to go along with the ABC’s and the Numbers. What else is pretty cool is that the website is currently letting you name your own price for downloading the albums. Pretty cool, right?!
Our family has been listening to these songs every morning (mostly because our fourth, fantastic, and furiously busy manchild can’t sit still long enough to make eye contact while answering questions – but can SING his heart out along with these songs so I don’t feel like a full-on educating failure! Ha!
As I was listening this morning I thought, “Hm… maybe these are things that someone else would like to know about!” So there you have it, it’s what we’ve been listening to lately!
I didn’t receive any compensation for this blog post – just sharing the things that help our family flow!