A Homemade Catechism

         I’ve never been completely satisfied with the Bible catechisms I've found for young children (there’s not too many out there quite honestly), and I've thought the Westminster shorter catechism is a bit much for young children, so several years ago, when my oldest was four, I set about crafting one of my own. Most of what you'll see is my own wording and order, but some of the questions I adapted from Joseph Engels catechism from the 1830’s, and I got some ideas from John Cotton’s “Spiritual Milk for American Babes”, and also John Calvin's Church of Geneva Catechism. 
        So what you’re looking at has been tried, honed and rewritten over four+ years with three of my children thus far, and I send it out now because, at least for me and mine, I’ve got it as I want it. I’ve historically started to instruct my children with this catechism starting at age four, but I think much of this could be easily understood by three year olds without much alteration.
         Please feel free to copy it and use it. Improve it, build on it, change it around for your own kids, but in all of it, use it to glorify the one, true, living God and to push His name out into all the Earth!


A Bible Catechism for Young Children

by Corey Ankeny

Question 1: How many gods are there?

Answer: There is only one, true, living God.

Q2:  What is His name?

A:  Yahweh

Q3:  How many persons are in the one, true, living God Yahweh?

A:  Three

Q4:  What are their names?

A:  Father, Jesus and Holy Spirit.

Q5:  How long has Yahweh existed?

A:  Forever.  He has always been.

Q6:  Where is God?

A:  He is everywhere.

Q7:  Where does He live and have His home?

A:  In Heaven above and in His People, the Church, on Earth.

Q8:  What has our Lord created?

A:  He has created all things.

Q9:  Why did our Lord create all things?

A:  For His glory.

Q10:  How can you glorify Yahweh?

A:  By loving Him and obeying Him.

Q11:  Why should you love and obey God?

A:  Because He created me and He loves me so much He died for me.

Q12:  How do you know He created you and loves you?

A:  His Word, the Holy Scriptures, tell me so.

Q13:  Who wrote God’s Word?

A:  Holy, faithful men who were taught and led by the Holy Spirit.

Q14:  In Yahweh’s Word we are told He created all things in six days.  On which day did God create the first man?

A:  On the sixth day.

Q15:  What was the first man’s name?

A:  Adam.

Q16:  How was Adam special and different from the animals?

A:  He was created in God’s image.

Q17:  Of what did Yahweh create Adam from?

A:  The dirt of the ground.

Q18:  What was the first woman’s name?

A:  Eve.

Q19:  How did God create her?

A:  God formed her from a rib taken from Adam’s side.

Q20:  What were Adam and Eve’s nature – their wholeselves, body and spirit – like when God created them?

A:  They were holy and righteous.

Q21:  Did Adam remain righteous?

A:  No, he sinned.

Q22:  What is sin?

A:  It is disobedience to God and His Law.

Q23:  What is the punishment for sin?

A:  Death.

Q24:  What sin did Adam commit against God and His Word?

A:  He ate of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil when Yahweh told him not to.

Q25:  What happened because of Adam’s sin?

A:  Death and sin came to all Creation.

Q26:  Why did Adam’s sin affect all Creation?

A:  Because he was our Covenant head.

Q27:  Will all people die then and be separated from Father, Jesus, and Spirit forever?

A:  No, God has lovingly chosen many to live eternal life with Him.

Q28:  Who is the only person who can save us from this death and sin and give us eternal life?

A:  Jesus the Messiah.

Q29:  Who is Jesus?

A:  He is God the Son, King and Savior of all Creation.

Q30:  How has King Jesus saved and redeemed His chosen people?

A:  He did this by living a righteous life, dieing for our sins on the Cross, and rising from the dead three days later.

Q31:  What and who did Jesus conquer by His death and resurrection?

A:  He conquered death and Satan.

Q32:  How do the Lord’s people come to be united in love with Jesus?

A:  By being baptized, repenting of their sins, and trusting by faith in Him.

Q33:  What is faith?

A:  Faith is loving and trusting in Jesus for salvation and not in myself.

Q34:  How do we come to have faith in Jesus?

A:  Only by the mercy of Holy Spirit working in us.

Q35:  Who does Holy Spirit give this gift of faith to?

A:  His chosen, elect People.

Q36:  Does He give it to you because you’re smart or pretty (or handsome)?

A:  No.

Q37:  Does He give faith to you because you’re funny and other boys and girls like you?

A:  No.

Q37:  Does Holy Spirit give it to you because you obey your parents and you believe you’re a really nice, good little girl (or boy)?

A:  No.

Q38:  So, if He doesn’t give faith to you because of anything you DO or because of anything you ARE, why does God give faith to some people and not to others?

A:  He does so because He knows all things and acts according to His own wise purposes and loving grace.

Q39:  What then are you to do with this gift of faith given to you  by the loving grace of Yahweh?

A:  I am to love the Father, Jesus and Spirit with all my heart, strength and mind, and love my neighbors as if they were my very self.

Q40:  And where did you learn all this from?

A:  From the Word of God, where TRUE FREEDOM is found.