Description
This guide serves as a crash course on the basic tenets of the Christian faith. Ministers, leaders, or capable laypersons can work through this guide with new believers to ensure that they understand the faith to which they have committed themselves. The time spent together in this guide will also form the basis for an ongoing spiritual mentorship. This work is intended for pastors, elders, church leaders, and laymen to use to disciple new believers. When a person repents, trusts in Christ, and begins following him, we must disciple them (Matthew 28:18–20). Discipleship includes teaching the faith and modeling it with our lives, which involves an ongoing relationship with God and with those whom we are discipling.
The content is intentionally aimed at the intellect, although content and discussion questions do invite the reader to reflect on whether they have truly been saved. The reason for omitting life-application content and discussion questions is to ensure that this guide has a singular, measurable objective: to confirm that new believers actually understand the faith they claim to hold. Leaders can move toward practical application if they wish, given their own setting and abilities. But the guide is written so that each user will achieve the same goal of comprehending the basics of the faith, which should create a firm foundation on which to grow in the faith. The final chapter provides the user with “next steps,” including the various ways in which we grow in our faith and some resources to set them in the right direction.
Table of Contents
Preface
Session 1: Introduction: The Ancient Christian Confession
Part 1: God the Father
Session 2: I Believe
Session 3: God the Father Almighty, Creator of Heaven and Earth
Part 2: Jesus Christ
Session 4: Jesus Christ, His Only Son, Our Lord
Session 5: Who Was Conceived by the Holy Spirit, Born of the Virgin Mary
Session 6: Suffered under Pontius Pilate
Session 7: Was Crucified, Died, and Was Buried; He Descended to the Dead
Session 8: On the Third Day, He Rose Again; He Ascended into Heaven, He is Sitting at the Right Hand of God the Father Almighty
Session 9: From Where He is Coming to Judge the Living and the Dead
Part 3: The Gifts of God
Session 10: The Holy Spirit
Session 11: The Holy Universal Church, the Communion of the Saints
Session 12: The Forgiveness of Sins, the Resurrection of the Body, and the Life Everlasting
Next Steps: Beginning to Grow in the Faith
Recommendations
“The benefits of this guide are similar to the benefits of the creed that provides its structure: a strong focus on Christology and the Trinity. A basic understanding of the Father, the Son, and the Spirit are foundational for the Christian life, and this guide provides that foundation for new believers.”
Paul Hoskins
Associate Professor of New Testament
Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
“Grounded In The Faith is a treasure trove of Scripture and concise theology arranged for the new believer and a mentor to explore together. I will be distributing this easily accessible text to all our new members, and await rich, transformative conversations to unfold!”
The Rev. Dr. Case Thorp,
Senior Associate Pastor for Evangelism
First Presbyterian Church of Orlando
About the Author
Todd A. Scacewater (PhD) serves with Wycliffe Bible Translators as a professor of international studies at Dallas International University. He has pastored in various capacities since 2006.
More in Ministry and Discipleship Guides
Internalizing the Faith: A Pilgrim’s Catechism, by J. Brandon Burks
Living the Faith: Upward, Inward, Outward, and Onward, by Brian Albert
Bulk Orders
To order bulk quantities, email todd@fontespress.com with your desired quantity.
5-10 copies: $8/book
11-50 copies: $7/book
51+ copies: $5.50/book
