This is a guest post contributed by Lara Chomout. You can learn more about Lara in her bio at the bottom of her post.

It was Tuesday evening, and I was exhausted and ready to curl up in my own bed with a good book. Naturally, I didn’t want to let our 3-year-old’s bedtime routine linger. I read her a couple books, not giving into her requests for “just one more,” and started to move on to our prayer. For some reason, despite my longing to keep it quick, I decided to ask her one of our catechism questions from our preschool curriculum.

If you've never heard of catechism before, you might be wondering what it is and what the purpose of it could be? Or maybe you've only heard about it in reference to Catholicism. Come learn why one mama teaches catechism to her sweet girl!

I looked at her sweet little face and asked, “Who made you?” I wasn’t fully expecting an answer. I was simply going to answer it for her- as we have done during our school time during the day. “God made me!” she said with absolute delight. Tears started filling my eyes as I said “Yes, he sure did. God made you.”

We snuggled for a bit before praying - and eventually, I got my alone time… but my desperation for that time to end turned into such joy to see the work God is doing in the heart of my daughter. Does my 3-year-old understand fully what she’s saying? Probably not, but God is building a foundation in her mind and heart that makes way for future learning.

Pastor Tim Keller, one of the authors of The New City Catechism explains that in the minds of children, memorization of catechisms creates categories. As our children go through life, different experiences, sermons, lessons, political and social issues will start to fill those categories with content - so then children are able to grow into and learn more about those categories.

Our children are able to take what is presented to them and line it up with the foundational truths they know and have learned in the form of catechisms.

So what are catechisms?

Catechisms were originally a way for teachers and students to dialogue over a certain subject. In Jewish Synagogues, the Rabbis would use a similar style of instruction. Christians took the style of instruction and not only used catechisms to teach but also used them to pass on articles of faith or definitions of belief. Today, churches tend to explain their doctrine through a “statement of faith”- but most churches do not expect it to be memorized or used proactively for growth and training. Catechisms explain doctrine, yet are also used as foundational tools.

Once the Protestant Reformation took place, the church was seeking to train Christians to know and be shaped by what the Bible says above what the world was telling them was true. They used catechisms to do just that. In fact, The Heidelberg Catechism of 1563 and Westminster Shorter and Larger catechisms of 1648 are still well known today and serve as doctrinal standards of many present-day churches.

One of the aspects I love the most about catechisms are the question and answer format. At first, it may not seem very significant that this is a chosen method of memorization - but because of this format, it allows for catechisms to become a community process. This means that it provides an opportunity for dialogue, and conversation - as it does not allow for my children to sit and listen to me passively tell them something. They have a responsibility to respond - and to know how to respond.

but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, -1 Peter 3:15

So, as I teach these foundational and doctrinal truths in a question and answer format to my own children, I have a vision of Ephesians 6 - that we, as parents, are handing our children the armor of God, needed to go to battle with what the world is telling them. They are able to know truth, they are able to explain truth.

Keller said, “real catechisms that actually form people, isn’t only catechism, but counter catechism. It isn’t only telling you Christian truth - it’s doing it in a way that instructs the alternative narratives out there in the culture.”

We are training them in the process of being able to identify and discern what is true as they line up the things of this world next to the Truth of the Gospel of Jesus. I truly believe that catechism creates a natural way for them to grow exponentially in this process.

So, my hope and prayer is that when the world tries to convince my daughter that she was not made in the image of God and that her worth is found in worldly things, she is able to look those lies straight in the face, denounce them and say “God made me.”

Lara is a homeschool mom of two in West Texas. She is a graduate of Angelo State University with a B.A. in Mass Media with a focus in Journalism and a B.A. in German. She has a heart for sharing the gospel of Jesus to those near and far who have never heard his name. She blogs at Little School on Avondale and you can find her on Instagram and Facebook.