Catechize [kat-i-kahyz]: What does it mean?
Here is a word that you don’t hear every day and when you do you probably think of Catholic or Lutheran churches. However, the word catechize is vital for those of us in the Christian faith.
What does it mean? You ask. Well, it means to instruct orally by means of questions and answers, especially in Christian doctrine. I came across this word in a blog titled, “Two Lutherans Elephants: Negligent House Pastors and Divorce.” The author addresses the reasons, the numbers are decreasing in the Lutheran church, have two causalities. One reason is that men are not catechizing their families. I believe that this also includes other Christian churches.
There are instructions found in God’s word to catechize one’s family. Deuteronomy 6:4-9 clearly states that we are to love the Lord our God with all our being and to teach His statutes to our children. This is to occur at home, when we come and go, and when we go to bed at night. Men are to impart these to their wives and then wives to impart them to the children. One of my favorite verses is Proverbs 22:6, ‘Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.
To neglect to instruct one’s family leads to trouble down the road. In the aforementioned article, the author states that it gives children the impression that religion is for women and children only. Therefore, they forsake their beliefs when they grow older. This is a sad state of affairs and no wonder we are in the current spiritual environment.
So I want you to consider how you might take up the idea to catechize your family and inspire your husbands, sons, and son-in-laws to get involved.
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