How I’m Teaching the Apostles’ Creed in Youth Group
The “What I’m Teaching at Youth Group” series presents a snapshot of a recent series the author has taught in their own ministry. Our goal is to present a helpful model for what it looks like to practice biblical and theological depth in youth discipleship.
This past fall, we did a series on the Apostles’ Creed. The Creed was written to summarize Christianity’s core teachings, as well as correct errors and common heresies that were being taught in the fourth century. The early church used it for spiritual formation to instruct new believers in the faith. It was part of the catechesis that taught new believers Christian doctrine (Apostle’s Creed), Christian spirituality (Lord’s Prayer), and Christian living (Ten Commandments).
Why Teach on the Apostles’ Creed?
Some youth ministers may be so committed to expository teaching they find it odd to teach a creed instead of a book of the Bible. However, the creed is a tool that summarizes the core teachings of biblical Christianity. Every statement in the Creed is drawn out from Scripture and restated in a concise way, making it like a “theology highlight reel” of the story of redemption. Here are three reasons why I decided to teach our students this ancient Creed and why you may choose to do the same:
Holiness
First, teaching the Apostle’s Creed can help our students grow in holiness as they seek to follow Jesus. The Creed was the core method of discipleship for the early church in teaching doctrine to new converts. It covers the foundational teachings of God as creator, the deity of the Son, the incarnation, crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus, and the work of the Holy Spirit in the church. Right action stems from right belief, which means one of the key ways our students grow in holiness is to know the God they are supposed to be loving and following.
The Creed summarizes the Christian faith to equip students with the core teachings they must understand to grow in personal holiness, as well as how to share what they believe with others. It’s difficult to share everything the Bible says when asked what we believe, but memorizing a short creed of a hundred or so words can be extremely helpful in articulating and defending the faith.
History
Recently, a growing trend has been for young people to convert to Catholicism or Eastern Orthodoxy in a desire for a more liturgical form of worship, grounded in deep historical roots. Unfortunately, some Protestant churches have not done a thorough job of connecting our faith to the ancient roots of the church over the centuries. Students are hungry to have a deeper, richer, and historical faith.
Teaching a series on the Creed helps students connect their beliefs to the faith of their fathers, showing them how doctrines like the Trinity, the incarnation, and the forgiveness of sins are not new inventions, but convictions that have been confessed by believers dating back to the time of the Apostles. When we recite and study the Creed, we unite with our brothers and sisters in the faith who have walked faithfully before us, as we seek to follow them on this same path.
Heresies
Besides discipleship, the Creed was written to define the truth and correct common errors about God, salvation, and the Church. It provided the boundaries of orthodox belief, which was much needed in the fourth century, as there were many heresies surrounding the person and work of Christ, such as: Nestorianism, Arianism, Adoptionism, Modalism, and Docetism.
The Creed corrects these misunderstandings about Jesus and provides a robust defense for the deity of Christ. Even though we don’t use the names of these ancient heresies today, the same misunderstandings about Jesus can be common among our students. Todd Miles, in his book Superheroes Can’t Save You, has made an excellent case for the ways people may be guilty of believing these heresies today (and he uses superheroes as the foils, which is awesome for students). Thus, teaching the Creed helps correct our students’ false understandings of Jesus and other core doctrines.
Finally, teaching the Creed helps our students know what doctrines all Christians must hold to while distinguishing what doctrines we can agree to disagree on. As Al Mohler says, “True Christian unity is unity in the truth revealed by Christ, not unity at the expense of truth, as is becoming all too common. The Apostle’s Creed does not confess some lowest-common-demoniator form of Christian truth. It boldly confesses the grandeur of authentic Christianity in a series of powerful statements of Christian belief.” (The Apostles’ Creed, p.13)
How Did I Teach the Apostles’ Creed?
We taught each phrase of the Creed weekly, dividing the sermon into three sections. There are typically 12-14 phrases that you can focus on in developing your sermon/lesson each week.
What did the phrase mean to its original audience?
First, after reciting the Creed, we explained what the phrase meant to those living in the fourth century. Like interpreting the Bible, understanding the context in which each phrase of the Creed was written will help our students apply the doctrine in their own lives. Some of these phrases were written because of the issues the early church fathers were wrestling with. For example, “the forgiveness of sins” specifically addressed how the church would respond when members who had once rejected Christ due to persecution wanted to return to the church.
Where is the phrase taught in Scripture?
Second, we helped our students see how this phrase is derived from the Bible. This was the bulk of the sermon/lesson, as we exposited a text or some texts that teach the doctrine the phrase communicated. Predominately, we chose one unit of Scripture and explained how it is summarized in the phrase of the Creed, but at times, we used multiple examples from Scripture to help our students see how this doctrine is laced throughout the Bible.
What does it mean for us to confess and believe this phrase today?
Third, we closed our time by asking, “Do you believe?” Each phrase of the Creed can be prefaced with “I believe,” and if we believe something, we will actually live it out. Each week, I wanted to ensure our students understood the connection between believing in the specific doctrine and how it should be lived out in their lives. For example, if we believe that God is the maker of heaven and earth, then we will not live like we own our bodies, time, and treasures. . . if we believe in the virgin birth, then we will trust that God can do the impossible in our lives and we will trust him with our relationships, desires, and future.
Teaching the Apostles’ Creed to your students can help them continue in holiness, connect them to history, and correct heresies that could uproot their faith. It is a time-tested method for discipleship that has trained and equipped millions of Christians throughout the centuries to grow in their walk with Jesus. It’s an excellent way to give your students a faith—not one they can grow out of but one they can grow into.
Apostle’s Creed Teaching Series
I Believe (Romans 4; Hebrews 11; Mark 5:25-34).
God, The Father Almighty (Psalm 86; Exodus 3:14; 34:5-7; Matt. 6:9-13).
Maker of Heaven and Earth (Isaiah 45:9-25; Genesis 1-2; Psalm 104).
Jesus Christ, His Only Son, Our Lord (John 1; Philippians 2:5-11; Col. 1:15-20).
I Believe in the Virgin Birth (Luke 1:26-38).
I Believe in the Suffering Servant (Isaiah 52-53).
I Believe in the Crucifixion, Death, and Burial of Jesus (Romans 3, 5; Psalm 22; Col. 2).
I Believe in the Descent and Resurrection of Jesus (1 Cor. 15:1-28).
I Believe in the Ascension of Christ (Ephesians 1:15-2:10).
I Believe in the Return of Jesus (Luke 12:35-48).
I Believe in the Holy Spirit (John 14:15-26; 16:7-15; Rom. 8:1-17).
I Believe in the Holy catholic church and Communion of Saints (Ephesians 2:11-22).
I Believe in the Forgiveness of Sins (Romans 5:1-11).
I Believe in the Resurrection of the body and Life Everlasting (1 Corinthians 15:35-58).
Helpful Teaching Resources:
Growing in Christ by J.I. Packer.
The Apostle’s Creed: Discovering Authentic Christianity In An Age Of Counterfeits by Al Mohler.
The Apostles Creed: A Guide to the Ancient Catechism by Ben Myers.
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