Back to the Basics: The Apostles’ Creed
“Back to the Basics” the coach would exclaim! The whole team knew what he meant! Let me tell you a story of my childhood. I played little league baseball when I was a kid. I loved playing baseball, still do as a grown up. We wore our sponsor uniforms: “Mac’s Milk” blue and white baseball shirts and caps to games. This was big time stuff for a team of seven and eight year old boys. There were several teams in the league we competed against on a rotating weekly schedule from early April to late June. Every so often our team would play the “Black Shirts”!
The “Black Shirts” were scary! They somehow seemed to have bigger seven and eight year old boys than any other team. The “Black Shirts” could hit farther, run faster and catch the ball better than any other team.
One time before our Mac’s Milk team met the “Black Shirts” in the season schedule the coach said, “Boys it is time to get “Back to the Basics.” We knew what that meant for the next practice.
We ran around the bases 1st, 2nd, 3rd and home plate. We did it as a team because Ronny kept running the wrong way when he hit the ball in the games.
We were reminded how to hold (choke up) on the bat, since the bats were sometimes taller than us. When holding the bat properly all the boys could hit the pitches.
We would practice catching “fly balls” in the air and stopping “grounders” from getting past us in the field. This way we could keep the “Black Shirts” from scoring.
We were encouraged to cheer for each other. Wow did we learn to cheer! We even cheered louder than our Dad’s. And that was something.
Do you know what happened after “Back to Basics?” Ronny ran the right way. Batters hit the pitches. We caught the fly balls and stopped the grounders. We beat the “Black Shirts”! WOW! It was a great day in the life of every Mac’s Milk Little Leaguer.
Going “Back to the Basics” in the International Church context can create a winning dynamic that draws people together. The constant challenge of different church backgrounds, theological perspectives, favourite themes and even hobby horses is served well when the International Church gets “Back to the Basics.” People are reminded of our Biblical foundation, drawn together, unity is built and the International Church strengthened. A “Back to the Basics” sermon series could be preached through the time tested, biblically founded statement called the Apostles’ Creed:
We believe in one God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. We believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried; he descended into Hell. On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come to judge the living and the dead. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy universal Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
Each of these sentences and statements are foundational Biblical truths extracted from scripture. The Apostles’ Creed is almost 1800 years old and has stood the test of time. Consider a sermon series looking at Biblical basics through the Apostles’ Creed some time in the next several months. Your International church will be served well. A “Back to the Basics” series will lay the foundation for you to intentionally develop your unique core values. Core values will lead you toward God’s specific prescribed vision. Do you know what happens when we get “Back to the Basics”? We will beat the “Black Shirts”!
