Creed: Connect to the Basic Essentials of Historic Christian Faith

by Winfield Bevins

When the doctrinal, ethical, and spiritual foundations of the faith are presented together, they offer a balanced model for the Christian life. This pocket guide summarizes these foundations by studying the Ten Commandments, the Apostles' Creed, and the Lord's Prayer. Ideal as a discipleship tool to equip new believers or as a refresher for seasoned Christians, Creed provides the essentials of the faith in an easy-to-understand format. Includes discussion questions for group discussion or personal reflection.

Genres: Nonfiction, Theology, Christian Living, Christianity, Discipleship

140 pages, Paperback

First published June 30, 2011

About the author

Dr. Winfield Bevins is an internationally recognized author, artist, and the founding director of Creo Arts, which is a non-profit that exists to bring beauty, goodness, and truth to the world through the arts. Winfield is also artist-in-residence at Asbury Theological Seminary where he champions the integration of art, theology, and mission. Over the past decade, he has helped start numerous initiatives and academic programs that have trained leaders from around the world. He frequently speaks at conferences, seminaries, and universities on a variety of topics and is an affiliate professor at several academic institutions.

He is the author of several books, including Liturgical Mission: The Work of the People for the Sake of the World, which was nominated for a Reader’s Choice Award (InterVarsity Press, 2022); Ever Ancient Ever New: The Allure of Liturgy for a New Generation (Zondervan, 2019); and Marks of a Movement (2019), which has been translated into Korean and Spanish. Winfield’s work has been featured in various outlets such as Christianity Today, Publishers Weekly, Outreach Magazine, and Religious News Service.

As an artist, he describes his artwork as “modern inconography” because it explores the intersection where the past and the present meet through sacred art. He believes that we need new forms and expressions of ancient truths to speak to a new generation, that are connected to those who have gone before us, drawing fresh inspiration from the past for our faith for today through art. As an artist, he hopes that his art will invite viewers to slow down and pray to God who is “ever ancient, ever new.” He and his wife have three daughters and live in Kentucky where he has a working studio and runs the Creo Arts Gallery.

Reviews

[Mark Clements · Rating 3 out of 5]

Creed was an interesting approach to explaining the basics of Christianity. Bevins uses the Apostles Creed, the Ten Commandments, and the Lord's Prayer as jump offs for describing Christian doctrine. I think a new or young believer would benefit from reading this book. However, I do have one warning.

In his section on the Holy Spirit, the author ascribes to a "second blessing" experience after salvation. He describes his own experience, "Then one night it happened. I had my first encounter with the Holy Spirit while attending a young-adult retreat in the beautiful mountains of Tennessee. The Spirit of the Lord came into my life in an amazing way and began to give me strength I needed to continue to walk out the Christian life in faith. I left that retreat with a renewed sense of God's presence and victory in my life. My life has never bee the same since that night, and I continue to seek to walk in the Spirit every day."

I'm sure he means well but he's basically saying, "I didn't have the Holy Spirit working in my life, even though I was saved, until I had this experience." This is Keswick "second blessing" theology. The Bible teaches we are all filled with the Spirit when we are converted. If he had said, "I repented of sin and sensed a closer walk with God by His Spirit," or "I yielded myself to God in an area where I had not before," or "I began to obey more faithfully the Word and I had a 'renewed sense of God's presence and victory in my life'" that would make sense. What he describes is a second blessing brought on by nothing he describes except being in the TN mountains. I'd be afraid that a new or young believer would feel less of a Christian for not having this experience or that he/she would conjure up the experience to fit in.

There may be more to Bevins' story about that night but since he doesn't tell it I can only go by what he wrote and in this area I have concern.

I do like that he gives some challenging questions at the end of each chapter. The questions are practical and thought-provoking in many cases.

[Hope · Rating 3 out of 5]

To those with any bible background, this book is so simple it might be offensive. But to those to whom it is directed ("the radically unchurched") this booklet offers a very clear explanation of the basic bible truths and doctrines that the church has always believed. This would be great to use in discipling someone new to the faith.

Two things that are considered "out-of-date" at the moment are church attendance and preaching on the Spirit-filled life. I appreciated Bevins' emphasis on both of these as essential to Christian growth.

Frankly, I expected fluff and was pleasantly surprised.

[Vaughn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Stopped reading after the 3rd chapter. The theology was okay, but the writing sub-par and depth of content to about the 1/2 inch level. There are better books out there.

[David Pierce · Rating 3 out of 5]

Clear and well organized thought development in this book that reminds us how the Creeds of the early church still define our belief. We do well to use them in training new converts to the faith.