Apostles’ Creed Week 1: Why We Confess
Introduction
In the coming weeks, we’re going to walk slowly through one of the oldest, most widely embraced confessions in the history of the Church—the Apostles’ Creed. This ancient creed is more than a set of beliefs; it’s a narrative. It tells the story of God, the story of the gospel, and the story we are invited into.
The Kansas City Underground holds this creed as a foundational confession. It’s a declaration of trust, a form of spiritual formation, and a shared language that binds us together with the global Church across time and culture.
Each week, we’ll sit with a single line or phrase. You’ll engage Scripture, linger in reflection, and respond in prayer. This is not a study to rush through, but an invitation to abide with truth until it shapes your imagination and your life.
If you want to dive deeper into the meaning behind each line, we highly recommend The Apostles’ Creed: A Guide to the Ancient Catechism by Ben Myers. It’s a short but powerful companion that can enrich your journey.
Apostles’ Creed
Read the following line from the Apostles’ Creed:
“I believe…”
These are the first two words of the Creed—and they matter more than we often realize.
Scripture Readings
Deuteronomy 6:4–9
John 6:60–69
Romans 10:9–10
Hebrews 11:1
Reflection
Before we talk about what we believe, we must talk about what it means to believe.
“I believe…” is not just an intellectual statement. It’s a declaration of trust. In Hebrew thought, belief is never just about mental agreement—it’s about fidelity, allegiance, relational commitment. In the Bible, to believe is to lean your weight upon something. To stake your life on it.
When Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life,” he wasn’t reciting a creed—he was confessing a Person. In that moment, belief wasn’t abstract—it was desperate and intimate. That’s what this creed invites us into.
Every time we confess “I believe,” we are re-centering ourselves in the story of God. We are declaring, “This is the world I live in. This is the God I trust. This is the life I choose.”
And maybe you’re not sure if you believe all of it yet. That’s okay. Saying these words in prayer can be a form of becoming. A way of asking Jesus to help your unbelief. A way of being shaped by faith even as you wrestle with doubt.
Consider
What do you believe in—really? Not just in theory, but in practice?
We say things all the time like “I believe in this team,” or “I believe in hard work,” or “I believe in my kids.” Some of us have placed our deepest trust in our bank account, our career, our country, our productivity, or a version of the American dream.
Belief is always shaping us. It drives what we value, how we spend our time, where we place our hope, and what we fear losing.
What are the creeds you live by—spoken or unspoken?
What story are they telling you about what matters most?
How are they shaping the kind of person you’re becoming?
Before continuing on to the prayer prompts, take a few moments to journal some ideas around these three questions. Let this be a moment to surface your functional beliefs and realign your trust.
Prayer Prompts
Take a few moments of quiet and let the following prompts lead your time of prayer:
Confess: Where have you reduced faith to information rather than formation? Talk to God about what you believe—and what you struggle to believe.
Receive: Sit with this phrase: “I believe…” Say it slowly. Repeat it. Let it move from your mind to your heart.
Declare: Pray aloud your belief in Jesus—however simply or imperfectly you can. Use your own words or the words of Scripture (Romans 10:9–10).
Intercede: As a network, we pray that our collective belief would move beyond words into surrendered lives. Ask God to deepen our trust as a people. That our shared confession—“I believe”—would be lived out in our neighborhoods, microchurches, and relationships with courage and clarity. Pray that together, we would embody a faith that points to Jesus.
Reflect: Ask the Spirit to reveal where you’ve been placing your trust—then invite Jesus to realign your heart.