Creed comes from the Latin word - "Creedo", which means "I believe"!  In Christianity there are 3 main Creeds which have been written down for our benefit centuries ago.  The Apostles Creed ( Basic and short) , The Nicene Creed (More detailed and came about after the Council of Nicea) , and The Athanasian Creed ( longer and more detailed) .  These Creeds put in a short recitable form what is a condensed form of Christian Theology. The issues which were debated in those early Church Councils that took place in cities around the Mediterranean Sea area centuries ago by Elders/Pastors/Deacons/Bishops/Presbyters, were very important to get to the True Theology as taught in the Scriptures. They spent  long hours,days,months,years presenting ideas and issues and after returning to the written words of Scripture, they were able to refute heretics and heresies. To this day the many cults and false teachers are usually spouting the same lies and falsehoods as their forefathers did in the early centuries of Christianity. The Lord and Saviour Christ Jesus warned about false prophets and wolves in sheeps clothing who are dangerous deceivers. 

 If more people and Churches would read from the timeless wisdom found in the 3 Creeds mentioned above, then we would have more Christians who will be able to stand tall against the false teachers  in our present day and age. Sadly though, many Pastors/Deacons/Sunday School Teachers never use the Creeds in public worship. The Apostles Creed is inside of The Trinity Hymnal (which is used by many 1689 Reformed Baptists and 1644 Presbyterians) yet it is never read from or a responsive reading done by Pastor and congregation... Why? well as a former ruling Elder at a Reformed Baptist Church told me: " Well even Roman Catholics believe that".   To which I replied "We should be glad that Roman Catholics believe that Creed because it is good basic Theology", at which point another Elder standing there said that it would violate "The Regulative Principle". [ That is the idea that only what the Bible says should be done in the Worship service. ]  That very same Church and many like-minded Churches while refusing to use or read from the Creeds, have and do quote from the paragraphs of the Westminster Catechism (from the 1600's) and Confession, and even quote from the words of popular/secular songs in their sermons. Yet, they refuse to use the wonderful Theological and Christological  words of the Creeds.

 How many times  churches and pastors/deacons would  not need to put on seminars and workshops about what Christians should believe, IF they would at least once a month read/quote/recite from one of those 3 ancient creeds or "Statements of Faith" ? Why do so many people that profess to be Christians run and hide or slam the door on the folks that visit us on the doorstep?  I think it is because many Christians don't even have a clue about the Bible and Theology except to quote from John 3:16.  In Matthew chapter 28 our Lord and Saviour gave His disciples some orders and directions. Jesus said to "TEACH" the people, not make the new converts "feel good".  

 Please click on these links to read the Creeds. It will increase your understanding of who God Almighty is and what we should believe about Him and what we should teach and preach to other people.

 http://www.cranmerhouse.org/creeds.htm    They also have a link to the 39 Articles of Religion

 http://www.spurgeon.org/~phil/creeds.htm   Many Creeds/Confessions. Look for "The Didache"

 http://www.founders.org/library/boycecat.html   J.P. Boyce's Catechism for Baptists  

 http://www.founders.org/library/boyce1/toc.html  Abstract of Systematic Theology . Boyce of the SBC seminary