A List of Advice

Well, I have been checking up on the stats for the daily visits here at Soulscape, and since every day has had visitors, and I haven't posted a new message in about a week, I thought I'd give you a little synopsis of what's been going on. The wife has a new job as an elementary school teacher (3^rd grade) and is frantically trying to get her classroom in order and take care of professional development before school starts eight days from now. The weather has been frightfully hot, and so I have decided (after a little experience with weed trimming) to just let the glass grow; I no longer care how much higher it gets, but I will definitely be waiting until it cools down just a bit. All tests results for my grandfather have come back benign, yet whatever is growing in his mouth is still undiagnosed. The church is going pretty well, had a conversion a week or so ago. And our son will be arriving in the neighborhood of September 18^th. So, a full plate I have (sorry I channeled Yoda, there).

Anywho, as I was thinking about what to write this evening before diving into putting the final touches on tomorrow evening's Wednesday Bible Study Series Lesson (a series entitled "What the Bible Teaches," currently on lesson 23, many of these lessons available at http://westwoodchurchofgod.org/podcast/ or http://feeds.feedburner.com/westwoodonline/ or on iTunes), I thought a list of Pastor-ly advice might be beneficial. At the very least, it will take up time and space. These are in no particular order, and while there are only a few posted here in this entry, the next few might contain some more. So just consider this an update and a preview, all in one.

1. Try the small stuff. Sometimes the biggest blessings can be found in the smallest places. I know the desire (or dare I say "temptation") of some people is to go for the big, the flashy, the areas that get a lot of attention. But when you go "behind the scenes," when you help a person or assist in a place that might not necessarily have it all, you know you really make an impact. You can really make a difference. The greatest journeys of life are made up of the smallest steps, and at the end of the journey you appreciate your destination all the more.

2. Give your best. I know this sounds cliché but it's something we really need to be doing. I think we sometimes just give enough of ourselves to get by, to get the job done. But that extra mile is filled with blessings. The Lord does not expect you to give someone else's best, just yours. Even if you don't feel like you contribute all that much, trust me when I say that it most definitely adds up. Plus, when you give your best, you are at your best. When you tie the small stuff and the best together, it really adds up. And you're not the only one who is blessed. Others reap the benefits of your efforts.

3. Stop and listen. Am I the best person to give this advice? As a pastor, probably not; just check out the time lengths of some of my sermons. At some level I believe all of us have a tendency to do more talking than listening. But if we will pause long enough to hear the voice of the Lord (whether that voice comes from within, from a sermon, from our study or prayer time, or through the advice of Godly friends), we will find that there are many things we overlook in our daily walk. The Lord wants to be an active part of your life, not only on Sundays and Wednesdays. He wants to be involved in everything in your life, not just the "religious" stuff. When He is allowed the first place in your life in every part of it, you will discover what it really means to be a Christian.

I hope these little pieces of advice help in some way to strengthen you or just help you a bit. Next time (which should be within a week) I'll try to add a few more which might give you a little insight into the pastor-parishioner relationship, which is essential for the functioning of the local congregation. God bless.

© 2007, Chris Keeton and Soulscape Press. All rights reserved. All material printed on this site is protected by the copyright law of the United States. It may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of Chris Keeton and Soulscape Press, obtainable by leaving a comment (with your request) which will be forwarded to Chris Keeton. Altering or removing any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content is not permitted. Any and all portions of material copied from the Soulscape Blog must be properly attributed to Chris Keeton and Soulscape, and cited with original blog web address.

What? Me Worry?

What does worry accomplish? Very little, save for some digestive difficulties and as a way to eliminate valuable time. I have discovered that life itself is a lesson in learning how to deal with worry. As a pastor I have preached many sermons on living by faith, messages dealing with trusting God and not giving in to worry or fear. Yet pastors are notorious for dwelling on things beyond our own control. Most certainly we know that the Lord will work things out, and there is a peace which is given, but the fact remains that we tend to worry.

Allow me to elaborate on the most current situation. Three years ago my wife was hired as an elementary school teacher; specifically, she taught second grade in this, her first opportunity as a teacher. The year went well. Our lives and lifestyle greatly improved. Having a second source of income helped us with bills and improvements and such, and all was "peachy." Then, on the last day of the school year, the principal (for reasons still beyond understanding) did the equivalent of firing her, giving her extremely negative and damaging remarks/comments which would hamper future employment opportunities. This inexplicable incident caused us great anxiety but, after union intervention, she reversed her position, save for recommending her for rehire within the district.

With this black cloud over our heads, we didn't know what to do when, at the eleventh hour (so to speak), she was offered a job at the high school level. Some did not want to give her the chance because of the negative things still in her report from the previous year, but a high school principal gave her the chance. The pay was significantly less than what existed the first year, but the opportunity could not be passed up. She took the job, and for the last two years had the opportunity to work with some fine people and fine young people, helping them as they make that all-too-difficult passage from adolescence to adulthood.

Things have been tight for a couple of years. Poor planning and taking things for granted placed us in a difficult spot, at times wondering how we would make it through the month. There were even times when without the kindness of Christian friends and family, it would not have been possible. At the end of this past school year (2006-2007) the job my wife worked came to an end, as it was only a temporary, grant-based position which expired. But these past two years, as difficult and worrisome as they sometimes were, a foundation was being laid which would prove invaluable. Professional relationships were cultivated, a reputation rebuilt, and new opportunities made available.

After a couple of interviews within the school system, it became a waiting game... a tense, nerve-destroying waiting game. Let me tell you, with bills due, a church that has had some rough patches, and a new baby coming in September, it has not been easy. Yet both my wife and I knew that God would have His will done, that everything would be all right no matter what happened, and that we had a peace that we were not alone, especially spiritually. We still had to be responsible, still had to look for other positions to pursue, to make sure we could provide for our expanding family. But we knew all would be well.

Today the faith paid off. My wife received a call from the principal of one of the schools which had interviewed her and offered her a position as a third grade teacher. Our biggest worry was the timing of the new baby, as the child is expected to come in mid-September, still early in the school year. But God always knows what He is doing. Our faith in Him has been justified more times than we can count, and today is one more to add to the list. In a few weeks school will start, a new teacher will grace the halls of one of our local elementary schools, a family will be able to have some peace of mind in the areas of finance, security, and ministry, a church will be able to gain a bit more in tithes and offerings and thus help more people in whatever way the Lord directs, and most importantly, a great and mighty God will get more praise from a few insignificant individuals who have benefitted from His goodness and grace.

So, I've learned a valuable lesson. Actually it's not that I've learned it; it is that I've seen another example which will make me stronger in my own faith and ministry. When it comes to trusting in the Lord, you couldn't trust in anyone better. Even though things seem bleak, unable to understand, or even hopeless, when you give it all to God there is no reason to worry. Looking back it's clear to see that He had a purpose for all that has happened, three years ago and before. It seemed bad at the time, but look at us now. There's still a lot to learn. My prayer is that I'll have enough grace in the future to remember what God CAN do, what He has already done, and know that He'll always be there to do it again. Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In ALL your ways acknowledge Him, and He WILL bring it to pass.

Amen to that.

© 2007, Chris Keeton and Soulscape Press. All rights reserved. All material printed on this site is protected by the copyright law of the United States. It may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of Chris Keeton and Soulscape Press, obtainable by leaving a comment (with your request) which will be forwarded to Chris Keeton. Altering or removing any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content is not permitted. Any and all portions of material copied from the Soulscape Blog must be properly attributed to Chris Keeton and Soulscape, and cited with original blog web address.

Please Read Disclaimer Before You Proceed

WARNING: POSSIBLE INFLAMMATORY AND CONTROVERSIAL SUBJECT MATERIAL AHEAD. PROCEED WITH CAUTION AND AT OWN RISK. FOR ONCE, I'M BEING SERIOUS.

I don't believe it would be proper, considering the purpose of this blog, to allow a certain story in the 7/10/07 news cycle to escape without comment. The story comes out of Lorenzago di Cadore, Italy, and concerns a certain document issued by Pope Benedict XVI. For the full story, you can visit http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19692094/ . I would like to preliminarily state, for the record, that I have Catholic family members, and my best friend and his family are Catholics. I love these people and respect them with my whole heart, so my response to the aforementioned article is not a personal attack upon any person, but is a refutation of what I believe are the errors of what the papal statement presents. While I could spend an enormous amount of time addressing numerous aspects of the article, I will for the sake of brevity choose only a handful to discuss which, unfortunately, will still be quite long I'm afraid. Before I begin, I will say that I understand the pope's standpoint and the necessity to hold to certain articles of belief in any religious system, which is why I feel it necessary to present my own beliefs and substantiate those beliefs as correct according to Scripture.

The title of the MSNBC.com article is as follows: "Pope: Other denominations not true churches -- Benedict issues statement asserting that Jesus established 'only one church.'" I believe the last part of that title. Jesus did, in fact, establish "only one church," but it is not the Roman Catholic Church. Nor is it the Southern Baptist Church. Nor is it the United Methodist Church, the Anglican Church, the Pentecostal Church, or even the Church of God (Anderson, Indiana). The "one church" established by Christ is the "Church of God," every born-again-through-faith believer in Jesus as their Savior. If you read Scripture, you will find that all who accept the sacrifice of Jesus for them, repenting of their sins and living the Christian life, becomes a child of God and a member of Christ's one body of believers.

The Apostle Paul makes it clear that we are all members of one body, and just as each body part has a different function and place in the body (but all equally important to the overall operation of that body), so do we have different talents, abilities and viewpoints which enrich the whole. For any religious leader or religious layman to say that their group alone is the "one church" is to believe and promote a lie. If the Holy Bible is taken to heart and is your standard for living, then it must be acknowledged that active belief in Christ is the foundation of salvation, not an ecumenical edict or a human-organized group.

I would like to quote a portion of the MSNBC.com article: "…key sections of a 2000 document the pope wrote when he was prefect of the congregation … said [other Christian denominations] were not true churches but merely ecclesial communities and therefore did not have the "means of salvation."" In essence, Pope Benedict XVI (when still known as Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger) said denominations are just groups of people meeting for a religious purpose, but have no way to know salvation. I agree that denominations are man-made, but through the teachings and fellowships of many denominations people are genuinely introduced to and cultivate a relationship with Jesus Christ. Certain doctrines and methods of worship may differ, but if Jesus remains the cornerstone of one's belief system, then an honest search for the truth will be a hallmark of that person's life.

As I have read the Bible, and granted I am not nearly as old as Pope Benedict, I have discovered that the "means of salvation" is not a group or assembly of people (the literal definition of 'church'), but the means of salvation is Jesus Christ alone. Nowhere in Scripture is man, any man, given the power to forgive sins against God, for that is what sin is: transgression against God. You can forgive those transgressions done against you, but only God can forgive those transgressions done against Him. Acts 4:12 -- Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. This plainly states that it is not a person or a group which saves or has the "means of salvation," but that it is Christ alone who saves.

The reason Jesus came to earth to die for our sins was so that we would have a "means of salvation" that cannot be found through human device or effort. The duty of all believers is not to become Savior, but point the way to the Savior. This and this alone is the "means of salvation" according to the Holy Word of God. The Roman Catholic Church or any person or group which proposes any other "means of salvation" than repentance of sins is, in a word, wrong. Romans 10:6-13 -- But the righteousness of faith speaks in this way, "Do not say in your heart, 'Who will ascend into heaven?' " (that is, to bring Christ down from above) ⁷ or, " 'Who will descend into the abyss?' " (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). ⁸ But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith which we preach): ⁹ that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰ For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. ¹¹ For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame." ¹² For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. ¹³ For "whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved."

Again, I quote from MSNBC.com: "Christ 'established here on earth' only one church," the document said. The other communities "cannot be called 'churches' in the proper sense" because they do not have apostolic succession — the ability to trace their bishops back to Christ's original apostles." The definition of bishop is, "a clergyman having spiritual and administrative authority; appointed in Christian churches to oversee priests or ministers (wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn)." So, by the preceding quote from the article, leaders or administrative authorities, those who oversee other leaders and lay-members of a congregation, must be traced back to the original disciples of Christ, otherwise they are not part of the "one church." I, for one, am glad I do not (and cannot) trace my spiritual leadership to one of the disciples of Jesus Christ. I trace my spiritual leadership to Jesus Christ Himself.

I would recommend you read all of Colossians chapter 1 (especially beginning with verse 9), but I call your attention to one verse in that chapter: Colossians 1:18 – "And He [being Christ] is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence." There is nothing said of a representative or one who vicariously holds the power of Jesus in his keeping, but Jesus Himself. The entire doctrine of the primacy of the Roman Catholic Church and the papal office, and that also of apostolic succession, refers to one incident in Scripture which for centuries has been misinterpreted.

Matthew 16:15-19 -- He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" ¹⁶ Simon Peter answered and said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." ¹⁷Jesus answered and said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. ¹⁸ And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. ¹⁹ And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."

The "rock" upon which the "one church" was founded was not the Apostle Peter, but upon that which Peter said: YOU ARE THE CHRIST, THE SON OF THE LIVING GOD. The gates of hell and the powers of Satan himself cannot prevail against this truth. For all those who believe that rock of truth, the keys of heaven's kingdom is given to them. The binding and loosing of things on earth and in heaven refers to the spiritual capacity to grow beyond selfishness and sinful attitudes, and come to a real and meaningful relationship with Jesus. There is power in the name of Jesus, and that power comes in the acceptance of His sacrifice for your sins. Once you possess the power of God's salvation in Christ, you realize that it is a power not to release others, but to be yourself released, as well as to show others the way to find this truth for themselves. Peter is not the rock; what he spoke is the rock. It is the truth which all Christians should stand upon and proclaim. I am not a Christian because I follow some spiritual descendant of Peter. I am a Christian because I proclaim the same thing Peter proclaimed: Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. I do not recognize the primacy of the pope, a man; but I do forever recognize the primacy of God's only begotten Son, Jesus Christ my Lord. I would also direct your attention to the words of Christ Himself: Matthew 23:8-10 -- "But you, do not be called 'Rabbi'; for One is your Teacher, the Christ, and you are all brethren. ⁹ Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. ¹⁰ And do not be called teachers; for One is your Teacher, the Christ.

I close this rebuttal by quoting one Father Augustine Di Noia, undersecretary for the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in the Roman Catholic Church, again from the MSNBC.com article: "But, as you know, it is fundamental to any kind of dialogue that the participants are clear about their own identity. That is, dialogue cannot be an occasion to accommodate or soften what you actually understand yourself to be." I agree with this statement 100%. What I understand myself and my faith to be comes from God's Word through the Holy Spirit. While the Roman Catholic pontiff must put forth the doctrine of his faith, and those of that faith must hold fast to that doctrine, I myself must hold fast to whom I understand myself to be within the confines of God's direction. This article, while put forth for the clarification of the Catholic doctrine, by Catholics and for Catholics, has certainly opened a dialogue for others to discover who they are. Sometimes the only way to truly discover who you are is to first discover who you are not. In this way I appreciate the MSNBC.com article and the papal document to which it refers. By examining its position I am able to evaluate my own, and that is a good thing.

I believe these things which I have written not only based upon my own personality or study, but because the Holy Spirit of God has shown it to my heart and, come what may, I stand upon them. To God my Father, to Him and Him alone, through Jesus Christ the Lord, be all praise, honor and glory. Amen.

© 2007, Chris Keeton and Soulscape Press. All rights reserved. All material printed on this site is protected by the copyright law of the United States. It may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of Chris Keeton and Soulscape Press, obtainable by leaving a comment (with your request) which will be forwarded to Chris Keeton. Altering or removing any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content is not permitted. Any and all portions of material copied from the Soulscape Blog must be properly attributed to Chris Keeton and Soulscape, and cited with original blog web address.

Bursting in Air

Yesterday evening, following a violent storm, we were able to once again watch the "largest fireworks show in Kentucky" as we try to do every year. I'm not one for crowds, so banding together with tens of thousands of my fellow-man is not my idea of a good time; but watching my four-year-old son's wonder at the colorful airborne explosions was worth the hassle. Already in a somewhat foul mood at the number of people who believe holidays mean church is optional, I was glad to get home after the show.

Needless to say it's been an interesting couple of weeks, mentally, physically and emotionally. After a new round of biopsies, my grandfather's condition was classified as "benign," however the results were sent to the Mayo Clinic for additional study. As the doctor stated just a couple of hours ago, "I have no idea what we're dealing with, and we've got to find out." So we've gone up and down there. On other fronts, there have been people who have given their heart to the Lord, others who have been hospitalized, baby dedications and baptisms.

Throughout it all, though, there has seldom been a time in my life in which I can recall the presence of the Lord so fully. Perhaps when life is pulling and throwing you in all different directions, it is more easy to recognize the peaceful foundation, the solid rock of Christ. Much like the fireworks show (which was nearly an hour later than advertised, another fact which fouled my mood considerably), when you're waiting or going through something it has a tendency to take forever, with no end in sight (much like, perhaps, some of my sermons). But once it's all over, it seems like there wasn't much wait at all.

With the wait over, it is sometimes as though the "weight" is over as well. What a comfort to know that if we can just hang on a little while longer, we'll be well-paid for what we had to go through. In my own experience over the last couple of weeks, the waiting was just one more means for the Lord to show Himself to me. You see, you don't always have to get to the end, the result, in order to find God. More often than not, you can find Jesus in the journey just as much, if not more so, as in the destination. Remember that as you go through life's trials. Jesus isn't waiting for you at the end, but is walking with you the whole way.

© 2007, Chris Keeton and Soulscape Press.  All rights reserved.  All material printed on this site is protected by the copyright law of the United States.  It may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of Chris Keeton and Soulscape Press, obtainable by leaving a comment (with your request) which will be forwarded to Chris Keeton. Altering or removing any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content is not permitted.  Any and all portions of material copied from the Soulscape Blog must be properly attributed to Chris Keeton and Soulscape, and cited with original blog web address.