Hi, I’m Keith

Christ Follower. Husband. Father (to four boys). Pastor.

Theology

I love that John, a follower of Jesus, refers to himself as the disciple that Jesus loves. I also love that Paul refers to himself the chief of sinners. I believe there's value in seeing both when I look in the mirror. When I consider what I am - many things come to mind. I'm a son of God & a servant of the King. I'm a husband and a father and a pastor.

But what kind of a Christian am I? I realize that I love this question because it helps me understand my place in the Body of Christ and it helps me reconcile with why others don't love the same things and live the same way that I do. Not everyone connects with God the same way and knowing how we’re wired and bent helps us to be able to care for others without making the mistake of assuming that what’s helpful for me is equally helpful for all.

Here’s what I’ve gathered about my theology…

Generous. I know I don't get it all right and I know I'm subject to changing my mind. I want to remain teachable and I believe it's good to know what the essentials and nonessentials are. I also want to work for unity and not against it. Jesus had one prayer for future Christians - that we would be united. I want to work towards, not against, Christ’s prayers. Some might refer to this as a “generous” theology, an ecumenical heart, or an appreciation for catholicity.

Evangelical. That's almost become a bad word hasn't it? I don't love that shift but I love the Good News of Jesus that’s communicated to us through Scripture. I remember reading my Bible as a child - excited and mesmerized by the way God was guiding and interrupting the world. I love how diverse scripture is and how it can be complex at one time and perfectly simplistic and practical at another.

Paleo-Orthodox. That's a fun word, isn't it? It means something like "Ancient Right Doctrine." John Wesley once described his faith as "Apostolic and Primitive." In doing so he was acknowledging that his faith was from the teachings of the Apostles (Apostolic) and also from the Tradition of the early Church (Primitive). I remember the first time I heard of the Church Fathers - I was struck by the depth of Christian thought. We have the writings of early believers and can see how they knew and understood the faith and the Scriptures that it came from. They were incredibly thoughtful and asked questions that I didn't know other people were asking - let alone people from over 1500 years ago!

Mystical. But not in the “occult” sort of way. You might also use the term, “contemplative.” I love experiencing God's presence and seeing His work in the world and in my life. It's a joy to see Him answer prayer, change circumstances, and transform lives. I want to love him not just with all of my intellect and will but also with my emotions. God ought to be the source of our greatest satisfaction. I value intimate and transcendent moments with God.

Wesleyan. Lastly I desire to live a life that's pleasing to God. I want to walk in obedience and live a life that's fully surrendered to the one who knows best how to live it. Wesleyans believe that not only can we be forgiven for our sins but we can also be freed from our sins. In fact, though I don’t believe that any one denomination is “best” I am grateful to have found one that so closely aligns with so much of my own doctrine.

As a result (and you can tell I've thought about this before) if I had to characterize my approach to faith it would be: Generous, Evangelical, Paleo-Orthodox, Mystical, and Wesleyan.