Keystone Church

Note from Brandon

Dear Friend,

I celebrate with you in your recent decision in becoming a Christ Follower. I believe this is one of the most important decisions you will ever make. This is the beginning of a new journey of following Jesus Christ, and we at Keystone Church want to help you start that journey right.

First, I invite you to worship with us at Keystone Church. We meet on Saturday night (6:00pm) and three times on Sunday (9:15am, 11:00am & 12:30pm).

Next, I encourage you to sign up to be baptized at the next baptism service. We offer baptism opportunities on a monthly basis.

I also encourage you to join a Community Group to develop relationships that will help strengthen your faith. This will allow you the opportunity to share your story with others. We would love to hear your story and you can let us know by emailing Jody at .

Finally, I encourage you to join the Keystone family. We offer a Starting Point class each month where you have the opportunity to join. A key step in your decision to follow Christ is recognizing the importance of surrounding yourself with people who can pour into your life and who can provide encouragement and support. Joining the Keystone family, getting baptized and connecting to a community group are 3 opportunities that will provide a tremendous support system for you decision.

For more information about Keystone Church, or to have questions answered, please feel free to contact us at 817-431-8800.

Brandon Thomas
Pastor, Keystone Church

10 Day Bible Study

As you begin your walk with God, we want to provide you with ten days of guided devotionals through the Book of John. We believe that if you can truly understand the content of John, your life will be forever changed. It is by believing in Jesus Christ as the true Son of God, who lived the perfect life and died a brutal death on a cross for each of us, that you an find a new understanding of your decision to follow Christ.

The Book of John is designed to show us that Jesus is God, specifically through some of the detailed accounts of the miracles of Jesus. You will read of such miracles as Jesus turning water into wine, healing blind and diseased people, and walking on water. These miracles were not performed simply to relieve human sufferings or to meet human needs, but rather to be proof of Jesus’ claim of being the Son of God.

Over the next 21 days, we encourage you to commit to walking through the Book of John. There are 21 chapters in the Book of John, so that breaks down to one chapter a day. As a supplement to your reading, we have provided you with ten personal studies to assist you in your readings. We encourage you to go through these studies as you come to the appropriate chapter. We believe you will be blessed.

 

We hope you were encouraged by these ten studies. We hope that you became engaged with the Book of John and its message of hope, encouragement, and love.

Now, your challenge is to take this same approach with other books of the Bible. Your challenge is to take what you have learned from these ten studies and apply it to your life.

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

You may have asked yourself in the past, “Why do Christians act the way they do? Why do they believe this? Why do they say they act a certain way, or get excited about certain things?” Hopefully, these answers to your Frequently Asked Questions will help you in your understanding.

WHAT IS PRAYER, AND HOW DO I PRAY?
Simply put, prayer is a personal conversation with God. It does not have to include “thee’s” and “thou’s,” but rather a true and intimate conversation with God. Here are some suggestions:

1. Follow the words of Jesus, “But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him (Matthew 6:6-8).”
2. Keep it simple. God knows your heart; talk to Him as if He were physically sitting in the room with you. We encourage you to use the same language patterns as you do in your everyday language. Do not feel like you have to use extravagant or repetitive verbiage in your prayers.
   

HOW DO I “HEAR” GOD TALKING TO ME?
Learning to hear God’s voice is a lifelong process. God wants you to recognize His voice, and as you grow, you’ll learn to distinguish what He is asking you to do. You may sense God’s voice while reading the Bible, listening to a sermon or music, or simply while driving down the road. It doesn’t have to be something big for it to be God’s voice. God can speak to you in the everyday things in your life. It could be asking you to stop a certain habit, begin a new habit, give something away (like tithing), or simply to trust Him with your situation. If you think you are hearing from God, look for confirmation through prayer, the Bible, and your community.

WHY DOESN’T GOD TAKE AWAY MY PAIN OR MY ADDICTION?
Someday He might, but more often God puts in a place where we must lean into Him for support and guidance. Often our pain forces us closer to God, and when we draw close to God, He provides us with the power and strength to push through any circumstance or situation.

SHOULD I GET BAPTIZED?
Yes. The Book of Romans says that when we go under the water, we identify with Christ who went into the grave, and when we come out of the water, we identify with His resurrection. Baptism signifies what has already happened to us spiritually. Our old identity as a sinner is gone, and we rise with a new identity in Christ. As our pastor, Brandon, says, “Baptism is an outward expression of an inward decision for Christ.” At Keystone Church, we celebrate baptisms! If you are interested in being baptized, let us know by emailing Jody at .

I’M TRYING TO FOLLOW JESUS, BUT I KEEP SINNING. WHY?
Following Jesus doesn’t mean that you automatically begin to behave perfectly, and never sin again. In fact, you will continue to say and do things that you did before you accepted Christ. Becoming like Jesus in your thoughts and actions is a lifelong journey. Luckily, you are not alone; this is one of the reasons that we believe so strongly in the community provided by our Community Groups and Volunteer Teams. The groups will provide you with the support and encouragement you will need. Also, take heart in Philippians 1:6: “…being confident of this, that He who began a good work in your will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

HOW DO I GET STARTED IN THE BIBLE?
This is a great question. Below is a list of some websites that will provide you with other practical Biblical resources: brandonthomas.com, youversion.com , biblegateway.com, The 100 most-read Bible verses, biblestudytools.com, bible.org

Messages

Below are links to some helpful and relevant messages. You can watch or listen to them. You can also check out our media pages for a more complete list of message series.

How to deal with your sin	Dealing with emotions
Marriage	Parenting
Dealing with Finances	Temptaion
Baptism

 

Music

At Keystone, we believe music is a key part of life. Its everywhere we go. It helps us celebrate and contemplate. Below is a list of songs you can download from iTunes that will enourage your new journey of following Christ.