Keith and Chad describe the first two weeks of the Institute class of 2022/23 and highlight the importance of confession in the life of the believer.
Intro (Keith): Welcome to the Kanakuk Institute Podcast, where we continue to equip leaders with biblical skills for a lifetime of ministry.
Chad (00:13): And welcome back into the Kanakuk Institute Podcast. It’s great to be back with you guys. Keith, give us an update on just where we have been and why we have not been in studio.
Keith (00:24):Chad, I think all of you guys out there in the audience today understand a little bit about what’s going on right now. The institute is starting, and I tell you what, Chad, it has been a great last, what, three weeks, that feel like three months. I don’t know if you guys all know that we have purchased another place for the Institute. And, it has been such a joy, Chad, as we have moved down the street from Kawaii, a place that we’ve been so thankful to be in for the last 15 years. And before that we were at Holiday Hills, and a lot of things came up over, you know, last year, and we were asked that, you know, a lot of new renovations were going to be done at the home of Kawaii, our favorite place in the world. And when all this happened, it was a little bit, you know, Chad and I began to look for places to have the new Institute and where we will be. And Chad, I think you looked at maybe, what did you say?
Chad (01:23): It feels like a hundred.
Keith (01:25): We were trying to find a place, and you know what’s really fun is that God put us to our knees, and we began to pray and thank all of you guys out there that were praying for us and continue to pray for the ministry of the Institute, because what happened as a result of prayer is that, a guy called and said, “Hey, I really believe that God has put you guys on our heart. We just really have a heart for discipleship, and we love what you guys are doing with equipping, and entrusting to these young men and women that are coming to Branson from all around the country. And we would like to sell you our resort.” And, I the next thing that began to happen is we began to make a lot of phone calls and we’re going, “Oh my gosh.” You know, how can God pull this off? And guess what guys, God did a miracle. We needed an amount of money that was going to allow us to put a down payment down, and as a result God did exactly what he needed to do, and we were allowed to go to the bank and put that down payment down. And here we are. We’re the owners of a new resort called the cottages of Lakeshore Drive. Formerly, it was Lakeshore Resort. And if you want to go online and look at it, it was Lakeshore Resort on Lakeshore Drive, and now we change it to the cottages of Lakeshore Drive. And we’ve changed it. And this will be the home forever of the students that come to the Institute, we are so excited.
Chad (02:49): I don’t know about you, but I just, God’s sovereignty in this whole deal as far as the timing goes, you know we had no idea Kawaii was going to renovate and certainly didn’t have a solution for what we were going to do for this year. What stood out to you as far as God’s overarching plan in this whole deal?
Keith (03:10): You know, Chad, it’s really fun because over the summer I was studying and I’ve talked about this before. I was studying the book of Nehemiah, and Nehemiah wasn’t even born when the Jerusalem was torn down, and yet, he had this passion for his homeland and his people, and his goal was to get his people to do a mission that only God could have pulled off. Well, I think that’s how we felt, is that it’s going to take a God-centered miracle to pull this off. We were to the last hour of finding a place for us to be able to put the Institute this year, and all of a sudden, Mike, who just believed, he and his daughter believed that we needed to have this, and it was a result of prayer. You know I know you and I and all the staff of the Institute were praying, “God give us a place.” And all of a sudden, God just said, “Here, here’s a place.” And it wasn’t just good, Chad, it’s phenomenal. You know, and when you look at the place that you’re going to buy, you have to ask the question, you know, does it have good bones? Is it going to meet our needs? And everything about it met the needs of what we’re going to do with the ministry that God has for us. These places that they live, these cottages, this resort. When Mike turned it over to us, it was fully furnished. I mean, it wasn’t just partway done. It was rooms with kitchenettes, living rooms, bedrooms, bathrooms, furniture, outdoor furniture, pool, docks. We’re just going, “You’ve got to be kidding me.” I mean, I just know that when we walked over and looked at this place, and I never really paid close attention to it until it was offered to us. And all of a sudden my eyes, probably I looked like one of those cartoon characters whose eyes just go “Doo doo” with eyes just popped out off their sockets because, “You’ve got to be kidding me.” And so, you know, Chad in answer to your question, it was just overwhelming an answer to prayer. The timing, Mike coming to us and saying, “We would like to sell this to you.” And how quickly it was closed, and how quickly God raised up men and families that wanted to help us make this dream become reality, so, I can’t say anything other than praise be to God.
Chad (05:40): Yeah, and the timeline has been crazy for those of y’all that haven’t been following along. We closed August 19th, our new students came in September 3rd, so that gave us just about two weeks to flip it, and like you said, it was in great condition, but there were some things we wanted to do to make it specific for students.
Keith (06:00): Well, like the hot tubs just happened to be sitting out in the middle of the living room, and you’re going, “We can’t, we’re not the love tub people,” you know? And you don’t put that out in the middle of a room, and we went, we’ve got to get plumbers, we’ve got to get construction workers, we’ve got to get electricians, we’ve got to get all these people in, and Chad, by the way, you did an incredible job of getting people lined up, and what we watched God do, as I was out there raising money, you’re out there getting people all lined up to put, make this thing happen. It was a, in fact, what we’re going to talk about in our episode is how that God uses gifts of people to pull off nothing less than miraculous events. And what we’ve saw God do is, yes, all these things that happened, and it looked like ants all over our cottages, because everybody was doing their thing, we God people cleaning walls, we’ve got people cleaning carpets, we’ve got people cleaning windows, we’ve got people power spraying, we’ve painters, we’ve got guys taking down fans, putting up fans, we’ve got electricians taking down lights, putting up lights. I mean, you just can’t imagine all the things that were happening. You as a listening audience. It was awesome. And it, to the day that the students came, we were still to the moment they came, putting things together and getting the last touches done, and when they walked in, they went, “Ohh, this is awesome.” They had no idea what went over the last two weeks.
Chad (07:31): And really, a special thanks to, I mean we had fifty, sixty, seventy alumni, friends, family come in and be a part and clearly, could not have done it on our own, so just a huge thank you to everybody that showed up and was praying or giving of time or resources, man we’re just incredibly grateful for your sacrifice.
Keith (07:56): Yeah, thankful is a great word, because, you know, one of the things that I know that Nehemiah did is he went to the Lord in prayer and he prayed that God would do something bigger than himself. And when I think of what God pulled off, in the cottages of Lakeshore Drive, the Kanakuk Institute, that’s what he did. He pulled off something bigger than ourselves. We have a resort that is far greater than I know we deserve, and I know it just makes us happy and warm walking in there, and as a result, you know, yesterday, I walked in and I see fifteen people at the pool. I go down to the lake, there were probably twenty people on the docks. I’m walking around and they’re everywhere, and just, you’re going, “This is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen because they’ve got their place that really is their place.” Enjoying each other. It’s right on the Lake, Taney Como. And they are cooking food together, serving their food together. “Hey what are you having tonight.” “Well we’re having…” “Hey can I throw a couple on your grill.” I mean it’s just amazing to see what God has done.
Chad (09:12): So, to switch gears just a little bit, not right to the topic, but you know, we just witnessed a couple weeks of reconstruction of the property. And now the last two weeks, we’ve watched some reconstruction of hearts as our new class has arrived. Give everybody just an update of what’s been going on. For those alumni, you kind of have a feel for what’s going on.
Keith (09:34): The Two percent, right?
Chad (09:35): Those that may be listening, and that don’t know, what’s been happening, and what have you seen God do?
Keith (09:41): You know, I love that question, because, if you were to ask me what the Institute’s all about, I would say this is what it’s all about. That what Paul said in Galatians 2, “For we have been crucified with Christ, it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives through me. The life which I live now, I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and he died for me.” You know, Chad, it’s amazing to me sometimes how we run right through that verse, and we don’t really understand, “For I have been crucified with Christ.” It is no longer I who live. And redemption is coming to the point where you understand the blood of Jesus Christ, and what he did for us, and what we’ve watched over the last, you know, two weeks. It’s been a process. You know, one layer at a time, we’ve pealed back like an onion, trying to get to the root, to the 98 percent and then in the last few days, we’ve asked them to give us the last two percent, and when they get honest, and when you see the value of confession, and when we confess our sin, God is faithful. And he is faithful to forgive us of all unrighteousness. And when I think of that, that the unrighteousness that we have, we must confess that. And I saw these students, and y’all do it every year. That confession I such a big part of our life. Because, what it says, it says, “I am willing to be authentic.” Because until I become authentic, I am only playing a masquerade. And so, being crucified with Christ means, I am literally, it’s no longer how I live. So, it’s, everything in my past is past-tense, because of the blood of Jesus. I am a sinner. Now, I’m no longer going to be ashamed to share what my past sin is because I am now free in Christ. Because, the mistake that a lot of us make is that we think I can kind of masquerade and I can tell everybody I’m ok when I’m not really ok. But then I’m going to say I’m better than others, than they are, or I’m not really that bad, but it’s really been neat to watch these kids get honest with, first with God, and then because they’re honest with God, then they can get right with others. And then they can get right with their mom, dad, old relationships, because they’re no longer afraid like a fugitive who keeps looking over his shoulder because he’s afraid that he’s going to get caught for what he did. But I’m willing to say, “I am messed up.” I have made a lot of poor choices, but I have owned those, and I have been forgiven by God for those, and I’ve gone to others and I’ve been reconciled with them because I was reconciled with God, and I am free to walk in freedom that I can never walk in before because I was always a little bit dishonest with who I was because I failed to go 100% and be honest with God, with myself, and with others.
Chad (12:48): That’s good. And if we could have our audience hear one thing I think it would be this. That is not a one-time thing. Like, we are called as the believers in Christ to discipline ourselves to confess and to reconcile. And for so many, Keith,t hat two percent that they do when they come to the institute, it’s like, “Holy Cow, I’ve never done that, I feel free.” And what we’re trying to say is, “Great you feel free now. Don’t stop. Don’t stop making it right with God. Don’t stop making it right with people, and even in our audience right now, we’ve got alumni that did the two percent here, and maybe have something that’s broken or unreconciled. What would be your encouragement to them today?
Keith (13:33): Well, I love that question Chad because, being crucified with Christ, you have to realize, it had nothing to do with me, and if I have my relation with God, my horizontal relation with God in tact, then I can have my vertical relationship with others right. But I can’t make a vertical relationship with others right until my horizontal relationship with God is made right. And so I have to go to God first, and say, “God thank you for the privilege of my life. But God thank you that I can ask you for forgiveness. Because if I can’t do that, I’m trying to live my life in my own ability, my own gifts. And as a result I know I’m going to fail. But I don’t’ think I’m going to fail because I think I’ve gotten away with that for a long time.” And I think that’s what a lot of students find out. That God is a God that wants to take our sin, he took it on the cross, he said, “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.” I think a lot of people don’t know what they do is an affront to God. And so they need to come before God and say, “Please Lord forgive me.” And there’s a lot of you out there today that are struggling with something, and you’re going, “Chancey, I wish I was back at the Institute.” No. You’re right where you need to be. The institute does not save you. The church does not save you. Jesus Christ alone saves you. And so even right now, you can just go before God and say, “God forgive me.” And he hears that and he does forgive, and he makes right the crooked heart. And he wants to heal that pain, and you’ve never been so bad that God can’t forgive you, and I think that’s the lie that we believe sometimes. We believe that, “Chancey, this time I’ve been so bad.” No, we are all wretched, but yet, and that’s why I like what you said a while ago. How many times a day do I need to ask God to forgive me? Many, many times. Because sanctification is not a one time deal. It’s, the rest of my life I’m going to be going to God and saying, “God will you forgive me for that thought, for that action. For losing my tempter, or being frustrated, for my lustful thought, for my attitude.” So many things, but yet, God says, “I heal you every time.” And as a result of me coming to the Lord, and having the true relationship with him, because it is a relationship, no longer just a religion, but my relationship with him is that I want to make it right with him because he redeemed me, he made me right, the blood. I won’t sin as much, but I will sin until the day that I die.
Chad (16:00): That’ll preach. And a great reminder to all of us that reconciliation, that confession is a part of the Christian journey and one that we need to constantly be circling back to, and so, we’re going to keep talking, about those kind of things here on the Kanakuk Institute Podcast, but we’re sure glad to be back with you, we’re sorry for the pause, we’re excited about what God’s doing, not only in the property, but in the lives of our students and our alumni as well. And just want you to know today, we’re really really grateful for you guys. We love you, and we’ll talk to you next time on the Kanakuk Institute Podcast.