I have been a full-time paid  pastor of almost 7 years now.  And for that entire team, I have been a teaching pastor.  And for most of this time, my messages have been recorded.  Almost every week, there are notes.  These things are important to note, because it means there is a consistent record of what I have said or not said.

Sometimes people will look at me and say, “well you said (and fill in something I supposedly said)”.  I will often think, that is not what I said.  Or another person will say to me in the store or in my office or at someone’s home “well Keith said we cannot (fill in something I supposedly said)”.  There will be times I say, “yep, I said that” and there are times I am like, “No.  I did talk about that, but that was not the point or what I said.”  In fact, some times I have even been driven to go back and listen to a message or a couple messages I have given to see if I really said that.  There are times I stand corrected, but there are many times where I am like, “wow, that is not what I said at all.”  What really blows my mind is how I can say the same sentence and people here it so differently.  Take this sentence (one geared for those who call themselves believers) – If you are giving more financially to your vacation experiences in a year than you are to your local church, then your priorities are off.  Some hear that and say “Keith said I should never go on vacation”  Others hear that are convicted and change.  Others hear it and say I need to step up my giving.  And finally, others hear it and say “I do not understand why Keith goes on vacation since he’s against them.”  And so on…

With this in mind, I created a list of things I never actually said, but yet people have told me I said them.  If you thought I said one of these thing, or  you were even the person who said to me that I said something like this, please forgive my lack of clarity.  It is my job as a communicator to make sure what I say is clear.  So let me bring clarity.  Here are things I never said.

1. Christians should never have big houses.
2. I do not think Christian people should ever take vacations.  (For the record, not only do I take vacations personally, I think it is really important you do this.)
3. Grace Fellowship does not care about you if you are over age 35.
4. It is wrong to miss weekend worship services for any reason.
5. Travel sports are evil and you should not let your kid participate in them.
6. Bikinis are always wrong.
7. All of your friends should be Christians.
8. All of your friends should be non-Christians.
9. I really do not want to be any of your friends.
10. If you do not like the Romano crusted chicken at Cap City, there is no way you love Jesus. (I did not say this publicly, but it is true)