FAQs

With AbelKeeper’s founder, Keith Johnson

Why the need for Abel Keepers?

So I have interviewed many men over the last 25 years and asked them, “Do you have a friend like that?”  A friend that will love you to the end and will always be there for you to the end.  Most of them said no and some said, “Keith, you are the only man that calls me or follows up from time to time.”  Wow!  I was stunned because the “time to time” would be months.  But I completely understand where they are coming from.  Men do not know how to love other men in a biblical way like David and Jonathan and Paul and Timothy.  

And there are multiple and varied reasons for this.  Hundreds of things and events and stuff get in our way of establishing relationships of accountability and long term friendships.  I have participated in men’s groups that lasted up to 8 years and one brother decides he is done, mostly for selfish reasons and departs, and the entire group of 6 to 8 men become just me.  At the heart, I believe it is selfishness, lack of trust and pride.  But there are numerous reasons men refuse to commit to one another.  

Here are just a few:

  •  I don’t want you to know my business…… normally that means hidden sin

  • I don’t trust you nor do I agree with you 100% of the time

  • I am too busy with career or family or travel or a hobby or ______ you fill in the blank

  •  I can’t show weakness, I can’t take a risk, what will others think of me

  • I don’t need more judgement, I need grace, I am accountable to God

  •  I share with my wife, I don’t need a Keeper

It simply comes down to a commitment for life, a need for accountability, a teachable spirit and willingness to learn from one another in order to be more effective in the Kingdom as well as with our family and friends and enemies.

So what about sin?  Known sin without repentance?  Does that end the relationship, the communication, the weekly 15 minute sessions?

Well, it hasn’t ended my relationship with my Heavenly Father over the last 40+ years.  Why should it stop my commitment to another brother?  My Father God has been faithful to me while I have been consistently unfaithful to Him from time to time over the years.  We are committed “Keepers” with a life long responsibility to “Keep” each other.  

Then you might say, can the Lord not keep me?  And you might quote Jude 1:24,

“Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy.” 

 And you would be biblically correct.  

Abel Keepers is not a substitute for the Holy Spirt or the Lord Jesus. Keepers cannot keep you from sinning nor present you blameless. Proverbs 18:24 says “A man that has friends must show himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticks closer than a brother.”  I really appreciate Matthew Henry’s commentary on this verse:  

“Christ Jesus never will forsake those who trust in and love him.  May we be such friends to others, for our Master’s sake.  Having loved his own, which were in the world, he loved them unto the end; and we are his friends if we do whatever he commands us.”  

There have been many attempts to do similar things — like Promise Keepers and other discipleship groups like the Navigators. What makes Abel Keepers different?  You’ve described what you are.  Christ Followers, Bible-Centered, Friends, Accountable, Prayers, Listeners, Vulnerable, Responsible and committed for life, to name a few things. 

What are you not?

  • We are not another Men’s Bible Study.  Even a study that rightly divides the Word of Truth without application as many are.  We don’t require you to complete a 12 week course on Hezikiah and the minor prophets or study where the Philistines came from.  We frankly don’t care!  If you want to rightly divide the Word of Truth with your Keeper every time you meet, go for it!  But we don’t recommend or publish bible studies.

  • We are not a Church and have no intention of being one so don’t ask us.  Our identity is in Jesus of Nazareth, not in establishing another formal group.  We are all a part of local assemblies with small groups and elders and bible study.  We are happy to share our process with your local church but can you find the pattern in the Gospels and the book of Acts if you care to search.

  • We are not a separate Theology and we don’t expect you to be like us.  Some of us are 5 point Calvinists and others are Armenian in our theology.  We believe Spurgeon and Wesley and Whitfield will be in heaven.  Some of us like Hymns and some of us like Praise songs and some of us like pews in formal buildings and others like sofas in homes.  We are convinced that these things are secondary in the Kingdom.

  • We are not a Mission organization although we love missions and support several.  We are not a sending organization but if you want to talk missions and evangelism, we are convinced with Paul, …..”how beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”  Romans 10:15

  • We are not Fund Raisers.  We Do Not want your money!  In fact, everything you see on our website is absolutely free.  Counseling, Books, Bibles, T-shirts, etc.  No charge and that includes shipping costs.  We are Givers, not Takers and we prove it with action, not empty talk.  If you want to contribute, we will let you but we will never bring it up.  Ever!  You will have to beg us like the Macedonians begged Paul…… “begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints”.  2 Corinthians 8:4