KyleGoen.com

I have been out of touch for a while. This week has been really crazy with trying to catch up and refocus after being out of town for a few days last week.

Yesterday in staff meeting Chris relayed a story that I wanted you to know about.

A mom came to him a few weeks ago and asked him, “What have you done to my son?” Chris asked her, “What do you mean?” She continued by telling Chris that her son had participated in Arms around Smyrna, the middle school missions experience. The entire weekend had made a real impact on him in all areas of his life. He is different around the house as far as helping out and being more considerate and he is having quiet times of devotion each day with the Lord and wants to be a better witness for Christ. Chris thanked her for the encouraging words about the weekend and the update on her son.

The next week during a time of Communion the young man didn’t participate with the rest of the students in the Lord’s Supper. Chris spoke with him about this and the young man told him he realized there was un-confessed sin in his life and really felt he needed to make that right before going any further with the Lord’s Supper. Chris had the opportunity to pray with the young man and help him through that time in his walk.

This a great picture of how God is moving in the lives of middle school students here at FBCSmyrna. This young man’s life was impacted by serving with other students and it affected his home life and his walk with Jesus. Each week we minister to around 400 teenagers through the student environments offered at FBCSmyrna. If you know a middle or high school student that isn’t connected to a church invite them to check out what is going on here. Also, please pray for Chris and David as they lead teenagers, parents, and student ministry volunteers to make a difference in Middle Tennessee for the kingdom of God.

My family is on a Spring Break trip of sorts. We are in Greenville, Texas visiting family for a few days and went to church with them yesterday. Our day began very early with Amy going to sing at her mom and dad’s church, Vansickle Baptist Church, just outside of Greenville. She sang beautifully and her family was extremely proud to see their little girl.

Following that service we attended my brother-in-law’s church, Westminster Presbyterian Church, in Greenville. This is the first time that I had ever attended a Presbyterian church and the first time I had heard my brother-in-law preach. What a great time my family had worshiping in a tradition that is completely different than what we are accustomed to each week. He did an incredible job of teaching from Mark 2.

Later that evening it was back to Vansickle for the evening service where I spoke on Genesis 22 and “Extreme Sacrifice”. Amy’s family and my family where in attendance, they enjoyed getting to see their kids lead in worship.

We had a great time leading and participating in worship services that are different than what we are used to each week. It was a great time for us to digest with the kids how people worship differently to the One True God and He hears all of the worship and loves the variety. With that said, I really missed being in my own church, worshiping with the people God has called me to help lead and guide. I hate to miss a Sunday in my church, FBCSmyrna.

In our Small Group Leaders luncheon on Sunday one of our young leaders, Brian, told how he had successfully birthed several small groups. This was a testimony that was desperately needed, we have so many new people coming into FBCSmyrna and very few small groups for them. We need more small group leaders to develop apprentices so new groups can be birthed. Brian has done a phenomenal job at launching new groups and help apprentices grow.

Brian shared the story of his latest apprentice, Billy. Billy came into FBCSmyrna approximately 3 years ago and was far from God when he showed up with his wife. He had personal problems in all areas of life, and wanted  to leave the service and the church as quickly as he could. On the first day he attended he sat near the back and close to the door so he could leave if things weren’t going the way he wanted them to go. He said as bad as he wanted to leave and as close as he was to the door he could not make himself leave. The Holy Spirit had placed him there to hear a message of truth and grace. Following that worship service he continued to come and the Lord began changing him and his family. It wasn’t long until the Lord changed Billy’s heart and he submitted his life and family to the Lord. Brian spoke of the time when he drove to see Billy and his family baptized at Billy’s family church, how he had seen Billy grow in the Lord, how he had submitted himself to godly teaching and training and now would be taking over the leadership the small group. Brian was overcome with emotion while telling the story, it was so refreshing to see men weep with joy over another man’s changed life. Billy, who is a mountain of a man,  enveloped Brian with a huge hug at the close of the testimony. I was able to see that Jesus was leading that transition in the small group. 

Thanks Brian for being a leader who is willing to invest in relationships with people to see them grow in faith. Thanks Billy for being man enough to submit to God’s plan for your life and your family. Guys, keep leading and keep following.

Sunday was a good day from my perspective. Pat taught an incredible message that was full of grace and full of truth. People would be hard pressed to say we don’t teach the whole council of God. We definitely don’t shy away from teaching sin. Pat’s message on divorce and remarriage was a real eye opener for many people.

Getting to baptize Sunday was another great blessing as we saw a real picture of life-change and the testimony of one who has embraced Jesus and committed his ways to Him. I know first hand about that testimony, I have had the privilege of walking in his life over the last several years. Thank you God for changing Randy.

I am a small group leader in our church, each week six families gather to grow closer to the Lord in our walk and each other through community and service. I attended a small group leaders luncheon on Sunday after church and I walked away from that meal so excited to hear all the different ways that people are serving in our community with their small group. What was neat to hear was how most of the projects that are happening in the small groups have absolutely nothing to do with the church building. People are moving in to their neighborhoods and community to reach-out to others and share Jesus through acts of service. They are being obedient to follow when God lays a need on their heart.

There were many other things that were really good on Sunday…these were just a few of the things that made an impression on me.

I have finished the “community garden box”. On Thursday evening Rodney came over after work and we built a raised garden bed out of Western Red Cedar boards. The box is four foot by 10 foot and holds a lot of soil, peat moss and fresh nitrogen product (horse manure).

I am going to give it a week to mix together and then settle down a little bit before I actually plant something. This process has been very enlightening so far, and I can honestly say, I have enjoyed the building and the filling of the “community garden box”. Here are a few pictures for your enjoyment.

Beginning next Monday I plan to start blogging on different topics through out the week on a regular basis. I have been trying to figure out how I could bring some consistency to the blog but also keep the postings fresh. So, with that introductory word here is what I am going to work toward:

Monday – A Different Perspective (what happened on Sunday)

Wednesday- Stories of Changed Lives (the influence that Christ is having through the ministries of fbcsmyrna)

Friday – Personal Reflection (what God has been teaching me, saying, and doing in my life & family)

The rest of the days will be whatever hits me as worthy of blogging about. I’m giving you topics I plan on covering not necessarily the titles. If all goes wall, this will help me to be more focused and hopefully help you enjoy what you are reading.

Stay tuned.

Go to the sidebar, scroll down, and click on the Flickr  photostream to view some pictures that have just been added.

Peyton the Psalter
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4s9ZahCNknA]
Check out Peyton at his school’s medieval feast. I hope you enjoy.

Some of you have asked me in recent days how has the You On A Diet book being going? Well, let me give you an update about what is happening. My family is living the process with me and I am so thankful for them. I couldn’t do this by myself. We are all working through the change of eating habits and it has made a difference in our eating habits and patterns.

I began the change in mid-December ’06. I weighed in at 206 lbs. and a waist size of 44 inches. As of last evening (March 1, ’07) I weigh 187 lbs. and 39 inches around the waist (-19 lbs & 5in.). I hope to decrease my waist size a little more.

The focus of the book is “waist size” not weight. Since heart disease is a major concern in my family due to my family history, this book has helped me to understand how to attack the problem. 

Amazingly, my children have adhusted to w the food selections and the change in snacks. I couldn’t accomplish this without my family buying into the process.

I have just started reading a new book, Breaking the Missional Code, by Ed Stetzer of the North American Mission Board. On a couple of occasions I have meet Ed and had the opportunity to dialog with him about misssional living and evangelism in the United States.

He has some good statements in the beginning pages of the book that I want to pass along to you for provoking thoughts and dialog.

Breaking the missional code of our community means, “thinking missiologically, and “if we are not focusing on missiology then we are being disobedient to the Great Commission.” ”

Pastors often distinguish between evangelism and mission: “evangelism takes place near us; missions takes place overseas.”

“Evangelism is telling people about Jesus; missions involves understanding them before we tell them.”

Pretty interesting in light of the discussions I’ve had lately.