KyleGoen.com

There is a great organization that my family is affiliated with called His Commission. They are committed to helping missionaries, pastors and church leaders spread the gospel to all nations. His Commission was started by Byron Britain as a way to utilize his business gifting (selling vehicles) for the cause of Christ around the world. He owns Britain Chevrolet in Greenville, TX. I know Mr. Britain and have done business with him and can attest to his integrity and his love for the Lord and the church. Through His Commission Mr. Britain is committed to giving the commission on any vehicle sale to the missionary that recommends people to his business. That means, if you purchase a vehicle from them Mr. Britain will pass along his commission on the sale to the missionary and the sending agency who sent them. This is huge for those who have to raise their support.

With the advent of the web and the popularity of vehicle websites someone can purchase a car from anywhere in the United States and have it delivered to their doorstep. I have observed how people purchase vehicles online with complete confidence they are getting a fair and honest deal. Through His Commission purchasing a vehicle of any make or model is possible, not just a Chevrolet. For those who are skeptical of purchasing a vehicle online Byron will put your fears to rest. You will deal directly with Mr. Britain, the owner of the dealership.

Here is an opportunity for you to be involved in partnering with the Goen’s as we move to Belgium. If you are looking for a new or used vehicle call, email, visit their website or go and see Byron Britain at Britain Chevrolet.  Please tell them that Kyle Goen recommended you purchase with Byron Britain through His Commission and you want the Goen’s to receive the commission.

Thanks Byron for your heart for the Lord and the nations. Thank you friends for helping out from anywhere and everywhere in the United States.

I previously wrote about raising our children to be global Christians. Here is the completion of my article.

In addition to her suggestions we implemented some ideas of our own that have made a tremendous impact on our family. These suggestions have influenced our thinking about being a global Christian rather than just a North American Christian.

1. We looked for people who were serving Christ in our community and around the world and hosted them in our home so our kids could meet them. We wanted our kids to hear God-sized stories about serving God in a context different than our own.
2. As a family we would get involved with local outreach ministry opportunities that would expose them to living a missional life. My wife and I wanted our children to understand that ministry was more than Sunday morning.
3. Our family has tried to make friends with people from other cultures living in the United States. When we lived in Houston, we lived on a cul-de-sac that was home to a Filipino family, a Chinese family, a Jewish single lady, and a Buddhist family. Our children learned early on that people worship differently than our family did. We would explain to our kids that the gospel was for all people, all nations, all races and tribes.
4. We led our children to be involved in mission education in our local church. The experiences they received in our home were undergirded by the mission education they received through our children’s ministry in the local church.
5. We made a commitment to give an annual gift to our church-wide mission offering that was taken up each Christmas. We explained that our offering was a gift that would help international missionaries accomplish the work God had called them to do. Our offering was equal to or greater than the most expensive gift(s) we would exchange during the Christmas season. This made a huge impression on our kids and us.
6. Lastly, we made a commitment as parents to take our kids on an international mission trip before each one moved into middle school. We felt it was important to expose them to other global Christians and to expose them to what living on mission internationally was like for other followers of Christ. Our trips together have been so beneficial for our children and our family. The decision has meant much sacrifice for our family but we have never regretted our decision.

All of these activities and decisions have had a cumulative effect on our kids. There is no way for me to narrow down the list and say “this one thing” made all the difference. Keeping our children consistently exposed to global Christianity has made me a better and more well rounded follower of Christ. He has changed my thinking, living and serving in the process of leading my family. We are not perfect nor do we have raising global Christ followers figured out. I am thankful for people like the Piper’s who exposed us and mentored us to having a higher vision for raising and growing our children into global followers of Christ.

There have been families throughout the years that my wife and I have tried to watch from afar and let them mentor us in what it means to be a Christian family. We looked for and found a family to help us develop our children into “global followers of Christ.”  When I speak about being a “global follower of Christ,” I am referring to someone who has a bigger vision and idea of what it means to follow Christ outside of the context in which they live.

One of the families that has mentored us in developing a global Christian mindset is John and Noel Piper. Noel Piper has written an article that influenced my wife and me tremendously concerning developing our children to think as a global Christian.Some of the ideas she listed in her article included subscribing to National Geographic magazine, reading missionary biographies together, putting missionary family pictures around for the family to see and pray for and teaching your children that America is not the only God-made country in the world.

What strategies are you utilizing to raise your kids to enlarge their view of global Christianity?

Part 2 tomorrow.

I want to introduce you to Cheryl Read.

Cheryl is a cousin to my wife Amy. Cheryl and her husband, Chris, live in Northeast Texas and have four (4) sons. Her family is an excellent example of a family who are living on mission for Jesus right in the middle of suburban U.S.A. . They are not a perfect family and she will probably kill me for posting this, but they are an ordinary family that is seeking to live out the call of Christ in their community.

It all began with a trip to Ghana several years ago. Cheryl was following what she knew was obedience to a command to go. Upon returning from Ghana she started returning yearly with people and supplies that would not only help people physically but also spiritually. She has since helped begin an organization that is active working in Ghana. If I remember correctly she has been active in Ghana for over seven years.

Cheryl also is active in a refugee ministry in the inner city of Dallas. I am so challenged in my walk by her family. The Read’s have not made being on mission a segment of their life that is lived out each summer in another country.  They are active in their Jerusalem each week.

I encourage you to go and check Cheryl’s blog and follow along with her as see seeks to be salt and light in the world she has been placed to lived and the world she chooses to go to.

The Upstream Collective recently published two articles on LifePoint and the Belgium Church Planting team. I am linking those articles here for you to read.

Amy’s Interview

Church’s Call to Belgium

Check out the new article on the Upstream Collective blog. LifePoint is seeking to be a part of a new movement in church planting and missional living and we are thankful for groups like Upstream who are helping us to follow God’s call as individuals and as a church.

Thank you to all who were part of the Spirit Night at Chick-fil-a in Murfreesboro last night. The boys, Evan and Peyton, were so encouraged by your support and friendship. There was a great sense of community in the store as we laughed and had a good time with friends.

Many thanks go to Chick-fil-a Murfreesboro, Cortney Bartemus, LifePoint Church and Providence Christian Academy for making the evening a success and a fun time.

Evan and Peyton will make sure that you get to see pictures and hear about their experiences in Belgium when they return following Spring Break.

Tonight my sons are hosting a fundraiser for their mission trip to Brussels, Belgium at Chick-fi-la in Murfreesboro, TN. Everything begins at 5 pm this evening and wraps up at 8 pm. If you are able to come out and take part we would love it. You will see lots of your friends and have some great food.

Chick-fil-a allows non-profit organizations and individuals who are attempting to raise money for mission trips have a fundraiser in their stores. These events are called Spirit Nights and I am so thankful for the vision of Mr. Cathy for allowing these to take place.

We hope to see you tonight at Belgium Mission Spirit Night 5pm – 8 pm @ Chick-fil-a in Murfreesboro. 15% of the total ticket goes toward their project.

Pat and Amy Hood have some incredible shirts they are selling to help bring home their son Isaiah. Hopefully you can help out by purchasing a T-Shirt.

The men’s short sleeve Save One is charcoal.

The men’s short sleeve Serve One is stonewashed denim.

The women’s short sleeve Save One is silver. (S – XL only)

The women’s short sleeve Serve One in black.

The ladies long sleeve combo burnout tee is dark chocolate & white. (S – XL only)

The long sleeve Anvil is black.

Sizes are S – 2XL

Prices are $25.00 for the short sleeve Next Level & the long sleeve Anvil for both men and women.  The women’s long sleeve combo burnout is $30.00

You can order by emailing Amy at amyrhood5@gmail.com If you live away and would like to order, we will be glad to ship your shirt(s) to you. Shipping will be $5.00 extra on your total order.

From a USA Today article published today….

Millennials are significantly more likely than young adults in earlier generations to say they don’t identify with any religious group. Among Millennials, 26% cite no religious identity, compared with 20% for most members of Generation X (born 1965-1980) at the same ages, and 13% for most Baby Boomers (born 1946-1964) at those ages.

Worship attendance is sliding steadily, too: 18% of Millennials say they attend worship nearly every week or more often, vs. 21% of Gen Xers when they were in their 20s and 26% of Boomers at those ages. (Cathy Lyn Grossman, author)

Read the entire article here.