KyleGoen.com

God has been passionate about saving people from their sin and shame since  the time of Adam and Eve. From the moment Eve believed the lie of the serpent in Genesis 3:6 and disobeyed God’s command, until today, God has been reconciling sinful man unto Himself for the purpose of reclaiming the glory that belongs rightfully to Him (Isa 42:8). Jeff Lewis writes, “God’s passion for his name and his glory is the supreme reason for his actions in the world.” The actions of God are purposeful. Proverbs 19:21 says, “Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.”2 Peter is quoted in Acts 13:36, “For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep and was laid with his fathers. . . .” Scripture makes clear that God is purposeful in His actions. In The Biblical Basis of Missions, Avery Willis states that God is on mission. “By mission,” Willis writes, “I mean the total redemptive purpose of God to establish his kingdom.” Since the day of rebellion in the Garden of Eden by Adam and Eve, God has been seeking actively to reestablish His kingdom here on earth. The activity and purpose of God continue today in the work of the local church. Since God is on mission, His church should be about the same activity that the heavenly Father is committed to seeing advanced.

What is the activity of God in the world today?

What are some of the evidences of God’s activity in the world today?

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.

Ed Stetzer post a good article about why some missional churches don’t do international missions. This is an interesting read.

On July 1o Pat, Tim and I went to Memphis to meet with four other churches and the leadership of the International Mission Board (IMB) to discuss the process of sending missionaries from the local church. The other churches involved with LifePoint in the process are Cornerstone, Pinelake, The Church at BrookHills and Summit Church. The gathering was very informative and historic I believe for the way mission is implemented and carried out in our denomination.

The main focus of the meeting centered around how the local church can lead out in being the mission sending organization and the IMB return to being a facilitating organization for the  local church. Because of the local church’s abdication of it’s responsibility the IMB has had to pick up the task of being the sending organization. God has ordained the local church not para-church organizations. Somewhere along the time line of history the local church got involved in looking inward for too long of a period of time and the mission stopped being the “main thing”.  Let me be clear, we do not want to stop being cooperative with others or change any offerings. The local church must get back to sending, strategizing, and caring for the missionaries that come from their church. It will take all of us to accomplish the task, but we must take responsibility for those we send and how they are sent.

Sometime in the next month each of the churches that were represented will have their Mission pastor travel to Richmond to hammer out more specific details of what the partnership could look like for churches that are ready to take the task of sending missionaries from the local church. Please pray for the leadership of the IMB as they seek to help the church mobilize it’s members to spread the fame of God around the world to each nation and people group. Pray also for the local leadership of the church to be bold and responsible for the sending of the church into the world to Spread His Fame among the Nations.

I have heard of this blogsite and the work that this young lady has been involved in for a few months. I have not had the opportunity to get over there and check it out though until yesterday. Pat forwarded me a link yesterday and said I would probably want to look at it.

I was extremely moved, quite literally to tears. I will let her words explain…

Definitely going on the blogroll.

You could really help FBCSmyrna’s Helping Hands food closet. We are in need of non-perishable food items that we can pack into our food boxes that are distributed daily to people who are in need. Each box has a set list of items that are packed for each family. If you can help please bring the items to the church office. FBCSmyrna distributes 15-20 food boxes a week and we are not into the holiday period yet. This would make a great project for your small group or Bible study class.

Items that are needed:

• Peanut Butter
• Jelly
• Canister of  Oatmeal
• Box of Stuffing
• 1 lb. box of Spaghetti
• Can or Jar of Spaghetti Sauce
• 2 cans of soup
• 2 cans of vegetables
• box of Jello
• Can of fruit
• 2 boxes of Mac & Cheese
• Box of Pop-Tarts
• 2 cans of Tuna
• 1 lb. bag of dry beans
• 1 lb. bag of Rice

We are unable to receive perishable products or meats.
Thank you Derlin for leading our food ministry for Helping Hands.

The Smyrna-La Vergne Food Bank is in need of food donations. This is an agency we work closely with as a church to help with the food needs of the community. Our own Helping Hands Ministry, FBCSmyrna’s benevolence ministry,  we work with outside groups like the Food Bank to minister to our community. This is a great opportunity for FBCSmyrna to bless our community in a time of need.

The Smyrna-La Vergne Food Bank saw a 30 percent increase in applications in September 2008 compared to the previous year, according to Denise Esker, director of the food bank in Smyrna. Earlier this month, 10 families applied for help for the first time in the same day. “Seventy percent of our yearly intake of food comes this time of year (because people want to give),” said Esker. (www.dnj.com)

Let’s get involved and help out.

Here are the numbers and addresses you need:

The Smyrna- La Vergne Food Bank is at 130 Richardson Road, Smyrna. The phone number is 615-355-0697.

Hours are from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Monday and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday through Friday.

Each November through March FBCSmyrna is involved in a ministry called Room at the Inn. This service ministry is lead by Lisa and T.J. Burke. The Burke’s initiated Room at the Inn @ FBCSmyrna over three years ago and have been leading the ministry with the help of many others. Each Friday evening FBCSmyrna host 10 (ten) men who are homeless from the Nashville area, they are fed, their clothes are washed, given haircuts if they would like one and given the opportunity to have a warm and restful sleep without the fear of any danger.

Small Groups and Sunday School classes prepare the evening meal and then spend time conversing about life, family, interest and showing the love of God to these men. If the men are in need of clothes, coats, hats or gloves they are able to look through some donated items to find the right sizes and given what they need.

The Burke’s have expressed a need for men to drive the van to pick up the guests on Friday evening and drop them off on Saturday morning. They need men to sleep over at the church. They are also in need of men’s socks, underwear, and gloves. The gloves and socks can be gently used. The underwear needs to be new. They need deodorant, shaving cream, and toothpaste.

Room at the Inn is a great service ministry and I encourage you to become a part of at FBCSmyrna. If you would like to volunteer contact Susan Garland in the Global Initiative office @ 459-3311 and she will put you in touch with Lisa and T.J..

Thank you Lisa and T.J. for your leadership and your servant heart. Your example of showing God’s love in a tangible way is making a difference.

In early 2009 (Feb.) I will begin teaching on Wednesday evenings at FBCSmyrna about living missional as a follower of Christ.

What are some subjects/topics that are related to this subject you think should be included in the teaching? Maybe they are a full session or maybe a short topic or statement included in session about something else. I would love to hear your thoughts.

People who are talking, thinking, and writing in this direction:

Ed Stetzer

Alan Hirsch

Subtext

Al Hsu

[note to skeptics/critics - these guys challenge my thinking to live intentional in my culture so Christ can be known, we may or may not agree on everything, but they are leading the way in thinking missional]