Category: Tyler Kiefer – Interim Director of Youth

Be sure to mark your calendars for February 16-18 because we are going to DNOW. It is going to be an amazing weekend where we are going to explore what it looks like to follow Jesus. We will join several area churches for this event at First Baptist Church, O’Fallon. There will be hundreds of students there all fellowshipping and worshipping together.

This is an amazing opportunity for our students to meet other believers their age, who they go to school with and live around. I ask that you pray for this event, that hearts will be softened and that lives will be changed as we wrestle with the gospel. We will be staying at the church and traveling to FBC O’Fallon for large group sessions. Sign ups are all on-line at dnow.feefeebc.org

Chi Alpha is having a Super Bowl party on February 11th! It will start at 5pm. Family is invited and encouraged to come with students. We’re doing food potluck style so bring your favorite game-watching snacks.

We are still looking for more leaders to help disciple our youth. I ask that you prayerfully consider partnering with us in this ministry. Serving can seem intimidating, but we are not looking for perfect teachers. Rather, disciples who love the Lord and what to invest in his children.

Philippians 4:13 says “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” You will not be without proper tools, prayer, and equipping. I want to pour into leaders as they are pouring into the youth. If you are interested or have any questions, please email me at tyler@feefeebc.org.

It has been an immense blessing to finish the year with Chi Alpha! We are looking forward to the new year and all the events that are coming with it. At the start of the new year, we are going to go through the ten commandments on Wednesday’s nights. Seeing that God gave these to us because He loves us and how to apply them to our lives to glorify Him. On Sunday mornings, we will continue our study, “A Name Like No Other,” in which we explore the importance of God’s name and His attributes.

Be sure to mark your calendars for February 16-18 because we are going to DNOW. It is going to be an amazing weekend where we are going to explore what it looks like to follow Jesus. We will join several area churches for this event at First Baptist, O’Fallon. There will be hundreds of students there all fellowshipping and worshiping together. This is an amazing opportunity for our students to meet other believers their age, that they go to school with, and live around. More information will be coming soon! I ask that you pray for this event, that hearts will be softened and that lives will be changed as we wrestle with the gospel.

We are still looking for more leaders to help disciple our youth. I ask that you prayerfully consider partnering with us in this ministry. Serving can seem intimidating, but we are not looking for perfect teachers. Rather, disciples who love the Lord and what to invest in his children. Philippians 4:13 says “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” You will not be without proper tools, prayer, and equipping. I want to pour into leaders as they are pouring into the youth. If you are interested or have any questions, please email me at tyler@feefeebc.org.

Hello Church! My name is Tyler Kiefer. I am so excited for this blessing of being able to partner in ministry with you all as the new Interim Youth Director.

I grew up in High Ridge, MO, which is south of here in Northern Jefferson County. I graduated from Northwest High School in Cedar Hill, MO. I am engaged to my high school sweetheart, Anna. My hobbies are fishing, hiking and basically anything outdoors and in the woods.

I am currently a student at Missouri Baptist University, majoring in Christian Ministry with a Minor in Church Planting. I am passionate about discipleship and scriptural fluency.

Currently the youth group is through the book of James. We are exploring how we can respond to God’s commands to us and glorify Him with better Christian living.

We are currently looking for more leaders (especially women) to help with the youth group. If you are interested in helping with the youth, please email me at: tyler@feefeebc.org. I would love to get connected with you.

Exciting News! Please join me in welcoming Tyler Kiefer as our Interim Youth Director. God’s timing is always perfect and this is a great example of His wisdom. Tyler is a student at Missouri Baptist University and comes with high praises from Matt Easter who has had Tyler in some of his classes. Tyler has served as a Youth Ministry Intern and is currently an RA at Missouri Baptist University. Paul Baugher and I along with the staff are looking forward to making this a smooth onboarding for Tyler.

Do not forget the youth are hosting a Trivia Night on November 4^th at 6pm. Doors open at 5:30. We are still looking for you to provide some tasty deserts for auction. The proceeds from this event will help with the cost of summer camp for 2024.

In our Sunday morning Bible study, we have been covering 1^st and 2^nd Peter and will wrap up that study in early November, just in time for Tyler to lead our youth into the next study. God is good all the time and so is His timing.

School is back in session and we are resuming our normal Wednesday Night activities for Chi Alpha that started back up on September 13th. Paul Baugher will be leading those Bible Study sessions with a focus on how to study the Bible, importance of daily prayer and devotion time as well as how to share Christ with others.

Paul and I are working on the Youth Calendar and planning upcoming events. One being an “After Football Game” party coming in October. This will be a focused effort on attracting students from Pattonville so we can introduce them to the Rafters on the 3rd floor with the hope that they would be interested in future Youth events and lead to them joining Chi Alpha. Stay tuned for more details.

Psalm 46:10 “Be still, and know that I am God! …” This verse would lead some to believe that we need to remain still which means not to move forward. However, if we as followers of Christ do not move then how can we follow? In the case of the servant who was given only one talent and buried it, the returning master was furious and called the servant wicked and lazy. To follow Christ is to MOVE forward in the activities Jesus is calling us to join Him. This is how we demonstrate that we trust Him.  What activity is Jesus asking you to move forward to?

 First off, I want to thank Joey Stewart for stepping up as our Summer Intern after the Youth Director departed. Joey filled the leadership void with maturity and fearlessness. Next, I’d like to do a shout out for Matt Easter as he has been leading the Sunday morning Bible Study by sharing in-depth knowledge of the 7 churches in Revelation.

Paul Baugher has volunteered to lead the Wednesday night Chi Alpha activities with a focus on discipleship and how youth can develop their daily walk with Christ. This will include how to study the Bible, importance of daily prayer and devotion time as well as how to share Christ with others.

As the Interim to the Interim Youth Leader, I will be leading the Sunday morning Bible Study time now that Matt has concluded his series in Revelation. My plan is to lead Chi Alpha with studying different books/characters of the Bible and play off what Paul Baugher is teaching on Wednesday nights. I plan to be in this role until we find our new Interim Youth Leader.

Update on Interim Youth Leader search, as a member of the Personnel Committee I can tell you that this is our committee’s number 1 priority. We have contacted a few area church leaders who are now on the lookout for helping us find our new Interim Youth Leader. We also will be leveraging Matt Easter’s connections to the MoBap student body as we continue to search. However, that help will come once sometime after college  classes begins.

Let me first say thank you all for your support in my life as I grew in my faith here at Fee Fee. I will be leaving for college August 5th, and I whole-heartedly believe that God has properly equipped me to be a bold servant for Him, even in the mission field of a public university.

There is still quite a big question mark about what’s next for the youth department. We still need people to step up and help. We have some volunteers for Sunday Mornings, but when the school year starts volunteers will be needed to lead Wednesday night small groups for the students. Sign-ups for these positions will soon be posted for you to answer if God has called you to serve.

Yet amid the chaos, I found strange reassurance in John chapter 11. Jesus had just learned about Lazarus’ sickness and proclaimed that the sickness would be used for God’s glory. But look at the next 2 verses: “Now Jesus loved Martha, her sister, and Lazarus. So, when he heard that he was sick, he stayed two more days in the place where he was.” (John 11:5-6 CSB) Jesus intentionally waits 2 more days before making his way to Bethany, where Lazarus was sick. Long distance healing is not an issue to Jesus either, as we see with his interaction with the Roman centurion. Jesus waits 2 days because he knows that waiting for Lazarus to die will bring the greatest glory to God and show God’s power over death to the disciples and convince the Pharisees to kill Jesus (which ultimately leads to more glory). Our situation at FeeFee may not be as dire as Lazarus’, but we can take heart in knowing that God has the perfect time to send someone to proclaim His glory to our youth.

Let everything we say and do be to honor and glorify our Lord.

Joey Stewart, Summer Intern

I’ve never really been good at goodbyes. No matter the circumstance, it’s something I never really look forward to, because that means something is ending. Whether it’s high school graduation, moving to a new state, or even your favorite movie or tv franchise ending…goodbyes never get easier. But this goodbye is especially tough. As it was announced on June 18^th, I have accepted a call to a new position, and my last Sunday here will be July 2^nd. While my family and I are very excited about these new possibilities, and we know that God has prepared this path for us, it doesn’t make this transition any easier.

I came to Fee Fee when I was 6 months old, and it truly is the only church I have ever known. Apart from a few semesters away for college, I sat in these pews every Sunday with you. I’ve grown up with you from my days in the nursery (where many of you remind me how you held me…thank you all for that), to my days in the Children’s Department enjoying the days of VBS and Children’s Church, and to my transition into the Youth Group here, where my life was forever changed. Chi Alpha, and every leader, student, or volunteer who has ever been involved there, has truly changed my life. This is the space where I grew into the man that I am today, and everyone there has been with me through all of life’s highs and lows.

My transition from student to staff was one that I wasn’t expecting when I came on board as the Summer Intern, but I saw God’s hand through that whole transition. As we worked through a pastoral transition and then a global pandemic, to say my first couple years in ministry was hectic is an understatement. But there was always one constant…the students. Their genuine joy, willingness, care, curiosity, and kindness is what made coming to work in difficult conditions worth it. I am so proud of each of them. The impact they have made on the youth group culture, each other, our church, our community, across the country while on mission, and on me and my family is out of this would. Students, I love you all, and I can’t wait to watch you succeed. You truly will change the world.

These last almost 5 years are one I would not change for the world. Serving as your Youth Pastor has been one of the best joys of my life, and I truly am sad to see this time pass. While this may seem like goodbye, please know that I am still here, cheering you on, and rooting for Fee Fee. Invest in each other, BUILD great community here, and continue to PURSUE our community. Be the hands and feet of Jesus.

Thank you Fee Fee, we truly will miss you.

Kyle & Alaina Baldwin

Chi Alpha Youth activities this month:

July 6th:   Chi Alpha Summers

July 10th —14th:   MFUGE Camp

July 19th:  Board Game Night

Jul 28:  Underground Church

We have a WILD summer planned for the students this year, with many fun events on the calendar, and some great memories ahead. But before I go in to those, I would love to introduce our new Summer Intern for the Youth Ministry….Mr. Joey Stewart!! Joey is a recent graduate of Pattonville High School and will be heading to UCM in Warrensburg, MO in the fall to study Music Education. Joey has been an active member of the youth since I have been here, and was a founding member of our Youth Council. He has had a hand in many of our events, mission trips, and has already had many teaching opportunities as a student. He is a natural born leader, and I am so proud of the young man he has grown to be. I can’t wait to serve with him this summer!

Now, here is a quick snapshot of some fun things we have going on this summer:

June 7 – Chi Alpha Summers

June 10-16 – Alaska Mission Trip

June 21 – Movie Night

June 23 – Mini Golf in the Church!

July 6 – Chi Alpha Summers

July 10-14 – MFUGE Camp

July 19 – Board Game Night

July 28 – Underground Church

August 2 – Chi Alpha Summers

August 16 – Polish Ping Pong/Spoons Tournament

August 27 – Youth & Family BBQ

 There are more events to come as well! Check back to our social media for more info!

End of the Year Encouragement

The end of the school year is upon us, and that means summer is right around the corner! While that may sound exciting, and maybe that will give you the extra boost you need to make it to the end of the year, sometimes this last month of school seems to just drag on and never end. While we have lots of things to look forward to like prom, end of year parties, sports, and graduation, there also is the fear and worry that comes from finals, EOC’s, projects, and presentations. The clock is ticking…how are you going to face it? When I was a student, one verse I would often turn to was Romans 5:3-4. There is glory in hard times, and that produces perseverance, which produces character, which produces hope! Students, you are so close to the finish line…keep digging! Parents, remember to check in on your students this month. You may get the standard “I’m okay” response when you check in on them, but just know that your intentionality means the world, even if your student is too cool to tell you now (trust me they will when they are older). Church, pray for our students! This is a huge time for them, and they need your support. It takes a village, and Fee Fee is faithful! Let’s finish the race well!