Ministry Update
Steve and Kristen Wynn
Associate Church Revitalizers, Smyrna, NY
January 2025
Hello Prayer Partners!
We’re always being sold something, aren’t we? It seems no matter where you go, someone is pitching a new product that will change your life. A new vehicle. A new medicine. A new gizmo or gadget.
Well, I recently read some compelling research on a product that can, indeed, change your life. 40,000 people, ages 8 to 80, were polled about this product. And when they used this product four or more times a week, the results included:
- Feeling lonely drops 30%
- Anger issues drop 32%
- Bitterness in relationships drops 40%
- Alcoholism drops 57%
- Sex outside of marriage drops 68%
- Feeling spiritually stagnant drops 60%
- Viewing pornography drops 61%
Now, you may look at this and think: it’s too good to be true. What product can produce such staggering results? Well, I didn’t even share the best ones – by using this product at least four times a week, Christians see a 200% increase in sharing their faith and 230% in discipling others! Well, since we’re all about making disciples in our churches, you’re probably on the edge of your seat. What product, when used four or more times a week, can produce such staggering results?
It’s God’s Holy Word, of course! “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17 When God’s people meditate upon and study His Word, the Spirit transforms us (1 Corinthians 2:11, Romans 12:1-2).
If you’re not currently in His Word each day, now’s a great time to begin!
9 Tangible Benefits of Bible Reading for Your Church
Jeff Martin
Read the research for yourself!
“The more often Christians engage the Bible at least four times a week, the more bold they will be in sharing and growing in their faith.”
What’s in progress?
We have so much to be grateful for at West Smyrna Baptist Church! Thank you for your prayers and encouragement! Here are some of the highlights, based on our four action plans:
- Being One Body
- We will be completing our Five Lessons from Galatians sermon series this week! We’ve had three primary action items: (1) Do I know the Gospel? (2) Are we one body? (3) Am I growing in Christ?
- Our small groups have been growing and we’ve seen an increase in hospitality.
- Peacemaking
- We had our first of two workshops unpacking the peacemaking principles learned from fellow BCP missionary, Director Marty Basinger, back in November. The next workshop will be on February 23.
- Decently & In Order
- The Constitution has been compiled and approved by the congregation.
- The church’s standard operating procedures are being updated.
- A new child safety policy has been written and is working through the approval process.
- We have developed a church organizational chart.
- In February, we will begin a new sermon series on God’s Design for the Church.
- Pastoral Search
- On Saturday, the deacons and Steve will begin forming their pastoral search process.
In addition to our action plans, we’ve continued to have new visitors each week, regular attenders have been attempting new discipleship endeavors, such as Adult Sunday School, and we’ve seen more members getting involved in ministry and sharing the gospel with the lost!
Pray for church leadership as we ascertain what the next stage of partnership looks like between West Smyrna Baptist, Faith Baptist, and Baptist Church Planters. Our current transitional agreement will conclude at the end of February. We are working out the details and will present the new proposal to the church family on February 16 for approval.
Our youth group has been steadily growing. We regularly have over 30 teens each week. A focus of ours is to challenge the kids to be reading their devotions during the week!
Steve was asked to be a guest speaker at Open Door Baptist Church’s Teen Winter Formal. He spoke on following God’s Will of Desire for our lives and the importance of focusing on being a godly man or woman.
Each week this month, the WSBC deacons answered three questions: (1) What is the Gospel? (2) Do I believe the Gospel? (3) When did I believe the Gospel? Pictured here is Steve’s dad, Norm, sharing the gospel from the pulpit.
Our youth group praise band has been improving greatly! They are currently serving on a rotating schedule – with four or five students playing every other week. A big surprise this week was announcing that our praise band would be leading worship during Camp Recharge in May. The teens are excited!
We had a wonderful game night with our sending church family on New Year’s Eve!
Later in January, the kids attended a Colgate Women’s Ice Hockey game for a birthday party.
Chilly days mean cuddling with cats, blankets, and a good book.
Praise & Prayer Request List
Praises
- Praise God that our financial needs are met through the generous support of our nine partnering churches, one business, and 58 families!
- Praise God that London and Calvin are excelling in their homeschooling.
- Praise God for our ministry at West Smyrna Baptist Church.
- A friend of London’s from public school has been faithfully attending youth group, and London recently learned that she has been sharing the gospel at school!
- Faith Baptist Tabernacle has a candidate for our Timothy Initiative! He will be preaching at FBT in February.
Prayer Requests
- Wynn Family
- Pray for Steve and Kristen to be bold in proclaiming Christ, making disciples, and living above reproach. Pray for us to have wisdom and balance, in ministry and in our home.
- Pray for Kristen as she homeschools.
- Pray for London and Calvin to grow in their faith and be consistent in their devotions.
- Pray for London and Calvin to be diligent in their studies.
- Pray for London as she seeks to share the gospel with her friends. She’s been inviting them to youth group and having great conversations with them.
- Wynn Missions
- West Smyrna Baptist Church: Pray for Steve as he serves as their missionary pastor. Pray for the deacons to lead and serve well.
- WSBC: Pray for the church family to experience His peace (Phil. 4:6-9) and to build relationships and discipleship.
- WSBC: Pray for wisdom for Steve, the deacons, and steering committee as we plan the next phase of ministry.
- WSBC: Pray for wisdom as they begin their pastoral search.
- Faith Baptist Tabernacle: Pray for The Timothy Initiative as we work with our current candidate. You can learn more about this new initiative on FBT’s website: faithbaptistsherburne.com/resources/timothy
- FBT: Pray for our teens to grow in the Word and for our new youth group praise band, especially as we prepare for Camp Recharge.
- Constantia Center Baptist Church: We continue to pray for God to provide their next pastor! If you know of a potential pastor, I encourage you to view and share CCBC’s pastoral portfolio (click here to view a PDF copy).
- CCBC: Pray for the church leaders to serve the church well and for the advisory committee to be an encouragement to them.
- CCBC: Pray for their guest speakers over the next few months (many of whom are FBT members).
- BCP: Pray for Steve as he serves on the BCP Council. Pray for the Council and BCP leaders to have wisdom.
- BCP: Pray for Steve as he collaborates with BCP leaders to develop discipleship resources for churches.
Schedule
- February 1 – WSBC Deacons’ Meeting
- February 2 – Last message in Five Lessons from Galatians – Deacon Linn White will be preaching.
- February 7-9 – FBT Teen Snow Camp at Circle C Ranch
- February 9 – WSBC new sermon series begins: God’s Design for the Church – Deacon Tom Taylor will be preaching.
- February 12 – WSBC Steering Committee Meeting
- February 14 – Valentine’s Date
- February 15 – WSBC Deacons’ Meeting
- February 16 – WSBC Church Meeting and Dinner
- February 21-22 – NFIBC Men’s Adventure
- February 23 – WSBC Peacemaking Workshop during Adult SS
- February 25 – BCP Missionary Prayer Meeting
Our Mission Statement:
Through the grace of God and His word, the redemptive works of Christ, and the sanctifying efforts of the Holy Spirit, we encourage and equip the body of Christ in order to ensure its members, both near and far, are enduring in the lifelong work of glorifying God and discipling faithful men and women who will be entrusted to continue this work until our Lord and Savior returns.
We are passionate for the local church. We desire to see churches disciple their members to grow in adoring Him, loving one another, sharing the hope of the gospel, and living transformed lives.
