What State Are We In Again?

In the past ten days we have been in six different states: GA, NC, SC, VA, TN & AL. Sunday, we had the privilege of sharing our burden for Brazil at Victory Baptist in Virginia. The church was very hospitable and caring. What a wonderful three days of fellowship and encouragement! Monday, we traveled to Faith Baptist Church in TN. The preacher felt lead to give us the service. I preached on seeing the needs of others, the same way Jesus did in Matthew 9; and Karissa interpreted a missions song in sign language.

Thursday, we spent a few days with my grandmother and had a wonderful time of catching up and relaxation. Saturday, we headed for our next stop at Calvary Independent Baptist Church in north AL.

Your prayers are coveted as we continue on deputation trying to raise the remainder of our support this year. The Lord has been faithful in His promises and provision; our support is currently at 40%. Praise the Lord!

Also, a dear friend passed away this week. Please pray for the family of Donald Maddox. He was a faithful member of our home church and a great friend to us. Six years ago, I was on visitation in one of the project areas in town with my brother-in-law, Daniel Slavy. He went up to Donald to invite him to church, and Donald signed to him that he was deaf. In fact, he was born deaf. Because Daniel and I had begun learning sign language, we were able to communicate, and you should have seen the look of excitement when he realized that we could speak his language!! He started riding the bus faithfully and gave his life to Christ soon afterward. His life changed forever because of our church bus program. His funeral was on Saturday and was more of a victory service than a time of mourning. God was uplifted; and because of Donald's testimony, the Spirit showed up and 14 were saved…Hallelujah!!! He may have spent 53 years of his life never hearing the simple sounds of this world that we all take for granted, but Donald is standing in the presence of our Savior hearing his first sounds…the sounds of Heaven! Praise God for the bus ministry.

Relax and Recovery

This past week has been a wonderful time of relaxation and recovery for Karissa and me. After spending  three weeks traveling from D.C. to GA, GA to MS and back home again, this week of being home has been refreshing. It’s hard to believe that we have been married one month! The Lord has truly supplied our needs and blessed us with some great meetings. Sunday morning, we had the privilege of visiting Living Waters Baptist Church in Lagrange, GA, with Pastor Richard Clinard. Then Sunday night, we traveled to Buford, GA, where I had the honor of preaching at Rest Haven Baptist Church with Pastor Landy McDaniel and hearing their children's choir sing for the glory of God. Both services were very exciting and soul stirring. 

  Spending time with family and friends is always a great way to recharge after a very busy schedule.  It was a blast taking our nephews, Peter and Titus, out for a fun day at Chuck-E-Cheese.  It seems like every time we come home to visit that they have grown at least another six inches, and it was wonderful getting to spend time with them before hitting on the road again.

Please continue to pray for us as we leave for Tennessee and Virginia on Saturday.  We thank the Lord everyday for His guidance and provision!

Wedding...Honeymoon...Deputation!

Thank you everyone for your constant prayers and consideration. Also, we would like to extend an extra special thank you to all those who were able to make the trip to Columbus for the wedding. Your presence was a blessing as we began our lives as husband and wife. God has truly blessed! Marriage is wonderful, especially since I now have a traveling companion. Trips are not boring any more!!

Our honeymoon was packed with amazing things to do and see. Since we both love history, we decided Washington, D.C., would be the perfect destination. It was definitely full of color and characters. It was breathtaking to stand in the presents of the very flag that flew overhead as Francis Scott Keys wrote our National Anthem. Also, to see the monuments that were erected in honor of the untold men and women that died for our freedom was truly humbling. God has truly blessed our country, and being able to share that with Karissa made the trip that much more memorable.

Immediately after landing in Atlanta, Karissa and I hit the deputation trail to Eatonton, GA. We met Pastor Jeff Hegwood, his family and the wonderful people of Calvary Baptist Church. What sweet fellowship with everyone as we helped celebrate the Pastor’s birthday! Afterwards, the church voted to help us get the Gospel to the dying people of Brazil. Praise the Lord that puts our support level at 39%!!

 

This past Saturday, we continued our deputation endeavors and traveled to southern Mississippi. The Lord blessed us with a series of wonderful meetings in which we were able to share our burden that God has given us for Brazil. The first stop was Gospel Light Baptist Church in Laurel,
MS. Pastor Weems and the church family of Gospel Light were very welcoming. We just left Bay St. Louis, MS. Pastor Stahl and his beautiful family of seven have been so gracious to take care of us for three days. Southern Mississippi is a tremendous mission field, and Pastor Stahl shared with us the great need of good Independent Fundamental Churches. He explained how alcoholism is a continual plague among families in this town. Please keep these churches in your prayers as they continue to try and reach their local areas with the gospel.

We are currently in Thaxton, MS and will be heading back to Columbus, GA, in the morning. Please continue to pray for safe travels.

       









We both look forward to seeing how the Lord will provide and keeping you updated as we continue to share the need for reaching Brazil with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Engaged & Planning February Wedding!

Stephen Wynn
Karissa Copas

For those who may not have heard yet, I proposed to Karissa Sue Copas on Friday, July 1.  She said "Yes."  Of course, what else did you expect?  :-)

Karissa came to Columbus in the Summer of 2004, for the purpose of attending Columbus Baptist College.  CBC is a ministry of my sending church, the Lighthouse Baptist Church.  She came with a passion for missions, and her course of study was missions.  She graduated and continued working in the ministry at Lighthouse.  She became the Media Ministry Director in 2009, and has been responsible for the printing and audio/visual portion of that ministry.

Her heart for serving God, and her passion for world-evangelism is a real blessing.  Over the past seven years, the Lord has knit our hearts together.  After much prayer and seeking the will of God, we both believe that our lives are meant to be together in serving the Lord on the mission field of Brazil.  I am so grateful for the sovereignty of God in bringing us together.

Pray for us as we plan to be married February 25, 2012.  Of course, I will still be on the deputation trail until then.  I sure look forward to having a traveling companion later!

Pray for the remaining support to come in.  Karissa and I hope to be in Brazil sometime in 2012.  Pray for the Lord's will to be done.

Back Home for a Brief Vacation

Well, after 18 months on the road, I believe it is time to take a brief vacation.  So, the next week is some much-needed recuperation time.  I thank the Lord for the churches I have been in.  Last week, it was my pleasure to be in some churches in North Georgia and North Carolina.  Praise the Lord for a new supporting church!

The past eight weeks have taken me to Mississippi, Arkansas, Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina and Kentucky.  Keep me in your prayers.  Pray for the Lord to provide the remainder of the needed support before the end of the year.

Great Meetings in Missouri

Last week, I was in the St. Louis, MO area at the Southside Baptist Church.  The pastor and the people were a great blessing.

Here are some photos of that visit.

Totaled my Van & Bought a Crossover

I was leaving Missouri on Sunday night, May 1, to return to Georgia for a mission meeting.  After traveling for several hours, I pulled of at an exit to get a hotel for the night.  I was stopped at a red light and proceeded through when it turned green.  All of a sudden, there was a truck that ran the light and "T-Boned" me.  My 2001 Honda Odyssey was totaled.  However, I thank the Lord that I was not harmed.  Just a little sore.

The GOOD NEWS is that I was able to lead one of the policmen to the Lord!  I thank the Lord for the great opportunity to share the gospel.

To replace my totaled Odyssey, the Lord provided a great deal on a 2003 Honda Element.  This is a different car.  Hey, I look cool now! :-)

Pray for me as I hit the deputation trail again with a new vehicle.  Pray that it will be a good vehicle and will last me through the remainder of deputation.

Louisiana Conference & Cajun Cooking

Last week was a great conference with the pastor and people of Lighthouse  Baptist Church in New Iberia, Louisiana.  The church has a great fervor for reaching the world.  The people understand what it means to give by faith.   Praise the Lord for another mission-minded church!

After leaving there, I had a spare day.  So, since it was close, I visited the Tabasco factory on Tabasco Island.

I'm looking forward to the upcoming conferences in Mississippi.  Pray for the Lord to provide more churches who will partner in the effort to reach Brazil.

Tennessee Hills

This past weekend, it was a pleasure to be in two fine churches in Lawrenceburg, TN.  On Sunday morning, I was at Lawrenceburg Baptist Temple.  Pastor Smith and the people were a blessing.  Then, on Sunday night, I was at Faith Baptist Church, where Jeff Burkhart is the pastor.  They also were a blessing.  It was a joy to share the burden for Brazil with both churches.  Pray for these churches as they continue to reach the world with the gospel.

Lawrenceburg brings back many memories for me.  My grandmother was born and raised there in that town, which is also the home of Davy Crockett.  While there, I got to visit a great aunt, who is in a nursing home, and had a country lunch with a great uncle and his family.  My grandmother's maiden name was "Beck," and there are a lot of them around Lawrenceburg and Columbia, TN.

I am in Columbus, Georgia this week for a doctor's appointment.  Then, next week, it is on to Mississippi for a month of meetings.  Pray that the Lord will continue to provide for all needs, and will raise up the rest of the needed support this year.

Thank you all for your prayers, e-mails and encouragement.   To get all the latest updates, be sure to follow me on Twitter at @wynnbrazil.

Back to the Sunny South!

My Snow Covered Van
CLICK HERE FOR MORE PICS

Wow!  What a week it has been!  I am very grateful to have been in two wonderful churches in Maryland. However, the snowy weather was more than this southern boy is used to.  I have never seen so much snow.  Of course, the friendly folk laughed at my concern.  It was something they are used to.

After leaving Hunt Valley, I had the privilege of being with the wonderful people at Emmorton Baptist Church in Bel Air, MD.  Pastor Clay McNeese and his family were a blessing.  Brother McNeese used to paster my home church in Columbus, GA.  He laid a solid foundation for the work there.  The Lord has greatly used him in the past years in Maryland.  The church is a church that has a heart for the Lord.  I am grateful for the opportunity to have been there.

I am also grateful to be headed South again!  The cold and snow is not my kind of weather.  Thank the Lord that He has called me to the hot climate of Brazil!  No snow there, and that is fine with me. :-)

Thank the Lord for a new supporting church.  Pastor Stephen Curry of Oakside Baptist in LaGrange, Georgia called me a couple days ago.  Thank the Lord for this fine church and their support.

The upcoming weeks will be spent in Mississippi.  Pray for me as I travel.  Pray that this will be a great trip of increased support.

Great Visit with Hunt Valley Baptist Church

Spent a few days at the Hunt Valley Baptist Church, just outside of Baltimore.  It was wonderful to meet the people and the pastor.  Pastor David Bottrell started the church in the Spring of 2004.  Under his leadership, it has grown and has a genuine mission passion.  It is always a blessing to meet other like-minded believers.

One of the joys of deputation is being able to see the many works that God has established across our great nation.  However, it will be a great joy to arrive on the field of Brazil.  Please pray that the Lord will provide the remainder of the needed support by the end of this year.

On the Road Again!

Peter & Titus Slavy
My Twin Nephews

Well, praise the Lord, it's 2011!  I have been at home for the past three weeks for a minor medical issue and the Christmas holidays.  It was a great time to be there for my twin nephew's first Christmas.  Peter and Titus Slavy were born on July 27, 2010 so they did not comprehend how much joy it was at Christmas :), but just wait 'till next year!  Of course, I bought them noise-making toys for Christmas.  I knew that would thrill my sister and brother-in-law.  By the way, you can see all about them on their website by clicking HERE!

Today, it is back on the deputation trail.  I'm on the road for a meeting with Dr. Clay McNeese at Emmorton Baptist Church in Bel Air, MD.  That is a long drive!  Then, it is on to other meetings in Virginia, Mississippi and Tennessee during the month of January.

Pray for some great meetings, and that churches will feel led to invest in the ministry of reaching Brazil for the cause of Jesus Christ.  It is 2011 and the world is still lost.  We must give ourselves to reaching the world before He comes!

Praise the Lord 11.11%

May and June have both been very busy months. The past weeks, I have been in Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, North Carolina, and Georgia.  It is a blessing to stay busy, but it also can be physically tiring.

A very special blessing from being on deputation is that the Lord takes care of me everywhere I go and helps me get everywhere I need to be. Since I am not good with directions, I thank God for the GPS.  However, even with it, I still manage to get lost. While on the way to Kentucky, I found myself in Ohio. I still do not know how it happened, but I passed my exit. After asking many people for directions, I finally found the small town of Foster, KY, which is only a couple of miles from Ohio. Praise the Lord! Another blessing from deputation is the amount of people that I meet along the way. They are different than I am, but we have common ground in the Lord.  It is a blessing to be part of God’s family and have a common goal to reach the world for Christ.
"
This past week, it was a pleasure to be a part of the annual Fundamental Baptist World-Wide Mission Candidate School.  It was a tremendous opportunity to learn from men who have given their lives to do great works in order to spread the Gospel around the world.

I would like to say "Thank You" to Pastor Gary Ledford and the people of University Baptist Church in Atlanta, GA.  They are doing a great work in their city, and are reaching out to the rest of the world. I am grateful they have felt led to partner with me and the ministry in Brazil.  I want to also say "Thank You" to the great people of  New Hope Baptist Church in Falmouth, KY.  Pastor Dan Stewart has a wonderful church there. This is a new church, which already has a passion for serving the Lord and a strong heart for missions. They also have partnered with me.

With these new supporting churches,  my support is now at 11.11%.  Praise the Lord for bringing it all together.  Please continue to pray that the Lord will bring in the rest of the support and that my calendar will fill quickly for the end of the year.

The Lord has been keeping me running!

Praise the Lord! The Lord has been keeping me running! Sorry, I have not blogged in a while. I did not have internet for over a week. Since my last blog, the Lord allowed me to be in Seymour Baptist in Seymour, TN; Mt Pisgah Baptist in Athens, AL; and Grace Baptist in Manchester, TN. The church in Seymour put me in a hotel in Pigeon Forge, TN; it was such a blessing to relax and spend time in Gatlinburg. The church treated me like a king, and I am very grateful for the encouragement they were. Mt Pisgah in Athens, AL, was a great church to be able to present my ministry. The people were very nice and had a heart for God. It was a wonderful blessing to be in a church that is on fire for God. Their pastor, Pastor Dumas, is a very kind and generous man. To top off a great week, I was able to be at Grace Baptist Church in Manchester, TN. The church people came to church just to worship God. The spirit in the church was friendly, and they simply had a good time at church. Thank you so much for your prayers and continued support.

Busy week North Carolina, Florida, and Georgia

Panama City

Panama City

Panama City

Panama City

Panama City

Panama City

Victory Baptist in Panama City

Bro. and Mrs Easter

Panama City

Panama City

50's cafe in Panama City

Pastor of New Life Baptist in Dalton GA

Taylor Family missionaries to the US Hispanics

Shaffer Family members of New Life

I was able to attend the FCW Camp Meeting in Clayton NC. Dr. Ennis, pastor of Fellowship Baptist Church, was very kind. The church fed and took care of all of the missionaries. The preaching was equally as good. Dr. Joe Arthur and Evangelist Jack Tripp both preached on trusting God. We should not move until God moves you. God has a place or area for a reason. Even though times get tough do not run. When it seems like God is throw keep on doing the work.
Victory Baptist Church in Panama City invited me to come to their missions’ conference. Bro. Easter was the main speaker. Pastor Perrine and the church were exciting to be around. Their love for God and service for the Lord shown thigh them. Last Sunday I was able to be at New Life Baptist Church is Dalton GA. The meeting went very well and the people were a great help to me. When I arrived to the church I locked my keys in the car. Unfortunately my DVD presentation, projector, and DVD player were all in the car. We spent about 45 min trying to get into the car. I found out that my car is very hard to break into and that New Life Baptist church does not have thieves. We finally got into the car about 10 min before church started. We got the presentation in the nick of time. The Lord always comes through even though we do not always do the smart thing.