Missionaries Panama Steve and Judy Lytle Biography

PRESENT MINISTRY
Steve and Judy Lytle are returning to field ministry after eight years of service in the International Missions office. They received a special assignment from the International Fellowship of Free Will Baptist Churches (IF) missions committee in May 2008. For the next two years they will visit a number of countries and meet with leadership to determine the first steps for Free Will Baptists in these countries to become involved in cross-cultural global missions. At the same time, the Lytles will be involved in field ministry in Latin America. Panama will serve as their base of operations, though they anticipate spending time each year in Uruguay and Cuba.

CONVERSION
Steve was saved at 10 years of age during vacation Bible school at the Swannanoa FWB Church in North Carolina, and was baptized the following year. After graduation from high school in 1968, he attended Free Will Baptist Bible College, where he was called to missions.

Judy was a nine-year-old when she accepted Christ as Savior at the Coppermines FWB Church in Fredericktown, Missouri. From her earliest years she had a strong interest in missions. She graduated in1972 with Steve. They were married a few months later in August.

EARLY MINISTRY
Steve and Judy served at the Swannanoa FWB Church, Swannanoa, North Carolina, from 1972 to 1974. Steve was associate pastor and youth minister, and Judy taught in a Christian kindergarten. They met with the International Missions Board and were approved to attend Missionary Internship in Farmington, Michigan. They served in the Southgate FWB Church during that year. After completing their internship, Steve and Judy were officially appointed to the field of Panama in 1975.

The Lytles attended a year of language school in San José, Costa Rica, and arrived in Panama in August 1977 to begin their ministry as career church-planting missionaries. They worked in the Betania church plant and taught in some of the established FWB churches in Panama.

During the Lytles’ second term (1981-86), God blessed and a number of people were saved in the Betania Church. The church organized in 1985 with 73 charter members. Steve began a formal Bible institute program to train Panamanians for ministry in the local church.

The Betania church and Bible institute program continued as their focus during their third term of service (1987-91). Judy began a more extensive ministry with Panamanian women, leading to the formation of a Panamanian Women Active for Christ and an annual retreat. During those years, Panama endured the worst crisis in its history, culminating in the ousting of the dictator Manuel Antonio Noriega by U.S. troops in December 1989.

By the time the Lytles began their fourth term (1992-1995), the Betania church was under national leadership with Pastor Daniel Dorati. Steve continued working with the Bible institute program, preaching in the churches, and working with national leaders in training and mentoring. Judy continued her work with the women and in the Betania Sunday school.

The Lytles' final term was from 1996-1999. Steve served as administrator and professor at the Panama Bible Institute, promoted leadership development for pastors and leaders, and served on the general board of the Panama Association. He also preached periodically, assisting Daniel Dorati of the Betania Church and Arsenio Gonzalez of the Nueva Esperanza Mission. Judy worked with the women’s leadership in planning annual retreats and served as Sunday school superintendent of the Betania church. They both ministered in Cuba and Colombia twice during that term.

From 2000-2008 Steve served as Director of Field Operations for the Mission. Judy served most of that time as candidate coordinator, guiding many career and short-term workers through the process to board approval.

CHILDREN
The Lytle’s have three children: Michael, Phillip, and David. All three sons graduated from Free Will Baptist Bible College. Michael and Diane (Milom) have two children. Phillip and Amy (Lotz) have two sons. David and Bethany (Atwood) were married in 2004.

HOME CHURCH
Cofer's Chapel FWB Church, Nashville, TN