For a story to make the most sense, one must go back to the beginning to see the present. While the story itself has many different facets to it, which have been both addressed and outlined on Facebook, Steve and Amy Patten are choosing to focus on the role their former church (and others by default) has taken. To date, they have received no answers, and those who have tried to reach out on their behalf have only received prepared statements, which hold no actual answers.
In the Summer of 2020, during the height of Covid restrictions, Faith Baptist Church (FBC) in Albert Lea, Minnesota, where the Pattens had both attended and served faithfully since 2001, was just starting to meet in person again. Among the sermons highlighting passages across the various services, the topic of discipleship was quickly becoming the most favored. Riley Brown, then pastor, had even set up discussion groups for Sunday School in which older men and women worked to not only reach but also teach those who were younger. If an older teen wanted to take a younger teen under their wing, it was encouraged. Likewise, college-aged people were also encouraged to spend time with those in the youth group. On the surface, this was nothing out of the norm. However, this became the gateway needed for any individual with harmful intentions to begin their destructive work.
Wyatt Miller approached Steve and Amy to ask if he could take their two youngest children out for the afternoon. Activities might include fishing, going out for ice cream, or just hanging out playing various games in a basement studio apartment located in the home of a widow who was also a member of FBC. As the topic of discipleship had been strongly encouraged in the church, the Pattens thought this was a positive opportunity for Wyatt to develop an older brother-type relationship with their boys, so they allowed it.
As Summer changed into Fall, the outings with Wyatt continued and often included Steve and Amy’s 16-year-old daughter Kenzie. Often the outings would consist of fishing, followed by ice cream, and then a walk or drive. Pastor Riley changed the dynamics of the Sunday School discussion groups by assigning members of the group so that no two family members were ever placed at the same table at the same time. This was intentionally done, so the teens would be more willing to share their thoughts more freely. Discipleship as a topic was often mentioned, but not to the same degree. There were many times when Wyatt found himself in the same discussion group as Steve and Amy’s youngest son and would at times claim the role of the older/wiser brother responsible for him. This was not necessarily the dynamic intended for the groups, but it was accepted because Wyatt had poured so much time into the Pattens’ boys.
With the Fall of 2020 morphing into the Winter months, many of the local restrictions for COVID had either relaxed or become nonexistent. Life at Faith Baptist Church had returned to normal, or as normal as could be at the time. With Winter limiting outside activity, Wyatt started inviting both of Steve and Amy’s boys to his studio apartment for games and movies. Kenzie and her older sister would frequently join them. The boys were gradually left to their own devices, and all of Wyatt’s attention became focused on Kenzie. It was during this time Kenzie’s older sister was often relegated to visiting with the widow who owned the home. During this time, Wyatt’s intentions of discipling the Pattens’ boys seemed to diminish, and he instead turned his focus on developing a relationship with Kenzie. It was also at this time that Kenzie’s relationship with her family became increasingly strained.
By February 2021, many at FBC started to ask Steve and Amy if Wyatt and Kenzie were a couple. At the time, they did not believe so, as Kenzie had expressed not wanting to be in a relationship until after she graduated high school. In March 2021, Wyatt asked Steve and Amy if he could court Kenzie. The Pattens asked Kenzie if this was something she wanted, as it seemed a quick change from just a few weeks before, and she responded yes, she did want the relationship. After a set of rules were agreed upon, they allowed the then 21-year-old Wyatt to court then 17-year-old Kenzie. Over the next couple of months, after concerning issues were discussed with both Kenzie and Wyatt, Carolyn Park (wife of a deacon) approached Steve and Amy with the purpose of telling them to back off and let the relationship develop. It was stated if they did not, Kenzie would grow a hardened heart towards them, and would likely run away. This was approximately May of 2021. By July 2021, both Steve and Amy had approached Riley for Biblical counsel and help. They asked if there was anything they were doing that could be the cause, and were repeatedly told there was nothing, but to make sure not to drive Kenzie to wrath (quoting Ephesians 6:4). What Steve and Amy did not know then was the extent to which Riley and Wyatt were conspiring together against the Patten family.
After asking Riley for help, Steve and Amy were told a meeting between them, Wyatt and Kenzie should be held to work through the many differences that had appeared. Initially, Riley had offered to be present as a neutral party, to function as a mediator as needed. By the time the meeting had taken place, Riley was no longer a neutral party but had become a formal emissary of Wyatt’s parents. Around this time Wyatt and Kenzie had started asking members of FBC whose side they were on, seemingly at random. The questioning started with Kenzie’s younger brothers and then spread to the other deacons and their wives. When the Pattens brought up concerns about division starting within the church, their concerns were dismissed. Meanwhile, the strife within the family continued to build, and all pleas for help were repeatedly downplayed or ignored.
In August 2021, while Kenzie’s older sister was redecorating their room, a letter from Kenzie to Wyatt fell from a piece of furniture. The letter landed open and gave Amy concern, as it began despondent and even possibly suicidal. As concern for Kenzie’s well-being trumped privacy, Amy read the letter. What she found was not suicidal, however, it shined a light on the degree to which those within the church were working against anything the Pattens were attempting in order to preserve their relationship with Kenzie, which by this time had deteriorated almost beyond recognition. This included reading a statement by Wyatt claiming Riley had seen through the Pattens’ lies and manipulation and was 100% on his and Kenzie’s side. In another note that was found after a quick search made in response to the concern generated from the letter that had fallen out, Wyatt stated he would do or say anything necessary to make Steve happy until Kenzie turned eighteen. As a response to the content found in the letters, Steve asked for a meeting with Riley, Amy, Wyatt, and Kenzie to gain clarity on the situation, including what role Riley had in solving (or making worse) the issues at hand. Shortly before arriving at the meeting, the Pattens were informed by Riley that the other deacons and Carolyn Park would also be present due to the seriousness of the meeting. As Steve was chair of the deacons at that time, the Pattens became hopeful that they would finally be listened to, and a resolution be found.
During what became a 5-hour meeting, Steve shared his reasons for wanting to have the meeting, outlining various concerns, including an elected Sunday School Superintendent (Wyatt) causing division within the church, talking a high school student (Kenzie) into dropping out of school before her Senior year started, and his willingness to allow a single female to fall asleep in his bed, while he was also lying in bed alongside her. None of the deacons had an issue with any of these concerns, going as far as to say if Kenzie wanted to drop out of school at 17, it should be her choice. As long as both Wyatt and Kenzie were dressed, and her brothers were present, their falling asleep together on his bed was not an issue and Steve and Amy were told they were simply overreacting. The topic of spreading seeds of division was never addressed.
When the topic of Riley believing Wyatt and Kenzie 100%, Riley dismissed the claims as false and claimed Wyatt simply misunderstood what was said. After Steve addressed his concerns, and Riley was able to defend himself, Wyatt was then allowed to defend himself. Within his opening statements, he stated anything Amy would say or had said was nothing more than an exaggeration and should be ignored. He then proceeded to acknowledge everything Steve had said, at times admitting to participating in the actions causing the concerns. Again, even with the admission of guilt, neither Riley nor the deacons had any problems with what was going on. While Amy was allowed to speak her concerns, they were discounted due to Wyatt’s opening statement. Instead of working toward a goal of a resolution, Riley and the deacons brought forward baseless accusations of improper behavior, such as not locking the door to the only bathroom while people took a shower, against the Pattens. After explaining the reality of the situation, and how rules within the home countered the accusations, Riley then suggested that the youngest son (then 12) could relieve himself outside, in the bushes, within city limits (thus opening the possibility of an indecent exposure charge) in an emergency. Steve and Amy came to a workable and acceptable resolution with Kenzie, and the accusation was deemed to have been dealt with. The meeting was then ended by Riley and the other deacons stating the Pattens needed to allow the relationship to continue and get used to Wyatt being a part of their lives, and part of the family. They also stated that the Pattens needed to rectify the issues found between themselves, Wyatt, and Kenzie so that everyone could move forward. Steve stated that issues within the family needed to be addressed, worked through, and healed before any issues with Wyatt were addressed. Shortly after the meeting, the Pattens paused the relationship between Kenzie and Wyatt (a stipulation agreed upon in March), and as a family temporarily left FBC to process all that had happened. At no time either before or during the meeting, did anyone associated with FBC recommend family counseling, assist the Pattens in finding a counselor, or offer resources to find a counselor on their own.
During their pause from FBC, the Patten family started attending another church of like belief. As they started working through some of their pain and sought healing, they realized the new church could be a new church home. After speaking to the pastor of that new church about the possibility of joining, the pastor stated Steve and Amy needed to go back to FBC to verify they were leaving on good terms. Steve met with the two remaining deacons in late October 2021, as Riley had resigned as pastor and left FBC the day after the meeting with the Pattens in August of 2021. Steve began the meeting with the two remaining deacons by asking if there was anything he did to offend anyone within the church or either of the deacons specifically. He was told no. Steve then asked if the Pattens as a family had offended anyone within the church or either of the deacons. He was once again told no. After establishing no offenses were present, the deacons stated that unless Steve reconciled with Wyatt (whose relationship with Kenzie had been terminated in September of 2021, as per stipulations agreed upon in March 2021), the Pattens would wake up on the morning of Kenzie’s 18th birthday, find her missing, and have no contact with her for 5-10 years, at which point they would find they had grandchildren they knew nothing about. Amy interpreted this warning as a threat, not knowing how accurate she was in her assessment.
In October 2021, unbeknownst to Steve and Amy, not only was Kenzie talked into accepting a cell phone from Wyatt’s family in South Dakota, but she was also convinced to go to the Police Department to turn the Pattens in for abuse so she could be removed from their house. The accusation used was the same one used during the meeting at FBC in August 2021, with the addition of claims of taking away both her cell phone and driving privileges as consequences violated her human rights. The police informed Kenzie that the claims were not abuse, nor were they chargeable offenses. Unknown to the Pattens at the time, a member of FBC related to Wyatt’s family by marriage had also reported them to the Police Department. In the police report, the accusations levied against the Pattens appeared to be met with skepticism by the officer taking the report. While the questions were answered, they seemed to spark more questions from the officer taking the report. In both reports, it was stated by those making the report that there was no physical or sexual abuse within the home. It was also stated in both reports that those making the reports were not concerned about there being any abuse. During this timeframe, both Steve and Amy were seeking a counselor to help not only them but their entire family. They started counseling in early October 2021, with Kenzie joining in mid-October.
Aside from the threat from FBC, there seemed to be healing happening within the family between the new church and the family counseling. By mid-January 2022, calmness and happiness once again were present, with plans being made by Steve and Kenzie to run a half marathon together in April of 2022.
On the morning of February 3, 2022, Amy woke up to Crystal Miller, the aunt of Wyatt, and a church planting missionary based in Worthing, South Dakota sent by FBC, in Kenzie’s room telling her to pack her things, not talk to her parents, and that she and her husband, Jerry (who was waiting outside the house by the front steps) would call the police if need be…which they did upon Crystal being escorted out of the Pattens’ home. When Steve approached Jerry to ask how their actions were Biblically right, and how their actions helped Biblically restore the relationship, he was told by Jerry that he (Steve) had his chance and that he blew it, citing the meeting from August, 6 months prior. Jerry never answered how he had Biblical authority, or how it was Biblically correct. The threatening warning the deacon had issued in October 2021 had come to fruition.
In the days and weeks following the traumatic departure of Kenzie, the Pattens sought help from members of FBC, including the interim pastor and friends and pastors from fellowshipping churches, for help determining where she went, why she felt she had to leave, and what could be done to fix the unknown issues that were present. They were met with stonewalling, gaslighting, and deflection. Steve then sent an email to the servicing agency for Jerry and Crystal’s missionary work (Continental Baptist Missions/CBM), appealing to them for help to get answers, and to investigate their missionaries, as the actions seemed contrary to anything they might want associated with their name. Steve was told by the field director of the agency telling him they did not, and would not, investigate the matters, as they were a local church issue. Steve was sent a series of emails stating he needed to meet with the interim pastor and deacons of FBC to discuss an unstated offense that took place against FBC, citing Matthew 18. When the Pattens asked if communication could happen via email to protect themselves, they were told Matthew 18 did not allow for anything other than face-to-face meetings. Steve and Amy then sought help from the pastor of the church they had started attending and hoped to join, only to be told that he agreed with FBC’s strict interpretation of Matthew 18 regarding confrontations being addressed only in person. Amy attempted to ask for help once again, outlining their concerns once more, and in response, was ignored.
After trying to appeal to their former church of over 20 years for help, the Pattens decided to reach out to the state representative of the association FBC belonged to (Minnesota Association of Regular Baptist Churches), as well as the head of the Minnesota Baptist Association. The state representative of the MARBC automatically assumed the Pattens were withholding information, and refused to investigate any further. The head of the MBA did reach out to Jerry but did not ask the questions that were needed, and would only acknowledge that it looked bad Crystal would enter the Pattens’ home while they slept, suggesting it would have looked better if Kenzie had snuck out and met Jerry and Crystal at a gas station instead. Steve then sent emails to other fellowshipping churches, both within the state of Minnesota and to the Council of Eighteen of the General Association of Regular Baptist Churches (of which the MARBC is a member). Once again, the Pattens received stonewalling, gaslighting, scapegoating, and flat-out refusal to help. When asked why the requests had been rejected, local church autonomy was repeatedly cited.
In the two years that have passed, both Steve and Amy have been able to refine their request for help to a few questions to be asked, not just about their former church, but of Jerry Miller, Crystal Miller, and Riley Brown as well. Those questions are as follows:
**What Biblical authority did they have to act in the capacity they did, and continue to do so?
**How did their actions enable a Biblical restoration of a family?
**How are they currently helping to restore a relationship that has been broken?
**Would they help in restoring the broken relationship, rather than working against the attempts being made by the Pattens?
While asking these questions singularly may be met by silence, stonewalling, and defection, the Pattens hope if enough people contact both FBC, Dwight DePenning (current pastor and former interim pastor of FBC), Riley Brown (former pastor of FBC), as well as Jerry and Crystal Miller, the MARBC, the GARBC, and CBM, the questions will finally be answered. No family should ever have to endure the level of complicit interference and collusion the Pattens have experienced since 2021. Will you help the Pattens get the answers they have been seeking?
Jerry and Crystal Pfenning- Miller, Southtown Baptist Fellowship, Worthing, SD
605-372-0060
jdpastor@yahoo.com
Dwight DePenning, pastor, Faith Baptist Church, Albert Lea, MN
507-373-4412
dwightandsheila@depenning.us
Riley Brown- former pastor Faith Baptist, current whereabouts unknown
507-383-9177
rileyabrown@protonmail.com
Brad Hoff- Field director, Continental Baptist Missions, Rockford, MI
616-863-2226
bhoff@gocbm.org
Darrell Friar- MARBC state rep
507-893-3249
dfriar@marbc.org
