Meeting People Where They Are

Whether serving at mid-June’s Horseshoe Days, the upcoming Payette County Fair, distributing food to the needy, or hosting Trunk or Treat every October, Westside Assembly of God is a familiar presence in New Plymouth, Idaho.

Formerly pastors in Illinois, Jon and Brandi Baker arrived in 2022. Ever since, they have been looking for “out of the box” ways to influence people in the small town, located about 48 miles northwest of the capital, Boise.

“My wife and I started off with the Assemblies as outreach pastors, so outreach has always been on our hearts,” says Jon, 52. “If the community won’t come to the church, it’s time for the church to go to the community.”

Last November, that included joining with River of Life Christian Center in neighboring Payette for a Convoy of Hope (COH) food distribution.

The pastor says the twice-a-year initiative builds bridges with the community, where nearly 10 percent of the people live in poverty.

On July 25, Westside and River of Life will again team up to distribute food, along with school supplies.

In early August, Westside will enter a float in the county fair parade for the third consecutive year.

The 2025 parade theme was “Wild,” so the church’s float declared, “We are wild about Jesus.”

Again this year, church volunteers will operate a food booth and take prayer requests from fairgoers.

Jon says some income from the booth will help the youth group and worship team. Half the proceeds will be earmarked for community assistance, such as providing winter coats or hats to needy residents.

The biggest plus of community outreaches is spiritual benefits, says Jon. During their four years at Westside, the Bakers have held at least two baptism services a year.

The pastor knows of 10 conversions last year, including a woman who started coming because her son had been dating someone from the church. She saw such a change in him that she came to learn more about Westside. The woman was converted and became a regular attender.

“When I baptized her in the summer of 2025 and we talked, we learned she had been an atheist before coming here. She said, ‘You guys are so far from what I thought you would be’” Baker says. 

Given its community involvement, when Horseshoe Days—the name comes from the town being shaped like a horseshoe—returned June 13 after a long absence, Westside was eager to get involved.

Alongside events like lawnmower races, barrel races, and a scavenger hunt, Westside set up a “Community Gratitude Board.”

Attendees wrote short sentences about what they were grateful for, such as their parents, marriage, family, and Jesus.

The church posted a second board with the question, “Where have you seen love lately?” It drew similar responses.

Brittany L. Clement, who oversaw the initiative, says Westside AG tries to represent Jesus and show others love.

“I hope when people see our name it sparks curiosity,” says Clement, 38, who decided to visit in 2022 because her sister’s friend attended Westside. “Maybe it will be someone like me, who hadn’t been to church in years.”

Then struggling with addiction, on her first visit Baker’s message was about the sufficiency of God’s grace.

As touched as she was by that message and adherents’ welcoming stance, Clement kept her distance until a Southern Idaho Ministry Network Women’s Camp last October.

“Until then, I was part of the church, but not going out of my way to be vulnerable and form relationships,” says Clement, who works in the human resources field. “That happened during the retreat. Now, my relationship with Jesus is like my lifeline.”

“My husband says we need to meet unsaved people where they are,” says Brandi J. Baker, 48, who helped at Horseshoe Days. “Thirty-eight percent of people in this town don’t go to church.”

In early January, the church expanded its community outreach by hosting weekly meetings of Victorious Recovery Ministry (VRM).

Overseen by credentialed AG minister James G. Starr, the group sees 18 to 20 people every Thursday night.

He and Jon met at a conference last fall. Since then, Starr has occasionally spoken at Westside as part of his regular supply preaching for the Southern Idaho network.

Starr is grateful that Baker offered to be the first church to host his new program, which concludes in mid-July.

“We’re not the biggest church in New Plymouth, but the community knows we’re here if they need anything,” the pastor says. “They understand we’re not asking for anything or asking them to join our church. They believe when you’re doing something without strings attached.” [PhotoGallery path = "/sitecore/Media Library/PENews/Photo Galleries/2026/Meeting People"]