When Woodlawn Baptist Church was founded in 1956, the congregation was small. They first met in a little log cabin on the grounds of their current location at 824 N. Ferdon Blvd., but the love for Jesus was enormous. That love has only grown over time, with the Crestview church celebrating its 70th anniversary on Oct. 4.
Several people associated with the church over the years were on hand for the celebration, including Pastor Billy Joy, who served as the church’s pastor from December 1991 to April 2003.
Current pastor Jason Allen said Joy shared several stories, reminisced fondly about his time at the church and shared a powerful message.
“He challenged (the congregation) to carry on the mission of the Gospel more than anything else,” he said.
Although Joy no longer serves as pastor of Woodlawn, he does return for special occasions to speak to the church. He now serves as lead pastor at Valley View Baptist Church in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
Allen has been lead pastor at Woodlawn since 2020 and said the anniversary was a great way to reflect on how the message of every pastor at the church has been the same: “Helping people come to know Jesus Christ,” he said. “God’s faithfulness has helped the congregation fulfill that mission over the years.”
According to history provided by the church, Woodlawn’s history started in 1955, when the First Baptist Church of Crestview purchased four lots and a log house.
The first service was held Jan. 1, 1956, and Woodlawn Baptist Church was officially organized in October 1957.
As the congregation grew, so did its need for more space. They held their first service in a new white cinderblock sanctuary on Dec. 14, 1958. The growth continued and a new brick building was built in July 1966.
During Joy’s time as pastor, the church began planning for additional growth and expanded to two Sunday morning worship services.
Construction on the current worship center started in December 1998, with the first service held on March 5, 2000. More than 900 people attended that service.
The church’s longest-serving member is Fay Ward, 89, who joined the congregation in 1958.
Woodlawn Baptist continues to spread the gospel in many ways, whether through missions to Belize or partnering with other churches. It has also paid homage to its origins by helping to plant more churches in Crestview.
“We have put effort into helping new churches be planted here in Crestview. One new church is called ‘The Grove’,” Allen said. “Another church we have helped get going is Iglesia Bautista Gracia Soberano de Crestview. It is a new Spanish-Speaking congregation that was launched from a partnership between our church and Emmanuel Baptist in Crestview.”
Woodlawn’s services don’t stop there. The church has assisted families with special needs family members by launching a class for special needs adults during the Sunday school hour. It also offers a sign language class with ASL translation provided each week during service.
“Over the last 6 years, I have seen God’s people really step up and walk in obedience in the area of outreach and missions. Our current rally cry is that we want to be a church that is ‘For the One’. That means we want every person, no matter who they are or where they come from, to know the love of Jesus,” Allen said.
Just five days after celebrating the major milestone, Hurricane Isaias struck Crestview. During the storm, the steeple was badly damaged and had to be removed.
“The steeple was not original to the building. It was added several years later and was made of fiberglass,” Allen said. “I don’t think building codes allow them to be made out of fiberglass anymore.”
He said the steeple was ultimately not the most important thing in the world.
“It’s sad to lose certainly. But, at the end of the day, whether it’s a steeple, part of a building or the building itself, they are just tools,” he said. “They’re God’s tools to help us fulfill a mission, but they are not the mission of the church.”
Allen said that although the loss of the steeple was disappointing, the church is more than just a physical building. He said the mission will continue regardless of what happens to any of the buildings, and the congregation has experienced very little disruption to its activities following the storm.
At this time, Allen said church leaders are still evaluating if the steeple will be replaced.
“We don’t have any firm answers,” he said. “We need to get quotes and see what insurance does. When we receive that information, we’ll know what path to take.”
Despite the recent events, Pastor Allen said the church remains focused on serving the Crestview community.
“In Scripture, there is an incredible parable about how the shepherd leaves the 99 to go looking for the 1 sheep. That is our mission. To reach that one. And that heart, that was present at the beginning and is still present today, we pray will continue for the next 70 years and beyond,” Allen said.
Woodlawn Baptist Church holds its Sunday worship service at 10:30 a.m.
(Crestview Bulletin reporter Aubrey Kelly contributed to this story).
