How it all started...
As the earthly life of Christ began in a stable, so did the life of Woodland Baptist Church. In the spring of 1938, a group of families gathered and organized a church in a barn on "Cedar Top", not because of animosity or division from other churches, but because of the lack of
transportation to the nearest Baptist church. These old saints wanted to worship regularly and carry on the Lord’s work and “to train up their children in the way they should go.” Thus, Woodland Baptist Church was born.
transportation to the nearest Baptist church. These old saints wanted to worship regularly and carry on the Lord’s work and “to train up their children in the way they should go.” Thus, Woodland Baptist Church was born.
The new Church called the Rev. I.A Rhinehart as their first pastor. Rev. Rhinehart's first podium was a fifty-five-gallon oil barrel and the pews were made of saw mill slabs and blocks cut from nearby trees. During cold weather Sunday School was held in the home of Orville Sizemore. The first baptisms were held in the Pigeon River near Canton High School with other baptisms held in Richland Creek. Following the baptism of a large number of converts and others joining by letter, more room was needed and, in the fall of 1938, a little white church building was built on land purchased from Hardy Medford, near the barn. It had no plumbing and was heated by a coal burning stove. Additional Sunday School rooms were added as the church began to grow under the blessing of the Lord. Pastors to serve in this wooden Church building after Rev. Rhinehart were the Reverends, H.A. Quick, Elmer Green, Harrison Benfield, and Manuel Wyatt.
In 1949 the Church began to make plans for a new and more modern building and additional land was purchased nearby. The Rev. G. W. Jamison was elected as pastor on Sept. 27, 1950. Under Rev. Jamison's leadership a new brick building was built with class rooms underneath the new sanctuary. The first baptism was held in the new baptismal pool on May 1, 1955. God continued to grow the Church. Pastors to serve after Rev. Jamison were the Reverends, John Smith, Claude Conard, and Joel Ferguson.
The Church called the Rev. Eugene Ridley in July of 1971. Under Rev. Ridley's leadership the Church began and completed a beautiful sanctuary adjacent to the brick building. This was done through the unified efforts of the entire Church body, with much of the work completed by church members. After Rev. Ridley the Church called the Rev. A.B. Hammett to serve. In December, 1981, the Church called Rev. Glenn Rogers as pastor. Under Pastor Roger's leadership the Church planned and built a fellowship hall which was used for many activities of the Church. Rev. Rogers served Woodland for thirteen years. After Pastor Rogers, the Church called Rev. Jonathan Fowler as pastor in December, 1995. Some of the interim pastors who served at Woodland Baptist down through the years are the Reverends, Billy Lee, Oder Burnett, Guy Grogan, Manuel Wyatt, Paul Lack, and Thomas Kemp.
At this time Woodland had had four men licensed into the ministry and one ordained. These are John Crawford, Clifford Hannah, Ralph Hamlett, and Billy Lee who was both licensed and ordained.
On January 17,1999, the Rev. Alan Davis preached his first sermon as pastor of Woodland Baptist Church. Under Pastor Alan's leadership, the Church centered all programs around God's Holy and Inspired Word. Woodland experienced a harvest of souls and spiritual growth in the Church body. Because of our spiritual growth, Woodland saw the need for physical growth. On November 5, 2006, Woodland members voted to move the church's physical plant to 545 Crabtree Road, Waynesville, NC, about a mile from the its facility on Old Clyde Road. Woodland entered into a " From Vision to Victory" campaign with a season of prayer and sacrificial giving. On October 7, 2007, the official Groundbreaking Service was held at the property on Crabtree Road which was gifted to the church by Brian and Stephanie Noland. God continued to lead in the transition with Haywood Christian Academy stepping up to purchase the old facility as a senior campus for their school. On July 27, 2008, the last worship celebration of Woodland Baptist Church at 1400 Old Clyde Road was held. The following Sunday, Woodland met at the new location. The worship celebration saw the facility packed with approximately 512 in attendance. We were blessed to have among the attendees Rev. G.W. Jamison, the first pastor of our former church building, and Rev. Thomas Kemp, Woodland's previous interim pastor!
We, at Woodland, are thankful for all the building programs and the good stewardship of its members, but even more thankful for the many converts and mission programs. A Women's Missionary Society was organized in 1938 and missions have continued to be a top priority. Strong local missions continue at Woodland with ministry participation with Haywood Christian Ministries, Broyhill Children's Home, Life Works, Haywood Pathways, and Haywood Community Alternative School. Looking beyond Haywood County, our church is blessed to have assisted North Carolina Baptist Convention with a church plant in North Asheville, the Covenant Church of the Highlands, and assisting the North American Mission Board with the establishment of a church plant, Redemption Church Cody, in Cody, Wyoming. Mission teams from Woodland have participated in disaster relief in the clean-up and rebuilding of churches following hurricanes and tornados, have traveled to Rock Springs, Wyoming; Livingston, Montana; and Cody, Wyoming, to provide backyard Bible clubs, neighborhood witnessing, and wood gathering ministries. Globally, Woodland has partnered with Dumantsi Baptist Church in the Ukraine by providing financial support to their pastor so that he can be a fulltime pastor to two churches and to provide clothing for their orphanage.
Over the last nineteen years, Woodland has sent out many licensed and/ or ordained men into the ministry field: Rev. Dean Clontz, Rev. Timmy Burnette, Rev. Josh Walls, Rev. Nathan Garrett, Rev. Shannon Smith, Rev. Caleb Payne, Rev. Jeremy Ballard, Rev. Jordan Hicks, Rev. Jon Nahlen, Brent Burke, and Russ McLamb.
Following Pastor Alan Davis’s resignation after a seventeen-year tenure, Woodland called Rev. Jason Speier and he served as our pastor until the end of June, 2018.
On May 1, 2019, Woodland welcomed Rev. Josh Frazier, his wife Lydia, and daughter Mabry as our new pastor and family. Our vision is Through the power of the Holy Spirit, Woodland will Go, Glorify, Grow, Give because of the Gospel of Jesus Christ in order to Be the Church. God is doing exciting things at Woodland and we joyously look forward to all that He has for us as we accomplish this vision.
We dedicate this history to the honor and memory of Woodland's charter members: Frank and Hattie Cochran, Claude and Hattie Hardin, Welch and Martha Turner, and Orville and Fannie Sizemore who, in 1938, saw a vision and were willing to follow its lead and to the faithful of Woodland who since have kept the vision to the Glory of God. We affirm the vision of the saints before us and know victory comes through Christ Alone
In 1949 the Church began to make plans for a new and more modern building and additional land was purchased nearby. The Rev. G. W. Jamison was elected as pastor on Sept. 27, 1950. Under Rev. Jamison's leadership a new brick building was built with class rooms underneath the new sanctuary. The first baptism was held in the new baptismal pool on May 1, 1955. God continued to grow the Church. Pastors to serve after Rev. Jamison were the Reverends, John Smith, Claude Conard, and Joel Ferguson.
The Church called the Rev. Eugene Ridley in July of 1971. Under Rev. Ridley's leadership the Church began and completed a beautiful sanctuary adjacent to the brick building. This was done through the unified efforts of the entire Church body, with much of the work completed by church members. After Rev. Ridley the Church called the Rev. A.B. Hammett to serve. In December, 1981, the Church called Rev. Glenn Rogers as pastor. Under Pastor Roger's leadership the Church planned and built a fellowship hall which was used for many activities of the Church. Rev. Rogers served Woodland for thirteen years. After Pastor Rogers, the Church called Rev. Jonathan Fowler as pastor in December, 1995. Some of the interim pastors who served at Woodland Baptist down through the years are the Reverends, Billy Lee, Oder Burnett, Guy Grogan, Manuel Wyatt, Paul Lack, and Thomas Kemp.
At this time Woodland had had four men licensed into the ministry and one ordained. These are John Crawford, Clifford Hannah, Ralph Hamlett, and Billy Lee who was both licensed and ordained.
On January 17,1999, the Rev. Alan Davis preached his first sermon as pastor of Woodland Baptist Church. Under Pastor Alan's leadership, the Church centered all programs around God's Holy and Inspired Word. Woodland experienced a harvest of souls and spiritual growth in the Church body. Because of our spiritual growth, Woodland saw the need for physical growth. On November 5, 2006, Woodland members voted to move the church's physical plant to 545 Crabtree Road, Waynesville, NC, about a mile from the its facility on Old Clyde Road. Woodland entered into a " From Vision to Victory" campaign with a season of prayer and sacrificial giving. On October 7, 2007, the official Groundbreaking Service was held at the property on Crabtree Road which was gifted to the church by Brian and Stephanie Noland. God continued to lead in the transition with Haywood Christian Academy stepping up to purchase the old facility as a senior campus for their school. On July 27, 2008, the last worship celebration of Woodland Baptist Church at 1400 Old Clyde Road was held. The following Sunday, Woodland met at the new location. The worship celebration saw the facility packed with approximately 512 in attendance. We were blessed to have among the attendees Rev. G.W. Jamison, the first pastor of our former church building, and Rev. Thomas Kemp, Woodland's previous interim pastor!
We, at Woodland, are thankful for all the building programs and the good stewardship of its members, but even more thankful for the many converts and mission programs. A Women's Missionary Society was organized in 1938 and missions have continued to be a top priority. Strong local missions continue at Woodland with ministry participation with Haywood Christian Ministries, Broyhill Children's Home, Life Works, Haywood Pathways, and Haywood Community Alternative School. Looking beyond Haywood County, our church is blessed to have assisted North Carolina Baptist Convention with a church plant in North Asheville, the Covenant Church of the Highlands, and assisting the North American Mission Board with the establishment of a church plant, Redemption Church Cody, in Cody, Wyoming. Mission teams from Woodland have participated in disaster relief in the clean-up and rebuilding of churches following hurricanes and tornados, have traveled to Rock Springs, Wyoming; Livingston, Montana; and Cody, Wyoming, to provide backyard Bible clubs, neighborhood witnessing, and wood gathering ministries. Globally, Woodland has partnered with Dumantsi Baptist Church in the Ukraine by providing financial support to their pastor so that he can be a fulltime pastor to two churches and to provide clothing for their orphanage.
Over the last nineteen years, Woodland has sent out many licensed and/ or ordained men into the ministry field: Rev. Dean Clontz, Rev. Timmy Burnette, Rev. Josh Walls, Rev. Nathan Garrett, Rev. Shannon Smith, Rev. Caleb Payne, Rev. Jeremy Ballard, Rev. Jordan Hicks, Rev. Jon Nahlen, Brent Burke, and Russ McLamb.
Following Pastor Alan Davis’s resignation after a seventeen-year tenure, Woodland called Rev. Jason Speier and he served as our pastor until the end of June, 2018.
On May 1, 2019, Woodland welcomed Rev. Josh Frazier, his wife Lydia, and daughter Mabry as our new pastor and family. Our vision is Through the power of the Holy Spirit, Woodland will Go, Glorify, Grow, Give because of the Gospel of Jesus Christ in order to Be the Church. God is doing exciting things at Woodland and we joyously look forward to all that He has for us as we accomplish this vision.
We dedicate this history to the honor and memory of Woodland's charter members: Frank and Hattie Cochran, Claude and Hattie Hardin, Welch and Martha Turner, and Orville and Fannie Sizemore who, in 1938, saw a vision and were willing to follow its lead and to the faithful of Woodland who since have kept the vision to the Glory of God. We affirm the vision of the saints before us and know victory comes through Christ Alone
Expanding the vision...
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Where we are headed...
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Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Vestibulum faucibus accumsan nulla, non faucibus velit convallis et. Nulla tempus placerat massa. Pellentesque habitant morbi tristique senectus et netus et.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Vestibulum faucibus accumsan nulla, non faucibus velit convallis et. Nulla tempus placerat massa. Pellentesque habitant morbi tristique senectus et netus et.
