From a Darden Living Room to a South Knoxville Cornerstone
The first meeting of Woodlawn Christian Church was held in August 1955 at the home of Sam and Eleanor Darden in Knoxville, Tennessee. The Smoky Mountain Men's Fellowship and the Smoky Mountain Evangelism Committee of Johnson Bible College (now Johnson University) agreed to help plant a Christian Church in the neighborhood, and a house and adjoining lot on the corner of Woodlawn Pike and Young High Pike was purchased for that purpose. The first worship service in the new property was held on Sunday, August 28, 1955, with Floyd Clark, the academic dean of Johnson, presiding and Charles Fordyce serving as minister.
From that modest start grew a congregation that has shaped a piece of South Knoxville for seven decades. A first church building was begun in the spring of 1957 and dedicated in May 1958, with David L. Eubanks serving as minister from December 1956 until shortly after he was named president of Johnson Bible College in 1968. In April 1968, the congregation broke ground for a new sanctuary that was dedicated on October 13 of that year, followed in 1992 by another sanctuary building and an educational wing added in 1995.
The congregation grew through the ministries of Steven Everroad, Kenneth Overdorf, Bill Eaton, Dr. Richard Beam (who became Senior Minister in November 1988), and Dr. Rick Grover (called in 1996, whose introduction of the cell-ministry concept helped Woodlawn grow without losing its small-church feel). About twenty families from the closing Forest Avenue Christian Church joined Woodlawn in 1986, and the proceeds from that property became the core of a new building fund. David Wheeler served as interim minister until Charles Beckett was called to the Senior Minister position in June 2002. After serving as Youth Minister since 2006 and as Senior Associate Minister since 2014, Dwayne Curry moved into the Lead Minister role in February 2018 when Beckett retired.
Restoration Movement Roots and Independent Governance
Woodlawn is historically and theologically connected to the American Restoration Movement, also called the Stone-Campbell Movement, which began on the American frontier in the early nineteenth century and sought to unite all Christians into a single body patterned after the New Testament church. Woodlawn describes itself as an independent, self-supporting, and self-governing body of Christ followers whose board of elders is elected annually by the congregation.
Five core values shape the congregation's life together. The Lordship of Jesus is the single value the church says it would die for, since Christ, as head of the church, is the one to whom it is ultimately responsible. The Authority of Scripture means the Bible is the only authoritative source for faith and practice. The Urgency of the Great Commission sets the church's marching orders, covering worship, evangelism, and discipleship. The Priority of Love flows from Jesus' command to love God and neighbor, and the Importance of the Local Church reflects the conviction that nothing replaces the work of a local body, even when para-church organizations and non-profits do valuable kingdom work alongside it.
Beliefs About God, the Bible, and the Church
Woodlawn teaches belief in one God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and in Jesus Christ as God's only Son and Savior of the world, who died for sins and rose again. The Holy Spirit lives in every Christian, and the Bible is held to be God's inspired and trustworthy message to mankind and the final authority for faith. Salvation comes by grace through the blood of Jesus Christ and is accepted through repentance and faith at baptism. The Church of Jesus Christ is the body and bride of Christ, founded on the day of Pentecost and consisting of all Christians everywhere, with elders providing oversight for each local congregation.
Baptism at Woodlawn is by immersion, since the original Greek word means to dip, plunge, or immerse. Because the New Testament pattern involves belief, repentance, and confession before baptism, the church does not practice infant baptism. Those who have not been baptized are invited to take that step of accepting Christ and being baptized.
Two Sunday Services, Two Worship Styles
Worship at Woodlawn is offered in two distinct Sunday morning services. At 9:30 AM, the Traditional Worship service leans on hymns, and most attendees dress in professional or business-casual attire. At 11:00 AM, the Contemporary Worship service features modern music and a more casual feel, with khakis, polos, jeans, t-shirts, and flip-flops all common. Both services include music, the message, communion, and prayer.
Communion is part of each gathering, and visitors who are unsure about participating are invited simply to pass the plate. The live stream of the 11:00 AM service is available on YouTube, and online viewers are encouraged to have communion elements ready at home so they can take part together with the local congregation. Those who wish to give can do so online through the church's giving page or by mailing their tithes to the church office at 4339 Woodlawn Pike, Knoxville, TN 37920.
Children from Birth Through Fifth Grade
Children from birth through fifth grade have a full slate of programming at Woodlawn. The WCC Kids Check-In counter in the main lobby handles sign-in, and all volunteers are trained and have background checks before working with any child. A volunteer-run nursery for children from birth to twenty-three months and their parents is open during both Sunday services. Preschoolers ages two through five have a structured time of play and a Bible lesson during both services.
Kindergarten through fifth graders attend a combined Sunday School class from 9:30 to 10:30 AM, then move to Children's Church from 11:00 AM to noon for the main Bible lesson, worship, and communion. The prayer of the children's ministry, drawn from 3 John 1:4, is that every child who comes through the doors will experience the love of Christ and one day choose to follow Him. Visitors check in children from birth through fifth grade at the Worship Center Foyer.
Students in the Youth Houses
Middle and high school students gather on Sunday mornings from 9:30 to 10:30 AM for Sunday School classes that emphasize meaningful engagement with God's Word. High schoolers meet in the youth house bordering Young High Pike, and middle schoolers meet in the youth house bordering Greenwood Avenue. After Sunday School, students can join the 11:00 AM worship service or serve in various ministries around the church.
On Wednesday evenings from 6:00 to 8:00 PM during the school year, students gather for a Wednesday Night Service held in the middle school house. Fellowship, learning, and reflection on Biblical lessons are the focus, with teaching that aims to help students see all of Scripture as a unified story that leads to Jesus. Special events, retreats, and conferences throughout the calendar year give students additional ways to grow in faith and fellowship.
Small Groups, Bible Studies, and the Shining Stars
Small Groups meet throughout the week at various times and locations, with the goal of moving from rows to circles and from circles to service in up, in, and out relationships. A Wednesday evening group at 6:30 PM in Room C-221 reads through the Old Testament following the Bible Recap plan, while another Wednesday group at 6:40 PM watches The Chosen series together. A Sunday evening group at 6:00 PM meets in the North Knoxville area, and a Wednesday evening group at 6:30 PM meets in the Seymour area.
Two women's Bible studies on the Sermon on the Mount by Jen Wilkin meet on Sunday at 5:00 PM and Monday at 10:00 AM at the Middle School House. Women also gather every third Tuesday at 11:30 AM at Gondolier for a monthly lunch and fellowship, with space to be authentic, pray for one another, and build relationships.
The Shining Star Ministry serves adults 55 and better. Its focus is fellowship, outreach, compassion, unity, and service, drawn from passages such as Philippians 2:14-16 and Ephesians 4:12. The ministry builds positive relationships through worship experiences and activities, responds to people near and far as they share the love of Christ, and provides opportunities to serve Christ by serving others. Adults with developmental disabilities are welcomed into the Soldiers of the Cross Sunday School class at 9:30 AM, where interactive lessons help teach Christian principles.
A Church With a Fifth of Its Giving Going to the Nations
Woodlawn takes the Great Commission seriously enough to put about nineteen percent of its annual budget into global outreach, supporting cross-cultural missions, evangelism, mission support, education, and benevolent ministries. Twenty-five missionaries and mission organizations receive financial backing, including Ability Ministry, Bajio Christian Mission in Honduras, Bill Loft Mission in Spain, Central India Christian Mission, the Christian Holyland Foundation, Christian Student Fellowship, Church Partners of the Smokies, Emmanuel Christian Seminary, Friends of China, Good News Productions International, His Seed Sowers in Haiti, the International Conference on Missions, the International Disaster Emergency Service, Johnson University, Liberty Visions Learning Center in Kenya, Milligan College, Myanmar Hope Christian Mission, Mountain Mission School in Grundy, Virginia, Outreach International in Papua New Guinea, Pioneer Bible Translators in Brazil, Team Expansion in Taiwan, the Woodlawn Camp Fund, Zimbabwe Outreach Ministries, and ZMission in Ecuador.
Locally, the church continues to expand its involvement with Knoxville-area Compassion Coalition work and partnerships with neighborhood elementary schools, building on a tradition that took root under Charles Beckett's lead. A Latino Sunday School class taught in Spanish by Valdecy DaSilva and Nelly Martinez extends that same care to Spanish-speaking neighbors in South Knoxville.
Getting Involved
Visitors can plan a visit by filling out a form online or stopping by the Connection Center in the Worship Center Foyer when they arrive. The Connection Center is also the place to pick up a Connection Card after a service, which helps the church follow up with anyone who wants more information. Those ready to serve can choose from areas including WCC Kids, WCC Students, Welcome Team, Communion Preparation, Cross-Cultural ministry, Disability ministry, Emerald Youth, Facilities crews on Thursday or Saturday, Hospitality, Outreach, Prayer, the S.A.F.E. Team, Tech Team, Transportation, and Worship. A spiritual gifts survey is available for anyone who wants to discover where they fit best.
The church office can be reached at 865-573-6721 or info@mywoodlawn.org for prayer requests, visit planning, or any other questions about life at Woodlawn Christian Church.