Wildwood Baptist in Maryville, Tennessee, was a small church on the verge of closing when retired pastor Charlie Barnard received an unexpected call.
“I ain’t going — that’s bad English, but that’s what I told God,” recalls 66-year-old Charlie. He had retired from 17 years as senior pastor at First Baptist Tellico Village just three days before Wildwood reached out in April 2022 asking him to consider being their pastor.
Living less than a mile from the church, Charlie and his wife Teresa decided to attend one Sunday. The couple wasn’t unfamiliar with Wildwood — they had family members there and were even married in the church. What they found was a congregation of just 25 people, nearly all over age 70.
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“After that service, I thought, gosh, I know that I’ve got a set of skills that can help this church,” Charlie said.
He preached there for several Sundays, and, after prayer and consideration, Charlie accepted the role with unanimous support from the congregation. By May 2022, Charlie and Teresa became pastor and music director, respectively.
Under their leadership, the church has grown from 25 to approximately 120 in worship attendance, with about 72 attending Sunday School and 10 baptisms annually.
“Surprisingly that growth is younger people, which surprises us because we’re old and we’re not really targeting anybody,” Charlie said. “We’re just doing church the old-fashioned way, which is the only way we know how to do it. And that’s word of mouth.”
Building personal connections
Charlie attributes their success to focusing on relationships rather than polished sermons.
“I preach short sermons: I can’t keep my own attention,” Charlie laughs. “We try to keep it very simple. As a pastor, I believe I really only have two things I’m supposed to do: preach the Word and love the people.”
This approach resonates particularly with younger generations. “Younger people are looking for a friendly place, where people are real and where the pastor’s real. We visit people in their homes, get to know them better, answer their questions and be a pastor,” Charlie said.
Teresa, who plays the piano, leads a blended worship style appealing to both traditional and contemporary tastes. The couple has also incorporated talented congregation members into their music ministry.
“That is our prayer that we prayed most often: Lord, send us who we need when we need them. And that’s what He’s been doing,” Teresa said.
She believes worship sets the stage for Charlie’s message.
“Singing together, sort of like a responsive reading, when you do that together, it draws you together in fellowship. It fertilizes the soul of the heart for the Word.”
Teresa also restarted Wednesday night meals, allowing busy parents to feed their children while attending Bible study.
Building for the future
The Barnards bring considerable experience to Wildwood. Charlie holds a master’s degree in Christian education and a doctorate in church growth, while Teresa’s nursing career complemented his ministry.
They were high school sweethearts with different religious upbringings — Teresa from an Independent Baptist background and Charlie with a “sporadic” mostly Methodist background.
They’ve successfully grown three other churches in Tennessee and South Carolina. But rather than building mega-churches, they focus on revitalization and sustainability.
“I think there’s a lot of churches that are not building for the kingdom. They’re not laying down roots that are going to last,” Charlie explained.
To ensure Wildwood’s continued success, Charlie is training two younger interns (ages 37 and 58) in his pastoral approach. “I’m teaching them how to preach and how to be a pastor. My hope is that they both take over when I retire,” he said.
“I want somebody who understands the importance of personal relations and being a pastor as well as a preacher.”
In March, Wildwood Baptist took another leap of faith by breaking ground on a new community event center. It is scheduled for completion this summer.
“We’ve always prayed, ‘Lord, send us who we need when we need them,’ ” Charlie explained, “and He’s done exactly that.”
The church has been blessed with generous supporters who have fully funded the construction, allowing them to open the facility completely debt-free.
The versatile space will serve as a hub for community outreach, hosting everything from Vacation Bible School and cookouts to their popular annual “Blessing of the Bikers” events — a nod to the Barnards ’ motorcycle ministry.
This passion for motorcycles extends far beyond occasional church events.
Throughout their years of ministry, the Barnards have leveraged their love of riding to raise $600,000 for various charities through organized rides and motorcycle-centered fundraisers.
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Zoe Watkins and originally published by the Baptist and Reflector.
