A Half-Century on Allen Road
On a quiet stretch of Allen Road in Woodhaven, Michigan, the same family has been pastoring the same Free Will Baptist congregation for more than fifty years. Woodhaven Free Will Baptist Church sits just south of I-75 in the Downriver suburbs of metro Detroit, and its longest-serving leader, Pastor Loyd Locklear, has shaped almost every chapter of its story. The church today carries the tagline The Perfect Place for Imperfect People, a motto that sums up its self-understanding: a community of broken people who do not pretend to have it all together but who claim to know the One who does.
The Pastoral Legacy of Loyd Locklear
Pastor Loyd Locklear has been the lead pastor of WFWB for over fifty years. Born and raised in North Carolina, he moved to Michigan in the 1950s with a small suitcase and little money. He sought out a new life and found himself on the back row of a small church, where he was gloriously saved. After his marriage to Marie and the birth of his first child, he answered the call to preach and has been shepherding this flock ever since. The congregation counts his steady, decades-long presence as a defining mark of who they are.
His son, Jonathan Locklear, serves alongside him as Associate Pastor. Jonathan has been on the pastoral staff since 2007, first as the Student Ministries Pastor and now in his current role. He studied Pastoral Leadership at Welch College (formerly Free Will Baptist Bible College) in Nashville, Tennessee, and also serves as a Chaplain for the Woodhaven Police Department. He and his wife Stephanie have two sons, Rickey and Judah.
Sunday Mornings and Wednesday Nights
The church's weekly rhythm is simple and steady. Sunday School begins at 10:00 AM, with the Main Service following at 11:00 AM. The two Sunday gatherings sit at the heart of congregational life. A Wednesday Night service meets at 6:30 PM, giving the church family a midweek touchpoint for worship, teaching, and prayer.
The youth program keeps a different beat. Teens ages 16 and up meet on Monday nights at 6:30, while students ages 10 to 15 meet on Wednesday nights at 6:30, sharing the same evening building but in their own age-appropriate groups. Youth Director Jessica Mitchell has been organizing and mobilizing teenagers to know the Lord and serve Him since 2018. She leads in singing, playing music, organizing events, and leading mission trips, and is described as a role model for the teen girls in the program.
D-Groups Around Downriver
If there is one feature that distinguishes Woodhaven FWB beyond its long pastorate, it is the breadth of its D-Group network. A D-Group, or Devotional Group, is a small gathering of daily Bible readers who meet once a week to read, discuss, and pray over what they are reading and how God is working in their lives. Members are welcome to join any group at any time of year, and the groups meet throughout the week at various times and locations, including homes, the church, and even a local restaurant.
The men's side of the network runs six groups. Tyler Edge leads a group that meets at 12:15 on Sunday right after service, at the church. Jonathan Locklear leads two: one on Tuesday morning at 11:00 at the church and another on Sunday morning at 7:30 at the Woodhaven Leo's Coney Island. Richard Hardy gathers his group on Tuesday evening at 5:30 at the church, Dale Chupurdy leads one on Thursday morning at 8:00 at the church, and Jerry Willett's group meets Sunday evening at 4:00 at the church.
The women's side adds five more. Connie Swistera hosts a Wednesday evening group at 7:30 at the church. Linda Shelton leads on Thursday morning at 11:00 at the church. Two Thursday evening groups run in parallel: Vickie Bartnicki's at 6:00 at the church, and Donna Locklear's at 6:00 in her home. Stephanie Locklear rounds out the week with a Friday morning group at 10:00 at the church.
Ladies Prayer Meeting and the Prayer Life of the Church
Beyond the structured D-Groups, the women of the church gather for a separate Ladies Prayer Meeting. The prayer meeting welcomes women who feel called to come together in a spirit of unity and intercession, lifting up the needs of their families, the church, the community, the nation, and the world. Whether a seasoned prayer warrior or someone simply looking to deepen a spiritual connection, participants find a supportive and uplifting environment for seeking God's guidance, comfort, and blessings.
The church also maintains a Prayer Team that intercedes for the needs of the congregation, the community, and beyond. Their prayers are described as the spiritual foundation that sustains and empowers the church's work in sharing the gospel and serving others. Members and friends can bring requests through the prayer request page on the church's online community, where posts are kept within the church family.
Operation Christmas Child, Year Round
Woodhaven FWB has supported Operation Christmas Child, the Samaritan's Purse shoebox outreach, for many years. Rather than a single seasonal push, the church treats it as a year-round ministry. Members are encouraged to pick up items while they are out shopping using a monthly guide from OCC, watch for sales and deals the church circulates, and drop donations into a collection bin kept in the gazebo area at church so no one has to store items at home. Once all the items are gathered, the church family comes together for a packing party to fill the shoeboxes. Vicki Bartnicki serves as the main coordinator and is available to answer questions through the church text line.
The Annual Canoe Trip
Each year the church family travels together for a multi-day Canoe Trip, a tradition of fellowship, food, campfires, river floats, and outdoor fun. The men take turns cooking breakfast at 9:00 AM, and dinner is shared at 6:00 PM each evening. The canoe float typically runs on Friday morning with pickup at 10:00 AM, lunch provided at the river; a four-wheeling outing is usually planned for Thursday. After dinner each evening, the group gathers for preaching, encouragement, worship, and time around the campfire. Campsite reservations are handled directly with the campground, and the church adds a small weekend fee on top of the site cost.
Be the Hands and Feet: The Serving Teams
Behind every Sunday service is a quiet network of volunteers. The church lays out its serving opportunities openly, calling members to be the hands and feet of Christ within the church walls, in the local community, and beyond.
- Welcome Team greets every person who walks through the door with a handshake, hug, or smile.
- Nursery Workers provide a safe and nurturing space for infants and toddlers during services, allowing parents to focus on worship.
- Sound Team prepares every microphone, manages the soundboard during services, and handles other audio needs to keep worship seamless.
- Cleaning Team vacuums, empties trash, and cleans bathrooms to keep the facilities presentable.
- Maintenance Crew keeps facilities, vehicles, bathrooms, and lighting in excellent condition so the church environment remains safe and functional.
- Landscaping handles mowing, edging, trimming, planting, mulching, and snow cleanup, and also visits the homes of those who are unable to care for their own yards.
- Visitation Team reaches out to those who are sick, injured, or homebound, and follows up with members who have been absent for a while.
- Meal Train Team prepares and delivers meals during illness, the arrival of a new baby, and other life events.
The church notes there are many more roles than it can list, and encourages anyone who does not see a fit to reach out, since there is always a place to use unique gifts and talents.
What We Believe
The church's statement of faith is rooted in historic Free Will Baptist convictions. Members affirm that the Bible is the inspired and infallible, authoritative Word of God. They believe in one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. They confess the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ, His virgin birth, His bodily resurrection, His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and His personal return in power and glory. They hold that regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential for the salvation of lost and sinful people, that the present ministry of the Holy Spirit indwells the Christian and enables a godly life, and that there will be a resurrection of both the saved unto the resurrection of life and the lost unto the resurrection of damnation. They affirm the spiritual unity of believers in the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Mission of the Church
The church's stated purpose is to spread the Good News of the gospel of Jesus Christ by loving God and loving people. Members humble themselves in worship and adoration of who He is, and confidently proclaim the absolute truth of His Word. The church's motto makes the same confession in simpler terms: The Perfect Place for Imperfect People.
Staying Connected
A weekly church newsletter goes out every Monday at 6:30 AM to help members apply the previous Sunday's sermon throughout the week. Giving is treated as worship: members can give in person during any service, online through Pushpay, or by texting givewoodhaven to 77977. Church-branded apparel, including tri-blend tees, crewneck sweatshirts, full-zip hoodies, microfleece jackets, and caps, is available through an online store. Sermons are posted on the church's Facebook page so those who cannot make it Sunday morning can still hear the message.
The church can be reached by email at woodhavenfwb@gmail.com or by text at (734) 540-1633. The mailing address is 26191 Allen Road, Woodhaven, MI 48183. Active social channels include Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.