Annual Meeting anticipation: What to expect at 2022 Oklahoma Baptists Annual Meeting

MUSTANG—In less than a month, Oklahoma Baptists will gather together for the 116th Annual Meeting. Hundreds of messengers are expected to meet at Mustang, First to do convention business, and this will be a cherished time for all who attend.

In anticipation of what to expect at this year’s Annual Meeting, here is a list of items and activities that will definitely make the event a “can’t miss” experience.

Mustang, First hosts Annual Meeting for the first time

According to Oklahoma Baptists records, this will be the first time Mustang, First has hosted Annual Meeting. This great church has been doing Gospel-advancing work, and Annual Meeting will be the first time for many Oklahoma Baptists to visit and see what God is doing at Mustang, First.

Pastors’ Conference

Experienced pastors who have demonstrated steadfastness in their ministries will be filling the pulpit during this year’s Pastor’s Conference, which will precede Annual Meeting, Nov. 14. The theme of the Pastors’ Conference is “Steadfast,” focusing on the importance of pastors and church leaders being steadfast in Gospel advancement today.

Speakers for the Pastor’s Conference include Doug Passmore, pastor of Lawton, First East; Nick Garland retired pastor of Broken Arrow, First; Anthony Harris, pastor of Amarillo, Texas, St. John; Hance Dilbeck, president of Guidestone Financial Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention; and Jack Graham, pastor of Plano, Texas, Prestonwood.

Electing officers

Current Oklahoma Baptists officers include Chris Wall, president; Andy Finch, first vice president; and Trey Graham, second vice president. At the Annual Meeting, nominations for president, first vice president and second vice president will be received, with a slate of officers voted upon.

Report from the Sexual Abuse Task Force

When he was elected executive director-treasurer of Oklahoma Baptists in November 2021, Todd Fisher made it one of his first intentions to ask the president of Oklahoma Baptists to form an Abuse Prevention and Response Task Force. President Wall and Oklahoma Baptists board members established the task force in March 2022.

Eric Costanzo, pastor of Tulsa, South Tulsa, serves as chairman of the task force, and he, along with other task force members, will present the report and resources during the Tuesday morning session, Nov. 15.

Reports from affiliates

Baptist Village Communities, Oklahoma Baptist Homes for Children, Oklahoma Baptist University and WatersEdge are the four affiliated ministries of Oklahoma Baptists. Leaders from these ministries will be sharing the great work they have been doing over the past year that has helped Oklahoma Baptists advance the Gospel together.

Celebrating 50 years of Oklahoma Baptist Disaster Relief

Messengers and other Annual Meeting attendees should expect to see a lot of yellow shirts during the Annual Meeting. The ministry of Oklahoma Baptist Disaster Relief will be celebrating 50 years of providing help, healing and hope to hundreds of thousands of people in the aftermath of disasters over the years.

A celebration dinner is planned for Monday, Nov. 14, at 4:45 p.m., immediately following the Pastors’ Conference. Deadline to register for the dinner is Nov. 3. Those wanting to attend the dinner can register online at okdisasterhelp.org/DR-50th-anniversary-rsvp.

The Monday evening session also will feature a special celebration report on Disaster Relief.

Sermons and addresses

Powerful preaching is a fixture at Annual Meeting. Fisher will be giving his executive director-treasurer’s address during the Monday evening session. Wall will be giving his president’s address during the Tuesday morning session, and Duncan Blackwell will deliver the annual sermon during the Tuesday afternoon session.

Dippin’ Dots in the Exhibit Area

The tradition continues as messengers and other Annual Meeting guests will have their opportunity to partake of Dippin’ Dots, hosted by WatersEdge Financial Resources in the Exhibit Area. Many other enjoyable items also will be available to eat and to pick up, relating to the various ministries affiliated with Oklahoma Baptists.

Great fellowship

The Exhibit Area and other areas also will provide special opportunities to connect with fellow Oklahoma Baptists. Programming is important, but those impromptu, unplanned meetings with friends are treasured encounters that serve as times to encourage and support each other.

For more on Annual Meeting, visit oklahomabaptists.org/annualmeeting for the latest information.