Oklahoma Baptist University presented the Herschel H. Hobbs Award for Distinguished Denominational Service to Dr. Anthony Jordan, Executive Director-Treasurer of the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma, Sunday, Sept. 3, during the Falls Creek 100th anniversary celebration in Davis, Oklahoma. OBU President Dr. David W. Whitlock presented the award.
The award is named in honor of the noteworthy Southern Baptist denominational service of Dr. Herschel H. Hobbs, a prolific author, preacher and radio program host. Hobbs was pastor of the First Baptist Church of Oklahoma City from 1949-72. He died in 1995. He is also the namesake of OBU’s Herschel H. Hobbs College of Theology and Ministry.
Previous winners of the Hobbs Award include Dr. Jeff Iorg, president of Gateway Seminary; Dr. Rebekah Naylor, former IMB missionary; Dr. Tom Eliff, former president of the IMB; Robert Kellogg, president and CEO of the Baptist Foundation of Oklahoma; Dr. David S. Dockery, former president of Union University and current president of Trinity International University; Dr. O. S. Hawkins, president of GuideStone Financial Resources; and Dr. Daniel Akin, president of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.
Whitlock noted the special bond between OBU and Falls Creek, a bond that was strengthened and bolstered, along with many other aspects of the University, through Dr. Jordan’s work.
“OBU and Falls Creek have joined together in similar missions from the very beginning,” Whitlock said. “One of the very first Falls Creek missionaries in 1917 was a young lady by the name of Rosalee Mills Appleby, who later graduated from OBU in 1920. Her life and calling as a missionary, writer and teacher in Brazil set a pattern that continues today, young people called to ministry and missions at Falls Creek and then preparing for life service to Christ at OBU. Her life made such an impact that OBU’s oldest and highest honor for female students – the Rosalee Mills Appleby Award – is still given to this day. Hundreds of OBU students have also made an impact as summer staff at Falls Creek for generation upon generation.”
“Another person who has linked OBU and Falls Creek together for nearly a quarter century is Dr. Anthony Jordan. When I was preparing to come to OBU as president, Dr. Bob Agee urged me to partner with Dr. Jordan in our shared missions. He has become a good friend, and has been a strong supporter of OBU. Together, we have had a great working relationship. Furthermore, Dr. Jordan has been a servant to Oklahoma Baptists and to Southern Baptists alike. As such, it is a tremendous privilege and honor to award the Herschel H. Hobbs Award for Distinguished Denominational Service to Dr. Anthony Jordan.”
Jordan was surprised and grateful to receive this recognition.
“I was totally caught off guard with the presentation of this prestigious award,” he said. “I am both humbled and honored to receive it. Herschel Hobbs is one of my heroes of the faith. OBU is our Baptist University in Oklahoma, and to be recognized by our school means more to me than words can convey. I love our denomination, and it is a joy to serve our Lord and Southern Baptists. Thank you, Dr. Whitlock, for this wonderful affirmation of my life’s work.”
Prior to his service with the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma, Jordan served as a pastor for more than 28 years. He has served as the Executive Director-Treasurer of the BGCO since 1996. He is a graduate of Southwest Baptist University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts. He then earned both a Master of Divinity and a Doctor of Ministry from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. OBU presented Jordan with an honorary Doctor of Divinity in 2010.
For more information about OBU, visit www.okbu.edu.
With its campus in Shawnee, and locations in Oklahoma City and Broken Arrow, OBU offers 10 bachelor’s degrees with 88 fields of study and five master’s degree programs. The Christian liberal arts university has an overall enrollment of 2,073, with students from 40 states and 35 other countries. OBU has been rated as one of the top 10 regional colleges in the West by U.S. News and World Report for 25 consecutive years and has been Oklahoma’s highest rated regional college in the U.S. News rankings for 23 consecutive years. OBU is one of three universities in Oklahoma and the only private Oklahoma university listed on Great Value College’s rankings of 50 Great Affordable Colleges in the Midwest. Forbes.com consistently ranks OBU as a top university in Oklahoma and the Princeton Review has named OBU one of the best colleges and universities in the western United States for 12 consecutive years.
