Can you share about your ministry calling and career?
God called me to ministry at Falls Creek in the summer of 1968 while attending camp with my home church, Frederick, Bethel. I was blessed with a pastor who found me many opportunities to preach while in high school which served to deepen my call. My first paid staff position was as Minister of Music/Youth at Brownwood, Texas, Central, during my second year of college. I began pastoring a year later and served four churches as pastor over the next 25 years, all of which were in Texas. The last church was Grapevine, Texas, Memorial, which was renamed The Church at the Cross after we relocated from a neighborhood to 47 acres on a freeway. I moved to Arkansas in 2001 where I was President of Shiloh Christian School for five years before returning to Oklahoma as Director of Admissions for Oklahoma Baptist University (OBU). I have served OBU in various capacities since that time including several years on the president’s Executive Cabinet. In January 2020, President Heath Thomas shared his vision of extending the mission of the university into the prisons of our state and asked me to pray about launching the Prison Divinity Program. God confirmed this calling and continues to do so. I am very grateful to serve my university and my home state in this unique way.
Can you tell us about your family?
I am blessed with an incredible wife, Linda, who is a powerful prayer warrior and a partner in ministry in every possible way. We have a blended family of five children, one of whom now lives in Heaven. We have two great grandchildren and 11 grandchildren, all of whom are pretty great themselves!
Please share about the OBU Prison Divinity Program, what it does and the impact.
I believe there is no greater expression of the transformational education OBU offers than that offered in the Prison Divinity Program. What better place for Christian liberal arts to impact culture than in one of its darkest places? I am blessed to witness vivid demonstrations of what it means to be a new creation in Christ on a regular basis. The university offers a fully accredited 4-year, 120 credit-hour Bachelor of Arts degree in Christian Studies through the Prison Divinity Program. All courses are taught face-to-face, year-round at the Lexington Correctional Center. This is a one-of-a kind educational opportunity in our state prisons. These courses off er the same rigor as those offered on the Shawnee campus and we expect no less from these students than any OBU student. Sixty students are currently enrolled. Thirty of them are sophomores and thirty are seniors who will graduate in May 2025 as our first graduating class! Many will be deployed by the Oklahoma Department of Corrections (ODOC) to other prisons across the state as Field Ministers – a title given them by the ODOC. Through the guidance and power of the Holy Spirit, they will take what they have learned and experienced and begin to accomplish our ultimate goal – the transformation of prison culture within our state! As they depart our Lexington campus, the next cohort of Bison will arrive and begin their studies next summer.
What Gospel fruit have you seen in the OBU Prison Divinity Program?
Evangelism and ministry are not waiting until our students graduate. Four students currently pastor churches inside the prison. Several others preach and lead worship on a regular basis. Many of our students engage consistently in personal evangelism. Literally, hundreds of men have come to Jesus in the last four years. More than 500 men in the maximum-security unit alone have made life changing decisions to follow Christ! We witness salvations every week – sometimes one or two, often 10 or more. Contrary to the opinion of some, these are not “jailhouse decisions.” There is no worldly advantage to be gained in prison by declaring one’s allegiance to Christ. Quite the opposite is true. Believers are often targeted and persecuted for their faith. Nevertheless, these men stand strong and boldly confess their Lord in word and deed. I am blessed to be doing life with them!
How has this been a great example of Oklahoma Baptists coming together to offer this program?
Truly, the program exists entirely upon the favor of God shown through various entities and individuals. The Prison Divinity Program is an effective partnership between OBU, Oklahoma Baptists and the Oklahoma Department of Corrections. The Department has invited us into the prison system and we are continually grateful to be their guests and receive the favor they have shown us. This program is not a line item in anyone’s budget. Everything from payroll to paper clips is made possible through the generous gifts of our donors, one of which is Oklahoma Baptists through the Edna McMillan State Missions Offering. Thank you, Oklahoma Baptists! Likewise, God’s favor is shown through the support of several Oklahoma Baptist churches and many individual Baptists.
Any prayer requests or anything else that the Lord has on your heart?
There is no greater partnership than our partnership in prayer. We know that every wonderful outcome in the Prison Divinity Program is due to the faithful prayers of God’s people. Please join us in prayer for the next cohort. May God raise up the men He desires to be enrolled at OBU. Pray for the continued outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the prison resulting in changed lives. Pray for our students that even in the midst of strenuous academic responsibilities they remain quickened for ministry and evangelism each day.
