September is always a wonderful time on the campus of Oklahoma Baptist University (OBU), and this fall is no exception. Students and faculty have settled back into the rhythms and routines of academic life on Bison Hill.
Fall sports are well underway, along with dozens of student clubs and organizations. Prospective students are journeying to Bison Hill for campus tours and visits, to experience how an OBU education can transform their hearts and minds while preparing them for their future vocations.
Indeed, it is a wonderful time to be at Oklahoma Baptist University. Amid the challenges created by the pandemic disruption, we still find God preserving and advancing our university. Founded in 1910 by a group of Oklahoma Baptists with a vision to plant a distinctively Baptist, co-educational, liberal arts institution of higher learning in central Oklahoma, OBU has been living its purpose for 111 years.
On Bison Hill, we educate and equip Future Shapers to go into the world and make an impact upon everyone they encounter—all of life, all for Jesus. Our campus is full of Future Shapers—students who will be world changers—and it is exciting to witness as they grow and develop into the men and women of Christian character God created them to be.
As we educate our students with the knowledge necessary to thrive and succeed in their future vocations, we likewise guide them to love and follow Christ. We do this through a dynamic Spiritual Life program with weekly chapel services, discipleship opportunities, Bible studies and more. We emphasize the importance of loving our God and loving our neighbor, teaching our students “to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly” with our God (Micah 6:8).
As issues in our world rage regarding racism and racial violence, it is important that we as Christians hold fast to Christ’s command to, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind,” and to, “love your neighbor as yourself.” We not only teach these things at OBU, we put them into practice every day, showing the love of Christ to our brothers and sisters while building the close-knit community we enjoy on Bison Hill.
This fall, we are excited to host a new twist on our annual homecoming celebration. We are calling it The Weekend, and it is THE weekend to be on Bison Hill. We invite you all, as Oklahoma Baptists, to join us. Whether you’re an alumna or alumnus of OBU, friend of the University, supporter or you’ve never even set foot on campus before, we invite you to come. We will celebrate together as we enjoy many fun and exciting events, all taking place Oct. 21-23 on the OBU campus in Shawnee.
Pastors, I have a special invitation for you. We are hosting a Pastors Conference Thursday evening, Oct. 21, in conjunction with the other events for The Weekend. I will be sharing, as will fellow OBU alumni Hance Dilbeck and Todd Fisher. You don’t want to miss this time of fellowship and study together on the OBU campus in Shawnee.
As Oklahoma Baptists, we cherish your support of OBU. We exist as the University founded by Oklahoma Baptists, made for Oklahoma Baptists and sustained by Oklahoma Baptists, just like you. Our Oklahoma Baptist heritage guides the manner by which we educate and equip our students so that they may be the leaders of the church, both locally and globally, for generations into the future.
Please join us in praying that OBU’s mission will endure for many generations to come, as we continue to fulfill our purpose by preparing future generations to impact our world for Christ. May God bless you as He continues to bless OBU.
