August Digital 2026

DIGITAL EDITION | MARCH 2026

DIGITAL EDITION | AUGUST 2026

MISSION OKC SEES SUMMER MINISTRY OUTREACH AT NEW GREENSPACE THRIVE

Oklahomans Take Gospel to Japan Jacob King

2026 Indian Falls Creek: A Powerful Week of Faith Messenger Staff with Jennifer Barnett

August 2026 | The Baptist Messenger | www.baptistmessenger.com

Ministry Toolbox: What To Do When A Crisis Hits Thomas Jordon and Brian Hobbs

INSIDE THIS ISSUE 03 | OKLAHOMANS TAKE GOSPEL TO JAPAN Jacob King, Staff Writer

04 | MISSION OKC SEES SUMMER MINISTRY OUTREACH AT NEW GREENSPACE THRIVE Messenger Staff

06 | 2026 INDIAN FALLS CREEK: A POWERFUL WEEK OF FAITH Messenger Staff with Jennifer Barnett

08 | MINISTRY TOOLBOX: WHAT TO DO WHEN A CRISIS HITS Thomas Jordan and Brian Hobbs

09 | BUDDY HUNT REFLECTS ON ‘GOD’S CALLING AND FAITHFULLNESS’ AMID RETIREMENT Messenger Staff

11 | OKLAHOMA BAPTIST CHURCHES UNITE TO BUILD HOME FOR PASTOR’S WIDOW Philip Jones

12 | CHURCH NEWS

OKLAHOMANS TAKE GOSPEL TO JAPAN

by Jacob King, Staff Writer

During the International Mission Board (IMB) Sending people groups. The Masons were first called to missions Celebration at the 2026 Southern Baptist Convention at Oklahoma City, Frontline South where they felt God (SBC) Annual Meeting, 63 missionaries were commissioned had given them the heart to bless the nations. to be sent to other nations. Of those 63, six Oklahoma Baptists were featured, including Tanner and Sallie Mason “We were exposed to the heart of God,” said Mason. “We from Oklahoma City, Frontline South, who are being sent saw His heart for the nations, and we believe that He gave us that same heart to go and to bless other churches.” to Fukuoka, Japan.

Japan is a country where the Lord is at work. Despite being home to the world’s second-largest unreached people group, God is preparing workers to proclaim the Gospel in the country. The Masons are moving their family to Japan to share Christ’s love with the nation.

While in Japan, the Masons will be assisting already established churches in proclaiming the Gospel in Fukuoka, which has a population of 6 million.

The Masons are asking Oklahoma Baptists to pray specifically for the relationships the Lord has prepared “My wife and I both felt the calling of the Lord to serve in the city, for the movement of the Spirit amongst the amongst people groups where there’s little Gospel Japanese people and for their language learning so they witness,” said Tanner. “Japan is one of those countries.” can become fluent in Japanese.

According to the IMB, statistics show that more than 95 percent of the Japanese population does not have a relationship with Christ. However, it is also considered one of the most religious countries with the majority of its traditions and culture based in Shinto and Buddhism.

This will be the Masons’ second mission service, their first being in Paris, France working with North African

August 2026 | The Baptist Messenger | www.baptistmessenger.com

MISSION OKC SEES SUMMER MINISTRY OUTREACH AT NEW GREENSPACE THRIVE

by Messenger Staff

It’s not unusual to find families looking for summer activities for their children. From sports leagues to swimming lessons, parents will often pay for activities of all kinds to keep their children busy in the summer.

What is unusual is to find a group willing, at no cost to parents, to host dozens of children, day after day, for fun activities and to share the love of Jesus with them.

Landfill before.

Yet that is exactly what Mission OKC—a church plant connected to Oklahoma Baptists that was launched in the heart of Oklahoma City in 2011—has been doing this summer and for many years.

Church Planting Pastor Chad Clement and his wife Anna started Mission OKC out of their apartment complex when they moved to Oklahoma City. The couple, who have 10 children, several of whom are adopted, involve their own children in the ministry efforts, along with volunteers and mission teams from other area churches.

Greenspace after.

Within the first few months of starting, Mission OKC was reaching more than 60 children on a regular basis. Today, Mission OKC ministers year-round, with Sunday night services for kids, Bible clubs; they even take a group to Falls Creek every year.

In the first four years alone, they saw more than 250 decisions for Christ through camps, Bible clubs and year-round outreaches.

Fast forward to the summer of 2026, and Mission OKC has had a tremendously busy summer program reaching children in areas of the city, with a focus on children from low-income apartments and housing. Each weekday, their summer program is bustling with children, who are eagerly connecting with the Mission OKC teams who are sharing the Gospel, all while feeding them lunch and offering activities.

The grounds on which all of the ministry is taking place is an equally compelling part of the story. For years, Mission OKC rented a warehouse space to prepare and deliver more than 1,100 meals a day to children in need all over the Oklahoma City area. They also used that space to teach “life skills like cooking, auto shop, welding, wood working and sewing.”

But a new opportunity opened up for the Clements in 2023; one that may have been hard for the average person to see the potential in at first.

August 2026 | The Baptist Messenger | www.baptistmessenger.com

“In 2023 we moved out of our traditional church building and full-time into our warehouse, adding additional units to accommodate the 60-100 children we bus in for our three weekly services,” said Chad. “We quickly outgrew the space and needed to choose between building a new building or expanding our current location that the kids seemed to love.

“Surrounding the warehouse on about an acre of land, we were surrounded by mounds of concrete, dirt and trash piled up as much as 12 feet high. With permission from the owner to use the space if we cleaned it up, we began running fiveton loads of trash in a trailer to the city dump.”

It took months, but “Project Greenspace,” as it was called, was now complete.

“This greenspace offers a fenced backyard area behind our building. We will have a full-size basketball court, a community garden, fishing in the stocked pond, playground equipment and space for kids to run and play. We are so thankful for all the community support for this project,” said Chad.

The Clements said they feel so blessed to see the green space in use, as they continue to minister to children, who are brought in on buses each day.

When the Lord gave the Clements a vision for reaching areas of Oklahoma City in need and children who need to know the Lord and know His love, God also provided the way for it to happen.

This summer, the children attending Mission OKC’s camps are not only having fun each day. They are receiving the love of Jesus from a church family. That’s the best kind of summer of all.

Editor’s Note: Information for this article was gathered from Mission OKC’s website, missionokc.com. According to their ministry website, “It is the vision of Mission OKC to serve as a mission’s hub for churches across the region to come to our city to share the Gospel with the lost. Currently Mission OKC is impacting North OKC … There are people living in pockets of poverty all across OKC that need the Gospel and it is our desire to continue building foundations to pave the way for that to happen.”

August 2026 | The Baptist Messenger | www.baptistmessenger.com

2026 INDIAN FALLS CREEK: A POWERFUL WEEK OF FAITH

by Messenger Staff with Jennifer Barnett, Chairperson of the IFC Board of Directors

DAVIS— Indian Falls Creek (IFC), the annual family camp for more than 50 tribal Nations across North America, was held at Falls Creek Conference Center on July 26-30.

churches and families that might otherwise not be able to attend, IFC hosts an annual Golf Tournament to raise funds for programming and scholarships.

This year’s IFC had 3,129 campers in attendance. There were 304 total decisions, including 76 assurances of salvation, 64 recommitments, five calls to ministry, 25 baptisms and 134 other decisions. An additional 47,000 people viewed the services online.

Despite the intense heat, sometimes crossing 100 degrees Fahrenheit, campers enjoyed their time at IFC by participating in basketball, volleyball, ropes course climbing, dodgeball and more. IFC also provided morning classes for preschool, children and youth, along with breakout sessions.

With family as the focus of IFC, church families can form stronger bonds amongst themselves and other churches.

Cultural diversity among the tribal nations brings unique interactions, programming and fellowship moments to reach Native peoples.

“Our attendance this year is one of the largest in many years,” wrote Victor Cope, IFC Executive Director. “Our board worked extremely hard for each person who attended this year.”

Mike Keahbone, pastor of Lawton, First and member of the Comanche, Kiowa and Cherokee tribes, served as the camp pastor. The theme of IFC this year was “Love Kindness,” based on Michah 6:8, “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”

On July 27 and 28, IFC held the annual Joyce Hansen Legacy Blood Drive. This year, 222 units of blood were donated from 291 donors. This total made this year’s blood drive the most successful one to date, earning IFC an additional $3,330.

Named in honor of Joyce Hansen, who passed away on May 12, 2025, and was one of the original organizers, the blood drive partners with Our Blood Institute to donate blood to those in need while honoring Hasen’s legacy.

At IFC, all ages attend and worship God in fellowship with other Native American believers. Throughout the year they’ll regularly attend other churches to support them during a revival or for special occasions, but IFC is the one time of the year where all Native American churches in Oklahoma and other states gather.

“Pastor Keahbone did an outstanding job,” said Cope.

“The invitation services in the morning and evening were amazing. God showed up during the hottest week at Falls Creek this Summer.”

“It’s a family camp,” said Dr. Emerson Falls, Oklahoma Baptists Native American ministry partner. “We have a different culture than other churches. It’s centered on the group rather than the individual.”

Keahbone highlighted the importance of younger generations beginning their walks with Christ. On Monday night, he reminded campers that those who walk with Christ will face hardships, but when hardships come about, they must turn to Christ and put their concerns and hope in Him.

Falls noted the significant increase in youth attendance which also led to numerous youths making decisions for Christ. Falls has estimated that 90 percent of the Native American population are not followers of Christ, so seeing the spike in attendance, especially in the youth, inspired him.

“You live in a world that is bombarding you with lies,” Keahbone said. “But I will tell you the Word of God, not only is it real and not only has it defended itself with powerful truths, but it is also giving you objective truth.

Truth that is just true.”

“The camp reflects what happens in the churches,” he said. “Churches today are being proactive and reaching out to younger people. That’s important to us.”

IFC is entirely volunteer led. Everyone involved in the planning and management of camp activities are also campers who attend with their churches. To support August 2026 | The Baptist Messenger | www.baptistmessenger.com

For more information about IFC, visit indianfallscreek.org.

August 2026 | The Baptist Messenger | www.baptistmessenger.com

MINISTRY TOOLBOX: WHAT TO DO WHEN A CRISIS HITS

by Thomas Jordan and Brian Hobbs

of addressing. Second, if the crisis creates leadership gaps or a conflict of interest for a certain leader, address the leadership gaps. Third, build a plan for victim care. This can look like providing basic resources, referring victims to resources, presence, prayer, communication, and the While each kind of crisis presents unique challenges for a pursuit of justice. Fourth, evaluate and take corrective pastor and church congregation, there are some common action for circumstances the church controls that best practices for pastors and church leaders to consider. contributed to the harm in the crisis, if any. Fifth, adapt Using the acronym C-R-I-S-I-S, consider the following steps to the operations of your ministry to the reality of the in preparing for when a crisis hits. new circumstances. Finally, build a communication plan, sharing information and your strategy with key leaders, C-larify then your membership, and then your community at large.

The first step in a crisis is to ask clarifying questions when presented with an apparent crisis. This is only a I-nform preliminary gathering of facts. A leader or a team handling Good communication is key in crisis management. Be the crisis can gather relevant facts. Take any immediate factual and compassionate when developing statements. required action, including addressing immediate safety Be aware that anything spoken or written could be shared and health needs. Next, conduct reporting for mandatory with the general public. Have a designated spokesperson reporting scenarios without delay to DHS[child welfare]/ who is prepared, knowledgeable and articulate. Remember law enforcement/authorities. to inform key leaders in a timely manner, and have a plan A crisis can come suddenly and unexpectedly in life. For churches, crises come in many different forms—natural disasters, personnel issues, building/facilities issues, conflict, financial, criminal allegations and more.

R-ely

to communicate to your congregation in a crisis. Consider the best means to keep congregation informed, such as a letter to be read aloud at a special-called business meeting (that is not livestreamed). Whenever difficult information is shared, consider having equipped people available to field questions and hear concerns. Interact with media judiciously—consider sharing prepared statements by email to the reporter, if it becomes necessary.

Although this may not seem needed to say, we should take on an attitude of prayer and acknowledge our reliance and dependence upon God in order for us to accomplish any good in His name. Once a crisis hits, feelings of imbalance and stress may come upon you. Acknowledge these feelings to the Lord and then turn to the Lord for his understanding and trust Him to make your paths straight.

S-tick to It (Proverbs 3:5-7).

Crises can challenge our leadership abilities in many ways and make a leader want to give up. A crisis can sometimes Leaders cannot or should not “go it alone” in dealing with make or break a leader or organization. Stick to your a crisis. Initiate your response to the crisis by building plan, work it, and reassess as necessary. If we seek the your team. By building a team with certain key roles Lord, minister to the hurting, make corrective actions (legal, personnel, ministry care, operational, financial, when necessary, and communicate thoroughly with an communications), you will be equipped to handle the appropriate amount of humility and transparency, we multiple aspects and challenges of a crisis. Ideally, your will have served faithfully, having placed our trust and organization has a crisis team already in place when a dependency in the Lord. crisis arises, so you only need to make small modifications depending on the nature of the crisis. When considering Crises may feel intense for a combination of reasons, who is part of the crisis response team and the resources primarily because they often involve significant harm available to equip your team, don’t forget to involve your being suffered or threatened. By employing these simple steps, and by relying on the Lord’s divine help, we can organization’s insurance company. help manage the crisis and seek to honor the Lord during difficult days.

S-trategize I-nitiate

Strategy will have different priorities given the nature of the crisis, but the church should prioritize addressing any immediate safety concerns that the church can be a part August 2026 | The Baptist Messenger | www.baptistmessenger.com

Jordan and Hobbs each serve on staff for Oklahoma Baptists in Leadership roles.

OKLAHOMA BAPTIST CHURCHES UNITE TO BUILD HOME FOR PASTOR’S WIDOW

by Philip Jones, Oklahoma Baptists Multivocational Pastor Ministry Partner

HEAVENER­—Members of Heavener, Big Creek gathered Sunday, July 19, following the morning worship service to dedicate a newly completed home for Pam Gniech, the widow of the late Steve Gniech, whose ministry touched churches and communities across southeastern Oklahoma.

donated their time and labor. Local builder Ray Doyle and his crew volunteered to complete portions of the construction. Derrick Baker, owner of a local HVAC and plumbing company, installed the home’s plumbing and HVAC systems. Big Creek’s youth group, Matt Speers alongside numerous church members also contributed Gniech served as pastor of Big Creek from 1995 to 2000. to the project.

He passed away on Dec. 3, 2013. For the past 13 years, Pam lived in the former auditorium of Oklahoma City, Pam admitted she was initially reluctant to accept such Pilgrims Rest, where a portion of the building had been a generous gift. “When Rick first approached me about converted into modest living quarters. Pilgrims Rest was letting the church build this home, I told him I needed to pray about it,” she said. The following week, part of the final church Gniech pastored. the roof in her living quarters collapsed. “I knew then The project began with a simple concern. Deacon Rick that God was telling me to let the church do this for West of Big Creek recognized that Pam did not have a me,” she said. Pam expressed heartfelt gratitude to the suitable home. “Pam was essentially homeless,” West churches and the many individuals who donated materials, said. “She had no place that truly belonged to her.” volunteered their time, prayed faithfully, and encouraged West shared the need with the congregation, and the her throughout the project.

church responded immediately. “When the idea was presented at a business meeting, the church voted unanimously to move forward,” said Pastor Philip Jones.

“Our members believed providing Pam with a safe home was a ministry worthy of our prayers, our resources, and our labor.”

Jones said the completed home represents far more than a construction project. “It reflects the willingness of Oklahoma Baptists to work together to meet a need and care for those who have faithfully served in ministry,” he said. Jones hopes the story will encourage other churches to recognize and meet the needs of retired ministers and Planning for the project began in August 2025. The their wives. “I know there are other pastors and pastors’ church approached Pam with the idea of building a home wives who are in need—people who have faithfully served designed to meet her needs. Together, they settled on the Lord their entire lives,” Jones said. “My hope is that a modest floor plan consisting of a living room, kitchen, when others read this story, they will be moved to step up and help.” one bedroom and one bathroom.

As word spread throughout the community, support began arriving from people whose lives had been touched by Rev. Gniech’s ministry. Financial gifts, building materials, volunteer labor, and countless prayers poured in as the project gained momentum.

The effort soon became a testimony to the cooperative spirit of Oklahoma Baptists and the Leflore Association.

While Big Creek Baptist Church led the project, Tishomingo, First, under the leadership of Pastor Jeremy Parham, Pilgrims Rest, and Madill, First made significant financial contributions that helped make the new home possible.

“What began as the concern of one deacon quickly became a ministry embraced by several churches and many individuals who simply wanted to help,” Jones said. “It was inspiring to watch believers from different congregations unite around a common purpose—to provide a safe place for a faithful pastor’s widow to call home.”

Additional volunteers also played an important role. The Leflore Baptist Association’s “Thumbusters,” a team that assists churches with carpentry and construction projects, August 2026 | The Baptist Messenger | www.baptistmessenger.com

From left to right: Deacon Rick west, Pam Gneich, Deacon Derick Baker, Deacon Joe Hickman, Pastor Philip Jones

BUDDY HUNT REFLECTS ON ‘GOD’S CALLING AND FAITHFULNESS’ AMID RETIREMENT

by Messenger Staff

Buddy Hunt, who has been serving as Oklahoma Baptists’ ministry role as youth ministry at Clinton, First. Then he Southeast Regional Ministry Partner for the state served as youth minister at Duncan, First. convention, has announced his forthcoming retirement.

Hunt will conclude his tenure with Oklahoma Baptists on “These times in youth ministry were wonderful,” Hunt said. “Many of the students in our youth ministry are now September 30. serving. It was joyful.”

Throughout his ministry career, Hunt served two separate stints with Oklahoma Baptists (1991-1997 and Hunt didn’t necessarily want to leave youth ministry but 2020-Present) as a state convention ministry staff member. felt the Lord compelling him to another work. “God called He also served in youth ministry and the pastorate in a me back to Clinton, First, to serve as Associate Pastor in significant number of Oklahoma Baptist churches over Education and Administration.” several decades of ministry.

After productive years of ministry, Hunt felt the Lord’s

Oklahoma Baptists Executive Director-Treasurer Todd prompting to the pastorate.

Fisher offered words of admiration and appreciation for “It was time, and I knew it was time,” he said. Hunt went Hunt. to serve as pastor at Spiro, First. His heart was for “Buddy has been a tremendous encouragement to me discipleship, evangelism and being part of the ministry and to many pastors in our state,” said Fisher. “A great of the local church. minister of the Gospel, Buddy has served in an exemplary way during his time as a minister and pastor in our state, as well as both times of service for Oklahoma Baptists.

He will be greatly missed in his role, yet he is leaving our state convention and churches stronger, thanks to what the Lord has done through him.”

‘Wherever He leads, I’ll go’ Hunt’s ministry career has spanned decades and included an array of ministry assignments. But one common factor has been this: God’s calling.

Hunt first sensed a call to ministry as a 13-year-old attending Falls Creek.

Moving into State Convention Ministry Work Buddy Hunt’s first job title with Oklahoma Baptists (then known as the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma or BGCO) was Associate Director in the Religious Department.

Then-Executive Director-Treasurer William Tanner brought Hunt on staff, where he also worked closely with Bill Haggard, Director of the Religious Education Department.

With his characteristic energy and enthusiasm, Hunt provided leadership and help in the areas of youth ministry, youth Sunday School, youth discipleship and family ministry. He also served summers at Falls Creek on the program staff.

“When I surrendered to the ministry at 13, I just said, ‘God “These years, we saw the Lord really move in our state,” whatever you want me to do—wherever you want me to said Hunt. “God moved in our midst and reached many go—I’ll go.’ I was nothing special. Nothing outstanding. for the Lord.”

It’s been amazing what He’s allowed me to do. I want to be found faithful.”

“All of the experiences God gave me in the local church, I was able to bring to this role to try to help other churches,” Since putting his “yes” on the table, the Lord has taken he said. Toward the end of his tenure, Hunt served in Hunt many places to serve.

Men’s Ministry and helped navigate the transition from A native of Shawnee and a graduate of Shawnee High Brotherhood Ministry to Men’s Ministry in churches.

School, Hunt went on to attend Oklahoma Baptist “Whether it was advancing family ministry, marriage University, where he graduated in 1978. He and his wife retreats, Christian arts festivals, helping direct Oklahoma Michell were married in 1980, and she has been the Baptist Disaster Relief, or serving in other ways, it was a consistent encourager by his side and partner in ministry. joy to serve and support the local church,” he reflected.

Hunt earned a Master of Arts in Religious Education from “Just getting to travel the state to assist churches in Southern Seminary. After graduating, he took his first ministry, that was so rewarding.”

August 2026 | The Baptist Messenger | www.baptistmessenger.com

Back to the Local Church

ministry experiences the Lord has given me to build up local churches,” he said.

Toward the end of his first tenure with Oklahoma Baptists, Hunt felt the call back to the local church. God opened a He has served churches by helping with discipleship, door for him to become pastor of Alva, First (1997-2000), deacon training and evangelism and by serving as a followed by Perry, First (2000-2005). transitional pastor as needed. He is particularly blessed to help churches find God’s man to serve as their pastor “These were great years, where we saw many come to and to encourage pastors and their families. the Lord and be baptized,” he said.

Words to Live by Hunt also served as pastor at Duncan, Immanuel, a community he knew well. Then he felt called to Tahlequah, All along the journey, Buddy sought to be a godly family First. man. He and his wife Michell have two grown daughters (Hilary and Ashley) each of whom are married; they have “God gave me a dream of being a pastor to the community. four grandchildren. Hunt feels grateful to the Lord for his I became police chaplain, and I got really involved in our family—and also for his church families through the years. community. The people were wonderful and this was a great 11 years of ministry,” he said. “We even were Hunt believes what he was taught as a young man. “God able to experience a lot of ministry with Native American deserves our best,” he said. churches. We held joint worship services with Native In my role with Oklahoma Baptists, I kept a busy schedule, American churches, which was powerful.” but I always tried to leave room for the Lord to guide Throughout his ministry career, Hunt kept his calling in it. “I ask the Lord, ‘Take me where you want to go.’” focus. God would surprise Hunt by calling him back to Several times, Hunt would make unplanned stops to serve on the Oklahoma Baptists staff in 2020. see pastors, who said his visit was divine timing and just the encouragement they needed at a moment of ‘Dream job’ with Oklahoma Baptists as Regional Ministry discouragement.

Partner As he comes to the end of his “dream job” tenure with Hance Dilbeck, who was then serving as executive Oklahoma Baptists, Hunt reflects on lessons he has director-treasurer for Oklahoma Baptists, was leading learned. the convention to have regional ministry. Dilbeck and Oklahoma Baptists Senior Associate Executive Director One common thread to his storied ministry career has Joe Ligon helped craft a strategy to deploy Regional been, “Whatever you do, do it with excellence.”

Ministry Partners to different areas of the state.

He said, “In life and your career, give it your best. My Buddy Hunt prayed about the opportunity to serve as a motivation has been to do everything to the fullest. My Regional Ministry Partner for the east side of Oklahoma, desire has always been to please the Lord. Honor and where he and his family lived. Hunt accepted the role glorify him. God never wants our second best; He wants and began in his characteristic enthusiastic manner. He our very best.” served with James Swain, who at that time led the Ministry As he will soon enter a new phase of career—retirement— Partners Group with Oklahoma Baptists. he knows the Lord has things in store for him.

Since 2020, Buddy Hunt has served pastors and churches in eastern Oklahoma as they work to advance the Gospel, “I want to congratulate Buddy and his wife Michell on this driving thousands of miles every month to connect with retirement occasion and pray the Lord blesses them on the next chapter of their ministry,” Todd Fisher added. churches on a local level.

In his role, Hunt served his region, which included some If the next chapter of life is anything like the prior ones, 400 churches affiliated with Oklahoma Baptist associations it will be busy but blessed. and 40 Native American churches in areas ranging from Miami to Poteau to Idabel, over to Durant, McAlester, Muskogee and Vinita. More recently his region was adapted to include churches south of I-40, including Tishomingo, Madill, Ada, up to Seminole. Hunt also served as interim pastor at multiple locations.

“This was in many ways a dream job for me. Not only do I get to encourage pastors and churches, I get to use the August 2026 | The Baptist Messenger | www.baptistmessenger.com

CHURCH NEWS OKLAHOMA CITY, OLIVET WELCOMES NEW PASTOR Oklahoma City, Olivet invites the community to a welcome reception for Pastor Adam Mask, his wife, Grace, and their family on Saturday, August 15, from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m at Oklahoma City, Olivet, 1201 NW 10th Street. Mask served as pastor at Coweta, Community before he felt called to Olivet. The reception will be held at Oklahoma City, Olivet. “Looking back, it is clear that God was preparing Olivet,” said Becky Wood, member at Olivet.

“Today we rejoice in His faithful guidance and eagerly anticipates all He will do in this New chapter.”

SGT. SKALLA HONORED AT RETIREMENT CEREMONY Sgt. Robert “Bob” Skalla was honored on July 14 at a celebration event upon his retirement from the Oklahoma City Police Department (OCPD) Hefner Division. Skalla, a longtime member of Del City, First Southern, also served as OCPD Community Relations Officer. In 2024, the Baptist Messenger featured Skalla and the Quail Springs Baptist Church Together in Community Ministry, which connects law enforcement with the church and seeks to bless those serving in law enforcement. QSBC Senior Adult Pastor Wade Crews presented Skalla with a framed edition of the Baptist Messenger as an expression of thanks, along with other awards and honors he received (as pictured here).

NEWALLA, PECAN VALLEY PASTOR OPENS ‘CHILDREN’S WHITE HOUSE CHAPEL & PRAYER GARDEN’

NEWALLA—Earlier this year, Pastor Ed Moore opened the “Children’s White House Chapel & Prayer Garden.”

Held within a small scale replica of the White House, this exhibit displays how faith has been an integral part of American history. Moore said that he wanted to remind the younger generations of how important faith has been and show God’s goodness throughout the United State’s 250 year history. The exhibit is located at Shawnee Twin Lakes and visits must be scheduled. To set up a visitation appointment, call 405-818-9244.

F.A.I.T.H. RIDERS PLAN PRAYER TOUR ALONG ROUTE 66 This August, the F.A.I.T.H. Riders motorcycle ministry will be embarking on a Gospel ministry road trips across the historic Route 66. The Route 66 Prayer Tour to the Cross is a unique six-night, seven-day journey of faith along the historic Mother Road, traveling from St. Louis, Mo. to Amarillo, Texas. Throughout the Route 66 tour, the F.A.I.T.H. Riders will make daily stops for devotions, reflection and fellowship. In the evenings, they will gather at local churches for special times of prayer, worship and encouragement.

August 2026 | The Baptist Messenger | www.baptistmessenger.com

August 2026 | The Baptist Messenger | www.baptistmessenger.com