Hance Dilbeck was approved to serve as the next Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma (BGCO) executive director-treasurer with a unanimous vote by the BGCO board at the Baptist Building in Oklahoma City on Dec. 11.
Dilbeck, who has served as pastor of Oklahoma City, Quail Springs since 2003, will become the ninth executive director elected in the state convention’s history. Dilbeck will succeed current BGCO Executive Director-Treasurer Anthony Jordan, who has served as BGCO executive director since April 1996.
Members of the BGCO Executive Search Committee, who began their search last September, each spoke enthusiastically about Dilbeck during the Dec. 11 meeting and expressed how they believe God guided the decision process.
Committee chairman Nick Garland, senior pastor of Broken Arrow, First, said, “We all looked to Jesus to guide us to find the man to lead us as our next executive director-treasurer. Because of His working in us, there was a clear unity in our decisions, and we believe God led us to Dr. Dilbeck, and we know he will continue the great work here in Oklahoma that God has brought about.”
Search committee members who addressed the board prior to the vote included Garland; Kevin Baker (pastor of Altus, Martha Road); Blake Gideon (pastor of Edmond, First); Mike Keahbone (pastor of Oklahoma City, Cherokee Hills); Rusty McMullen (pastor of Sayre, First); and Doug Melton (pastor of Oklahoma City, Southern Hills).
Joe Ligon, pastor of Marlow, First, who is serving as BGCO President, was ex officio on the search committee. Ligon spoke heartily in favor of Dilbeck, saying he has been “raised up to lead for such a time as this.” Jordan said he believes God has “uniquely prepared Hance Dilbeck to serve, from your first days of ministry up to now.”
Dilbeck will officially begin his service as BGCO executive director-treasurer-elect on January 15, 2018. The board also voted to approve a transition period between Jan. 15 and Feb. 28 for Jordan and Dilbeck. Following the time of transition, Dilbeck will assume all administrative leadership of the BGCO on March 1, and Jordan’s retirement becomes official on April 15, 2018.
// About Hance Dilbeck
Hance Dilbeck has served in a number of leadership roles in Southern Baptist life, including as BGCO President and terms of service as chairman of the board for various SBC and BGCO-affiliated entities.
Dilbeck has served as the senior pastor of Oklahoma City, Quail Springs since 2003. Since then, the Lord has blessed Quail Springs in many ways. The church has tripled its size, led the entire SBC in Cooperative Program giving and has played an active part in 29 church planting efforts and one church revitalization effort.
He has been in the pastorate in Oklahoma churches for more than 27 years. He served in Marshall County at Madill, Little City while he was in seminary. He was also privileged to shepherd the flock of God at Snyder, First; Noble, First; and Ponca City, First prior to Quail Springs. Dilbeck was born in Pawhuska and graduated from Pawhuska High School. His undergraduate degree in religion is from Oklahoma Baptist University, and he is a two-time graduate of Southwestern Seminary, where he earned a Master of Divinity degree in 1992 and a Doctor of Ministry degree in 2002. In addition to the pastorate, he has also served as adjunct professor of preaching at both Oklahoma Baptist University and Southwestern Seminary.
He has served in many other areas of denominational work as well, having been the featured preacher for Falls Creek Youth Camp, chairman of the board of trustees at Oklahoma Baptist University, chairman of the board of trustees at Southwestern Seminary, second vice president of the Southern Baptist Convention, BGCO president and chairman of the board of trustees for the International Mission Board.
Dilbeck and his wife Julie have been married for 32 years and have three grown sons, D.H., Dax, and Leighton. D. H. Dilbeck and his wife Mackenzie live in New Haven, Conn. and have two children, Pearl and Jack. D.H. is in Yale Law School. Dax and his wife, Mollie live in Prague and have one child, George. Dax works for BancFirst. Leighton and his wife, Carley live in Oklahoma City and are expecting a boy, in January. Leighton works for Devon Energy.