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.
Adam’s arrival is the culmination of a remarkable journey of God’s provision.
During a season of transitional leadership under Interim Pastor Jim Gerlt, Olivet spent two years praying, reviewing candidates, and seeking God’s direction. During that time, God was working in remarkable ways. Through the CommUnity Cart ministry and the transition of the former Integris clinic into the new Olivet CommUnity Clinic, God continually made it clear that ministry was to be a core part of Olivet’s mission in the inner city. Invaluable resources, volunteers, medical professionals, and equipment seemed to rush through the floodgates of God’s goodness.
The only thing still missing was a pastor.
Believing God could lead in unexpected ways, the Search Committee decided to write pastors in Oklahoma, asking them to pray and recommend someone God might be preparing for Olivet.
At the same time, while searching online to watch another candidate preach, the committee chairman unexpectedly came across Adam Mask from Community Baptist Church in Coweta, Oklahoma. He recalled reading Adam’s testimony of God’s redemption from addiction and imprisonment featured in the Baptist Messenger several years earlier. Convinced Adam would understand the kind of shepherd Olivet needed, the committee wrote their first – and only – letter to him, asking solely for his prayers and recommendations. Adam graciously responded with encouragement and offered to fill the pulpit whenever the church needed someone to preach.
A few weeks later, that opportunity came. Adam wasn’t visiting as a pastoral candidate – he simply came to faithfully preach God’s Word while Olivet continued its search. During his message, he also shared—much to the congregation’s delight—his love for Red Diamond Sweet Tea.
After the service, Adam, Grace, and their family toured the campus and heard how God was using Olivet to meet both the physical and spiritual needs of their diverse community. The search committee was convinced they had seen the kind of pastor who could flourish at Olivet, but knew it was unlikely he would leave a thriving ministry to embrace the unique challenges of a small inner-city church.
But God had other plans.
Only days later, Adam submitted his resume. He shared that he and Grace had sensed God calling their family toward missions, but the place had remained unclear. During their visit to Olivet, they recognized that God had already begun preparing both the church and their hearts for such a time as this.
Olivet had prayed for God to provide a uniquely qualified pastor, and He answered. Yet once again, His provision came in a way no one expected, leaving the congregation with a renewed sense of awe, gratitude, and confidence in His faithful leading.
Then came one final reminder that God often delights in encouraging His people in unexpected ways.
The Wednesday after Adam had filled the pulpit, volunteers arrived at the Regional Food Bank to pick up Olivet’s regularly scheduled pantry order. Waiting for them was a surprise no one had requested: an 1,800-pound pallet of Red Diamond Sweet Tea. It had simply been added, free-of-charge, to the church’s order.
Remembering Adam’s lighthearted comments just days earlier, someone snapped a picture and texted it to him with one simple question: “Is this a sign?”
Adam’s response quickly became part of Olivet’s story:
“Gideon asked for dew on a fleece—and I got Red Diamond on a flatbed.”
Looking back, it is clear that God was preparing both a church and a pastor long before either realized it. Today, Olivet Baptist Church rejoices in His faithful guidance and eagerly anticipates all He will do in this new chapter as God continues to use Olivet to share the hope of Christ with the community He has called it to serve.
