EDITOR’S NOTE: The following article is a weekly excerpt of the 2020 Cooperative Program Prayer Guide for Oklahoma Baptists. For more information, please visit www.oklahomabaptists.org/cp.

Grass doesn’t get much chance to grow under the wheels of Hance Dilbeck’s convention vehicle. Dilbeck has traveled about 35,000 Oklahoma miles a year since he began serving in March 2018 as the executive director-treasurer of Oklahoma Baptists.

“I preach in our churches nearly every week, connecting with pastors and working with our associations and affiliates,” the executive director-treasurer said.

As a result of the countless conversations he’s had with Oklahoma ministry leaders, Dilbeck announced during the 2019 Annual Meeting the newly-established Church Relations Group, designed to have closer contact with pastors, churches and associations.

“Our passion and our mission is the advance of the Gospel of Jesus Christ,” Dilbeck said. “The local church is the pillar and support of the Gospel truth. We encourage one another to advance the Gospel, and we want every pastor to have a relational connection to our Oklahoma Baptist team. We know we need strong partnership with our local associations.”

The Church Relations Group includes four Regional Ministry Partners, and four Affinity Ministry Partners to better support the ministry of Hispanics, African Americans, Native Americans and pastors’ wives.

“These positions align our work to our mission and our strategies: church-centered, pastor-connected and associational-partnered,” Dilbeck said. “They help us to be more sensitive to context and more relational and pastoral.”

Dilbeck said he is sensitive to his need to remain close to the Lord. “I have a quiet time every morning, reading through the Bible every year at least once, and journaling,” the executive director-treasurer said. “I also try to control my pace/schedule for rest.”

What makes him happy is his “excellent wife, Julie,” and his family, Dilbeck said. He and Julie have been married 34 years, and together they have “three sons who honor me; three daughters-in-law who bless me and seven grandchildren.”

Because of the generous giving of Oklahoma Baptists through the Cooperative Program, an amazing array of ministries are supported. This unified giving encourages fellowship with other believers all over the world. Collectively, Oklahoma Baptists are advancing the Gospel together. Learn more at https://www.oklahomabaptists.org/CP