OBU Presents Hobbs Award to Sanchez at SBC Annual Meeting

Oklahoma Baptist University presented the Herschel H. Hobbs Award for Distinguished Denominational Service to Dr. Juan Sanchez, senior pastor of High Pointe Baptist Church in Austin, Texas, Tuesday, June 12, during the Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting in Dallas, Texas. Dr. David Whitlock, OBU president, and Dr. Heath Thomas, dean of the Hobbs College of Theology and Ministry, presented the award.

The award is named to honor the noteworthy Southern Baptist denominational service of Dr. Herschel H. Hobbs, a prolific author, preacher and radio program host. Hobbs was pastor of the First Baptist Church of Oklahoma City from 1949-72. He died in 1995. He is also the namesake of OBU’s Herschel H. Hobbs College of Theology and Ministry.

Previous winners of the Hobbs Award include Dr. Jeff Iorg, president of Gateway Seminary; Dr. Rebekah Naylor, former IMB missionary; Dr. Tom Elliff, former president of the IMB; Robert Kellogg, president and CEO of the Baptist Foundation of Oklahoma; Dr. David S. Dockery, former president of Union University and current president of Trinity International University; Dr. O. S. Hawkins, president of GuideStone Financial Resources; and Dr. Daniel Akin, president of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Since 2005, Sanchez has served as the senior pastor of High Pointe Baptist Church. He is a graduate of the University of Florida and holds a Master of Divinity, Master of Theology and Doctor of Philosophy in systematic theology from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Sanchez also serves as a council member of The Gospel Coalition, co-founder of Coalición, assistant professor of Christian theology at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and president of the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention. He is the author of numerous books, including “1 Peter for You” and “Seven Dangers Facing Your Church.”

Sanchez was both excited and humbled by OBU’s decision to name him as the Hobbs Award recipient.

“I was taken by complete surprise when I learned that Oklahoma Baptist University wanted to award me with the Herschel H. Hobbs Award for Distinguished Denominational Service,” he said.

“When I came to faith in Christ at the age of 17 out of a Roman Catholic background, my best friend’s mother discipled me. One of the tools she used to help me grow in my new faith and to ground me in my new Baptist family was Herschel Hobbs’ ‘The Baptist Faith and Message (1971).’ I consider it an honor to receive an award bearing his name.”

Explore more OBU-related SBC content below.

• Hobbs College Library: Equipping the Local Church
• The Role of a Christian University in Racial Reconciliation