OBU Presents J.M. Carroll Award to Dilbeck During SBC Annual Meeting in Nashville

June 16, 2021

OBU presented the J.M. Carroll Award to Dr. Hance Dilbeck during the Southern Baptist Convention Annual Meeting in Nashville, Tennessee, June 15. The presentation took place during a special event for alumni and friends of the University. Dilbeck currently serves as the executive director-treasurer of Oklahoma Baptists. OBU President Dr. Heath A. Thomas presented the award.

The J.M. Carroll Award is given in recognition of outstanding denominational service in the state of Oklahoma. It is named for Dr. J.M. Carroll, who served as OBU’s first president, helping establish the foundation upon which OBU’s tradition of excellence has been built.

Before assuming his current role as the executive director-treasurer of Oklahoma Baptists in 2018, Dilbeck served as the senior pastor of Quail Springs Baptist Church in Oklahoma City. He is an OBU alumnus, graduating in 1987. He has previously served on the OBU Board of Trustees, spoken in chapel services, and delivered the OBU commencement address. In 2017, he was the recipient of OBU’s Alumni Achievement Award, given in recognition of outstanding life service which has brought honor to the recipient’s alma mater.

Born and raised in Pawhuska, Oklahoma, he earned two advanced degrees from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary following his time at OBU, a Master of Divinity in 1992 and a Doctor of Ministry in 2002. He served as a pastor in Oklahoma churches for more than 30 years. He has also served in many other areas of denominational work, having been the featured preacher for Falls Creek Youth Camp, chairman of the Board of Trustees at OBU, chairman of the board of trustees at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, second vice-president of the Southern Baptist Convention, president of the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma and chairman of the board of trustees for the International Mission Board.

Dilbeck recently announced he will be departing his current role with Oklahoma Baptists to assume the presidency of GuideStone Financial Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention. He will assume the role of president-elect of Guidestone effective July 1, with a transitional period following before he assumes the role of president and chief executive officer of Guidestone in the first quarter of 2022.