Oakdale Baptist Church Leadership
Oakdale Baptist Church is blessed to have a leadership team who are truly dedicated to Christ and accomplishing His will. Following are brief bio's of our leadership team and their qualifications for ministry.
Dr. Justin Ford
Senior Pastor
Everything that is alive, grows
Everything that grows, changes
Change causes pain every single time
If you’re anything like me, it has always been easier to stay the same than to go through the pain of change that can lead to growth. But the story of my journey with God has been defined by Him constantly challenging me to grow personally and to spur others to take steps in His direction because I believe that the life God offers is worth the pain of change.
Although I grew up in and around the church, it wasn’t until I was a teen that I finally realized my need to put my faith in Christ as Savior. A couple of years later I would surrender my life to Pastoral ministry, and around the same time meet my future wife, Christine. Together we set out on a journey of faith that, after 14 years of serving in churches across the state, would ultimately bring us to Edmond Oklahoma. At Oakdale Baptist Church we would plant deep roots for our children, Makenzie and Josh and invest in the community around us. Our time at Oakdale has been the most challenging and rewarding of our ministry. There has been change. There has been pain. There has been growth. But most of all, we have experienced LIFE in Christ that has made it all worthwhile!
Oakdale, itself has undergone incredible changes in the past 10 years. From a small, rural, family church to a growing community church, God has given us a new direction. Today we are a church with a unique opportunity to impact its community and beyond. While we have not “arrived” at any of the goals we feel God has set before us, we have grown in EVERY single area. We believe that God has only just begun to do great things in our church.
If your family is searching for a church at this time, we invite you to come and experience what God is doing here at OBC. Come and worship with us. Come and study with us. Come and get to know us. But most of all, come and get to know the God that we are experiencing every time we meet together!
Contact Info
Email: justinfordoakdale@gmail.com
Paul Kersh
Executive Pastor
Rev. Paul Kersh serves as Executive Pastor and Administrator for Oakdale Baptist Church. He grew up in the church as a pastors kid, so he has seen the good, bad and ugly of the church yet God called him when he was a teenager to serve in the local church and share the good new of the Gospel of Jesus.
Paul comes to Oakdale with many years of service in the pastorate and most recently served on staff with Equipped By His Word Ministries and The Baptist Foundation of Oklahoma. He is a graduate of Oklahoma Baptist University in Shawnee, OK. with a BA in Family Psychology and a minor in Sociology. Paul has also attended Luther Rice Seminary in Atlanta, GA.
Paul and his wife Angela, are High School sweethearts and have been married since 1994. They have 4 children, Makenna, Will, Lizzie and Blaze and 3 grandchildren. They are privileged to homeschool their children and fill it is an extreme honor to be given these children as a gift to be a good steward of.
The family has always been a passion of the Kersh’s. Paul and Angela and their family are like most families; they don’t always get it right. But the Kersh family is always striving to embrace the roles that God has set before them as husband, wife, father and mother. Their desire is to raise a generation that are changed by the Gospel of Jesus and thereby are difference makers for the Kingdom of God.
Contact Info
Email: Kersh.legacy@gmail.com
Jami Smith
Worship Pastor
I was raised in the small town of Chickasha, Oklahoma. My childhood memories include expansive wheat fields, ATV riding with my brothers, and singing in my hometown church, Sharon Baptist Church. I encountered God’s unconditional love and grace as an 8th grader and that is when I accepted Christ as my savior. As I grew in my relationship with Him and His word, I realized that He also wanted to be Lord of my life. This took me on a journey that at age 16, would mean that I gladly surrendered to ministry. I had no idea at the time what God had planned for me. I knew my plan wasn’t His so I moved away from the dream of being a performer and into a deep desire to see people interact with the very God of the Universe through music in worship and adoration and praise. I envisioned people enjoying God with music as their backdrop.
When in college at Oklahoma Baptist University, God’s plan for me was made clear; He had called me to be a worship leader. So, what was once a dream, turned into a reality as I was, and still am, able to watch Him be praised and worshipped around the globe. I have been blessed to witness hundreds of thousands of faces worshipping Him for the last 20 years as I have traveled all over the world leading worship at retreats, camps, churches and conferences.
My husband, Justin King, and I believe it is an honor and privilege to be serving the local body of Christ here at OBC. From the moment we walked in for the first time we saw a church that is warm, friendly, community seeking, and a people that want to know God, love Him, and serve others. We even found that our two children Emory and Griffin are so loved and taken care of here too.
We are not a perfect church and we are not a perfect people. We are just people striving to be more like Christ and enjoy His intense love for us. I hope you will come and worship with us, open your heart to the love of Christ, expressed so beautifully on the cross and enjoy the community of believers striving to share this love that has made such an impact on my family and I.
Contact Info
Email: jami@jamismith.com
Marwin Dickerson
Youth Pastor
Marwin Dickerson serves as Youth Pastor for Oakdale Baptist Church. He studied youth ministry at Oklahoma Baptist University where he learned how to navigate and engage youth in those exciting and at times difficult teenage years of spiritual growth. His love for youth ministry stems from his own growing up in a Ada, Oklahoma church and being challenged to grow in Christ by his own youth minister. He was given amazing internship opportunities in different church youth groups that allowed him to practice and apply important ministerial skills. His prayer for Oakdale Youth is that they will seek to build their own relationship with Christ and that their faith becomes authentically strong so they can reach those around them with the power of the Gospel.
Marwin is a husband to Lindsey Dickerson whose own life calling is to serve the church through worship and discipleship. She grew up in the church and attended Oklahoma Baptist University to obtain a Biblical Theology and Family Science Degree. Her internship experiences in church youth groups gave her the heart to serve the next generation by pointing them to Christ and strengthening their relationships with God. Marwin and Lindsey are parents to two vibrant and wild kids, Jocelynn and Theo. They are all so grateful for the Oakdale Baptist family and the opportunity to raise their kids and grow as a family unit under the amazing support and love of this church.
Ephesians 3:14-21 14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom every family[a] in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
Through the encouragement of this passage Marwin aims to strengthen teenagers and empower them in their walks of faith through scripture teaching and relational discipleship. Marwin seeks to encourage students to understand and grasp the unfailing, unwavering love of God that is experienced through the power of the Holy Spirit. And to understand the power that is at work within us, and to live a life of obedience to GOD to bring him glory in all things. Amen.
Email: marwin.dickerson@gmail.com
Jimmy Hall
Children's Pastor
Jimmy was saved as a child while attending Oakdale Baptist Church. He has been a faithful attender never belonging to another church. As an adult, Jimmy has served in every area of the church. While a student at church camp, God called Jimmy to serve Him fulltime in the local church. After several years of serving the Lord, in various ways in the secular work place, God called Jimmy to give his life to serve the families of Oakdale by loving and leading their children to knowing that Jesus loves them and has a plan for their lives. Jimmy was called as Oakdale Baptist Church’s Children Pastor in February 2019.
Jimmy has been married for 22 years to his wife, Terri. They have two children. Their son, Nathan, is married to Brandalyn. They also have a daughter, Laramie, who is a student at Kansas State University.
Jimmy’s favorite verse is “Don’t be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of you mind so you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” Romans 12:2
Email: jimmyhallobc@gmail.com
Chris Moore
Senior Adult Pastor
Chris serves as the Senior Adult Pastor and was called to OBC in 2022. Oakdale was happy to welcome Mr. Moore with his almost thirty years of ministry experience. Chris has had a heart for senior adults from a young age. Mostly because he had godly grandparents who had a major impact on his life and faith development. Chris enjoys leading the OBC seniors to go, do, serve, and encourage through the ministry motto Do Faith – Do Fun – Do For Others. He keeps OBC’s seniors, The Oaks, on the move with a full slate of upcoming events and service opportunities.
Chris has a music education background, and for 27 years served as a minister of music. He developed a robust music ministry with choir, orchestra, praise team, and handbells. Chris has also directed community choirs in the OKC metro area, one of which he has directed for 22 years. God used these musical groups to take uplifting music all around the state, and even got to share the stage in song at Carnegie Hall.
Another area in which God uses Chris’ gifts is through providing piano and vocal music for funeral services. Working with multiple local funeral homes, Chris has ministered to countless families with his musical talents. He was born and raised in Del City, and while attending college began in ministry in the community that he grew up in. While in high school, Chris met his precious wife, Mikki. They have been married for 25 years and have one daughter, Sara.
Email: cmooremusic88@gmail.com
Micah Compton
Missions Pastor
For as long as he can remember, Micah has wanted to tell people about Jesus that have never heard the Good News. He has grown up in Oklahoma and church his whole life and has a calling and a passion for the mission field. He desires to see God glorified in every people nation and tongue and wants to see followers of Christ live out the great commission.
Micah attended Oklahoma Baptist University where he achieved a degree in Global Marketplace Engagement. Before and during his time at OBU, Micah went on several short term mission trips all over the world sharing the gospel, he spent one semester abroad in southeast Asia where he trekked to remote villages to share Christs love, and has worked in the Global Outreach office for OBU in sending local, domestic and global teams of students to live out the gospel.
Throughout his life, God has continually put a burden on Micah’s heart for the lost and wants to see Oakdale Baptist Church be a community that lives on mission both in their cities and across oceans. “How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? and how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”
micahcompton1@gmail.com
Laura Romero
Office Manager
Laura grew up in Washington state and trusted in Jesus as a child. She met her husband, Mike Romero, in high school & later followed him to OBU to complete her degree and become an RN. Laura worked at Children’s Hospital in the PICU for 13 years before “retiring” to stay home with her kids & homeschool them. Laura and Mike have been married for 29 years and have 4 kids, Aaron, Anna, Emily & Andrew. She loves cooking, trail hiking, puzzles and spending time with family. Laura said, ”I’m grateful that Paul Kersh reached out regarding the office manager position at Oakdale as my homeschool mom duties were coming to an end, and I loved the idea of working part-time in a ministry oriented job. It has been a privilege to get to know the staff and members here at Oakdale Baptist Church. They have been gracious & warm as I have settled in!” Laura is a warm and welcoming presence on our staff. She is a valued member of our team.
Email: oakdalebcoffice@gmail.com