A new administrative headquarters and $1 million endowment will enable the Cooperating Baptist Fellowship of Oklahoma to continue its mission of serving Christ and fighting Christian nationalism, Executive Director Kyle Tubbs said. “We want to be as pure of a Christian witness despite the distortion of the Christian gospel often seen throughout our culture.”
CBF Oklahoma closed on the sale of its current property to the University of Oklahoma Sept. 30 and has until Dec. 30 to move into its new facility.
The deal with OU enabled CBF Oklahoma to purchase its new center in cash. “A significant endowment of approximately $1 million was also established with the CBF Foundation from the surplus to continue funding the ministries of CBF Oklahoma for years to come,” CBF Oklahoma said in announcing the move.
Discussion about a possible move began in 2022 when a major plumbing issue sparked questions about the long-term viability of the structure, which previously had housed a church in an unconventional format.
The university already was interested in the property, which directly adjoins campus and new dormitories.
“Over the last four years of discernment, we came to a consensus that it was time to start exploring (other locations), and all along we were building that relationship with the university,” Tubbs said. “And this was the first year they made an offer.”
Interior of new space for CBF Oklahoma
In the area, small strip malls are being torn down and replaced with dorms, so it was apparent OU was just as eager for a solution to its needs as CBF Oklahoma was, Tubbs added.
“They’ve been aggressively buying up prosperities, and we know they have the right of imminent domain, which they didn’t invoke. Instead, they made a generous offer and were generous with the timeline so we have plenty of time to make this move,” Tubbs said.
CBF Oklahoma was also gratified to learn the university’s immediate plans are to use the 4,300-square-foot space, which includes a chapel, into a food pantry for OU staff and students facing food insecurity.
That’s in keeping with the ministry oriented use of the current building CBF Oklahoma purchased in 2006 and shared as worship space with numerous congregations.
The new 1,700 square-foot facility, meanwhile, was built in 1945 as a neighborhood grocery store and has been fully renovated, features an open floor plan and has rooms capable of accommodating staff and a church plant.
The new endowment will ensure the ministry is able to continue its partnerships with churches and individuals, Tubbs said. “When it came time to vote on this project the coordinating council had a unanimous vote and everyone clapped — and it wasn’t because everyone was excited to finish and go to lunch.”