Meet Our Staff
Dr. William L. Hester, Jr. "Hess"/ Senior Pastor
Hess came to SHBC in 1997, having previously served churches in Mississippi, Arkansas, and Texas. He says, “My claim to fame is my family- miraculously, they let me tag along!” Hess’ wife, Julie, is a public high school vocal music teacher and actively involved in various ministries of SHBC. Their three daughters are Katy, Becca, and Rachel.
“It’s an enormous blessing to be part of what I believe is the best Church Staff Team on either side of the Mississippi! The goal we share is to be a church that is internally strong but externally focused as we not only experience and teach the truth of Christ, but we SHOW Him by serving and loving our city.”
Hess enjoys friends, golf, music, and good reads. He has degrees from Midwestern (D.Min.) and Southwestern (M.Div.) Seminaries and S.M.U. (BA).
Email Hess
Steve Watkins / Executive Pastor
Steve joined the staff team in May of 2006. As the Executive Pastor he provides leadership and support for the development of the ministries of Southern Hills Baptist Church, so that it fulfills the mission of reaching the community of Tulsa as well as groups around the world.
He grew up in Mulvane, a small community in southern Kansas. After he graduated from Pittsburg State University in Pittsburg, Kansas, Steve worked in the retail apparel business for over 35 years. As a member of SHBC since 1992, Steve has served in numerouse roles as a lay leader and was ordained to the work of the gospel ministry on November 26th, 2006.
Steve loves the outdoors – especially hiking, camping and fishing. He and his wife Jamie have 2 amazing teenagers, Sara & Will.
Email Steve
Jesse Graver / Music/Worship Arts Pastor
In 2007, Jesse joined our staff from First Baptist, Hurst, Texas where he served for 4 years while attending Seminary. He is a graduate of Oklahoma Baptist University and has just earned his Masters of Music with a Ministry Emphasis from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Jesse and his wife Andrea have two young sons, Joseph and Benjamin, and one daughter, Ella.
Email Jesse
Steve Bullard / Pastor to Students
Steve joined our team in June, 2000. Steve grew up in the bustling town of Allen, Oklahoma where he served as the Student Pastor at his home church, FBC, before joining our team. Steve and Courtney were married in March 2003. He supplies our team with humor and creativity. If Steve isn’t in the office, he’s probably on a mid-hi or high school campus. Steve studied at Southwestern (MChristianEd) and OBU.
Email Steve
Patrick Jackson / Associate Pastor of Children
Patrick Jackson joined our staff in May, 2007. His responsibilities include the Elementary and Preschool Ministries on Sunday morning, Worship Care, and the overseeing of the Weekday Preschool, Confident Kids, and Childcare programs.
Patrick grew up in Tulsa and is a graduate of Booker T. Washington High School. He earned his BA in Family Relations and Child Development at OSU and a Masters of Divinity from Asbury Theological Seminary in Kentucky.
Patrick worked in camping and adventure ministries throughout college and seminary. Patrick enjoys photography, hiking, cooking, and eating what he cooked (most of the time).
Patrick and his wife Stephanie have been married since 2005, and have two beautiful dogs named Jack and Charlotte.
Email Patrick
Josh Lawrence / Associate Pastor of Community Missions
Josh Lawrence joined the SHBC staff team in September 2007. He is currently working on completing his Masters of Divinity Degree through Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Josh holds a BS in Physical Therapy from OU and a BS in Education from the University of Arkansas. Josh, and his wife, Leslie have attended SHBC since 1999. They have two sons – Jake and Cade.
Email Josh
Brad Jenkins / Lead Pastor of The Gathering (new church start)
Brad Jenkins is the founding pastor of The Gathering. He and his wife Christina are both graduates of ORU, where he received a BA in Theology (Biblical Studies). In May of 2005 he completed his Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree at OSU-Tulsa. Christina teaches theater at a local high school. Go to www.thegatheringtulsa.com for location and times.
Email Brad
Al Brown / Church Administrator
Al has been a member of SHBC for over 20 years. Prior to coming on staff as our Administrator he worked in oil field equipment manufacturing industry as a materials manager. Al and his wife Rebecca are both deacons here and can be found working in various areas...often centered around the lives of their daughters...Emily and Clara. Al oversees the church finances and facilities. An OSU grad, if he’s not at church, he’s probably at an OSU event.
Email Al
Norma Murphy / Celebrate Recovery Ministry Leader
Norma and her family have been at SHBC for 38 years. Norma and her husband, Steve launched the Celebrate Recovery Ministry at SHBC in 2002. She serves as the Ministry Leader for Celebrate Recovery at SHBC. Since 2004 Norma, and the team of volunteers in our church, has helped other churches start Celebrate Recovery ministries. In addition, Norma now serves as the Eastern Oklahoma State Rep for CR. You can read Norma's CR testimony on our Celebrate Recovery site, at http://www.shbctulsa.org/cr/norma.html
Email Norma
Emilio Castillo / Hispanic Ministry Pastor
Emilio and his family have been members of SHBC for seven years and you can find him leading the weekly Hispanic Worship Service on Sunday afternoons. He also serves at the church throughout the week as SHBC’s Building Manager. He can be reached at 918.743.8897 x 116.
Kathy Hitchcock/Student Ministry Assistant
Kathy recently joined our staff to help out in a Student Ministry. Kathy and husband Ed also volunteer in this area as Sunday morning Community Life Group leaders for a youth class. 918.743.8897 x 106
Shawnna Hopkins / Children's Ministry Assistant
Shawnna has recently joined our staff. She and her husband, have been members at SHBC for over seven years and are the proud parents to two active preschool aged sons.
Email Shawnna
Tammy Vincent/ Weekday Preschool Director
Tammy and family have been members at SHBC for over six years and she has served in several ministries of our church. She recently has begun serving as our Weekday Preschool Director. Tammy has a Bachelors Degree in Education from ORU and has previously served as a school Teacher in Tulsa and Jenks Public Schools and as our Interim Children's Ministry Director. She and her husband Rod have three children, Kaylee, Joshua and Jacob.
Email Tammy
Doug Osborn / Men’s Ministry Lay Leader
Doug Osborn and his family, have been at SHBC for eight years. In addition to recently becoming SHBC’s Men’s Ministry Lay Leader, Doug also serves as a Deacon and Life Group Leader.
Email Doug
Charlie Pennington / Missions Lay Coordinator
Charlie and his wife, Katheryn, have been at SHBC since 1982. Charlie is the Chairman of our Missions Committee which oversees SHBC's international, national and local missions efforts.
Email Charlie
Tom McIntyre / Senior Adult Ministry Lay Leader
Tom and wife, Linda, joined SHBC over two years ago and jumped right in. In addition to them leading a Sunday morning Life Group for young married couples, Tom leads the Monday afternoon Bible Study for Seniors and helps plan the ministry’s regular monthly events.
Email Tom
Lisa Meacham / Senior Adult Special Event Planner
Lisa and her husband, Justin, have been members at SHBC over 5 years. Lisa does a great job at planning and implementing special Senior Adult outings, trip and celebrations. 918.743.8897
Brian Coley / Sports & Recreation Director
Brian, an SHBC member since 1992, coordinates our All Star children's basketball league and oversees other all-church sports and recreational events such as golf tournaments, softball leagues and more. He is the Head Athletic Trainer for Bishop Kelly High School.
Email Brian
Jana Coley / Administrative Assistant
Jana and family, husband Brian and son Brent, have been at SHBC since 1992 and she joined our staff in 2003. Jana provides support for our Children’s Ministry and much more! She also serves in her favorite area each week, the baby room!
Email Jana
Jessica McIntyre / Administrative Assistant
Jessica joined our staff in 2006. She provides administraive support for Senior Pastor, William Hester and Executive Pastor, Steve Watkins.
Email Jessica
Angela Seefeldt / Administrative Assistant
Angela, a SHBC member for over 30 years, has served on the staff since 1989. She provides administrative support for the Worship Ministry, works on most publications and serves as Church Clerk. She loves to help make people’s wedding days go smooth and has served as SHBC’s Wedding Coordinator for over 10 years.
Email Angela
Billie Inbody / Church Hostess
Billie, an SHBC member for over 11 years, plans and cooks our delicious Wednesday night Fellowship meals and runs a ship shape kitchen. Billie and her husband, Darrell, also own and operates a wedding chapel with reception area housed in an historic church building in Wagoner, Oklahoma. 918.743.8897
Don McCullar / Custodian
Don and his family have been at SHBC since 1998 and Don also volunteers with our Celebrate Recovery Ministry. 918.743.8897
J W Massey / Custodian
J W joined our staff in summer of 2007 and has been a member at SHBC for several years and he also enjoys serving in our Worship Arts Ministry. Contact J W at the church office, 918.743.8897


Hess came to SHBC in 1997, having previously served churches in Mississippi, Arkansas, and Texas. He says, “My claim to fame is my family- miraculously, they let me tag along!” Hess’ wife, Julie, is a public high school vocal music teacher and actively involved in various ministries of SHBC. Their three daughters are Katy, Becca, and Rachel.
Steve joined the staff team in May of 2006. As the Executive Pastor he provides leadership and support for the development of the ministries of Southern Hills Baptist Church, so that it fulfills the mission of reaching the community of Tulsa as well as groups around the world.
In 2007, Jesse joined our staff from First Baptist, Hurst, Texas where he served for 4 years while attending Seminary. He is a graduate of Oklahoma Baptist University and has just earned his Masters of Music with a Ministry Emphasis from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Jesse and his wife Andrea have two young sons, Joseph and Benjamin, and one daughter, Ella.
Steve joined our team in June, 2000. Steve grew up in the bustling town of Allen, Oklahoma where he served as the Student Pastor at his home church, FBC, before joining our team. Steve and Courtney were married in March 2003. He supplies our team with humor and creativity. If Steve isn’t in the office, he’s probably on a mid-hi or high school campus. Steve studied at Southwestern (MChristianEd) and OBU.
Patrick Jackson joined our staff in May, 2007. His responsibilities include the Elementary and Preschool Ministries on Sunday morning, Worship Care, and the overseeing of the Weekday Preschool, Confident Kids, and Childcare programs.
Josh Lawrence joined the SHBC staff team in September 2007. He is currently working on completing his Masters of Divinity Degree through Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Josh holds a BS in Physical Therapy from OU and a BS in Education from the University of Arkansas. Josh, and his wife, Leslie have attended SHBC since 1999. They have two sons – Jake and Cade.
Al has been a member of SHBC for over 20 years. Prior to coming on staff as our Administrator he worked in oil field equipment manufacturing industry as a materials manager. Al and his wife Rebecca are both deacons here and can be found working in various areas...often centered around the lives of their daughters...Emily and Clara. Al oversees the church finances and facilities. An OSU grad, if he’s not at church, he’s probably at an OSU event.
Norma and her family have been at SHBC for 38 years. Norma and her husband, Steve launched the Celebrate Recovery Ministry at SHBC in 2002. She serves as the Ministry Leader for Celebrate Recovery at SHBC. Since 2004 Norma, and the team of volunteers in our church, has helped other churches start Celebrate Recovery ministries. In addition, Norma now serves as the Eastern Oklahoma State Rep for CR. You can read Norma's CR testimony on our Celebrate Recovery site, at
Kathy recently joined our staff to help out in a Student Ministry. Kathy and husband Ed also volunteer in this area as Sunday morning Community Life Group leaders for a youth class. 918.743.8897 x 106
Shawnna has recently joined our staff. She and her husband, have been members at SHBC for over seven years and are the proud parents to two active preschool aged sons.
Tammy and family have been members at SHBC for over six years and she has served in several ministries of our church. She recently has begun serving as our Weekday Preschool Director. Tammy has a Bachelors Degree in Education from ORU and has previously served as a school Teacher in Tulsa and Jenks Public Schools and as our Interim Children's Ministry Director. She and her husband Rod have three children, Kaylee, Joshua and Jacob.
Tom and wife, Linda, joined SHBC over two years ago and jumped right in. In addition to them leading a Sunday morning Life Group for young married couples, Tom leads the Monday afternoon Bible Study for Seniors and helps plan the ministry’s regular monthly events.
Jana and family, husband Brian and son Brent, have been at SHBC since 1992 and she joined our staff in 2003. Jana provides support for our Children’s Ministry and much more! She also serves in her favorite area each week, the baby room!
Jessica joined our staff in 2006. She provides administraive support for Senior Pastor, William Hester and Executive Pastor, Steve Watkins.
Angela, a SHBC member for over 30 years, has served on the staff since 1989. She provides administrative support for the Worship Ministry, works on most publications and serves as Church Clerk. She loves to help make people’s wedding days go smooth and has served as SHBC’s Wedding Coordinator for over 10 years.