Heath Thomas named Dean of the Herschel H. Hobbs College of Theology and Ministry at Oklahoma Baptist University

Today Oklahoma Baptist University in Shawnee, OK announced Heath Thomas as the new Dean of the Herschel H. Hobbs College of Theology and Ministry and associate vice president for church relations.

Thomas is currently the associate professor of Old Testament and Hebrew and the director of Ph.D. studies at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary (SEBTS).

Thomas began teaching at Southeastern in 2007 and started directing the Ph.D. program in 2012. Under his leadership, the Ph.D. program grew from 139 to 206 students and expanded program offerings from 15 to 24 degrees. Thomas developed students into scholar-pastors, future teachers and church leaders. 

President Danny Akin, said, “Dr. Thomas has made an incredible contribution at Southeastern, both in the classroom and in his leadership of our Ph.D. program. This is bittersweet as we will feel the loss at Southeastern but know that our friends at Oklahoma Baptist University will be tremendously blessed.”

Thomas is highly respected among the SEBTS community and beyond. He strives for students to have a deeper love for the Lord and a deeper love for Scripture. “I would also like students to have an appreciation of how the Scriptures fit together, the Old and New Testaments together testifying to Jesus,” he said.

Provost Bruce Ashford said, “Heath Thomas is that rare person who is not only a first-rate scholar, but a popular classroom instructor and proven leader. We are sad to lose Dr. Thomas, but happy for him that he is able to take a leadership post at one of the evangelical world’s premier universities.”

Thomas will begin his new role on December 1.

See the Oklahoma Baptist University release here.