Raley Chapel: More Than a Building—The Heartbeat of OBU

In this special anniversary episode of the All of Life podcast, host Niccole Hall sits down with Dr. Heath Thomas and Dr. Todd Fisher to reflect on one year of momentum in OBU’s Shape the Future campaign and the powerful legacy of Raley Chapel. From personal stories of calling and salvation to exciting updates on enrollment, academic growth, and campus renewal, this conversation reveals why Raley Chapel is far more than brick and mortar—it's the spiritual heartbeat of Bison Hill.

Tune in to hear how this beloved landmark is being renewed for the next generation of Future Shapers.

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Transcript

Niccole Hall: Welcome to OBU'S All of Life podcast. I'm your host, Niccole Hall, and we are so glad that you're joining us today. It's actually our one year anniversary for our podcast, and we are so excited about everything going on at OBU. It's also been one year since the launch of our Shape the Future Campaign, and we're so excited about the incredible progress and momentum that we've seen so far.

Niccole Hall: Today we'll connect that vision to one of OBU's most iconic landmarkS: Raley Chapel. For more than 60 years, Raley Chapel has been the spiritual heart of our campus, a place of worship, calling, and certainly transformation. To help us dive into this conversation, I'm honored to be joined by two leaders who not only understand Raley's legacy, but are also shaping its future.

Niccole Hall: Let me introduce our guests. First I have Dr. Heath A Thomas. Dr. Thomas became the 16th president of Oklahoma Baptist University on January 1st, 2020. He joined the OBU faculty in 2015, serving as dean of the Hobbs College of Theology and Ministry, and the Associate Vice President for Church Relations. 

Niccole Hall: Dr. Thomas also served as an interim dean of the Divisions of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Language and Literature, and the Floyd K Clark Chair of Christian Leadership. Before coming to OBU, he was director of PhD studies and associate professor of Old Testament and Hebrew at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, North Carolina. 

Niccole Hall: In 1998, OBU graduate, Dr.Thomas earned a Bachelor of Arts in English literature with a Religion minor. He then earned a Master of Arts and Theology from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. A PhD in Old Testament from the University of Gloucester Shere, and a certificate for Leadership in Higher Education from Baylor University.

Niccole Hall: Dr. Thomas is the author of numerous books, and he's passionate about opening the scripture and is passionate about preaching as well. He preaches and teaches regularly and has served on staff in Oklahoma, North Texas, North Carolina, and the United Kingdom. He and his wife Jill, have four children.

Niccole Hall:  Dr. Todd Fisher serves as the Executive Director treasurer for Oklahoma Baptist. He has pastored churches in Shawnee, Oklahoma City, Welston, and Bethel Acres, and has been active in the Southern Baptist Convention on the association state and national levels, serving on numerous committees and boards. Dr. Fisher is married to Jamie who speaks at women's events across the state. They have three children and two additional children, new son-in-law, and daughter-in-law.

Niccole Hall: In addition to his pastoral service, Dr. Fisher has taught preaching at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and served as an adjunct professor for both OBU and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He earned his BA in Pastoral ministry from OBU in 1992, and M-Div BA from Southwestern Seminary, a D-Min hermeneutics from Midwestern Seminary and a...

Niccole Hall: I'm not sure, in biblical spirituality. 

Dr. Todd Fisher: oh, PhD in Christian Preaching and THN-

Niccole Hall: and a THN from Southern Seminary and a PhD in Christian Preaching from Southern Seminary. That's-

Dr. Todd Fisher: -a lot of letters. There are a lot of letters. 

Niccole Hall: Oh, I think it's a theological ministry that it,- 

Dr. Todd Fisher: yeah. 

Niccole Hall: Okay. Master Theologist.

Niccole Hall: Dr. Thomas and Dr. Fisher. Welcome to our podcast. Yes, thank you. We're so happy to have you guys here. 

Dr. Heath Thomas: That's great to be with us. 

Dr. Todd Fisher: Yes. 

Niccole Hall: To start us off, it's now been a year since OBU launched our Shape the Future Campaign, and so Dr. Thomas, we'd love for you to give us a quick progress report on how the campaign is going so far?

Dr. Heath Thomas: Yes, well, it's a very exciting time in the life of our university and the Shape the Future vision and campaign proceeds, uh, very well. Uh, just in terms of progress, uh, one of the goals of the shape, the future, uh, vision and campaign is really to facilitate growth and advancement of key priorities for us.

Dr. Heath Thomas: And, uh, God's really blessed. And so, for instance, this fall we're up 17% in new students. Enrollment is up over last year. This will be our third or fourth year of consecutive growth in enrollment, which is great. And we were able to launch a lot of the, uh, degree programs that coincide with our academic investment priority of the Shape the Future vision.

Dr. Heath Thomas: So, uh, three priorities and shape the future. Invest in relevant academics, uh, academic programs, uh, renew our facilities and really, um, make our campus life, uh, sticky. Make it. Enhance it to where everybody feels like this is home. Right. So, uh, we've been able to launch some really exciting degree programs this fall, Construction Management Bachelor's.

Dr. Heath Thomas: We've been able to launch, uh, uh, software engineering to compliment our Mechanical Engineering degree and our Electrical Engineering degree. All of that launched this fall. So we've been very excited to see a lot of these degree programs that we've been planning for a long time come to fruition. So, uh, a lot more going on in terms of academic investment.

Dr. Heath Thomas: We start this year, uh, beginning in the spring, uh, our first graduate healthcare programs, which we're thrilled about. We have four that'll be coming in over the next around 12 to 18 months. A doctorate in physical therapy, a doctorate in occupational therapy. A master's in, uh, physician associate program, and then a master's in speech language pathology.

Dr. Heath Thomas: And those four programs, uh, begin rolling out in January of 2026, so right around the corner. We've been making a lot of hires in faculty and staff in those programs. So extraordinarily exciting and, uh, the momentum on that has been absolutely huge. 

Dr. Todd Fisher: Right. 

Dr. Heath Thomas: I'd also like to say fundraising continues to progress very well for our shape, the future, uh, vision and campaign.

Dr. Heath Thomas: Uh, I'm very excited to share that. Uh, we are at the place now where we've raised, uh, a, a, a critical mass. And of course this is an interesting campaign because it's interacting both with insurance, uh, monies from the tornado. Mm-hmm. Uh, and with FEMA monies that are coming in, uh, as part of the disaster effort.

Dr. Heath Thomas: Uh. In the campaign. So it's an interesting kind of campaign. It's not Really straightforward because of the effects of the tornado. But our OBU alumni and friends have been extraordinarily, uh, kind and generous in, uh, coming in alongside and helping with that. Uh, so fundraising has gone very, very well for, uh, uh, Shawnee Hall, which opens in the fall of 2025.

Dr. Heath Thomas: We're very excited about that. Uh, we'll be really excited to launch, uh, all of our classes in early 2026, uh, for that semester. So that's exciting. Uh, fundraising progresses for Thurmond Hall, our engineering building, and we're working with corporate sponsors and friends who are interested in engineering.

Dr. Heath Thomas: But the big project, obviously is Raley Chapel. The tornado of April, uh, uh, 19th, 2023. Um, a lot of people don't realize this. It totaled Raley Chapel, right? So that's our spiritual heart of our campus. It totaled Raley Chapel, so we're beginning the work significantly to, to start the fundraising on Raley.

Dr. Heath Thomas: And, uh, actually, uh, we've gotten through the hundred percent construction document plans, which is, if anybody's been through that, you know, it's a thousand pages of giant, uh, uh construction plans and the site work on this, uh, on this project is gonna be massive. It'll be the most, uh, significant transformation of our campus, uh, that we've seen probably in our history.

Dr. Heath Thomas: I mean, certainly in the past 60 years. Uh, but the goal is very simple. We want to renew Raley and raise Raley to, uh, the stature that it needs to be the spiritual, uh, work site of life transformation. For the next 60 years. And that's the goal of our Raley project. So we're excited. A lot of really good things are happening.

Dr. Heath Thomas: Uh, a lot of momentum. Uh, but Raley's the big project coming up. 

Niccole Hall: I love it. 

Dr. Heath Thomas: And Dr. Fisher and I were actually talking about this not too long ago. 

Dr. Todd Fisher: We were.

Niccole Hall: Yeah. It's so exciting, obviously. You put a bow on Shawnee Hall. We're sitting in Shawnee Hall. 

Dr. Heath Thomas: Yes.

 Niccole Hall: Beautiful backdrop. Um, I can only imagine. I've been through the building now.

Niccole Hall: I can only imagine what Raley is going to look like. 

Dr. Heath Thomas: Yes. 

Niccole Hall: I mean, so if you haven't come to see Shawnee Hall, come see Shawnee Hall. Right. And that you'll get a taste of what Raley's going to be like. Um, so as we are kind of thinking about OBU'S history with Raley Chapel in mind, we know countless chapel services revivals, um, moments of transformation took place there.

Niccole Hall: And I want us to kind of reflect on that legacy that really connects OBU o its mission. Um, our university is committed to forming servant leaders, who you like to say, live all of life, all for Jesus-

 Dr. Heath Thomas: right? 

Niccole Hall: -That's where our podcast gets its name. Um, so how do you see Rayley Chapel kind of embodying the mission for students today?

Dr. Heath Thomas: And I would really love to hear Todd, what you have to say this next one-

 Niccole Hall: And he's next on it, so. 

Dr. Heath Thomas: Okay, good. Well, what I, what I would say is, uh, the reason why Raley was, uh, birthed in the heart of this campus was very simple. Uh, our, our founding, our, our longest serving president, um, John Wesley Raley, he really wanted to see the worship of the one true God, uh, centralized in the heart of this campus.

Dr. Heath Thomas: And so, Raley Chapel, there's a reason why the Spire points 202 feet above grade, uh, because it's pointing us up back to our creator. And that's the goal. And so the idea is very simple no matter what your degree. No matter what God's called you to, we're to leverage every aspect of our lives for his glory and for his fame.

Dr. Heath Thomas: Raley reminds us of that through weekly chapels, through Focus Weeks, through revivals. Uh, I very personally. My life was changed in Raley Chapel because I was called to ministry in Raley Chapel. Yeah, I remember it very clearly. While I was a student, I was an English major. I was gonna go be an English professor.

Dr. Heath Thomas: That was my, what I thought was my plan for my life. Uh, so I walked into Raley one, uh, unsuspecting day during chapel, and a man named Henry Blackaby was preaching and my life was wrecked from that moment on because God got hold of my heart and changed my direction. And it was like, uh, God said, yeah, that teaching impulse that you have is good, but let's shift it away from English and let's shift it to scripture.

Dr. Heath Thomas: And so my heart began to change towards, not away from teaching, but towards the teaching of scripture. And that was a direct result of my encounter with God in Raley Chapel. I was speaking to one of our colleagues, uh, Dr. James Swain, who is, uh, director of all of our Oklahoma Baptist Homes for Children.

Dr. Heath Thomas: And, uh, he. He found out that that was my story, and I found out just recently that's his story as well. 

Dr. Todd Fisher: That's right. Yeah. 

Dr. Heath Thomas: His life was changed in Raley chapel called a ministry in Raley Chapel. And that story can be told over and over and over again of, uh, young people whose lives have, have, have been absolutely transformed and God's call has been placed on their lives.

Dr. Heath Thomas: You think about the thousands of ministers and pastors and missionaries who have been called in Raley Chapel. It really is extraordinary. I also think about, uh, you know, we've hosted on this campus Super Summer, uh, since 1986. All of o Oklahoma's leadership, um, from churches, uh, student leadership from churches have been brought here to develop and grow.

Dr. Heath Thomas: And just thinking about the impact of those plenary sessions since 1986 in Raley Chapel. Where God's done that life transformation, unbelievable work. Until April 19th, 2023. And so the call that we have for Raley is very simple. We want the spiritual and geographical heart of our campus to be, uh, renewed so that we can call the next generations of missionaries, pastors, ministers.

Dr. Heath Thomas: We wanna see life change happen in that facility. And that's not even to mention all of the salvations that we've seen in that building. I remember, uh, early in my presidency, we had, uh, one of our local Oklahoma Baptist pastors preaching here in chapel, and they did an invitation. Uh, for salvation during the chapel service.

Dr. Heath Thomas: And I was standing at the back and, you know, you're not supposed to do this, but I peaked from the back and it was amazing to me to see the hands going up to receive Christ that happens in that building. And all we want to do is ensure that is the work side of life transformation for the next 60 to 75 years. That's my story. 

Niccole Hall: That's awesome. Dr. Fisher, from your perspective. How have you seen that mission really lived out through other Oklahoma Baptists? Even you, I'd love to hear about your, um, story like has Raley, how has that been a part of your spiritual journey?

Dr. Todd Fisher: Raley, um

 Niccole Hall: I know you're an alum as well.  

Dr. Todd Fisher: Rayley, just from the very beginning, from very first step stepping foot on campus in, I usually like to say back when I went to OBU in 1900-none of your business.

Dr. Todd Fisher: That's usually what I like to say. But in 1988, when I stepped foot on campus. Uh, four years at OBU, that's where all the chapel services were. Uh, that's where I graduated from. College was in that building and a lot of memories in there. Some of 'em, silly, funny, we joked a little bit, but, uh, I remember sitting in chapel one day and just hearing this really loud commotion and someone on the back row of Raley. And, uh, it won't look like this now, but back in everybody, remember the old original Raley- 

Dr. Heath Thomas: Absolutely

 Dr. Todd Fisher: -had those wood fold down seats and it had the, uh, that linoleum floor 

Dr. Heath Thomas: Right? 

Niccole Hall: Mm-hmm. Yeah. That was slanted.

Dr. Todd Fisher: Somebody had taken a giant bag of marbles on the back row and loosed them, and it felt like it took five minutes for those things to clang all those metal legs of those chairs all the way down to the front.

Dr. Todd Fisher: And, uh, that's kind of a silly thing, but it's an endearing thing. It it, something like that just kind says this, this is where we did a lot of life. Uh, we would go in there as a group of students and somebody in the group knew how to play the piano. And we, he would, he would sit at the piano, we'd, we'd sit around the piano in Raley Chapel.

Dr. Todd Fisher: You know. We would sing hymns back that day. So then fast forward a little bit, really just, uh, less than 10 years after I graduated, I was right back in Shawnee, Pastor Immanuel Baptist Church, and now I think about Raley in that capacity. Uh, every Easter Sunday for 19 Easters I preached to a full house.

Dr. Todd Fisher: So we, Immanuel would pack Raley Chapel out on Easter Sunday. 

Dr. Heath Thomas: That was 1800 seats

  Dr. Todd Fisher: 1800 seats! 

Niccole Hall: I was there a few times. 

  Dr. Todd Fisher: We would pack it out and uh, still to our knowledge, there was a number of those Sundays where we brought our portable baptistry and we baptized people in Raley Chapel on Easter Sunday.

Dr. Todd Fisher:  To our knowledge, that's the only time anyone's ever been baptized in Raley. But people have been baptized in Raley 'cause. I know. 'cause I did it. And, uh. You know, I, I think about the time our church got hit with a flood and the school graciously allowed us to have all of our services for four to six weeks in there.

Dr. Todd Fisher: So for me personally, um, those are a lot of the memories. And what I like to think about is if someone like me who's an OBU alum has that many memories of Raley chapel, now you just take that and multiply it right by the un-ntold numbers of people who are OBU alum- 

Dr. Heath Thomas: Yes. 

Niccole Hall: Thousands, yeah. 

Dr. Todd Fisher: And not even OBU alum, but the But the students that have been there for Super Summer, that have been in there for all kinds of events, their 

Niccole Hall: families. 

Dr. Todd Fisher: And there's an interesting thing about Raley Chapel too. I think in terms of its importance, not just to the OBU community, but even to this community of Shawnee. There's all kinds of high school graduations that have taken place in that building and um, it is such a landmark.

Dr. Todd Fisher: You, you can be way out from Shawnee on I 40 come in westbound and see that steeple lit up and you see it and you just know that's Shawnee. I know I'm getting near Shawnee and you know that, that is such an integral central part of OBU. So just even the physical aspect of the building, as Dr. Thomas said, 202 feet sticking in the air on the hill there.

Dr. Todd Fisher: You see it from a long way. So the physical aspect of the building, but of course everything that took place inside of it is such a huge thing. And I, I would just add too, what Dr. Thomas said, first and foremost to me when we talk about the importance of really chapel is, is to reiterate what, what he said.

Dr. Todd Fisher: All the people that, that have been saved in that building? 

Dr. Heath Thomas: Yes. 

Dr. Todd Fisher: Uh, I've, I've seen that. I, I, I have a couple of very vivid memories. One of 'em stands out when, when I was at OBU, when I, when I was at Immanuel, one of the years there, OBU had Focus Week. I don't remember who the preacher was. But, uh, in this service, he, he preached this great evangelistic message, and then instead of giving like a traditional altar call invitation, he got down on the floor and, you know, Raley has the two aisles.

Dr. Todd Fisher: He got, and, and his sermon, his text was when Jesus says, follow me. So he preaches this great sermon based on follow me evangelistic sermon gets down on the floor. He starts walking up the aisle. 

Dr. Heath Thomas: Wow, wow 

Dr. Todd Fisher: And he says to these students, he just says, those of you that are ready to follow Jesus, follow me.

 Dr. Todd Fisher: And he walks up the aisle,- 

Niccole Hall: Wow 

Dr. Heath Thomas: Wow, that is just amazing

Dr. Todd Fisher: Walks back, and he just repeats. Follow me, follow me, follow me. 

Dr. Heath Thomas: Wow.

 Dr. Todd Fisher: But the, the, it gives me bumps right now.

 Niccole Hall: That's amazing.

 Dr. Todd Fisher: But the goosebump part of it was the students that stood up and started following him.

 Dr. Heath Thomas: Yeah. Yeah. I believe that.

Dr. Todd Fisher: And right at believe at the very beginning, he's walking and, and- 

Dr. Heath Thomas: It's amazing.

Dr. Todd Fisher: -these students just start popping up and by the time he gets around and comes back to the stage, uh, there's like 15, 20 students behind. 

Dr. Heath Thomas: Wow. 

Dr. Todd Fisher: And that to me really encapsulates what happens-

Dr. Heath Thomas: Yes, yes. 

Dr. Todd Fisher: -inside of Raley Chapel. 

Niccole Hall: I mean, I personally was not a believer. When I came to OBU, I feel like the Holy Spirit, you know, drew me to this place and I knew I needed to be there, but I sat in countless chapels and I wholeheartedly believe the Lord, you know, planted seeds in my life.

Dr. Todd Fisher: Yeah, sure. 

Niccole Hall: And then obviously, that came to fruition. Yeah. After, but I mean, it's a special place. And so obviously, um, these personal stories really remind us why Raley-

Dr. Heath Thomas:  Yes. 

Niccole Hall: -matters so much. Um, okay. So we also know that buildings need renewal. Um, in order to serve the next generation. 

Dr. Heath Thomas:  Yes.

Niccole Hall:  And so I want us to turn toward the future. We've talked about the tornado. 

Dr. Heath Thomas:  Yeah. 

Niccole Hall:  The tornado really obviously only kind of enhanced the need for restoration without a out, let's be honest, it needed, 

Dr. Heath Thomas:  needed a little love

 Niccole Hall:  Some touch and some love. Absolutely. before that time-

 Dr. Heath Thomas:  Without a doubt

Dr. Todd Fisher:  there were some parts of Raley. Yes. Let's be, let's be frank.

Niccole Hall:  I mean, we won't talk about the bathrooms that's one of our exciting, you know, you walk 

Dr. Todd Fisher: You walk into the bathroom and you say the, the 1960s called, they want their bathroom back.

Dr. Heath Thomas:  Yeah. 

Niccole Hall: If you can get in there, I mean, it was so tiny.

Dr. Heath Thomas:  That's right? 

Niccole Hall: Um, so why would you say now is the right time to invest in renewing in rightly chapel? 

Dr. Heath Thomas: Well, now is the right time, uh, because we have no choice.

Niccole Hall: It's true. Well, that's, that's true. 

Dr. Heath Thomas: I think there not to put too, find a point on it, but, uh, this is a once in a century we pray, Event that we won't have to navigate again. Uh, this renovation renewal, uh, let's be clear about the scope of it. Our. Raley Chapel was totaled by the tornado. The insurance company totaled it.

Dr. Heath Thomas: There is nothing that we can do about that. A lot of people don't understand really, the full scope of the damage. Uh, there was water damage, there was wind damage, there was structural damage on the roof. Uh, it blew in fryable asbestos into soft surfaces where we had to remediate everything.

Dr. Heath Thomas: Uh, to bring it up to code. We have to redo bathrooms, redo HVAC systems, redo electrical, redo plumbing. We also have to, uh, you know, Raley was, uh, an interesting design. There were seven different levels, elevations in that building. We have to make it more a ADA accessible, you know what I'm talking about?

Dr. Todd Fisher: Oh, crazy. 

Niccole Hall: All those marbles

 Dr. Heath Thomas: The tornado has put us into a situation where we must upgrade the facility, but rather than an arm twist, it's a once in a lifetime opportunity. I don't know any other time in my life, well, I where I will have the opportunity to be a part of God's movement here on this campus, like we do.

Dr. Heath Thomas: Right now, we're talking about Raley Chapel, right? This is our logo. It's totaled. It's right now filled with scaffolding. Everything has been, uh, evacuated in the bottom and completely. It's, it's just empty in the bottom. Why? Because we've gotta put structural supports and do some other things to make it sound.

Dr. Heath Thomas: I mean, it is a significant, uh, renewal. This is not a small project, so we must do this now, right? The time is right because we have no choice. The, the other reason is, uh, the opportunity. Right now our music programs are growing. We haven't even talked about the legacy of music and impact that we have in Raley Chapel.

Dr. Heath Thomas: Right now our music programs are growing. I got a report about all of our choral efforts. Uh, Bisonettes and Glee Club and Coral, we've run out of space. 

Dr. Todd Fisher: Mm-hmm. 

Dr. Heath Thomas: Uh, the number of singers that we have and new initiatives with new faculty. Uh, our music programs are growing. And of course in Raley, a a lot of our choral space and band space and studio space, faculty space, all of that's Raley, right?

Dr. Heath Thomas: So our faculty has facilitated growth in music and uh, worship studies without having Raley for two years. 

Dr. Todd Fisher: mmhh

Dr. Heath Thomas: So we just want to build on that momentum and expand that momentum so that we have the appropriate space. And I really believe this, I've said this for a number of years. We have had world class education here for a very, very long time.

Dr. Heath Thomas: What we need, is our facilities to be reflective of the quality of the education that we've been providing for a very long time. The time is now. There is no better time. So we need to do this now. 

Niccole Hall: So obviously everyone's wanting to know, and maybe you can foreshadow some of these, um, details on the spaces.

Dr. Heath Thomas: Yes. 

Niccole Hall: Um, we're naturally wondering. Okay. We can see what the outside of the building looks like.

 Dr. Heath Thomas: Yes. 

Niccole Hall: The roof is new. 

Dr. Heath Thomas: Yes. 

Niccole Hall: Um, the, the steeple tell us about the lighting. 

Dr. Heath Thomas: Yes, sure. 

Niccole Hall: Um, so give us a, a glimpse of outside changes and then inside changes that we can expect. 

Dr. Heath Thomas: Yes. Well, first I want to hear what Dr. Fisher has to say about the now. Why would we need to do this now? 

Dr. Todd Fisher: Well, Heath said it exactly the way it should be said. It has to be now because, you've got this landmark and, and maybe landmark. It is a landmark building, but Raley Chapel is so integral to the life of OBU. Um, in terms of, you have a lot of classes in this building.

Dr. Heath Thomas: Yes, we do. 

Niccole Hall: Mm-hmm. 

Dr. Todd Fisher: You have a lot of functions. Chapel services, uh- 

Dr. Heath Thomas: Student events, 

Dr. Todd Fisher: -concerts,-

Niccole Hall: student events,

 Dr. Todd Fisher: CAB-

Niccole Hall: Conferences. 

Dr. Heath Thomas: Call conference. 

Dr. Todd Fisher: Okay. Yeah. 

Niccole Hall: Gen Y. Yeah. 

Dr. Heath Thomas: Apologetics conference.

 Dr. Todd Fisher: You know, it, it would just be like, imagine imagining, uh, imagine, imagine having a really nice car that wouldn't start, you couldn't use it, you couldn't drive it.

Dr. Todd Fisher: To me that's kind of like a non-functioning Raley Chapel. 

Dr. Heath Thomas: Yeah.

 Dr. Todd Fisher: On the campus of the school. It, it, it is, it makes no sense. It's a massive hindrance if you have this iconic and very important to every aspect of campus life, academic life, social life on the school that's sitting right here in the middle of the campus.

Dr. Todd Fisher: And you can't, you can't even walk inside of it. 

Dr. Heath Thomas: Right, right. 

Dr. Todd Fisher: You can't even use it. 

Niccole Hall: It's true. 

Dr. Todd Fisher: So one of, one of the things I would like to say is...It's important for Oklahoma Baptists that are watching this podcast and for Oklahoma Baptists to know, um, this is your university, you, this is Oklahoma Baptist University, but there's a sense in which you could add an S with the possessive apostrophe-

Dr. Heath Thomas: That's right.

 Dr. Todd Fisher: -on the end of that. That's, this is Oklahoma Baptist's University. This is your school. This is your building, and I hope that Oklahoma Baptist will see, well, understand that and view OBU and view, even Raley Chapel that way. And, uh, if OBU had to go a long time with Raley Chapel not functioning, what, what does that say about the school?

Dr. Todd Fisher: What does that even say about us as Oklahoma Baptists?

Dr. Heath Thomas: Right.

Niccole Hall: That's true. 

Dr. Todd Fisher: Uh, so the time is, is for us to rise, for us to, to stand up, for us to show up and do what, what needs to be done. To get this building back in working order. 

Dr. Heath Thomas: Right. 

Dr. Todd Fisher: And I would reiterate what Dr. Thomas said too. Um, you know, tornadoes hit all over in Oklahoma.

Dr. Todd Fisher: Every time a tornado hits an Oklahoma Baptist church, I usually try to go out there to it. It's fascinating. You can look at a building and think, oh, that building didn't get hit, and it's totaled. 

Dr. Heath Thomas: Right. 

Dr. Todd Fisher: But when you walk in there, you see the walls are all at an angle like this or something. So some people might look at Raley and go, well, it's, it looks intact, it looks okay.

Dr. Todd Fisher: But it really was totaled. I mean, you and I, Heath walked me through it not long after, and it,

Dr. Heath Thomas: It was totaled. 

Dr. Todd Fisher: It was totaled. 

Dr. Todd Fisher: So those were my thoughts about the importance of the now and the importance that all of us who are really stakeholders. At OBU and in Raley Chapel that we understand our responsibility, I think.

Dr. Todd Fisher: I think that's the word. I would use our responsibility to make sure that it's functioning again. 

Dr. Heath Thomas: Yeah. So it is exciting to see kind of the scope that we're talking about. Um. That was really your question about what, what is it, what's being done? Okay. So essentially what's being done is the entire exterior of the building had to be addressed.

Dr. Heath Thomas: So we've already addressed all of the spire, right? So it's got new copper. 'cause we had to do, found out all about, uh, new kinds of construction things. Todd, like, uh, copper is a commodity and it. You, you have to buy it from the commodities market. This is crazy stuff, but, so new copper spire, stonework has all been pointed, sealed and everything.

Dr. Heath Thomas: It all had to be be addressed. New clock faces, new clock workings on the inside. Uh, tuck pointing on all of the masonry. New lights now. I'm really excited. We got LED lights that are gonna last a very long time-

Dr. Todd Fisher: There you go

Dr. Heath Thomas: -and they're low energy-

Dr. Todd Fisher: They change colors. 

Dr. Heath Thomas: Yes. they can change colors!

Dr. Todd Fisher: Come on. Come on, 

Niccole Hall: You're really gonna able to see it.

Dr. Heath Thomas: So we can do green, gold, green. We can do, uh, red, green, white for Christmas. 

Dr. Todd Fisher: There you go.

 Dr. Heath Thomas: We could do red, white, and blue for, uh, 

Dr. Todd Fisher: There you go. 

Dr. Heath Thomas: You know, Independence Day. The only color I don't think it does is crimson and cream and, uh, orange and black. I don't, I don't think it does those colors for some reason.

Niccole Hall: range and black!

Dr. Todd Fisher: You had to get that in, had to get that in 

Dr. Heath Thomas: Yeah, I did.

Dr. Heath Thomas: So, uh, but, uh, the reason that's important is because it gives us flexibility. So during football games, we can see the spire lit. 

Dr. Todd Fisher: Mm-hmm. 

Dr. Heath Thomas: And indeed, for Christmas, we can, and again, that becomes a marker for our city and our county. Uh, even more than just the one individual building or our, our individual campus, it becomes a community, uh, beacon that invites the community in which I'm excited about.

Dr. Heath Thomas: So the entire work around the building is done. The, uh, in terms of the exterior, except for the windows, all the windows have to be replaced. All the stained glass windows Todd, as you know, these are pieces of art and we want to preserve those art, uh, those art pieces. 

Dr. Todd Fisher: And, and history. Oklahoma Baptist history, art history.

Dr. Heath Thomas:  And history. That's exactly right. You're exactly right. And so each window tells a story, uh, in Baptist, uh, life and in the life of education, and. Uh, on the north side, the large Oklahoma history window tells the story of Oklahoma. So all of these windows have to be, uh, really removed, unleaded, repaired, releaded and reinstalled.

Dr. Heath Thomas: That's gonna be the process. And we were having meetings on that just recently. Well, that's not a small project, and that's gonna take at least, uh, one year to complete. 

Dr. Todd Fisher: And not a small price tag.

 Dr. Heath Thomas: No, it's not a small price tag. Uh, we also have to, uh. Address the interior of the building. So Potter Auditorium will be redone.

Dr. Heath Thomas: We have the design. I've got a, an incredible Rayley Chapel Advisory Committee of alums from each generation, uh, down to the sixties. Uh, some of our, our pastors are part of that. We have a pastor, uh, in Oklahoma City who's part of that advisory committee. Also a pastor in, uh, Tulsa, who's a part of that advisory committee.

Dr. Heath Thomas: I'm really excited about that. They've given great input all the way through in this project. Um, so Potter auditorium's gonna be redone. Obviously the, uh, organ will be renewed and, uh, made whole, and that's actually very exciting that needed to be done. So that's part of this project. Uh, there's choir space for our music program.

Dr. Heath Thomas: Uh, there's band space for our, uh, program. Uh, there's also, so instrumental and vocal performance and cor-choral, all of that will have, uh, space. Uh, there's also the Raley drawing room, which will be redone and. there will be safe space for students, uh, for tornadoes, which we think that's a, a very good idea.

Niccole Hall: That's probably important 

Dr. Todd Fisher: Uh, I think so.

Dr. Heath Thomas:  But uh, so that's the interior of the building, uh, the exterior, um, not just the physical building itself, but will also address some significant site work around Raley chapel. And that is, uh, not a small project because what a lot of people don't understand is how much damage was done all across the campus below grade from the tornado, we lost all of our irrigation. 

Dr. Heath Thomas:We lost significant, uh, storm drainage flow across the campus because of old piping when all the heavy machinery and heavy cranes were all across the campus, it knocked those out. So we've gotta address some drainage and water flow issues. Uh, we're going to do that through detention, retention, water features on the east side of Raley, down to the south side of Raley.

Dr. Heath Thomas: So that site work is significant. 

Dr. Todd Fisher: Now if you do that, you're gonna take away one of my memories of Raley

Dr. Heath Thomas: Which is?

 Dr. Todd Fisher: Uh, walking from. What was Brotherhood dorm now? 

Dr. Heath Thomas: Agee dorm. 

Dr. Todd Fisher: Right. 

Niccole Hall: Agee

 Dr. Heath Thomas: Mm-hmm. 

Dr. Todd Fisher: To the short steps from uh, Brotherhood dorm to Rayley in a really heavy thunderstorm meant walking in about ankle to shin deep water.

Niccole Hall: That's true. That was a big 

Dr. Todd Fisher: Yeah, because all that water would stand back there. That's right. And so you're gonna take that away. 

Dr. Heath Thomas: Yes. I'm sorry to do that, but that's one of the issues we have to address. 

Niccole Hall: Maybe some other water features instead of that. 

Dr. Heath Thomas:   Yes.

Dr. Todd Fisher: You go into those water features. , 

Dr. Heath Thomas: Well, that's rightbecause it will shed that water appropriately.

Dr. Heath Thomas: And, uh, so you'll have better water flow all the way through. We're excited about that. 

Dr. Todd Fisher: And by the way, the, uh, the renderings 

Dr. Heath Thomas: Yes. 

Dr. Todd Fisher: Of what the inside look like are fantastic. 

Dr. Heath Thomas: Oh, thanks. We're excited about that.

Dr. Todd Fisher:  Fantastic. 

Dr. Heath Thomas: It's gonna be phenomenal. 

Niccole Hall: We are super thankful for our partnership with Oklahoma Baptist. I mean, clearly, like you said, we're all in this together. Um, I love the fact that we've already had some of those partnerships, um, really, I mean, they're coming to fruition. 

Dr. Heath Thomas: Yes. 

Niccole Hall: I'd love for you to talk a little bit about. Um, a few of those churches that are coming alongside OBU in this endeavor. 

Dr. Heath Thomas: Yes.

Niccole Hall: Maybe give our listeners. An idea of how they can also partner with us, maybe through their church or- 

Dr. Heath Thomas: Yeah sure. Well, we've had some individual churches. The way that we're, and I've talked to Todd about this, the strategy is go to individual churches that have an affinity to OBU and uh, I'll go have a conversation with them.

Dr. Heath Thomas: So one of those churches. Uh, is Alton Fannon and First Baptist Ardmore. They've been very, very kind to us. We have a longstanding relationship with them. That church already has some scholarships, uh, through the church for students coming to OBU, and so I was able to share with Alton very simply, Hey. We really want the churches to be a part of this.

Dr. Heath Thomas: Uh, but you know, your church, uh, you know what they'd be willing to do or not, or whatever. Um, and you know, this is our need. And he said, yeah, absolutely. We wanna be a part of that renewal. And so, uh, you know, I preached and I've done things over there, but what Alton did is he developed a little, if you know Alton, you know what I'm about to say?

Dr. Heath Thomas: He knows how to do this. 

Dr. Todd Fisher:  He knows how to do it. 

Dr. Heath Thomas: He knows how to do it. So he put together something for his church. And over, uh, the course of about a month or two, uh, love offerings in the church. And, uh, through that, uh, gave a significant contribution to the Raley Project, uh, to shaping the future vision and campaign directed to Raley, which is really exciting.

Dr. Heath Thomas: And. All I would say is, you know, pastors know what their churches, how they respond, what they can and can't do, and, uh, can or can't do. But if churches and pastors have it on their heart, I'm gonna be reaching out to some directly. Right, because they have an affinity. But some churches will say, you know, we wanna be a part of that.

Dr. Heath Thomas: One of the sweetest things is, uh, one of our board members, uh, and advisors historically at OBU, he had me out to his church and it's a real, uh, small rural church. Um, and I shared with him, Hey, you know what's going on with this Raley project? And so I preached to his church and you know, the church only had maybe 20-

Dr. Heath Thomas: -25, maybe 30 people when I preached at the church. Uh, but I got a check the next week. And the, the, the, the note was very simple. We wanna be a part of what God's doing at Raley. And it was a check for $500. 

Dr. Todd Fisher: Mm-hmm. 

Dr. Heath Thomas: Lemme tell you, you, Todd-

Niccole Hall: Awesome

Dr. Heath Thomas: -that was the most five meaningful $500. 

Dr. Todd Fisher: Absolutely. 

Dr. Heath Thomas: 'cause that church said, yeah, we want to be a part of this.

Dr. Heath Thomas: Yeah. So it's not really about the amount. 

Niccole Hall: Right. 

Dr. Heath Thomas: As much as those churches that have, and those pastors that have an affinity with OBU. They're just saying, we wanna stand up and be a part of what God's doing over here at Raley. 

Niccole Hall: Definitely. 

Dr. Heath Thomas: And that's really exciting. So, you know, in the next months I'll be going to churches, uh, that have an affinity to OBU, that have a heart for what we're doing.

Dr. Heath Thomas: I'll be talking with a lot of pastors and, uh, yeah, see what God does. But that's how they need to be a part. And we've talked about that. 

Dr. Todd Fisher: You know, Niccole, what I would say is to churches, to anybody who, why would you want to contribute to redoing, restoring Raley Chapel. Um, you are doing so much more than restoring a physical building if, if you in by, by restoring this physical building, you are also making an investment in the lives of students and really an investment in the Kingdom of God.

Dr. Todd Fisher: So what I would just interject at this point is to say, what, what is the, the footprint, the impact for the kingdom that OBU has. Okay. Just in my life in the last 13 months, so some people may or may not know, but I was in a very, very serious car wreck and I've been in and out of surgeries and hospitals for over a year now.

Dr. Todd Fisher: Um, it's amazing how many nurses I've had that are OBU grads.

 Dr. Heath Thomas: Wow. 

Dr. Todd Fisher: The very first physical therapist we meet is an OBU grad. 

Dr. Heath Thomas: Wow. 

Dr. Todd Fisher: The lady that helped me for probably six to eight months with all the nerve damage, the occupational therapist and OBU grad. 

Dr. Heath Thomas: Wow. 

Dr. Todd Fisher: My last a follow up with my amputation surgeon, uh, at OU you always have a resident or a student come in?

Dr. Heath Thomas: Yes. 

Dr. Todd Fisher: resident comes in, really great 

Dr. Todd Fisher: just talking to me and, uh, after we do all the chit chat about the, the leg and everything, he, he says, uh. It's been a few years since I've heard you preach and I was like, okay, you are? And, uh, yeah, was an  OBU student, went to Immanuel, uh, was there. 

Dr. Heath Thomas: My goodness. 

Dr. Todd Fisher: And is an OBU grad.

Dr. Todd Fisher: So it's, it's amazing just in that one little window of, of health science field, uh, there's OBU grads everywhere. 

Dr. Heath Thomas: Yes.

 Dr. Todd Fisher: And what I loved about all of these OBU grads is. Very unashamed of their Christian faith. 

Dr. Heath Thomas: Wow.

Dr. Todd Fisher:  Very proud to have been an OBU grad. 

Dr. Heath Thomas: Yes.

 Dr. Todd Fisher: And definitely recognized in their own life the, the formational impact that OBU had, their class, their classwork, their professors, their student life here.

Dr. Todd Fisher: It shaped their life. It really did. You know, the future shapers thing 

Dr. Heath Thomas: Yes. 

Niccole Hall: Right. 

Dr. Todd Fisher: Is more than just a, a little motto. 

Dr. Heath Thomas: Yes, that's right. 

Dr. Todd Fisher: Uh, OBU shaped these people's lives and, and so we should not think that, oh, OBU is just about, you know, the kingdom impact is just who graduates from OU that goes to serve in a church.

Dr. Todd Fisher: Right, right. That's just one small piece, a deeper piece of, 

Niccole Hall: It's a deeper, there's a deeper calling there. 

Dr. Heath Thomas: Yeah. 

Dr. Todd Fisher: So, but every one, every one of those people that I came across. They were inside that Rayley Chapel building. 

Dr. Heath Thomas: Yes. 

Dr. Todd Fisher: And it, it, it's, so I guess what I'm just trying to say is it is more, it is a building we need to restore the physical building.

Dr. Todd Fisher: It is so much more than just an investment in brick and mortar. It is an investment in lives and it's an investment in expanding the kingdom and advancing the gospel, truly. 

Dr. Heath Thomas: Exclamation point. 

Niccole Hall: I know. 

Dr. Heath Thomas: That was awesome. 

Niccole Hall: I know, I mean, thank you. Like thank you both for being here today. Um, I feel like that's just a perfect, really, way to close this off.

Dr. Todd Fisher: Thanks for having,thanks for having me on. 

Niccole Hall: Um, Raley Chapel obviously has stood as a beacon of faith and worship and calling for more than 60 years, and we do believe that together, I mean, and for future generations, they more need to encounter Christ there. And so, that's behind this. Um. Renewal. And to our listeners, if you would like to learn more or partner with us, you can go to oku.edu/giving.

Niccole Hall: Um, if you are a part of a church and you would love for your congregation to be a part of this story as well, please contact us and we will make that happen. 

Dr. Heath Thomas: That's right.

 Niccole Hall: Thank you for joining us today. And remember, OBU, at OBU we live all of life, all for Jesus.