Leadership

Dr. Tom Vineyard was saved at the age of six and called to preach at the age of eight.  As a senior in high school, at the age of 18, he surrendered to go to the mission field.  He went on to serve as a missionary in Africa, to the countries of Zaire, Congo, and Ivory Coast. In the time that he was there, he was able to start 12 different churches.  The main church, Fundamental Baptist Church of Anyama, was averaging 450 when he turned it over to a national pastor.  The church’s highest day totaled 2,250 in attendance.  He was able to see 814 souls saved and 194 people baptized during the first nine months of 2005, his last year there.  Pastor Tom Vineyard has been the pastor of Higher Plain Baptist Church in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, since January of 2007.

At the age of fifteen, at Marcus Hill Baptist Church, Enola, Arkansas, Joe Finn trusted the Lord Jesus Christ to be his Savior.  After graduating from Quitman High School and the University of Arkansas, he began a career of livestock market reporting for the United States Department of Agriculture.  Three years later, he surrendered to God’s call to go into the ministry.  In 1978, Dr. Jim Vineyard asked him to come to Oklahoma and attend Oklahoma Baptist College and teach in Windsor Hills Baptist Schools.  He taught WHBC classes for three years, while taking night classes at OBC.  Since 1981, he has been a professor at Oklahoma Baptist College, and is currently the Executive Vice-President of the same.  For over 30 years, during the church’s fall Sunday School program, Bro. Finn has coordinated big days such as our annual Law and Order Sunday and Veteran’s Sunday. Currently, he serves as an Associate Pastor and Sunday School Teacher.

Adrian Van Manen was born of Dutch immigrants in Virginia.  His parents moved to Michigan and California, and ended up in Idaho.  Bro. Van Manen was privileged to attend Christian schools all the way through college because of his parents’ desire that their children be educated in a godly environment.  Bro. Van Manen was married to Miss Bonnie Bertram in 1970.  He earned his Bachelor of Science Degree from Northwest Nazarene College and his Master of Music Degree from the University of Missouri at Kansas City.  He taught at Baptist Bible College in Springfield, Missouri, for six years.  In 1982, he and his wife began teaching at Oklahoma Baptist College, and through the years also taught at Windsor Hills Baptist Schools.  Their five children all graduated from Windsor Hills Baptist Schools and Oklahoma Baptist College, and serve the Lord in various ministry capacities today.

Brother Van Manen is the song leader and choir director at Higher Plain Baptist Church.  He continues to teach during the week at Higher Plain Christian Academy and Oklahoma Baptist College.

David Jones was saved when he was 23 years old.  At age 28, he began attending Oklahoma Baptist College.  After graduating, he pastored in Stratford, Texas, for 3-1/2 years.  He began working at Windsor Hills Baptist Church in 1990, and became our Bus Director in 1991.  He continues to direct the bus ministry as we have become Higher Plain Baptist Church.  He makes sure buses are ready to go out to pick up children and adults in the community and bring them to church services.  He also trains Oklahoma Baptist College students and Higher Plain Baptist Church members to begin and build bus routes and to redeem the time (Ephesians 5:16) by having a program on the bus.

Raised in Liberty Baptist Church in San Antonio, Texas, Mike Ruiz was saved at the age of four.  Mike came to Oklahoma Baptist College in 1999 and graduated with a diploma in Secondary Education in 2004.  After graduation from OBC, he worked as a Christian School teacher at Windsor Hills Baptist Schools for 4-1/2 years.

In May of 2013, he graduated with a Master of Business Administration from Liberty University.  In addition to his regular job as a professional in the oil and gas industry, he has served as the College and Career Sunday School Class teacher since 2008.

Brother Ruiz loves teaching and working with people, and even as a first-timer you’ll feel quite welcome in his class!

Brother R.J. Saladin was saved when he was eleven years old and received the assurance of his salvation when he was twenty‐seven years old.  The Lord called him to preach when he was thirteen years old.  After graduating from Oklahoma Baptist College in May 2004 with a diploma in Church Ministries, in August of 2004 he married Jeannette Liles.  They worked in youth ministry in St. Louis, Missouri, from 2007‐2008, before moving back to Oklahoma City in the winter of 2008.  The Saladins have three children:  Alena, Julia and Micah.

Brother Saladin has brought a fresh perspective to our youth group and challenges them to grow in the Lord while having a ton of fun.  In addition to being our youth director, Brother Saladin serves as the principal of Higher Plain Christian Academy.