First Southern-Del City celebrates final mortgage payment
The stacks of green money represented the mortgage principle, and the mounds of red money represented the interest.
The congregation at First Southern Baptist Church of Del City burned it all.
The church's recent celebration included the burning of fake money to represent a huge debt that was paid off in June.
The Rev. Keith Burkhart, First Southern's senior pastor, said the $22 million mortgage had been a part of the church's DNA spanning three generations.
He said the church incurred the debt in the 1980s when it moved to its sprawling property at 6400 S Sooner Road.
Burkhart said the debt loomed large for many years, but church members' faithfulness helped pay it off for good.
He said the 30 years of indebtedness had become part of the church's identity, so church leaders came up with an appropriate theme for the recent celebration.
“Our theme was `Unshackled,' and we truly are unshackled,” Burkhart said.
“We just made it a matter of prayer, and God just gave through our people. Now we're free to do more, give more and reach more.”
`Free to dream'
Burkhart became a member of First Southern at age 16 and considered it his home church for many years before leaving to do ministry elsewhere.
He returned as the church's leader in November 2018. Paying the mortgage debate was one of his priorities.
Burkhart said he envisioned the church realistically paying off the debt in 2021 so the much earlier payoff was especially thrilling.
He said the last push to pay off the mortgage was started by one church member's gift of $25,000.
“That was really the seed of paying it off quickly. That inspired others. I don't take credit for it. I just have the privilege of leading them,” Burkhart said.
The preacher said two 95-year-old women who had been giving to the church faithfully were particularly excited to see the debt paid off. He said they both died recently, and he is glad they got to see the culmination of their faithful efforts.
“They were so thrilled that they lived to see the day, these two little ladies who gave faithfully over the years,” Burkhart said.
First Southern acquired the debt at a time when it was experiencing tremendous growth, and church leaders felt the need to move to the church's current 80-acre property near Tinker Air Force Base.
The church had two ministers — Bailey Smith and Tom Elliff — who were elected president of the Southern Baptist Convention while serving as senior pastor there. Two other pastors — Jimmy Draper and John Bisagno — also became president of the nation's largest Protestant denomination.
Under Smith's leadership, the church started the popular Starlite Crusades, which drew hundreds of people for summer worship services. Also under Smith's guidance, First Southern became one of Oklahoma's first megachurches, attracting more than 2,500 people as members.
But First Southern got into serious debt when the charismatic leader left and the Oklahoma oil bust ensued.
Burkhart said the recent mortgage-burning celebration included the Rev. Hance Dilbeck, executive director-treasurer of the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma, and Elliff, who has considered First Southern his home church even after his career took him to new heights within the Southern Baptist Convention. Burkhart said Elliff, now retired from his post as president of the Southern Baptist Convention's International Mission Board, regularly attends worship services there.
He said the church is growing and recently completed several extensive building renovation projects.
“Now that we're free, we're free to dream and to love our city with the Gospel,” he said.