`Few stood taller among Native American Baptists'
Oklahomans discuss legacy of prominent pastor Bill Barnett
Bill Barnett, a prominent Oklahoma Baptists pastor and Native American ministry leader, died on Feb. 5 of COVID-19. He was 87.
Barnett was founding senior pastor of Indian Nations Baptist Church in Seminole and a former first vice president of Oklahoma Baptists, also known as the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma.
“We are thankful to have been a part of his amazing life; although we are saddened, we find comfort in the hope that God instilled within us that we will be together again,” Barnett's family said in a social media post. “Let us be joyful as we remember the many blessings he brought to all of us as a man of God called to do his work. `I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.'”
Services were held on Friday at First Baptist Church of Seminole.
“Bill Barnett's passing is a great loss for Oklahoma Baptists. He is one of the most beloved and respected leaders I know, and he faithfully served the Lord in so many meaningful ways,” said the Rev. Hance Dilbeck, executive director of Oklahoma Baptists, the state affiliate of the Southern Baptist Convention. “As a pastor, leader with Indian Falls Creek, missionary, mentor, educator and more, God used
Bill Barnett to advance the Gospel in Oklahoma and beyond. On a personal level, Bill was a blessing to me and a consistent source of encouragement and direction. We are praying for his wife, Mary Jo, and the rest of his family.”
The Rev. Emerson Falls, Oklahoma Baptists' Native American ministry
partner, said Barnett could almost be described as an icon, transcending the definition of “leader.”
“He was a person that everybody knew and had great respect for his wisdom. He was a mentor to a lot of young men coming up, always there for a lot of people to help encourage them and help guide them,” Falls said.
Barnett, a native of Eufaula, was a member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. He was both an educator and preacher, serving on the faculty at Bacone College, Oklahoma Baptist University, Seminole State College and Langston University. Barnett also coached basketball, track and field and cross country and served as OBU's first women's basketball coach.
Barnett accepted the divine call to preach when he was 27. He was ordained as a Southern Baptist pastor and served as an assistant pastor of First Indian Baptist Church of Los Angeles. He went on to serve as pastor of First Indian Baptist Church in Muskogee and Baptist Indian Mission in Albuquerque, New
Mexico. He founded Indian Nations Baptist Church in 1975 and served as its senior pastor until his death.
In addition to serving as pastor of several Baptist churches, Barnett held several leadership roles with Oklahoma Baptists, also known as the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma. In 1992, he was elected first vice president of the Oklahoma convention. He also served on the organization's board of directors from 2014 to 2020 and on the faith group's Native American Advisory Team.
`Treasury of knowledge'
Barnett also served as director of Indian Falls Creek for six years and served the special camp in other ways, as well, including as chairman and as Bible Conference director for 40 years.
Native American ministry leader Falls described Indian Falls Creek as an annual family Bible camp that draws Native Americans of all ages from across Oklahoma and the U.S. He said that although the camp event is held at the Falls Creek Baptist Conference Center near Davis, it is different from Falls Creek youth camp, which is also held at the conference center but is geared for youths.
Falls said Native Americans from different Baptist churches come together at Indian Falls Creek for fellowship, worship and to participate in communal activities like singing hymns in their different tribal languages. Barnett, he said regularly spoke the Muscogee (Creek) language, understood his cultural history and made sure that he passed the history of his tribe on to other generations.
Falls said Barnett also knew much
about Native American ministry in the Oklahoma Baptists' convention.
“There's a treasury of knowledge that he possessed, and when you wanted to know about Native American Baptist work, you could go to him,” Falls said.
The ministry leader said it was Barnett who encouraged him to accept a nomination for president of the Oklahoma Baptists convention and Barnett who ultimately nominated him for the position. Falls said he was elected as Oklahoma Baptists' first Native American president in 2008, and he attributes Barnett's encouragement and leadership for bringing the historic election to fruition.
Meanwhile, Barnett's continued enthusiasm for life was evident in his plans for several ongoing projects. He was in the midst of completing a translation project of the “Jesus” film into Muscogee (Creek). He also had been chosen to be in Martin Scorsese's movie “Killers of the Flower Moon,” which is set to be filmed in Oklahoma. The movie tells the true story of the mysterious murders of Osage Nation citizens, which became the center of an FBI investigation involving J. Edgar Hoover in the 1920s.
“Bill was one of the great leaders in Oklahoma Baptists history. He was a respected and godly leader among all Oklahoma Baptists,” said the Rev. Anthony Jordan, Oklahoma Baptists' former longtime executive director-treasurer.
“Few stood taller among Native American Baptists in Oklahoma and beyond. His impact on Indian Falls Creek will bear fruit for generations to come. My own life has been enriched by Bill's godly wisdom, humor and loving guidance. I feel a deep sense of personal loss with his passing.“
Barnett is survived by his wife, Mary Jo; son Lincoln Barnett, of Seminole; daughters Stephanie Barnett, of Yukon, Jennifer Barnett, of Shawnee, and Angela Couture, of McLoud; brother Jackson Barnett, of Eufaula; two sons-in-law Lance Couture and Darrell Chotkey; and grandsons Johnathan Chotkey and William Chotkey, both of Shawnee.