“The Oklahoma Indian Missionary Conference delegation first and foremost recognizes the Rev. David Wilson’s commitment as a follower of Jesus Christ. He has demonstrated thoughtful and strategic leadership while overseeing the conference for nearly two decades; he is a gifted fundraiser and a responsible administrator; he brings a unique understanding of diversity and inclusiveness; he has experience working at all levels of the church; he has faithfully advocated for not only Native American and Indigenous peoples, but also the empowerment of all people of color; and he has demonstrated his commitment to unity and bridge building for the betterment of the human family.” — 2020 OIMC Delegation*
The Oklahoma Indian Missionary Conference (OIMC) 2020 General and Jurisdictional Conference Delegation is pleased to announce its endorsement of the Rev. David Wilson as a candidate for the office of bishop in the South Central Jurisdiction of The United Methodist Church.
Wilson currently serves as the Conference Superintendent for the OIMC overseeing 87 Native American churches in Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas. In his role, he serves on the appointive cabinet and cares for the preparation and education of the 57 clergy and lay persons serving local churches. Wilson is a gifted fundraiser and helped the OIMC to establish a permanent endowment for pastoral leadership which has grown to nearly $3 million in just five years.
Wilson is a graduate of Oklahoma City University and Phillips Theological Seminary. He was ordained in 1995. He has served as Conference Superintendent of the OIMC since 2002.
While serving the full-time position as Conference Superintendent, he also served as the pastor of Norman First American United Methodist Church in Norman, OK. During his tenure, he led the effort to build the first facility for the new congregation. Wilson has worked at all levels of the denomination. He currently serves as a board member to the General Board of Global Ministries. He has also served on the Connectional Table, the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry, the General Commission on General Conference; and the Episcopal Committee for the South Central Jurisdiction since 2002. In addition, Wilson is a member of the Board of Trustees for Oklahoma City University where he has served as adjunct faculty since 1997; he has also served as faculty for the Course of Study Program at Perkins School of Theology for more than ten years; and he is also a board member for the Oklahoma City Indian Clinic. He received an honorary doctorate from the historical Bacone College in Muskogee in 2007. He was named the outstanding adjunct faculty at OCU in 2009. He received the John Edwards Leadership Award from AARP in 2016. He was named the outstanding Indian male of the year in 2015 from the Changing Winds Society in Oklahoma City.
Wilson is a member of The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma and resides in Oklahoma City.
*The 2020 Oklahoma Indian Missionary Conference General and Jurisdictional Conference delegation includes the Rev. Eli McHenry, the Rev. Margaret Johnson, the Rev. David Wilson; and lay representatives include Anne Marshall, Josephine Deere and Patsy Eyachabbe.
