Biographies
Dr. Aaron Hembree
Dr. Aaron Hembree serves the local church through preaching, teaching, and discipleship at Heritage Church in Shawnee, Oklahoma. He teaches theology and ethics as an adjunct professor at Hobbs College of Theology and Ministry at OBU and speaks at churches, camps, and conferences, seeking to help Christians mature in faith that is rooted in Scripture and shaped by the wisdom of the church throughout history. His work focuses on spiritual formation, the life of the church, and the biblical call to care for the vulnerable. Aaron is married and the father of seven children, including through adoption, and is grateful to spend his life learning, teaching, and serving alongside God’s people.
Dr. Alan Noble
Dr. O. Alan Noble is Associate Professor of English at Oklahoma Baptist University, a fellow at the Keller Center for Cultural Apologetics, and author of four books, including: To Live Well: Practical Wisdom for Moving Through Chaotic Times, You Are Not Your Own: Belonging to God in an Inhuman World, and Disruptive Witness: Speaking Truth in a Distracted Age. Dr. Noble has published articles at The Atlantic, The Gospel Coalition, First Things, and Christianity Today. He lives with his wife and three children.
Dr. Bob Stewart
Dr. Robert (Bob) Stewart is Professor Emeritus of Philosophy and Theology at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. He is the author or editor of 15 books. Among the most recent are What Did the Cross Accomplish? which he co-authored with N. T. Wright and Simon Gathercole, and Lessons from Lewis, a book of devotionals which he co-authored with his wife, Marilyn. He has spoken at several universities and colleges in North America, Europe, and Cuba. He and Marilyn live in Fort Worth, TX. They have three adult children and 3 grandchildren.
Dr. BR Dunk
Dr. BR Dunk is an Assistant Professor of Business at Oklahoma Baptist University, where he brings a Christian worldview into the classroom to prepare future business leaders to engage their world successfully without compromising their faith. Dr. Dunk has a Ed.D. in teaching and learning and a master’s degree in apologetics. Before returning to Oklahoma to teach at OBU, he spent more than twenty years in Seattle, WA, working in the corporate world, where his Christian beliefs were often challenged and dismissed by the diverse cultures and perspectives of the city. During this period, he developed a deep passion for apologetics as a way to strengthen his own faith and better equip himself to reach others for Christ. When he is not in the classroom, Dr. Dunk enjoys roasting coffee at his home in Shawnee, OK.
Dr. Chuck Baukal
Dr. Baukal is the Founding Director of Engineering at Oklahoma Baptist University where he has been since 2022. He has a Ph.D. In Mechanical Engineering and worked in industry for over 40 years as an engineer. He taught as an adjunct instructor at many institutions for almost 40 years. He has authored/edited 17 books, is an inventor on 11 U.S. patents, and is a Registered Professional Engineer.
Daniel Ray
Daniel Ray is a staff researcher and apologist with Watchman Fellowship in Arlington, Texas. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies from Austin Peay State University (2001) and a Master of Arts in Christian Apologetics from Houston Christian University (2016). He is the co-author of a Christian anthology about the cosmos, The Story of the Cosmos - How the Heavens Declare the Glory of God (Harvest House; 2019) and the co-author of a forthcoming book about how to talk to Latter-day Saint missionaries, tentatively titled Trading Questions With Mormons (DeWard; 2026). Daniel has published numerous profile articles for Watchman on topics including naturalism, scientism, Charles Darwin, and UFOs. He served as a public affairs specialist with the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) at Fort Campbell, Kentucky from 1994 to 1998. Daniel currently hosts and produces two podcasts for Watchman Fellowship - Apologetics Profile and Good Heavens! - a faith-and-science podcast about the cosmos and the Christian faith. He also serves as a co-facilitator and producers for their ministry's Atheist & Christian Book Club.
Dr. Elbert Smith
Dr. Smith is Associate Professor of Missions at Oklahoma Baptist University where he teaches classes on cross-cultural ministry and world religions. He and his wife Kay are from Oklahoma and, after meeting at OBU, served thirty years with the International Missions Board in Latin American, South Asia and the UK.
Eric Hernandez
Eric Hernandez is a Christian apologist, author, and speaker specializing in evangelism, the philosophy of mind, and the rational defense of the Christian worldview. He is the author of The Lazy Approach to Evangelism: A Simple Guide for Conversing with Nonbelievers—a book endorsed by leading scholars such as J.P. Moreland, Mike Licona, J. Warner Wallace, Frank Turek, and Lee Strobel. His written contributions include chapters in Faith Examined, Truth, and the forthcoming Stewarding AI, where he writes on consciousness and the soul. Eric is also featured in the new apologetics documentary Universe Designed. Eric has taught courses in apologetics, evangelism, and theology at regional Bible institutes and previously served as the Apologetics Lead and Millennial Specialist for Texas Baptists, training pastors, leaders, and organizing the statewide [un]Apologetic Evangelism Conferences. As a Field Guide for MAVEN, he leads immersive biblical and apologetic mission trips for high school and college students throughout the United States. Eric is the founder and president of EHM Apologetics, a ministry dedicated to equipping believers to articulate and defend their faith with clarity, compassion, and intellectual rigor.
Erin Guleserian
Erin Guleserian is currently Director of the Residential Experience at OBU. She graduated from OBU with a Biblical and Theological Studies degree in 2013. She received a Master of Education in Higher Education and a Master of Leadership from Dallas Baptist University in 2017. Erin loves to spend her free time with her husband and two children.
Dr. Jeff DeGiacomo
Dr. Jeff DeGiacomo serves as the senior pastor at Immanuel Baptist Church in Shawnee, Oklahoma. He has an undergraduate degree from OBU as well as a Master of Divinity and Doctorate of Ministry from Gateway Seminary. He has been in pastoral ministry for 22 years, serving as a student pastor for 17 years, an executive pastor for 2 years, and now as a senior pastor for the last 3 years. He is married to Laura and they have two boys, Ryker and Keagan. He enjoys spending time with his family, cheering on the OU Sooners and the OKC Thunder, as well as being outdoors.
Dr. Jessica Rohr
Dr. Jessica Rohr holds a Ph.D. in linguistics and serves as Associate Professor of English, TESOL at OBU, where she specializes in the full spectrum of language, ranging from linguistic structure and language teaching to classical texts and creative storytelling.
Dr. Keith Hess
Dr. Keith Hess is Associate Professor of Philosophy and Apologetics at OBU. In his research and teaching he focuses on the intersection between philosophy and Christianity. He and his wife Lorna are natives of California and have four children: Allie, Sophie, Zoey, and Eli.
Kyle Opskar
Kyle Opskar is Assistant Director of the Tom Elliff Center for Missions for High School Ministries. He has a bachelors degree from OBU. He was born in Kansas, but has lived in Oklahoma since 2012. He has been married for 7 years and have two kids. He and his wife have a passion for the nations and fulfilling the great commission in our generation.
Dr. Mario Melendez
Dr. Mario Melendez is Assistant Professor of Old Testament and Biblical Studies at OBU. His specialty is ancient cultures and languages of the Bible.
Dr. Matthew Kearns
Dr. Matthew Kearns is the Director of Student Ministry, Leadership, and Engagement at OBU. He has served with the Missouri Baptist Convention, North American Mission Board, and as pastor and youth pastor in multiple local church settings. He will be married 25 years in August to his amazing wife, Julie, and he loves spending time with his wife and 3 girls. Matt has spent 30+ years discipling, teaching, and loving the next generation.
Micah Lynn
Micah Lynn is a student pastor at Cross Church in Northwest Arkansas. He has been serving in student ministry for 10 years and has a heart to reach the lost and send students to make an impact for the Kingdom of God. Micah has been married to his wife Madison for over 8 years and has three children.
Dr. Micah Meek
Dr. Micah S. Meek serves as the Dean for Online, Nontraditional, and Graduate Education and Associate Professor of Christian Ethics at OBU. Dr. Meek is a 2002 graduate of OBU and returned to the university in 2019. Prior to arriving back on Bison Hill, Meek served as the Director of the Doctor of Ministry program at South University-Montgomery and has taught courses in ethics, apologetics, biblical studies, and theology for DBU, SWBTS, MBTS, and Liberty.
Dr. Paul Inman
Dr. Paul Inman serves as Assistant Professor of physics at OBU. Prior to joining OBU last fall, Dr. Inman worked at Oak Ridge National Laboratory as a staff scientist researching ways to simulate radiation therapy in computer models.
Dr. Inman earned his Ph.D. in physics at Oklahoma State University, where his dissertation exploring atmospheric radiation models. He holds a Master’s degree in Medical Physics earned at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center where he studied radiation detection techniques with application to estimating radiation dose to physicians eyes during fluoroscopy procedures. His undergraduate training was conducted at OBU, where he completed a double major in Mathematics and Physics.
Beyond his professional responsibilities, Dr. Inman has an interest in philosophy, particularly in understanding the intersection of Christianity, Scientific inquiry, and how we know what we know in both domains.
Dr. Paul Sanchez
Dr. Sanchez is Assistant Professor of Religion at OBU. Dr. Sanchez is a native of San Jose, California, in the San Francisco Bay Area. He enjoys watching professional sports, especially football, baseball and basketball. He delights in studying history because of its power to provide context for our lives and for its capacity to inspire us. He counts it a privilege to be a part of shaping students, especially at a world-class liberal arts university like OBU.
RJ and Chrissy Stokes
RJ and Crissy Stokes are a husband-and-wife team who manage a non-profit organization serving Liberia West Africa: Mission 1:17. The organization is named after Isaiah 1:17 which says, “Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause.”
Dr. Stephen Presley
Dr. Stephen O. Presley is Director of Education and Engagement at the Center for Religion, Culture & Democracy and Associate Professor of Church History at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He earned his undergraduate degree at Baylor University, a Th.M. from Dallas Theological Seminary, and a Ph.D. from the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. He is the author of several books including: Biblical Theology in the Life of the Early Church and Cultural Sanctification: Engaging the World Like the Early Church. Presley is currently researching, writing, and speaking on Christian cultural engagement and looking to the early church for wisdom that can help Christians live faithfully today.
Dr. Stephen Stallard
Dr. Stephen Stallard is the Witness to Win Associate Professor of Evangelism at OBU. He has been a church planter, pastor, and professor. He is the author of the book “Missional Preaching: Communicating the Gospel in an Age of Unbelief.” The best part of his life is his family: Sonya, Malia, Xavier, Darius, and Cyrus.
Dr. Timothy Darr
Dr. Timothy P. Darr is Assistant Professor of Computer Science at OBU with 20+ years in the computer science and computer information systems industry. Dr. Darr is an (ongoing) artificial Intelligence (AI) technology researcher and practitioner with particular focus on knowledge representation, human decision modeling, intelligent agent modeling and neuro-symbolic AI. Dr. Darr believes that STEM practitioners of faith need to be familiar with questions related to Christian faith and computer science. Dr. Darr has given multiple presentations to diverse audiences on the topic of "Large Language Models and Worldview", "AI in the Wild", "AI and the Biblical Worldview”, "AI and the University” and “AI and the Image of God".
Dr. Todd Sanders
Dr. Todd Sanders has faithfully served the local church for 30 years. He currently serves on staff with Oklahoma Baptists directing Falls Creek Youth Camp program and helping coordinate youth ministry efforts with churches in Oklahoma. After graduating from Oklahoma State, Todd earned his Masters degree from Southwestern Seminary and a Doctorate in Ministry from New Orleans Seminary. He is currently a Ph.D. resident at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. He and his wife Angela have been married for 33 years, live in Edmond, Oklahoma, and have three adult children and one amazing grandson!