Pace Delivers OBU Chapel Message on Following Jesus

Dr. Scott Pace, Reverend A. E. and Dora Johnson Hughes Chair of Christian Ministry and associate professor of applied ministry, delivered the chapel address at Oklahoma Baptist University Wednesday, Sept. 20. The service took place in Raley Chapel’s Potter Auditorium on the OBU campus in Shawnee.

Pace’s message came from three passages within the synoptic gospels: Matthew 9:12-13, Mark 7:5-8 and Luke 14:25-26. His message continued the chapel series, “Following Jesus: Understanding and Responding to the Call of Christ.”

Pace spoke on redefining what it means to follow Jesus.

“We often think of Jesus’ invitation to follow Him and define it by certain responsibilities or certain rules,” he said. “We think of it as us doing Jesus a favor. But if you really want to know what it means to follow Jesus, you need to look at what Jesus said was necessary to follow Him.”

Pace joined the Herschel H. Hobbs College of Theology and Ministry as the Jewell and Joe L. Huitt assistant professor of applied ministry in 2009. In the fall of 2011, he was named the Reverend A.E. and Dora Johnson Hughes Chair of Christian Ministry. In 2014, he was awarded the “Promising Teacher Award” for excellence and demonstrated potential, the highest honor a junior faculty member may receive. In 2015, he received promotion to associate professor and was granted senior faculty status. Pace also serves as the chair of the Christian and Cross-Cultural Ministry Department.