Rev. Dr. David Mark Wilson

2022 Episcopal Candidate

Educational Overviews:

  • Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters, (2009) Bacone College, Muskogee, Oklahoma
  • Master of Divinity Degree, (1995) Phillips Theological Seminary, Tulsa, Oklahoma
  • Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communications, (1990) Oklahoma City University, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Ordination

  • Elder (1995) Oklahoma Indian Missionary Conference
  • Deacon, (1993) Oklahoma Indian Missionary Conference
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Pastoral Appointments:

  • 2021-present- Assistant to the Bishop, Oklahoma Indian Missionary Conference. Responsibilities include assisting the bishop in the order of the annual conference. Also include working with new church development, training of clergy and fundraising. Member of the appointed Cabinet. Relate to general agencies for connection and fundraising.
  • 2002- 2021- Conference Superintendent, Oklahoma Indian Missionary Conference (OIMC). Responsibilities include new church development, training of clergy, licensing school and continuing education. Member of appointed Cabinet. Relate to general agencies for funding and training.
  • 2007-2015- Lead Coordinator for the North Oklahoma City Native American Ministry, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. This new fellowship began meeting in my home in 2007. We were later led to use the facility at Leland Clegg UMC.  The fellowship meets once a month, attracting new persons and providing a place of worship and fellowship in an emerging area
  • 1996-2004- Pastor, Norman First American UMC. Served the church while serving under appointment in the conference office. My appointment began one month after the church was chartered as a UMC. The church met in three different locations before we built our current facility in Norman. Membership started with 25 and was up to 90 upon departure from the church.
  • 1995-2002- Director of Promotions/Interpretations for OIMC. Responsible for relating to United Methodist Church as a whole to promote the conference for General Advance Specials for funding purposes. Worked with the General Board of Global Ministries and itinerated across the connection for many years. Also produced the conference news and promotion publications. The Conference Council on Ministries director position was later eliminated therefore as Director of Promotions/Interpretations I assumed the role of coordinating age-level programming for the annual conference as well as coordinated Volunteer in Mission teams in and out of OIMC.
  • 1996-2004- Pastor, Norman First American UMC. Served the church while serving under appointment in the conference office. My appointment began one month after the church was chartered as a UMC. The church met in three different locations before we built our current facility in Norman. Membership started with 25 and was up to 90 upon departure from the church. 
  • 1995-2002- Director of Promotions/Interpretations for OIMC. Responsible for relating to United Methodist Church as a whole to promote the conference for General Advance Specials for funding purposes. Worked with the General Board of Global Ministries and itinerated across the connection for many years. Also produced the conference news and promotion publications.  The Conference Council on Ministries director position was later eliminated therefore as Director of Promotions/Interpretations I assumed the role of coordinating age-level programming for the annual conference as well as coordinated Volunteer in Mission teams in and out of OIMC.
  • 1993-1995- Pastor of D.D. Etchieson UMC, Tahlequah, Oklahoma.
  • 1991-1995- Served as the Campus Minister for the Native American Campus Ministry program at Northeastern State University. Was invited to begin a specific ministry for Native American students at the university that has the largest number of Native American students of any in the country.  Also served the local church the last two years. 

General Church Leadership:

  • 2020 – Present- General Conference Delegate
  • 2020 – Present- Jurisdictional Conference Delegate
  • 2016 – Present-Member, General Board of Global Ministries
  • 2016 – Present, Member of GBHEM Loans and Scholarship Advisory Committee
  • 2016 – General Conference Delegate
  • 2016 – Jurisdictional Conference Delegate
  • 2012 – Present, Member and former Secretary, South Central Jurisdiction Episcopal Committee
  • 2015 – Organized and Presenter at the 2015 Acts of Repentance Service, Arkansas Annual Conference
  • 2015 – Organized and Presenter at the 2015 Acts of Repentance Service, North Texas Annual Conference
  • 2015- Organized Acts of Repentance visits/services for the Oklahoma Annual Conference, 2015 Annual Conference
  • 2012- present – Review of Scholarship Awards, General Board of Higher Education and Ministry
  • 2012 – General Conference Delegate
  • 2012 – Jurisdictional Conference Delegate
  • 2012 – Co-Chair, South Central Jurisdiction Host Committee
  • 2011 – Delegate, World Methodist Conference, Durbin, South Africa
  • 2011 – Advisory Member, Acts of Repentance, GCCUIC
  • 2008-2012 – Member and Secretary, of SCJ Episcopal Committee
  • 2008- 2012 – Member of UMC Connectional Table

Family Overview:

  • Single
  • 2000-2012 – Chairperson, Native American Comprehensive Plan
  • 2000-2008 – Member of General Commission on General Conference
  • 2004-2008 – Served as Chair of Facilities for General Conference
  • 2008 – General Conference Delegate. Served on Global Ministries Committee and was Vice Chair of the committee
  • 2008 – Co-Chair, General Conference Committee on Agenda and Calendar
  • 2000 – Alternate Delegate to General Conference
  • 2000-2008 – Member, General Board of Global Ministries. Served on the Committee to Eliminate Institutional Racism and was Chair of Policy and Bylaws from 2004-2008
  • 2008-2009 – Study Leader for UMW School of Christian Mission. Led the study “Giving our Hearts Away: Native American Survival” at UMW Regional School and also led the study at the Arkansas, and Memphis Conference School of Christian Missions.
  • 1996, 1998, 2000; – Served as committee member of Exploration 2000
  • 1996-2000 – Member of General Board of Higher Education and Ministry. Member of the Loans and Scholarships Committee
  • 1996 – Served as Secretarial Staff for General Conference
  • 1992 – Served with the Inter-Ethnic Development Strategy Development Task Force as writer of their daily publications for General Conference
  • 1992-1996 – Presenter and Design Team Member, UMC Student Forum

Conference and Oklahoma Area leadership:

  • 2002-Present – Member of Appointed Cabinet, OIMC. Also serve as Liaison on Board of Ordained Ministry, and Council on Finance and Administration
  • 2002-present – Coordinate and organize the annual conference sessions
  • 2002-present – Organize, structure and teach at the Local Pastor’s Licensing Schools
  • 2011- present – Chair, OIMC Endowment Gala
  • 2001 – Chaplain, Ground Zero, New York City. Traveled with group of Native clergy and lay from OIMC to provide help for Native American construction workers
  • 1997-2002 – Editor, Conference Newspaper
  • 1996-2002 – Conference Secretary
  • 1996-2002 – Coordinator of the Conference Council Youth Ministry
  • 1997-2002 – Coordinator of the Young Adult programming

District:

  • 1989-1995 – Northeast District Youth Coordinator 1989-1995
  • 1996-1999- Secretary, District Committee on Board of Ordained Ministry

Additional areas of service:

  • 1997-2015 – Adjunct Faculty, Wimberly School of Religion, Oklahoma City University
  • 2002-Present – Member of Board of Trustees, Oklahoma City University; Chair, of University-Church Relations Committee
  • 2006-Present – Adjunct faculty, Perkins School of Theology Course of Study School, Southern Methodist University
  • 2010-2012 – Adjunct faculty, St. Paul School of Theology, Oklahoma City Campus
  • 2010-2019 – Organizer, Native American Campus Ministries, OCU
  • 2009-Present – Member, Oklahoma City Indian Clinic, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
  • 2000-Present – Organizer of voter registrations for Native American Communities, “Rock the Native Vote”

Awards and Church Recognitions:

  • 2021 – Honoree, Civil Rights Banquet, 101st commemoration of the Tulsa Race Massacre by Christian Ministerial Alliance
  • 2015 – John Edwards Leadership Award, AARP
  • 2015 – Outstanding Indian Male of the Year, Changing Winds Society, Oklahoma City
  • 2012 – Excellence in Teaching Award for Adjunct Faculty, Oklahoma City University
  • 2009 – Honorary Doctorates of Humane Letters, Bacone College
  • 2009 – Commencement Speaker, Okay High School, Alma Mater
  • 2008 – Outstanding Native American alumni, Oklahoma City University Native American Society
  • 2008 – Distinguished Alumni Award, Phillips Theological Seminary

Writings and Publications:

  • 2002 – Trail of Hope, Meditations for Advent, published by the Higher Education Ministries
  • 2006 – Embracing the Culture of Native American Youth, Circuit Rider, March/April 2006
  • 2007 – The Oklahoma Indian Missionary Conference, Disaster Response Team, New World Outlook, July/August 2007
  • 2007 – The Land Stole Their Hearts, Response Magazine, September, 2007
  • 2008 – Rock the Native Vote, Winter 2008 issue printed in American Indian Horizon
  • 2008 – A Mother and Daughter in Ministry, Response Magazine, April 2008
  • 2012 – Chapter contributor, On This Spirit Walk, May 2012
  • 2012 – Gifts to Offer, Circuit Rider, Feb/March/April, 2012
  • 2015 – Visions of Unity, Interpreter Magazine, January/February 2015
  • 2015 – Church and Culture; a Difficult Beginning, “Coming Full Circle, Constructing Native Christian Theology, August 2015