The Church with the Big Green Roof on 145th East Avenue
Central Baptist Church sits on the east side of Owasso, Oklahoma, halfway between 86th and 96th Streets on 145th East Avenue, and locals will give you the simplest possible directions: just look for the church with the BIG GREEN ROOF. That green roof tops a wide, single-story facility that opened in May 2003 and grew in the summer of 2006 with a dedicated children's wing and youth wing, and it now anchors a campus that includes a worship center, a kids wing on the north side, student space, and the Central Hub gathering area.
Central's motto, "A Church where Jesus Changes Everything," and its stated mission are simple and consistent across the building and the staff bios: Live For Christ, Love People, Make Disciples. Two identical services run every Sunday at 9:30 and 11:00 AM, and the 11:00 AM service is livestreamed on YouTube so that members traveling or homebound can join in real time. On any given Sunday, families walk past reserved guest parking at the west Main Entrance, drop children at the north Kids Entrance, and step into a band-led, gospel-centered service that includes biblical teaching from Lead Pastor Dr. Clayton Chisum.
From a Garage in 1963 to a Green Roof in 2003
Central's story begins on January 9, 1963, when a small group of dedicated Christians met in a private garage one half mile east of Owasso to establish what they hoped would become a church of love and faith in Jesus Christ. Within weeks the group had moved to an abandoned building on Owasso's Main Street, and by February 24, 1963, the 76 charter members were officially recognized as the Central Baptist Church of Owasso by the Tulsa Baptist Association, signing a proclamation of fellowship with the Southern Baptist Convention.
The young church moved again on March 3, 1963, voting to purchase the corner of 2nd and Birch. Two frame houses on that lot were remodeled into the congregation's first sanctuary, and members volunteered their labor to keep building. Ground was broken for a new sanctuary on January 1, 1967, and the finished building was dedicated on April 21, 1968. Educational space and a fellowship hall followed, dedicated September 28, 1969, and a second sanctuary complex went up after a June 30, 1985 groundbreaking, with the fellowship hall completed that fall and the sanctuary finished in January 1986, formally dedicated April 6, 1986.
By the early 2000s the existing buildings had once again become too small, and in the spring of 2002 construction began on the current 145th East Avenue facility. The first service was held May 25, 2003, with formal dedication on July 27, 2003, and in the summer of 2006 a second phase opened a brand-new children's wing and youth wing. The result is the green-roofed campus members and visitors navigate today, with a Central Hub that connects the Worship Center, the Kids Wing, and the Student areas.
What to Expect on a First Sunday
First-time guests are asked to arrive 10 to 15 minutes before either service to get kids checked in and find a seat. Reserved guest parking spots sit right outside the Main West Entrance, clearly visible from the road, and the new Kids Entrance on the north side of the building makes it easy for families to park close to where they need to be. Inside the main entrance, Connection Team members greet visitors and help with directions.
Both services are described as modern, band-led, and gospel-centered. Teaching comes from Lead Pastor Clayton Chisum, and the same message is preached at 9:30 and 11:00 so families only need to pick the time that fits their morning. There is no dress code; the church's own guidance is to come in whatever is comfortable. For anyone who wants to peek before they come, the 11:00 AM service is posted each week on the church's YouTube channel with a full multi-camera media team production.
Children's programming runs alongside both services. Kids Small Groups meet at 9:30 AM in the Kids Wing, and Kids Worship takes place during the 11:00 AM service for children whose families attend the second gathering. The Kids Wing is set up with check-in, security personnel, and age-appropriate classrooms. Adults who arrive early can join Adult Small Groups at 8:15, 9:30, or 11:00 AM, and Students Small Groups meet at 9:30 AM.
The Weekly Schedule Across the Building
- Sundays
- 8:15 AM - Adult Small Groups
- 9:30 AM - Worship Service (identical format)
- 9:30 AM - Adult Small Groups, Students Small Groups, and Kids Small Groups
- 11:00 AM - Worship Service (identical format, livestreamed on YouTube)
- 11:00 AM - Kids Worship in the Kids Wing
- Wednesdays
- 4:00 PM - Adult Bible Study
- 6:00 PM - Student and Kids midweek programming
This grid lets families pick the Sunday hour that fits best and still participate in a small group, while Wednesday programming gives adults a midweek Bible study and gives students and kids their own dedicated gathering on a separate night.
Kids, Students, and the Central Hub
Children's ministry at Central is led by Kids Minister Mindy Russell and runs out of the Kids Wing on the north side of the building, with a security team, check-in stations, and dedicated classrooms. Kids Small Groups meet at 9:30 AM on Sundays, Kids Worship is offered during the 11:00 AM service, and the kids ministry gathers again on Wednesdays at 6:00 PM. Vacation Bible School is a recurring part of the year, with themes such as Destination Dig surfacing in the sermon archive, and VBS on location is one of the things Connection Director Debra Stephens counts as a favorite part of her own ministry history with the church.
Student ministry is led by Student Pastor Noah Mccormick and meets on Sundays at 9:30 AM for Students Small Groups and on Wednesdays at 6:00 PM. A Students Facebook group keeps students and parents connected outside of gathered times. Mccormick preaches regularly in the Sunday services as well, including recent messages in the current series.
The Central Hub is the connecting space of the building, designed so that families and guests can move between the Worship Center, the Kids Wing, and the Student areas without losing sight of one another. Together with the worship center and the Kids Wing it forms the practical footprint of what the church calls its three core environments for Sunday morning.
Worship Ministry: Band, A/V, Drama, I.T., and Set Building
Worship at Central is overseen by Worship & Media Arts Pastor Ryland Russell, whose philosophy of worship is rooted in Romans 12:1 and the conviction that worship should be centered in Christ and His word regardless of musical style. The worship ministry is built around five volunteer teams.
- The Band. A select group of instrumentalists and singers who facilitate Sunday worship; open to musicians and vocalists who want to audition.
- A/V Team. Runs sound, lighting, video, and computer presentations each week; some prior experience is preferred, but training is available for newcomers willing to serve on rotation.
- Drama. Primarily used for the Christmas production, with the number of roles varying year to year.
- I.T. Team. Maintains the church's social media, local network, servers, and security cameras.
- Set Building. Carpentry and painting work for changing the stage platform between sermon series and special events.
The Sunday services are intentionally identical in content, and the same songs and sermon are used at both hours, with the live band and a full media team producing both the in-person and the YouTube experience.
Small Groups, Bible Study, and the Foundations Series
Adult Small Groups meet on Sundays at 8:15, 9:30, and 11:00 AM, giving adults three windows to connect around an hour that fits their family's rhythm. Wednesday adds an Adult Bible Study at 4:00 PM. The Small Groups link runs through Planning Center and is the entry point for newcomers wanting to find a group that fits.
Sunday School is still part of the language at Central; the giving page references Sunday School offerings alongside the worship service, and the church's 2015 Foundations series walked through ten weeks of teaching on purpose, vision, values, and identity as a congregation. That series still anchors how Central talks about itself and is one of the most-referenced teaching series in the sermon archive.
What Central Believes
Central's beliefs page lays out a classical evangelical confession in eight areas, all rooted in Scripture.
God. God is the Creator and Ruler of the universe, eternally existing in three co-equal personalities, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, who are one God.
Jesus Christ. Jesus is the co-equal Son of God who lived a sinless human life, died on the cross as the perfect sacrifice for sin, rose again after three days, ascended to Heaven's glory, and will return to reign as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
The Holy Spirit. The Spirit is co-equal with the Father and the Son, present in the world to make people aware of their need for Jesus, living in every Christian from salvation, and giving each believer a spiritual gift; Christians seek to live under His control daily.
The Bible. Scripture is God's Word written by human authors under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit. It is the supreme source of truth for Christian belief and living, true without any mixture of error.
Human Beings. People are made in the spiritual image of God, the supreme object of His creation, and marred by an attitude of disobedience called sin that separates people from God.
Salvation. Salvation is God's free gift, received by trusting in Jesus Christ; no one is saved by self-improvement or good works. Eternal life begins the moment a person receives Christ by faith.
Eternal Security. Because God gives eternal life through Jesus Christ, the true believer is secure in that salvation for eternity. Salvation is maintained by the grace and power of God, not by self-effort.
Eternity. People were created to exist forever, either eternally separated from God in Hell or eternally with God through forgiveness and salvation. Heaven and Hell are real places of eternal existence.
Baptism by Immersion and the Lord's Supper
Central teaches that baptism does not save a person; salvation is by grace through faith. Water baptism is a picture of what Christ has done: His burial, His resurrection, and the believer's new life. The church practices believer's baptism by immersion. Central does not practice infant baptism and waits until children are old enough to believe and understand before baptizing them, noting that infant baptism began some 300 years after the Bible was completed.
Baptism is held as soon as a person believes, mirroring the Acts 2 and Acts 8 examples, and is meant to be a public confession of personal commitment to Christ and to the church. The Lord's Supper is observed as a separate, ongoing practice, linked from the beliefs page as a companion ordinance.
Missions: Here, There, and Everywhere
Missions at Central is led by Missions Pastor Ben Grasser and organized around the phrase "Sharing the Gospel Here, there and everywhere." Three streams of giving make up the missions backbone.
- Budgeted Yearly Missions Giving. Ongoing support for missionaries and partner organizations.
- Gifts Given Above the Budget Annually. Faith-promise over-and-above giving.
- Special Missions Offerings. Annie Armstrong (Easter Offering for North American Missions), Edna McMillian (Oklahoma Missions), and Lottie Moon (International Missions). One hundred percent of these offerings go directly to support missionary families; members can also designate any month of the year.
Central partners with several named ministries in the Owasso and Tulsa area. Project Hope Worldwide is a Central Missions Partner; okdisasterhelp.org is linked as the disaster relief channel. The Pregnancy Resource Center of Owasso is supported through a Baby Bottle fundraiser each January around Sanctity of Life Sunday. The Benevolence Ministry & Offering, partnered with the Ministerial Alliance of Owasso, Mission:Owasso, and Owasso Community Resources, helps local families with utilities, rent, and nonperishable food - the church describes helping hundreds of families keep their utilities on and avoid eviction.
Hospitality House of Tulsa, a faith-based organization serving families in need of lodging and meals during medical crises, is supported as a partner; Central frames the work through the Hebrew concept of Hakhnasat-orhim and the Greek PhiloXenia, the practice of biblical hospitality toward everyone passing through a community in need. The Spring, Oklahoma's first faith-based certified shelter for domestic violence victims and the first shelter of its kind in the state for adult survivors of human sexual trafficking, is also a partner; Central's mission in that relationship is to provide physical, emotional, Christ-like care that enables women and their children to live God-honoring lives.
Missional Response Teams (MRT) carry the work outside the church walls, gathering people around shared missional values drawn from Ephesians 4:11-12 and sent out into Owasso with the gospel message. Members are reminded that the moment they join Central they are already involved in missions through tithes, offerings, prayers, and participation, partnering with millions of other believers worldwide who also call themselves Southern Baptists and with every New Testament church that believes in the Bible and the Great Commission.
Giving as an Act of Worship
Central teaches that financial giving is an act of worship, a demonstration of obedience, and an expression of gratefulness for God's generosity. Members and guests can give online through the church's Planning Center giving portal, set up automatic drafts from a checking account, drop gifts in the tithing boxes at the main exits during Sunday services or Sunday School, or mail contributions directly to the church address. The church accepts credit cards but strongly encourages electronic funds transfer for two stated reasons: to discourage anyone from going into credit card debt for the sake of giving, and to ensure that the full gift reaches the church rather than up to 3% going to the credit card company. A Faith 2 Finish capital campaign booklet is available for download as well, anchored in Philippians 1:6: "the good work within you will continue until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns."
Starting Point: A Video Library for the Curious
Starting Point is Central's online introduction for newcomers, a video library where staff walk through the basics of the church in short segments: Worship, Preaching, Salvation, Sunday School, Kids, Serving, Students, Connections, Discipleship, Baptism, Missions, Membership, and Next Steps. Anyone wanting to dig into what Central teaches and how it operates can watch the series at their own pace before or after a first visit.
Grand Central Kids Preschool
Central runs Grand Central Kids Preschool, often called GCK, an early-childhood program housed at the church and led by Preschool Director Jana Oder and Assistant Director Katie Jennings. GCK operates as a weekday preschool for young families in the Owasso area and is one of the church's primary community-facing ministries outside of Sunday worship, distinct from the Sunday morning Kids Wing programming.
Weddings, Funerals, and Facility Use
Central hosts weddings and funerals for members and the wider community. A Wedding Request form and a Funeral Request form are both available through the church's Planning Center, allowing families to begin arranging services and ceremonies online. Members can also serve, register for events, sign up for the Central Scoop newsletter, and download the church's app through the same Planning Center system.
The Staff Team
- Dr. Clayton Chisum - Lead Pastor. Clayton, his wife Holly, and their children Corban and Hannah are at Central; he preaches at both Sunday services and oversees the overall direction of the church.
- Ryland Russell - Worship & Media Arts Pastor. Leads the worship team, the A/V team, and the media ministry; identifies Nacho Libre, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, and Shawshank Redemption among his favorite films.
- Noah Mccormick - Student Pastor. Oversees the student ministry and preaches regularly; his hobbies include the Marvel superhero encyclopedia and going to Costa Rica someday.
- Mindy Russell - Kids Minister. Directs the children's ministry, including VBS, kids camp, and Sunday programming; identifies Steve Martin films and coffee as essentials.
- Debra Stephens - Connection Director. Grew up in the Tulsa area, settled in Owasso in 1971, came to faith at a Good News Club in third grade, and has served Central since 2005 in children's ministry, VBS, women's ministry, and Sunday School; she oversees Connections and missional response.
- Ben Grasser - Missions Pastor. Oversees the local, national, and international mission partnerships and the Benevolence Ministry.
Supporting staff include Executive Ministry Assistant Donia Ledford, Missions Ministry Assistant Trey Dickey, Financial Assistant Stephanie Taylor, Database Assistant Beth McConnell, Business Administrator Matt Flindt, and Facilities Director Ian Scott, along with the GCK preschool team.
Finding Central and Staying Connected
The church address is 9001 N 145 E Ave, Owasso, OK 74055, between 86th and 96th Streets. The Main West Entrance is where Connection Team members are ready to greet visitors, and the Kids Entrance on the north side is the easy door for families. Central posts weekly on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Vimeo; the Central Scoop newsletter keeps members in the loop between Sundays; and the church app puts the calendar, registrations, small groups, and giving in one place. Constitution & Bylaws and Lead Pastor Limitations are publicly available documents, and the church posts audio of recent sermons as downloadable MP3s alongside the YouTube videos. For anyone new to Owasso or new to church entirely, the simplest path in is to show up on a Sunday, look for the big green roof, and let the Connection Team take it from there.