“To be trusted is a greater compliment than being loved.” George MacDonald
Bob Shelton served at Northwest Baptist Church in Oklahoma City from 1985 until 2005. It wasn’t until 1988, when he moved into the role of Minister of Education, that our paths crossed. Prior to working with Bob, I’d already designed three church logos for Northwest ‒ two for pastor Charles Tope in 1979 and 1981 and one for Anthony Jordan in 1983. Once Bob and I connected, we regularly worked on Northwest projects for more than a decade. These included budget proposals, logos, church growth campaigns, brochures, a major rebranding in 1997 ... and more.
In 2005, Bob assumed a leadership position with the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma (Oklahoma Baptists) and remained there until 2018. One of his primary responsibilities was promoting the Cooperative Program (CP) among Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) churches in Oklahoma. The CP is the unified giving plan that Southern Baptist churches use to support state conventions and SBC missions, ministries and seminaries. I helped Bob create materials to increase awareness within local congregations of CP’s importance and impact.
Before meeting Bob, I had already designed three church logos for Northwest. The third was designed in 1983 for Anthony Jordan, shortly after he became pastor.
Ten years later, a new logo and branding was created.
Black and white logo, graduated logo and decorative background.
Cross Over By Faith was a church growth campaign.
Logo designed for rebranding in 1997 after Craig Etheredge became pastor.
The church’s core values, ministry objective and mission statement were printed on posters and other materials.
Signpost symbols and flow chart for The Journey discipleship program.
The Journey Sunday bulletin shell.
Logos designed to promote Northwest’s annual Christmas program.
Cooperative Program logos designed for Oklahoma Baptists.
One of a series of Cooperative Program banners.
Cooperative Program ads through the years.
Cooperative Program 1% Challenge brochure.
Doing More Together Cooperative Program posters.
Two-sided envelope inserts promoting CP and offering free stewardship resources.
Cooperative Program flow chart.
Bob is currently Administrative Pastor at Putnam City Baptist Church in Oklahoma City. Our introduction in 1988 coincided with my measured move from designing on a drafting table to designing on a computer, and Bob’s grace and unfaltering trust helped me make the transition and prepare for a constantly changing profession.