Oakdale Staff
Rick Henson, A.A., B.A., M.Div., D.Min.
Rick Henson is the Senior Pastor at Oakdale. Oakdale Baptist Church called Rick Henson as pastor in November 2000. Rick is married to the former Mindy Taylor, of Houston, Texas. They have one daughter, Rachel, who lives in Brandon with her husband Brian.
Rick, a native of Meridian, Mississippi, is a graduate of Clarke College in Newton, Mississippi in 1973. Rick is also a graduate of Louisiana College in Pineville, Louisiana, Bachelor of Arts 1975, with a major in Religion and Minor in New Testament Greek. He earned the Masters of Divinity from the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary in 1992, with dual-emphases of Pastoral Ministries and Preaching. He earned the Doctor of Ministry degree from the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary in 1998 with an emphasis in Pastoral Ministry, and his project was in the field of evangelism.
Rick has served as pastor since 1975 in churches in Louisiana and Mississippi. He has served in many associational, Louisiana and Mississippi State Baptist conventions, and Southern Baptist Convention positions. He writes a weekly column for the Rankin Ledger. Rick is an adjunct seminary professor at the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, teaching occasionally at extension centers in Clinton and Madison, Mississippi.
Rick currently serves on the board of the Gary Bowlin Evangelistic Association, and is on the Advisory Board of Crossroads Counseling Center. Rick is the Associational Evangelism Director and the Moderator for the Rankin County Baptist Association. Rick served as the Chairman of No-Al in the fall of 2004 and led the successful fight to keep Rankin County dry. Rick served on the Committee of Nominations for the Mississippi Baptist Convention in 2007, and in 2005 Rick served on the Mississippi Baptist Convention Resolutions Committee.
Rick has a heart for evangelism and missions. He leads witness training at Oakdale, and leads our church to do mission work in Romania in southeastern Europe with the Gary Bowlin Evangelistic Association, and to be involved in numerous missions and ministries.
Rev. Mike Hudson, B.M., M.M., M.R.E.
Bro. Mike is a native of Birmingham, AL, where he went to Roebuck Park Baptist Church (now North Park Baptist Church of Trussville, AL). Roebuck Park licensed Bro. Mike to the Gospel Ministry in 1978. He earned a Bachelor of Music degree in 1982 and a Master of Music in 1984, both from Samford University in Birmingham. While at Samford, Bro. Mike served Rose Hill Baptist Church in Irondale, AL as Minister of Music. Rose Hill ordained him to the ministry in July, 1984.
Bro. Mike attended New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary from January 1986 to August 1987, when he earned the Master of Religious Education degree. Afterwards, he returned to Alabama to serve churches in Eutaw and Selma before coming to Oakdale.
Bro. Mike plays flute. He enjoys playing and singing with the Mississippi Singing Churchmen, a group of ministers of music and church musicians from across Mississippi, which Bro. Mike served as president 2005-2006. He has also become involved in mission trips to Mexico. Oakdale has been assisting with VBS work in Linares and Cadereyta for the last several years.
Bro. Mike is married to the former Cynthia Jackson of Demopolis, AL. They have 3 children, all born since coming to Oakdale: Andrew (Gr. 9); Thomas (Gr. 6); and Mary Ruth (Gr. 5). Cynthia is VBS Director, teaches Gr. 5-6 Sunday School, and serves on the Children's Council.
Duncan Tucker, Student Minister
Donna Stiglets, Church Secretary
Curtis Baker, Church Treasurer, Organist
Beth Downey, After School Director
Marlynn Martin, Pianist
Melanie Wakeland, Pianist
