As we prepare for our 60th anniversary celebration, it’s the perfect time to reflect on the history of the Oklahoma Disciples Foundation (ODF). The story begins in the 1960s with two nonprofit organizations—the Tulsa Christian Foundation (May 23, 1960, later renamed the Northeast Oklahoma Christian Foundation) and the Oklahoma Christian Foundation (1965). Both were dedicated to advancing evangelism, education, and mission work for Disciples in Oklahoma. In 2002, the two merged, and the surviving entity was the Oklahoma Christian Foundation. At the same time, the merger happened, they adopted the name Oklahoma Disciples Foundation, more clearly reflecting our mission of serving Christ’s community through generosity.
Since that time, the ODF has grown into a vibrant steward of ministry and mission. Today, the Foundation manages more than $43 million in assets and over 100 endowment funds, distributing annual support to congregations, ministries, and partners across Oklahoma. In 2017, we launched our Grants Program, which has already distributed more than $904,000 to initiatives such as food ministries, refugee tutoring, foster care, youth missions, and senior care programs. As we look back with gratitude and forward with hope, we celebrate the lasting impact of generosity that continues to transform lives through the work of ODF.
We invite you to visit our website, where you can see our work, learn more about our named endowments, or find alternative ways to give and how that will impact our community. On our website, you can also find a variety of estate planning tools to help you meet your personal financial goals while still making a difference for the future.
As we mark this milestone, we invite you to join us in building the future of ODF. Your gifts—whether to an existing endowment or directly to the grants program—ensure that the ministries and missions cherished today will continue to thrive for generations to come. Together, let’s honor the past, celebrate the present, and invest in a faithful future.