09/05/2026
Tomorrow at Wesley Church OKC, we will have a very special guest preacher joining us, Rev. Dr. Leslie Long!
Rev. Dr. Leslie Long is Professor of Religious Education, Director of the Wimberly School of Religion at Oklahoma City University, and the VV. Harris Endowed Chair in Christian Education. She has been a member of the faculty at OCU since 2011 and became Director of the Wimberly School of Religion in 2022.
Dr. Long earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education from Oklahoma State University, a Master of Divinity degree from Phillips University and a Ph.D. in Instructional Leadership and Academic Curriculum with an emphasis in Early Childhood Education from the University of Oklahoma. She is an ordained elder in The United Methodist Church.
Throughout her ministry, Dr. Long has served as senior pastor of Selecman United Methodist Church and Bethel United Methodist Church. She also served as an interim pastor and later as associate pastor at Bridgeview United Methodist Church in Norman, Oklahoma. Her campus ministry experience includes service at Northeastern State University in Tahlequah and the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond.
Passionate about preparing and equipping leaders for ministry, Dr. Long is committed to helping individuals develop the knowledge and skills needed to serve children, youth, and adults effectively in faith communities. She has presented at numerous national conferences on youth ministry and religious education and has written curriculum materials for children and teachers for Cokesbury, the publishing ministry of The United Methodist Church.
Her work and leadership have been recognized through numerous honors, including being named Outstanding United Methodist Student and later Outstanding Alumna by Phillips Seminary. She also received the Francis Willard Award from the Commission on the Status and Role of Women in recognition of her advocacy for women in ministry and leadership.
Dr. Long has served on the boards of both Project Transformation and the OU Wesley Foundation and is frequently invited to preach, teach, and lead workshops in churches and conferences across The United Methodist Church and beyond. She is especially passionate about empowering youth and young adults to discern and follow their calls to ministry wherever God is leading them.
Currently, Dr. Long is directing a significant oral history project that seeks to preserve the stories of women in ministry through personal video interviews. The project commemorates the 70th anniversary of the ordination of women in The Methodist Church and documents the experiences, challenges, and contributions of clergywomen whose leadership has shaped the church across gene rations.
Dr. Long is married to her high school sweetheart, Don Wheeler, and together they have three adult children: Keegan, London, and Brenna.
We are excited to have Rev. Dr. Leslie Long with us at Wesley Church OKC tomorrow, Sunday, September 6!
Worship begins at 10:30am! See you there, on site or online!
