Director for the United Methodist House of Study
Pronouns: He/Him
University of Central Oklahoma, B.A.
Saint Paul School of Theology, M.Div.
Oklahoma City University, M.A
Phone:
Email: [email protected]
After serving 13 years under appointment in local churches, Rev. Derrek Belase was appointed the director of discipleship for the Oklahoma Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church in August 2016. In that position, he was responsible for assisting conference churches build their capacity to make disciples in their local settings.
On July 1, 2019, Derrek became the executive director of Connectional Ministry for the Oklahoma Annual Conference. During COVID, he was responsible for the conference’s response to this pandemic.
Before being appointed to the conference office staff, Derrek served Wakita/Manchester, Stillwater Highland Park and Prague/Arlington.
A lifelong Oklahoman, Derrek graduated from Carnegie High School, University of Central Oklahoma, Oklahoma City University and Saint Paul School of Theology. He also studied at the Center for Socio-Legal Studies at Oxford University. He has degrees in criminal justice and theology and is also a certified police officer in Oklahoma. Before entering full-time ministry, he was the criminal justice coordinator at the Caddo Kiowa Technology Center in Fort Cobb. He is currently a doctoral student at Eden Theological Seminary in St. Louis where he also directs the United Methodist House of Study.
He was student body president at UCO, named Citizen of the Year in Carnegie and was awarded the Community Service Award by the Interfaith Dialogue Student Association at OSU.
Education is a very important part of Derrek’s life. He serves on the advisory committee for the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry LEAD Hub in North America as well as the Carnegie Wildcat Education Endowment Fund board of directors, where he was a founding member of the organization. He is also a trustee at the University of Central Oklahoma Foundation.
He serves on the board of Circle of Care (a foster care agency of the United Methodist Church in Oklahoma) as well as the Oklahoma United Methodist Foundation and Epworth Villa retirement community (advisory committee). Derrek is certified in non-profit management by the Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits.
He was elected to serve as a delegate to the 2020 UM General Conference in Minneapolis.
Derrek is married to Rev. Rebekah Belase, senior director of funds development for Church World Service and an ordained deacon in the Oklahoma Conference. They are the proud parents of Madison (age 15) and Elizabeth (age 7). They reside in Edmond and are active in Acts 2 UMC.
