Baptist Foundation of Oklahoma Rebrands as WatersEdge, Expands Services to Include Loans and Accounting

The Baptist Foundation of Oklahoma has rebranded as WatersEdge, marking the culmination of a three-year process that was officially announced in November 2020. The name change reflects a broader mission and expanded services, with the organization now offering financial planning, loans, investments, and accounting to churches and ministries.

Mike Schueler, vice president of marketing and communications, explained that the rebranding does not signify a departure from Southern Baptist values. He emphasized that WatersEdge remains a Southern Baptist ministry, with its website and promotional materials clearly stating this connection. Schueler noted that the name change aims to reach a wider audience, including ministries outside Oklahoma, by removing the state name from the title.

The rebranding was driven by three key factors. First, WatersEdge has expanded its services beyond traditional foundation work, now providing financial planning and asset management. Second, the organization seeks to serve ministries beyond Oklahoma, where similar services are not available. Schueler highlighted that partnerships with Baptist Foundations in Alabama and Arkansas aim to strengthen regional support without displacing existing foundations.

Third, WatersEdge is restructuring into two distinct branches: WatersEdge Advisors, which offers financial planning to individuals and families, and WatersEdge Ministry Services, which focuses on asset management and loans for churches and ministries. The organization claims its services have already made an impact, such as providing a loan to a large Arabic-speaking Baptist church in Detroit that faced challenges due to local community dynamics.

WatersEdge CEO Robert Kellogg stated that the organization has maintained the quality of its services while expanding its reach. He noted that the loan to the Detroit church was provided without increased risk, demonstrating the foundation’s commitment to supporting diverse ministries. The group’s website acknowledges the importance of its core beliefs, though the source material is truncated, leaving the full statement incomplete.

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