Art Thomas
Ministry Director
Brother Art Thomas was saved in 1995 from a life of sin and addiction. Over the years God has miraculously transformed his life through the power of the gospel. He now teaches student at Victory Ranch the very same principles God used to change his life.
In 2004 Brother Thomas answered God’s call on his life to preach the gospel. During that year he began to teach a weekly addictions class in his local church. God put a burden on his heart for the addicted of his community that grew very quickly. In 2006 he and his family started a Christ centered discipleship home for addicts in Modesto, CA. His ministry has witnessed many addicts who have gained victory over their addictions through the power of Jesus Christ & the principles found in God’s Word. In March of 2009 Brother Thomas founded the FIT Ministry with a vision of some day having a ranch property to reach addicts throughout the “West Coast”. In March of 2011, after 7 years in the addictions ministry and nearly 5 years of full time Christian service, Brother Thomas was officially ordained to the Gospel Ministry & in June of 2011 God brought to pass Brother Thomas’ vision with the opening of “Freedom Ranch” in Ripon, CA.
Early in 2017, Brother Thomas experienced yet another increase in his ministry’s vision and followed the call of God to Oklahoma City where he and his family are now members of Beth Haven Baptist Church. He and his wife Michele both serve full time at the Victory Ranch Discipleship Homes. Brother Thomas also manages & directs the National chapter of the HOPE International Addictions Program in addition to traveling & training other churches to reach addicts across the country. He finds it a privilege and high honor to serve the men & women God has called him to.
Dr. Rick Carter, Jr.
Ministry Counselor & Pastor
Dr. Rick Carter, Jr. began in full time ministry in 1994 starting a church in Oberlin Kansas. In 1999 he took a short break to get his education at Beth Haven Baptist Seminary, ultimately receiving his Doctorate in Biblical Counseling. He is currently the pastor of Beth Haven Baptist Church in Oklahoma City. Dr. Carter is also the author of the H.O.P.E. International Addictions Program, and president of the Beth Haven Baptist Seminary.
His great concern is helping people through the application of the Word of God in Biblical counsel. He firmly believes 2 Peter 1:3 is true when it says that God has given us all things that pertain to life and godliness. This is the passion that drives him to minister in many different facets, with the goal of reaching & impacting the lives of as many people as possible.
Dr. Carter devotes a large amount of time counseling the members of Beth Haven Baptist Church & the students here. His involvement & counsel each week with the students at Victory Ranch is highly beneficial & necessary to their recovery.
Michele Thomas
Ministry Assistant / Food Manager
Michele Thomas was born into a family of addiction. She has been in the foster care system and was adopted twice. She trusted Christ as her Savior in the summer of 1986 and surrendered to do whatever the Lord wanted her to. During youth conference in her teen years, she felt called to go to Bible College & later attended Golden State Baptist College majoring in Elementary Education. In March of 1998 she met Art Thomas and they married in 1999. Michele has faithfully served in the Addictions Ministry since 2004 & currently serves at Victory Ranch as the Director’s Assistant. Due to circumstances in her early years, Michele has always had a desire to help those struggling with addiction & enjoys the ministry God has called her to. She is blessed to see the many miracles & lives being changed through God’s grace.
Mike farrell
Assistant Director
Brother Mike Farrell was saved at the age of 13 while serving on the mission field of the Philippines with his parents and sister. In 1998 he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Pastoral Theology from West Coast Baptist College. In August of 1998 he married his sweetheart, Becky, whom he met in Bible college.
After their wedding Mike and Becky moved to Georgia and served as Christian school teachers and led the children’s ministries for 2 ½ years. In January of 2001, God led Mike to move back to California and serve with his father as his assistant pastor for the next 7 years in Modesto at Bible Baptist Church where he and Brother Art Thomas met and became close friends. In August of 2007, Mike followed the Lord’s leading and moved his young family to Sequoia Baptist Church in Visalia, California and served as his father’s-in-law assistant pastor, youth pastor, and Christian school administrator for the next 12 years.
After much prayer, and seeking the Lord, Mike and Becky and their 7 children moved in July of 2019, to Oklahoma and joined Beth Haven Baptist Church in Oklahoma City to serve at Victory Ranch. Mike serves as the Assistant Director of the Ranch. The Farrell family are thrilled to serve and be a part of the work that God is doing in the lives of the precious men and women of Victory Ranch.
After their wedding Mike and Becky moved to Georgia and served as Christian school teachers and led the children’s ministries for 2 ½ years. In January of 2001, God led Mike to move back to California and serve with his father as his assistant pastor for the next 7 years in Modesto at Bible Baptist Church where he and Brother Art Thomas met and became close friends. In August of 2007, Mike followed the Lord’s leading and moved his young family to Sequoia Baptist Church in Visalia, California and served as his father’s-in-law assistant pastor, youth pastor, and Christian school administrator for the next 12 years.
After much prayer, and seeking the Lord, Mike and Becky and their 7 children moved in July of 2019, to Oklahoma and joined Beth Haven Baptist Church in Oklahoma City to serve at Victory Ranch. Mike serves as the Assistant Director of the Ranch. The Farrell family are thrilled to serve and be a part of the work that God is doing in the lives of the precious men and women of Victory Ranch.
Mari Dixon
Women’s Dorm Supervisor
Although Mari was born into a Christian home and raised by a Godly mother, when Mari was seventeen, she turned her back on God to live a life or worldliness and her own will. By God’s grace and her mother’s unceasing prayers, Mari accepted the Lord as her personal Saviour on March 8, 1990, at the age of thirty.
After attending Bible College, Mari taught 4th grade in the Christian school at her church for seventeen years. When God closed the door on that portion of her life, Mari thought her service for the Lord had been ended. Little did she know that God had even greater things in store for her life!
When Pastor Carter shared his vision for a Discipleship Home with the church family at Beth Haven Baptist Church, Mari’s heart was immediately burdened, and tears flowed as she watched the presentation Pastor Carter had prepared.
Feeling as if she could not be anything more than a prayer warrior for this ministry, Mari shared with Pastor Carter, to which his response was “I’ve been praying for a ‘mom’ for the women who will come!” Mari responded, “I can be a mom!”
Mari now lives and works at Victory Ranch as the Women’s Dorm Supervisor and is so very thankful and blessed that the Lord has allowed her to minister and be a “mom” to the ladies in this home!
Becky Farrell
Women’s Ministry Assistant / Music Coordinator
Sister Becky, along with her husband Brother Mike moved to Oklahoma from California to serve the Lord at Victory Ranch.
Jason ‘Biff’ Ross
Administrative Assistant / Tech Support
Brother Jason (aka Biff) is a graduate of Victory Ranch. Since graduating from the Ranch, Biff knew the Lord desired that he come to Oklahoma from Rapid City, South Dakota and serve his Savior with Victory Ranch. Within a year after graduating, Biff moved, along with his wife, Sunbeam, and children to Oklahoma.
The Lord has called Biff to serve Him in whatever capacity he can using Jeremiah 1:5-7 “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations. Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child. But the LORD said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak. “ and Isaiah 61:1 “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;”
Biff is eager and rejoices at the opportunity to serve the Lord using his love for computers and all things ‘office,’ while being a servant, a mentor, a friend, and a brother to both the staff and students at Victory Ranch.