After explaining why Oklahoma should be fertile ground for faith-based social service initiatives, this paper explores the challenges Oklahoma is having partnering with faith-based organizations (FBOs). Oklahoma’s complicated social welfare system and political culture is described, including constitutional limitations that hamper the State’s ability to confront social service issues in a coherent fashion. The overhaul of Oklahoma’s welfare system is explained, as well as its patchwork of agencies and programs, executive initiatives to encourage FBO participation in social services, and the development of the Oklahoma Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives. Statutory provisions and legislative initiatives on charitable choice in Oklahoma are then reviewed, including restrictions on proselytization, government-funded FBO services in Oklahoma, the Oklahoma Marriage Initiative, non-financial public partnerships with faith-based social service providers, and issues surrounding FBO participation in social services. The report states Oklahoma has had the most success in establishing and developing rewarding collaborative efforts with the faith community in the non-financial arena. It concludes that achieving the vision of Oklahoma’s faith communities being fully involved in addressing the needs of the disadvantaged may require a lot of handholding and mentoring by those who are already engaged in community action. 26 references.