Hess recently retired after serving over 26 years as Lead Pastor of Southern Hills Baptist Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma. SHBC was the first church in Oklahoma to establish the ministry of Celebrate Recovery over 22 years ago and have helped 60+ others get started in Oklahoma and contiguous states. In 2006, Hess formed a CR 12 step group with eleven other pastors in Tulsa which ultimately evolved into the ministry of Celebrate Pastors in Recovery which now includes groups for spouses and women serving in vocational ministry as well.