EDITOR’S NOTE: This is one in a series of features on Missouri Baptist ministries supported for a century through the Cooperative Program giving of MBC-affiliated churches. Matt Easter serves as Director of Christian Studies and Associate Professor of Biblical Studies at Missouri Baptist University.
The mission of Baptist Homes & Healthcare Ministries is to provide Christlike care, education, and advocacy for the aging, all for the glory of God. And this has been their mission for over 110 years, even before receiving Cooperative Program support.
Founded by Dr. Milford Riggs, the Missouri Home for Aged Baptists in Ironton opened on May 6, 1913, with its first resident: 68-year-old Rev. J. P. Griffith from Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church of the Mt. Salem-Wyaconda Association. Two weeks later, two 77-year-old women joined the home: Mrs. Almeda Walker of Euclid Avenue Baptist in St. Louis and another woman whose name and church membership are unknown to history.
IRONTON – Matt Easter (right rear) and his family pose for a photo of his grandmother, Thelma Jones, at the Baptist Home in Arcadia Valley. (Photo courtesy of Matt Easter)
Over the next century, this small Baptist Home with three residents has grown to eight locations across the state — Adrian, Arcadia Valley, Ashland, Independence, Ozark, Smithville, Shelbina, and Vandalia – serving both the church and surrounding communities as Baptist Homes & Healthcare Ministries.
They continue to expand their reach. At the 2023 MBC Annual Meeting, President and CEO Rodney Harrison reported several initiatives recently completed, including remodeling the second floor of the 100-year-old Riggs-Scott building, allowing seniors a beautiful view of the Arcadia Valley for under $1,000 per month.
Baptist Homes also is adding a Tri-County campus in Vandalia, offering CMS-certified skilled and memory care services.
The MHAB will also be receiving the first residents at the new Adrian location, and nearing completion is a construction project for the Veteran’s Home in Smithville.
By God’s grace, this vital ministry will continue to provide not only for us, but also for all those in need.
Baptist Homes & Healthcare Ministries has a big mission, but it is also personal, touching the lives of everyday Baptists.
Everyday Baptists like me. My great-grandparents, Henry and Thelma Jones, both lived their final years at the Arcadia Valley location. I was raised in a Missouri Baptist Convention church and enjoyed many benefits of our cooperation: RA congress, state Bible Drill, family week at the lake, etc.
But nothing moved me in the same way as the Christlike care my beloved grandparents received at the Baptist Home in Arcadia Valley.
Other aspects of our Baptist cooperation gave me a passion for Scripture, missions, and fellowship, all of which contributed to my service as a faculty member at Missouri Baptist University.
My time at Baptist Homes showed me the heart of Christ when, as a teenager, I watched Baptists live out their pure and undefiled religion before God by caring for the aging.
As I reflect on these formative years, I give thanks to God for our Baptist forebearers, who had the wisdom to create institutions such as the Baptist Home that allow us to cooperate for the sake of the Gospel. This cooperation includes the generous gifts of Missouri Baptist churches to the Cooperative Program.
How can Missouri Baptists support the ministries of Baptist Homes & Healthcare Ministries?
First, we can give. When anyone gives to their local Missouri Baptist church, that church shares a portion of the gift with the Cooperative Program. The combined Cooperative Program giving of more than 1,700 Missouri Baptist churches supports ministries throughout the state, North America, and around the world.
Baptist Homes currently receives nearly $100,000 annually from the Cooperative Program giving from Missouri Baptist Convention churches. As you give to your Missouri Baptist church participating in the Cooperative Program, you can be proud of supporting the Baptist Homes.
Matt Easter
As Missouri Baptist General Association Superintendent E. Godbold reminded readers in 1938, “We give through the Cooperative Program and not to it.”
The annual Rheubin L. South Missouri Missions offering provides Missouri Baptists with another opportunity to support the work of Baptist Homes.
And, if you feel led to give directly to Baptist Homes through your will, estate plan, or other planned gift, you can do so through their website (bhhm.org/give) or by contacting Director of Advancement, Nick Davis (573-822-4319; ndavis@bhhm.org).
Second, we can volunteer. Jesus came not to be served but to serve (Mark 10:45), and he invites his followers to do the same (John 13:15-17).
Baptist Homes & Healthcare Ministries offers several volunteering opportunities for those who wish to join their mission in providing Christlike care, education, and advocacy for the aging.
Some volunteering opportunities include leading Sunday sing-a-longs, painting fingernails, writing letters, reading Scripture, hosting a table game, leading devotions, or simply visiting the residents. You can find contact info and serving opportunities on their website, bhhm.org/volunteer.
Finally, we can pray. Baptist Homes has recognized the central importance of prayer from its earliest days. Baptist Home Founder Dr. Milford Riggs wrote in May 1920, “The Home was founded in prayer, and we are persuaded that the prayers of God’s people have been and are among the largest factors in its growth and maintenance.”
As Missouri Baptists pray for Baptist Homes, we are supporting them in their promise to provide Christlike care that pleases God, minimizes fear, and maximizes peace of mind for their residents and loved ones.
