Press Release from Arkansas Baptist Children & Family Ministries.
Throughout Scripture, God uses and changes the names of individuals to declare the purpose He has for them. Name changes in Scripture are used in the context of bringing clarity to a calling. When God changes a name, it does not leave the past behind but looks toward a future promise. When Jacob wrestled with the angel of God, God wanted him to realize the legacy He intended to leave through his lineage. Therefore, God changed his name to Israel as a continuous reminder of who he was and how God intended to use him.
Arkansas Baptist Children’s Homes & Family Ministries has a rich history that has laid the foundation for where we are today. The calling God has given us is to leave a legacy of healthy families across Arkansas for future generations. During our board meeting on March 8, 2022, the Board of Trustees voted to change the name of this ministry to Arkansas Baptist Children & Family Ministries. This revision reflects the heart of our mission to build, strengthen, and restore Arkansas families for God’s glory.
Our children’s homes are critical to the fulfillment of our mission today, just as they have been since our establishment in 1894 as a ministry for children in need of family. Through the years, this ministry has grown to include multiple divisions that serve children and families statewide. Those divisions include Connected Foster Care & Adoptions, Living Well Counseling, Desired Haven Family Care, Arkansas Baptist Ranch, and Arkansas Baptist Homes for Children. We want to honor the legacy of our flagship campus, while clearly representing the entirety of what this agency offers, which is a family of ministries serving the families of Arkansas. This new name clarifies our ministry as a whole, distinguishes the name of our Monticello campus, and removes confusion with our new Markham Street headquarters. When Arkansas Baptists hear our name, we want them to know that we are their resource for serving the families in their communities.
Over the course of its history, our organization has had multiple name changes to better communicate how the ministry has grown, while still holding to what has always been our foundation: providing children and families with hope. Where we are today is built on that foundation and our statewide ministries have further reach to the families of Arkansas than ever before. We are unwavering in our commitment to serve the most vulnerable of our state, and our desire in this new name is to better define who we are: an organization of ministries that empowers families and equips the local church.
Read more about our Markham Street Headquarters.
Click here to see the history of our name changes over the years.
*Both names remain legal names, maintaining the operation of legal documentation and financial records.