New Baptist Home President

The Baptist Home Board of Trustees voted unanimously to confirm Dr. Rodney Harrison as The Baptist Home’s next president, making him only the seventh president in The Home’s 107-year history. Dr. Harrison began serving as the transitional president for The Home late last December in preparation for former President Steven Jones’ retirement in January. The historic vote was made by the trustees during the April 3 board meeting, held online due to the COVID-19 crisis. Dr. Harrison has been a professor for 17 years at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City, Missouri, and currently serves as Dean of Academic Strategy. In addition, he has an extensive background in healthcare and healthcare administration which began in 1983 when he became a registered nurse. Dr. Harrison studied at Dallas Baptist University, obtaining his Bachelor of Arts degree in Health Care Administration and worked on a Master of Divinity in Biblical Languages at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. In 1995, Harrison completed his Master of Arts in Christian Education from Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary. He completed a Doctor of Ministry degree at Gateway Baptist Seminary, while his wife, Julie, commenced studies on a Master of Arts in Biblical Archaeology, which was completed at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. In addition, to authoring numerous published books, articles and papers, Dr. Harrison has served for ten years as a consultant, mentor and coach for several academic institutions across the country, including Hannibal-LaGrange University and Missouri Baptist University. Dr. Harrison shared that “he could not have envisioned how God would use healthcare training from forty years ago as a platform for this privilege and stewardship.” He admitted that initially he had no aspiration to pursue the president’s position at The Home. However, after only a few weeks as transitional president, he fell in love with the people at each of the four campuses, and stated it was then he began to feel God tugging at his heart. He said, “I feel called to serve at The Baptist Home and believe God has brought me back full circle.” Dr. and Mrs. Harrison live on a small farm near Holt, Missouri, in a log home they lovingly restored. He enjoys hunting, fishing, history and motorcycles. They are members of First Baptist Church-Kearney and are blessed to have three children and nine grandchildren who continue to live nearby. Best known for providing quality, Christian care to the aging, The Baptist Home ministers to 272 residents across its four retirement communities in Missouri with campuses at Ironton, Ozark, Chillicothe and Ashland. To learn more about the ministry of The Baptist Home, visit www.thebaptisthome.org or follow us on Facebook @TheBaptistHome.