Our Story

The Missouri Free Will Baptist first organized a Mission Committee in 1932 so that the Committee could keep the assembly informed of Free Will Baptists mission endeavors that our denomination was undertaking. They also encouraged our churches to support those endeavors with continual prayers and with local church finances.

In 1961 the Missouri State Home Mission Board was formed with the first members being Reverends: Clarence Burton, W.H. Bostic, Tommy Day, James McAlister, and Lester Jones. This State Board was allotted 17% of the Cooperative Funds of the State Assembly for the use of beginning Free Will Baptist churches in Missouri, as well as, establishing a fund that could be used to help finance building projects within our state by providing short term loans from that fund. There have been many churches that have been started and directed by the Mission Board, or, have been helped by the Perpetual Loan Fund since that time.

In 1994 the Show-Me Plan was begun, through the Show-Me Plan committee, as a means of gathering financial support for International Missionaries that had ties to Missouri. This plan was supported by the purchasing of $240.00 per year shares by the people of the state.

In 2002 Rev. Dale Skiles became the first paid staff of the Missouri State Home Mission Board. His part-time salary allowed for him to travel to the churches of Missouri to promote the Missouri State Mission Projects. This white-haired, colorful, preacher paved a way that would lead to increased prayerful support of our Free Will Baptist mission endeavors. His vision in 2002 was to pave the way for a full-time Mission Director. He felt that by having a person visiting the Free Will Baptist associations and churches, mission interest would rise along with the prayers of the saints for our missionaries and mission projects in our state, nation and world. By his retirement in June of 2007 that vision was a reality.

In June of 2007 the Missouri State Assembly of Free Will Baptist approved the Mission Board hiring of Rev. Frank Webster as a full-time State Missions Director. His duties would be to increase awareness among our Free Will Baptists in Missouri for our State, National and International mission endeavors.

Beginning in 2010 the Show-Me Plan is the state-wide focus for the support of Free Will Baptist missionaries who are working under the Mission Board to begin churches in our state, as well as, helping to support National Free Will Baptist Missionaries from Missouri, and our International Missions Department.

In June, 2021, Steve Reeves was appointed to succeed Frank Webster as State Missions Director. Today the Missouri Free Will Baptist Mission Board is a board of nine men who oversee the aspects of the Show-Me Plan, oversee church plants in MO and give guidance and direction to the State Mission Director. Under their leadership, future church plants in Missouri will be begun with a strategic plan in place for the location, the Ministry Team and the promotion of the church plant. May God Bless us as we seek to do His Will for this time we are in.