The Georgia Baptist Convention meeting in annual session in Columbus in 1953, approved a recommendation to appoint a committee to study the needs and possibility of developing a ministry to older adults.  The Convention meeting in Augusta in 1954, approved a recommendation from the Convention’s Executive Committee that a ministry be started with its primary focus to provide housing for senior citizens.  After consideration of several locations, Waycross, Georgia was selected.  In January 1955, Dr. Harvey R. Mitchell was employed as Administrator of Baptist Village, a position he held until January 1, 1980.  Upon Dr. Mitchell’s retirement the Board of Trustees appointed Dr.  J. Olan Jones (a member of the Baptist Village staff since 1968) as Administrator.  Dr. Jones was voted by the Board of Trustees in 1990 to serve  as President/CEO.  Upon his retirement in 2004 the Trustees voted Dr. Jones as President Emeritus.  In 2005 the Board of Trustees selected Mr. Delos L. Sharpton to serve Baptist Village as President/CEO.   

 Dr. Mitchell, along with others developed a master plan that has guided the Village in its development up to this present day.  Construction on the first housing units was begun in 1957 and completed in 1958.  In April, 1958, five residents came to live on the Waycross campus.  These residents occupied the apartment complex which is now known as the C Unit.  Around 1960 the second apartment unit known as the A Unit was constructed.  The building of the B Unit Apartments, the Resident Service Center and the first phase of the Infirmary followed this construction in 1964.  Infirmary halls one, two and three were completed in 1968.  In 1974, the D Unit and the Chapel were completed.  The Administrative Annex, Resident Center, New Kitchen, New Patient Service Area and Gift Shop were completed in 1986.

The expansion of the ministry of Baptist Village continued into the 1990s.  During this decade independent living facilities known as The Villas were built on the Waycross campus, as well as an Assisted Living building known as Village Lake Suites.  In 1996 Baptist Village Retirement Communities acquired an assisted living center in Lake Park Georgia.  In 1999 Baptist Village Retirement Communities acquired two health centers in Macon, Georgia.   1999 also saw the construction of Plantation Villas in Macon.

 The dawning of a new millennium saw the addition of the Village Lake Pavilion on the Waycross campus.  This will serve Baptist Village residents and staff as a community center.  Another assisted living facility known as Plantation Suites opened in Macon in 2001.

In the year 2002 a new health center replaced the existing health center on the Waycross campus and was named for Mr. J. Olan Jones, the President and CEO of Baptist Village Retirement Communities.

The growth of Baptist Village from facilities accommodating five residents to facilities in three locations providing retirement living for over six hundred senior adults shows the continued commitment of Georgia Baptists to minister to the needs of God’s “older children”.   The vision of Baptist Village Retirement Communities continues to be Serving God by Providing Excellence in Retirement Living.

The Georgia Baptist Convention meeting in annual session in Columbus in 1953, approved a recommendation to appoint a committee to study the needs and possibility of developing a ministry to older adults.  The Convention meeting in Augusta in 1954, approved a recommendation from the Convention’s Executive Committee that a ministry be started with its primary focus to provide housing for senior citizens.  After consideration of several locations, Waycross, Georgia was selected.  In January 1955, Dr. Harvey R. Mitchell was employed as Administrator of Baptist Village, a position he held until January 1, 1980.  Upon Dr. Mitchell’s retirement the Board of Trustees appointed Dr.  J. Olan Jones (a member of the Baptist Village staff since 1968) as Administrator.  Dr. Jones was voted by the Board of Trustees in 1990 to serve  as President/CEO.  Upon his retirement in 2004 the Trustees voted Dr. Jones as President Emeritus.  In 2005 the Board of Trustees selected Mr. Delos L. Sharpton to serve Baptist Village as President/CEO.   

 Dr. Mitchell, along with others developed a master plan that has guided the Village in its development up to this present day.  Construction on the first housing units was begun in 1957 and completed in 1958.  In April, 1958, five residents came to live on the Waycross campus.  These residents occupied the apartment complex which is now known as the C Unit.  Around 1960 the second apartment unit known as the A Unit was constructed.  The building of the B Unit Apartments, the Resident Service Center and the first phase of the Infirmary followed this construction in 1964.  Infirmary halls one, two and three were completed in 1968.  In 1974, the D Unit and the Chapel were completed.  The Administrative Annex, Resident Center, New Kitchen, New Patient Service Area and Gift Shop were completed in 1986.

The expansion of the ministry of Baptist Village continued into the 1990s.  During this decade independent living facilities known as The Villas were built on the Waycross campus, as well as an Assisted Living building known as Village Lake Suites.  In 1996 Baptist Village Retirement Communities acquired an assisted living center in Lake Park Georgia.  In 1999 Baptist Village Retirement Communities acquired two health centers in Macon, Georgia.   1999 also saw the construction of Plantation Villas in Macon.

 The dawning of a new millennium saw the addition of the Village Lake Pavilion on the Waycross campus.  This will serve Baptist Village residents and staff as a community center.  Another assisted living facility known as Plantation Suites opened in Macon in 2001.

In the year 2002 a new health center replaced the existing health center on the Waycross campus and was named for Mr. J. Olan Jones, the President and CEO of Baptist Village Retirement Communities.

The growth of Baptist Village from facilities accommodating five residents to facilities in three locations providing retirement living for over six hundred senior adults shows the continued commitment of Georgia Baptists to minister to the needs of God’s “older children”.   The vision of Baptist Village Retirement Communities continues to be Serving God by Providing Excellence in Retirement Living.