South Carolina Baptist Ministries of Aging

What South Carolina Baptist Ministries of Aging does

South Carolina Baptist Ministries of Aging (SCBMA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit Christian ministry established as a non-profit corporation in 1994, with operational roots dating to 1954 when Dr. Percy Bethea donated 146 acres in Darlington County to develop a retirement home for retired pastors, missionaries, ministry families, and lay persons who served the Lord. SCBMA currently operates two Christ-centered continuing care retirement communities, Bethea Retirement Community in Darlington and Martha Franks Retirement Community in Laurens (the latter developed from a 1985 donation of an antebellum estate by retired missionary Martha Franks), providing housing, assisted living, skilled nursing, rehabilitation, and spiritual care for over 300 seniors, of whom approximately 85% are proclaimed Southern Baptists.

The organization's business model blends resident housing and care fees with a substantial charitable component: over 30% of residents receive some form of financial housing assistance each month, funded through the annual Mother's Day Offering (which has distributed over $1,000,000 cumulatively and $112,000 in the most recent year), the Helping Seniors Thrive Society Annual Luncheon launched in 2016, a Year-End Giving Campaign, and the Share Your Holidays card-based donor program. Distribution and fundraising are routed through the South Carolina Baptist Convention's 2,100 churches via church bulletin inserts, offering collections, Text-to-Give, PayPal, and ACH/check, complemented by digital channels including a website, email newsletter, and a GoFundMe campaign for Bethea Lake Restoration. Bethea Retirement Community also operates a state-of-the-art skilled nursing and rehabilitation center as a higher-acuity care line within the CCRC model.

In 2025, SCBMA announced a strategic transition: the executive board of the South Carolina Baptist Convention approved a ministry refocus proposal to transition ownership of Bethea and Martha Franks to new operators and reposition SCBMA as a statewide senior adult outreach ministry serving all 2,100 SCBC churches, with the proposal to be presented to Messengers at the November 2025 Annual Meeting and a new ministry approach targeted for 2026. The organization is governed by a Board of Trustees and led by President/CEO Thomas P. Turner, III, with no venture capital or private equity backing and no parent corporate structure.

Name

South Carolina Baptist Ministries of Aging

Legal name

South Carolina Baptist Ministries of Aging

Website

https://scbma.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1954

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

South Carolina Baptist Ministries of Aging is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that operates two Christ-centered retirement communities, Bethea and Martha Franks, housing 300+ South Carolina seniors and providing assisted living, skilled nursing, and rehabilitation funded by resident fees and denominational donations, with plans to divest community operations and refocus on statewide senior adult outreach through 2,100 Baptist churches.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Senior Living Services

NAICS

Continuing Care Retirement Communities (623311), Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) (62311), Religious Organizations (8131), Assisted Living Facilities for the Elderly (623312), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120)

SIC

Services-Nursing & Personal Care Facilities (8050), Services-Skilled Nursing Care Facilities (8051)

akta.pro primary industry

Nonprofit / Faith-Based CCRCs (HLADAEAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Specialty CCRCs (e.g., Memory-Care-Focused, Veteran-Focused) (HLADAEAK), Elder Services & Aging Support (BPAGAEAF), Community & Senior Center Lifelong Learning Programs (EDAAAMAB)

Keywords

• Senior living services
• Retirement communities
• Faith-based nonprofit
• Assisted living
• Skilled nursing care

Headquarters

HQ city

Columbia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: SCBMA relies heavily on charitable donations from individuals, churches, and organizations to fund operations and provide financial assistance to residents. Key fundraising initiatives include the annual Mother's Day Offering, Helping Seniors Thrive annual event, and year-end giving campaign. Over 30% of residents receive some form of financial housing assistance.
2. Senior Living Housing Fees: Revenue generated from housing fees paid by residents living in the two retirement communities (Bethea and Martha Franks). Some residents rely on financial assistance to cover living expenses.
3. Healthcare and Skilled Nursing Services: State-of-the-art skilled nursing and rehabilitation center services offered at Bethea Retirement Community generate service-based revenue.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

South Carolina Baptist Ministries of Aging operates two faith-based, nonprofit retirement communities — Bethea Baptist Retirement Community in Darlington, SC and Martha Franks Baptist Retirement Community in Laurens, SC — providing Christ-centered senior living with a continuum of care that includes independent living, assisted living, skilled nursing, and rehabilitation/memory support services for older adults.

Product overview

SCBMA is a nonprofit Christian organization that operates two Christ-centered continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs) in South Carolina - Bethea Retirement Community in Darlington and Martha Franks Retirement Community in Laurens. These core products provide housing, care, and support for retired pastors, missionaries, ministry families, and lay persons. The organization supplements its residential communities with several fundraising programs including the Helping Seniors Thrive Society (annual luncheon), Mother's Day Offering, and Year-End Giving Campaign, all designed to provide financial assistance to residents who need support. Additional programs include an Emergency On-Call Worker staffing initiative and the Share Your Holidays donor program. SCBMA is currently transitioning ownership of its two retirement communities while refocusing on broader statewide senior adult ministry outreach.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Bethea: Retirement community located in Darlington, SC providing housing and care for seniors
• Martha Franks

Products and services

• Bethea Baptist Retirement Community Faith-based retirement community located in Darlington, South Carolina, operated by South Carolina Baptist Ministries of Aging. It provides Christ-centered senior living with multiple levels of care for older adults in the South Carolina Baptist Convention community.
• Martha Franks Baptist Retirement Community Faith-based retirement community located in Laurens, South Carolina, operated by South Carolina Baptist Ministries of Aging. It provides Christ-centered senior living with a continuum of care for older adults in the South Carolina Baptist Convention community.
• Continuum of Care (Independent Living, Assisted Living, Skilled Nursing, Rehabilitation/Memory Support) Multi-level care offering delivered across Bethea (Darlington) and Martha Franks (Laurens), allowing residents to transition between independent living, assisted living, skilled nursing, and rehabilitation/memory support within the same faith-based community as their needs change.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $1,000,000 in financial assistance provided through Mother's Day Offering to retired pastors and missionaries
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• South Carolina Baptist ConventioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSCBMA is a ministry partner of the South Carolina Baptist Convention, fulfilling the Biblical mandate of James 1:27 to care for the elderly. The executive board has approved SCBMA's ministry refocus proposal, and SCBMA plans to strengthen mission efforts across the 2,100 SCBC churches.
• Anchor Benefit ServicesminorOthersProvides access to required Machine-Readable Files for Transparency in Coverage compliance, helping SCBMA meet healthcare pricing disclosure requirements.
• ECM SolutionsminorOthersAssists with compliance requirements for healthcare plan Machine-Readable Files, particularly for prescription drug file requirements.
• LeadingAge South CarolinaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSCBMA is listed as a member/link on the LeadingAge South Carolina website, indicating affiliation with the state chapter of the national aging services association.
• International Mission BoardminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a partner link, reflecting the ministry's focus on serving retired missionaries.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Acts Retirement-Life Communities: Largest faith-based CCRC operator in the U.S., affiliated with the Reformed Church in America. Operates 28+ campuses across 9 states offering independent living, assisted living, and skilled nursing — directly comparable to SCBMA's faith-based CCRC model and continuum-of-care structure.
• National Church Residences: Faith-based nonprofit senior housing and services organization operating CCRCs, assisted living, and affordable housing across 25+ states. Comparable to SCBMA as a faith-rooted nonprofit serving seniors with a similar continuum-of-care and charitable assistance model.
• Baptist Retirement Communities of Georgia: Faith-based nonprofit CCRC operator affiliated with the Georgia Baptist Convention, operating communities including Baptist Village, Fellowship Home, and The Oaks. Direct peer to SCBMA given shared Baptist Convention affiliation, mission-driven CCRC model, and resident assistance programs.
• Presbyterian Senior Living: Denomination-affiliated nonprofit operating multiple CCRC and senior living communities across Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, and Ohio. Comparable to SCBMA in faith-based nonprofit structure, multi-site CCRC operations, and charitable care for retired clergy.
• Methodist Retirement Communities: Faith-based nonprofit operating Methodist-affiliated senior living communities in Texas. Comparable to SCBMA in denominational affiliation model, retirement community operations, and mission-driven service to retired ministers.

Broad incumbents

• Brookdale Senior Living: Largest U.S. senior living operator with ~640 communities offering independent living, assisted living, memory care, and skilled nursing. Comparable to SCBMA in core service offerings but as a secular for-profit incumbent serving the broader senior living market.
• Life Care Services: Third-party CCRC management company serving 140+ communities nationwide, including many faith-affiliated CCRCs. Relevant comparator for SCBMA's CCRC operations and a potential operator partner given the announced community ownership transition.

Others

• LeadingAge South Carolina: State chapter of LeadingAge, the national association for nonprofit aging services providers. SCBMA is listed as a member. Industry association peer that provides regulatory, advocacy, and benchmarking support for SCBMA's CCRC operations.
• South Carolina Baptist Convention: Denominational body representing 2,100 Baptist churches in South Carolina and SCBMA's core strategic partner for referrals, fundraising, and ministry alignment. Listed as a core partner on SCBMA's website.
• International Mission Board: Southern Baptist Convention's global missions entity. Listed as a partner link on SCBMA's website given SCBMA's focus on serving retired Southern Baptist missionaries.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/scbma
• Facebookfacebook.com/South-Carolina-Baptist-Ministries-of-Aging-802414039850824
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/south-carolina-baptist-ministries-for-the-aging-inc

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about South Carolina Baptist Ministries of Aging