Welcome to Hope Ministries

We've been advocating for the homeless since 1915.

“Our passion is to be a beacon of hope to those struggling to stay afloat.”

• OVERVIEW
• VISION
• MISSION/PURPOSE STATEMENT
• CORE VALUES
• STATEMENT OF FAITH
• HISTORY OF HOPE MINISTRIES


Overview

Hope Ministries is a Christ-centered faith-based ministry that provides programs and services for homeless, hungry and hurting people in Des Moines and central Iowa.  We are one of the largest non-denominational collaborative efforts in Iowa focused on homelessness and hunger issues.

Each year over 100 individual churches participated in our ministry through financial support, volunteers, clothing and/or food drives.  Our staff, board and volunteers involve many Christian denominations including, Reformed, United Methodist, Catholic, Episcopalian, Lutheran, Presbyterian, Church of Christ, Assembly of God, Church of the Brethren, Baptist, Evangelical Free, non-denominational and more. In addition, nearly 1000 volunteers donate valuable time and expertise each year.  For more information on how to become involved as a volunteer CLICK HERE.


Our facilities include:

Bethel Mission – a rescue shelter for homeless men

Door of Faith – a long-term men’s recovery center

Hope Family Center – a long-term healing and recovery center for homeless women and their children

Hope Bargain & Community Outreach Center – low cost clothing, furniture and miscellaneous items for the poor.

Additional information about our various facilities, programs and services can be found on this website.


Vision

Hope Ministries has been given an exciting vision: to bring lasting hope to the homeless and hurting of central Iowa. With the strengths of both Bethel Mission and The Door of Faith men’s recovery center, Hope Ministries provides a comprehensive program to help homeless men rebuild their lives.

In addition, through our year-round meal programs, we provide healthy, nutritious meals to thousands of men women and children.

But we don’t believe that's enough. In Iowa, statewide studies show that more and more homeless women and families are seeking help. We are addressing that need through our new Hope Family Center for homeless women and their children-- because we believe Jesus calls us to open our arms wider as the need grows.


Mission/Purpose Statement

The purpose of Hope Ministries is to proclaim and demonstrate the life-changing Gospel of Jesus Christ, meeting the spiritual, physical, and emotional needs of men, women and children who are homeless or in need of hope.


Core Values

1.  We honor God by trusting and obeying Him.

We seek to serve Jesus Christ and discern what God's will is for us - individually and as an organization.

We strive for excellence, seeking to "run the race" with our best efforts and with our eyes focused squarely on Christ.

We strive for integrity, seeking to be transparent in motive, action and conduct so that Jesus Christ can be seen clearly through us.

2. We are stewards of God's resources.

We manage carefully every resource God brings to us, knowing that each gift is provided by God's hand through the efforts of others.

We proactively prepare for the future, knowing that stability is essential to the consistent rendering of God's work.

We demand of ourselves high standards of competence and performance and accept the need to be accountable through appropriate structures for achieving these standards.

3. We value people.

We are called to serve those in need, to relieve their suffering and to promote the transformation of their condition of life.

We value donors and volunteers highly, providing for them a conduit through which they can serve God and their fellow man.

We seek to provide quality opportunities and experiences to our employees, providing them with opportunities for personal, spiritual and professional growth.


Statement of Faith

We believe that there is one God, eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

We believe in the deity of Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father and in His future return in power and glory.

We believe that the Holy Spirit personally indwells all believers, bearing witness to their relationship with God; and imparts spiritual enlightenment, conviction of sin, and divine power for witnessing and service.

We believe the Bible, as contained in the Old and New Testaments, is the inspired written Word of God. As such it is infallible and authoritative in all moral and spiritual teaching.

We believe in the bodily resurrection of the saved to eternal blessedness and joy, and of the lost to judgment and eternal conscious punishment.

Our desire is that all people will place their trust in Jesus Christ. We believe it is essential for all people to believe in Jesus as their Savior and receive Him as their Lord by the regeneration of the Holy Spirit.

We believe that God alone holds the power to set us free from the bondage of sin, addictions, and compulsions that destroy the quality of life that God intends for us to live.

We believe in the spiritual unity of believers in Christ and that we should speak with a united voice for the welfare of the community.


History of Hope Ministries

Hope Ministries was founded in July of 2000.  It is the union of Bethel Mission and the Door of Faith.  Hope Ministries has a combined history serving the homeless and hurting of Greater Des Moines for 126 years.

Bethel Mission has been consistently serving the Des Moines community since 1915, providing shelter and faith-based counseling to homeless men and meals to the hungry.  The Door of Faith has been consistently providing meals to the hungry and recovery and rehabilitation services to homeless and hurting men since 1969.  In addition, our Hope Aftercare Program provides ongoing services as men transition back into society, including assistance with housing and household needs and continued classes and counseling.

Through our King's Closet program, homeless and low-income families can receive vouchers for free clothing at our Hope Bargain Center. We also operate a free clothing closet for men at our Bethel Mission facility. The Hope Bargain and Community Outreach Center is located at 4950 NE 12th Avenue in Pleasant Hill.

Hope Family Center (began in October 2004) provides long-term shelter and recovery services to homeless women and their children.


1915    

Bethel Mission established by Robert G. Talmadge on Sixth Avenue, downtown Des Moines.

.
1920-1930 Bethel Mission moves to 506 Second Avenue, operates as “gospel mission” with religious services, including Sunday school.
.
1940-1950 

Bethel Mission reorganizes as “rescue mission,” offers men’s shelter and meals for the hungry.

.
1950-1960

Bethel Mission relocates to 954 Sixth Avenue, operates a 49-bed dormitory, chapel, dining room stranded family apartment.

.
1969 

Door of Faith Mission established by George and Jeanne Holloway at 219 Walnut Street.

.
1970-1980  Door of Faith Mission moves to 1006 Grand Avenue.
.
1988  $1 million raised from corporations, businesses and individuals for new Bethel Mission, 1310 Sixth Avenue.
.
2000  Bethel Mission and Door of Faith merge to become Hope Ministries.
.
2003   Relocation and construction of the new Door of Faith at 6701 SW 9th.
.
2004  Renovation and expansion at Bethel Mission.
.

2004 

Opening of Hope Family Center.

.