Maranatha Baptist Mission, Incorporated, an international faith missionary ministry, was founded in 1961 by the late Dr. H. Mel Rutter and Mrs. Dorothy Rutter and the late Dr. & Mrs. James W. Crumpton.

Dr. & Mrs. Rutter served in Mexico, Chile, Costa Rica and Peru as missionaries; he served as President of our Mission for the first ten years. Dr. Rutter (Uncle Mel) was later President Emeritus of Maranatha Baptist Mission until his home going December 30, 1999.

Dr. James W. Crumpton was Pastor of West Side Baptist Church, Natchez, Mississippi for 57 years and was President of the Mission from 1971 until his retirement in 1999. Dr. Crumpton went home to be with the Lord on July 22, 2004.