By Joel Riehle
Joplin, Missouri, is not unique in its problems with drug addiction, homelessness, and poverty. However, one thing that Joplin has that many cities do not, is a unique transitional housing ministry known as God’s Resort. Unique because of the space it occupies in the transformation process from the semi-stability of recovery programs until an individual is fully on their feet. Jay St. Clair, the Executive Director of God’s Resort, describes it as a bridge and an often-missed step in the process to financial, emotional, and relational security. And the magic ingredient in the approach of God’s Resort is community.
Back in 2006, there was an area of Joplin known locally as The Last Resort, a place where many who couldn’t afford anywhere else to live ended up. The police frequented these blocks of the city, but God put the area and its issues on the hearts of people like St. Clair and Rob Robertson who prayed about what could be done.
The result became God’s Resort, a ministry that focuses on those coming out of broken relationships, addiction, incarceration, or the foster care system. God’s Resort gives these people the tools they need to be self-sustaining. The ministry owns about three blocks of houses with a Community Center right in the middle of it all. God’s Resort gives individuals a place to live, provides a Christ-centered community, and a way of living that propels residents out of the negative cycles that lead to financial insecurity and addiction.
“We are not a recovery center” St. Clair explains, “we partner with other organizations” for that. God’s Resort is the often-missed step of transitioning people from sobriety programs to real life. The secret is relationships and God’s Resort fills that space. As individuals and families are getting some semblance of stability, God’s Resort provides a setting where family and friends can rally around them and move them from surviving to thriving.
Those who are coming to God’s Resort “have never slept on a brand-new nice bed,” St. Clair explained. At God’s Resort their home comes fully furnished with a new bed they pick out themselves. The beds and everything down to the fully stocked kitchen is because of the partnership God’s Resort has with other organizations. What’s more, is when residents leave God’s Resort they get to take their furnishings, utensils, and everything with them to their new home.
Residents pay about half the going rate for rent, but are required to have a job, be drug-free, and desire a community. Not all are ready for this transitional living style, but those who are benefit greatly. There are requirements for weekly large- and small-group gatherings and residents are strongly encouraged to be involved in a local church.
These are the elements that have made God’s Resort such a success over the last two decades. In 2025 alone, eight residents from God’s resort have established themselves and were able to move into their own places.
The average length of stay is two years, and in that time residents will meet with a life-transition coordinator that helps them get stability in nine different areas. God’s Resort offers residents prayer meetings, Bible studies, Sunday night fellowships, coffee and chats, as well as resources like Financial Peace classes as part of the community aspect that is so crucial.
The Vera family has been one of the success stories at God’s Resort. Jamie Vera walked into a Tuesday night prayer service held at God’s Resort during the hardest part of his addiction. “Jay said something about isolation is what helps us stay in addiction,” Vera remembers, “and that’s when it clicked that it’s community and connection—that is how I’m going to stay away from addiction.”
God’s Resort played a big role in his recovery and reunification with his wife and kids. They are now on the road to stability, but still recognize the value that God’s Resort provided them. “The community here wasn’t something that I was used to,” said Vera, “but it was everything that I needed.”
All adult residents have an unbroken employment record during their stay and an insanely high 97% on-time rent payment history, which in turn raises their credit scores. But the statistic that St. Clair points to for their success the most is that twelve of the last fourteen Habitat for Humanity homes built in the area have gone to those who succeeded at God’s Resort. Habitat has an extensive process that must be completed by those for whom they built houses. “You have to be ready,” St. Clair proudly stated about those who have received homes.
And the ministry is still growing. This past summer, God’s Resort was able to fold in another ministry that was about to shut their doors, and now they have a specific ministry for women called the Well. The Well helps women coming out of foster care or addiction who need a discipleship program specifically geared for women. St Clair says that their city already has a program for men, but a women’s only program can often be harder to find.
When asked why the space between semi-stability and full stability is not covered in more cities as it is in Joplin with God’s Resort, St. Clair’s simple response was, “You can’t buy relationship.” There’s a messy side to ministry and charity that’s often overlooked. It’s that grit and gospel-centeredness that government programs totally avoid, and financial assistance cannot replace the need for community in someone’s life.
God’s Resort is not a complicated model and it’s very reproducible. In fact, God’s Resort hosted some board members this summer from a ministry in Anchorage that’s planning to start their own God’s Resort in Alaska. The Joplin ministry freely gave away their name and they are open to both helping other areas pursuing similar ministries and accept more help for the work they have in Joplin.
If your city needs a transitional housing ministry that fights isolation, recognizes the value of community, and equips people to move from semi-stability to recovery, God’s Resort in Joplin, Missouri, provides a good model and Jay St. Clair would serve as a great resource.
Joel Riehle is the Connect Pastor at Community Christian Church, Hamilton, Ohio.
Author: Christian Standard
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Disaster Relief teams from our church first encountered God’s Resort when we went after the tornado years ago. Greg Edster was one of our host families as we worked through College Heights Christian Church. Great to hear they are still active and the ministry has grown!