The Lord has called Lifeline Children's Services to care
for and disciple the fatherless, the orphan, birthmothers, and adoptive
families. From 1981 until
September 2009, the heart of Lifeline had been displayed through birthmother
counseling and ministry, adoption services both internationally and
domestically, and international orphan care.
Before 2009, the foster care statistics throughout the
state of Alabama had numbed the hearts and minds of the staff at Lifeline.
There were over 6,000 children in Alabama requiring foster care and of those,
1,500 resided in the Birmingham Metro area. A huge deficit existed for these children, because in the
same area of Birmingham, only 300 families were actively licensed as foster
parents. This left children unable to receive necessary intervention or placed
into overcrowded foster homes or residential facilities that did not meet their
needs.
C.T. Studd, a missionary from England who ministered
throughout Asia said, “The light that shines farthest shines
brightest at home." So as we
considered the call of God’s Word in verses such as Isaiah 1:17,
James 1:27, and Deuteronomy 24:19-22 which command God's people to care for the
fatherless, we knew that He was calling us to help equip the local church to
care for America’s foster children. This movement within Lifeline
officially began September 2009 as a response to a sermon series preached at
The Church of BrookHills by David Platt.
Isaiah 1:17 – “Learn
to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless,
plead the widow's cause.”
Lifeline’s response to the foster care crisis
is to provide the foster children in need of care in Alabama, with homes that
are motivated by the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Homes which are led to model and
disciple children during their time in care. Lifeline seeks to provide homes,
which are not over-crowded, allowing sibling groups to remain intact during
their time in foster care. We
equip families who are more stable due to specialized training and support,
thereby; decreasing the number of times a child may need to change foster
homes. And ultimately, Lifeline
supports DHR by allowing their social workers to focus on child protective
services, while engaging and preparing the Bride of Christ, the church, to
focus on the care and concern of Alabama’s 6000 plus foster children. Its the call of the church to
also minister to and disciple foster children’s
birth families to create healthy environments for reunification.
We must remember that a triad of interests exists within
any foster care situation.
Obviously, the interest of the child is first and foremost. And then
secondarily, two other critical parties exist; the foster parent and the birth
parents. The goal of foster care
in the United States is not adoption or permanent fostering, but first
reunification within the birth family.
This reunification goal is the pinnacle of a ministry that
seeks to restore the American families, not through new self-help or 12 step
programs, but through the Gospel of Jesus Christ displayed through the local
church. We have been humbled to
see countless stories of local churches not only loving and caring for
vulnerable foster children, but also effectively ministering to the child’s
birth family. Stories abounds where
the Gospel message is made clear and the birth family sees transformation of
the heart, the soul, and the mind.
2 Corinthians 2:15-17 – “For
we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among
those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a
fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things? For we are
not, like so many, peddlers of God's word, but as men of sincerity, as
commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ.”
Therefore, the sweet beckoning call of the glorious Gospel
of Jesus Christ our Lord led Lifeline to awaken the church in Alabama and
elsewhere to get involved in the transformation work of foster care. This call is for the entire body of
Christ. Young children and teenagers can love on foster children who grace the
preschool, children’s ministry, and youth programs. Young adults can become licensed to
provide respite care or to mentor birth families who have lost their children
through many unwise decisions.
Older men and women can minister to those called to foster by showing
the hospitality and encouragement of Christ through prayer, providing meals,
meeting practical needs, and helping with transportation needs.
Lifeline’s call therefore is clear –
we are not called to be the hero, but to equip the local church to holistically
get involved in the messy business of foster care, so that ultimately our Lord
gets all of the glory.
Matthew 6:15 – “In
the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your
good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”
Has the Lord put your family in a
place to foster a precious child in need and in so doing disciple them in the
Gospel of Christ? Has the Lord
burdened you with his command in James 1:27 to care for orphans in distress? If
so, partner with Lifeline today. Visit LifelineChild.org to donate to the
cause, to apply to adopt, to sign up for a trip through our (un)adopted
ministry by visiting orphans in need, to apply to be a foster parent for a
child in US foster care, to volunteer in one of many ways for the sake of
orphans, and ultimately to partner with us as we seek to take the Gospel to the
fatherless.
"He executes justice for the
fatherless and the widow, and loves the sojourner, giving him food and
clothing. Love the sojourner,
therefore, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt. You shall fear the LORD your God. You
shall serve him and hold fast to him, and by his name you shall swear." Deuteronomy
10:18-20
Oh beloved, will you allow God to use
the Gospel through you to impact the life of a child? Please do not hesitate to
give Lifeline a call because we are here...
On behalf of the orphans and
fatherless.
Herbie Newell
Executive Director
Lifeline Children's Services
giving children a hope and a future
twitter: @hmnewell
Because of the One who is a Father to the Fatherless,
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