On any given day in the United States, nearly 428,000 children live in foster homes or institutions. Currently 107,918 children in our nation are eligible for and waiting to be adopted. Inevitably some of those children were almost aborted by their mothers but, by the grace of God, were carried to term and given up for adoption.
Infants and children usually enter foster homes when they are orphaned, have imprisoned or homeless parents or are abused or neglected by their birth parents. Alabama’s unusually high opioid overdose and death epidemic is sending many of the state’s children into foster care.
The Southern Baptist Convention’s resolution “On Adoption and Orphan Care” encourages “each Southern Baptist family to pray for guidance as to whether God is calling them to adopt … a child or children, and … to encourage our pastors and church leaders to preach and teach on God’s concern for orphans.”
How to help
How can church pastors and congregations support Alabama’s foster children?
- Encourage members of your congregation to consider adopting a child or children who are adoptable and currently living in a foster care situation. Make church members aware of the great need for adoption.
- Provide your church leaders, staff and congregation with material to study the facts of today’s foster children and their needs.
- Invite knowledgeable speakers from a local foster or adoption agency to your church to share information about potential children waiting for adoption, parental qualifications for adoption, etc.
Enlist volunteers
- Ask for church volunteers who have adopted children or are familiar with Alabama’s adoption laws to guide new adoptive parents through the entire legal process.
- Pray for the children in Alabama’s foster homes. Currently the Alabama Baptist Children’s Homes & Family Ministries (ABCH) serve 500 of the 5,000 total children on average in foster care in Alabama per year. Place ABCH and other such agencies on your personal and church prayer list.
- Encourage your congregation to give cash gifts to ABCH and consider adding their ministries to the church’s missions budget.
- Dedicate special Sunday morning services to remember foster children in the state, nation and world. To order and receive free resources to promote this Sunday observance, visit www.alabamachild.org/main/resources1/resource-requests.
- Teach often on God’s concern for children without parents or children living in difficult or painful home situations.
- As a local church, champion the evangelism of and ministry to orphans and foster children.
- Help and equip adoptive and foster families within your congregation with financial aid and other practical resources.
What Scripture says
Scripture tells us that children are a gift and heritage from God and that Jesus loves the world’s children (see Matt. 18:2–5; 19:14 and Ps. 127:3–5).
As your church prays for and ministers to Alabama’s foster children as well as children around the world, study and contemplate the beautiful biblical theology of adoption — your own adoption in Christ.
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The theology of spiritual adoption
As believers in Christ, we have received the “Spirit of adoption” and are now beloved children of God and joint heirs with Christ. Scripture references on spiritual adoption include:
- John 14:18
- Rom. 8:12–25
- Gal. 3:27–4:9
- Eph. 1:5
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Types of adoption
- Domestic adoption
- International adoption
- Closed (confidential) adoption: No information is shared between birth family and adoptive family. The adoption files are sealed after the adoption and typically not available to the adopted child.
- Open (cooperative) adoption: Allows for varying degrees of association among birth family, adoptee and adoptive parents.
Disclaimer: Before entering into the adoption process with any organization, families should get references and do research on the agency.
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Helpful resources
Websites
- www.adoptuskids.org
- dhr.alabama.gov/services/Adoption/intro_adoption.aspx
- www.alabamachild.org
- www.childrensal.org/international-adoption-clinic
- www.adoption.com
Some adoption services in Alabama:
- Alabama Family Adoption Services: www.familyadoptionservices.com or 205-227-7937
- Children’s of Alabama International Adoption Center: www.childrensal.org/ international-adoption-clinic or 205-638-6964
- Children’s Aid Society of Alabama: www.childrensaid.org or 205-251-7148
- SAFY of Alabama: www.safy.org/alabama/#tab-3-Adoption or 205-945-7483
- Lifeline Children’s Services: www.lifelinechild.org/adoption or 205-967-0811
- Agape of Central Alabama: www.agapeforchildren.org or 205-733-9408
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