Imagine the impact on the state’s foster care system if every Alabama Baptist church had at least one foster family in its congregation. That’s around 3,300 foster families. If every church had two foster families, then Alabama Baptist churches could take care of the 5,000 kids — at any given time — needing foster homes in the state.
It’s a dream of leaders at the Alabama Baptist Children’s Homes & Family Ministries (ABCH), especially of its president Rod Marshall.
To help Alabama Baptists catch the same vision Marshall served on a panel with five others Nov. 12 during a breakfast event focused on orphan care, Becoming Home: The Church Responds to the Fatherless in Alabama.
Nearly 70 Alabama pastors and leaders attended the ABCH breakfast event in Birmingham.
Buddy Gray, pastor of Hunter Street Baptist Church, Hoover, moderated the discussion among panelists. Each is deeply involved in orphan care ministry and has a passion to help churches engage in this biblical mandate.
Serving with Marshall as panelists were Polly Bice and Johnny Grimes of Altar84; Danny Wood, pastor of Shades Mountain Baptist Church, Vestavia Hills; Rob Hatfield, associate pastor of Mount Zion Baptist Church, Huntsville; and Todd Wilson, pastor of Grace Covenant Baptist Church, Hoover.
Also featured was Stephen Reach, a former foster child and current first-year student in the McWhorter School of Pharmacy at Samford University in Birmingham. Reach shared how Alabama Baptists’ support of ABCH has made a difference in his life.
The primary goal of the event was to help leaders understand more about how their church can live out the Great Commission through foster care. Everyone in attendance received a copy of the book “Becoming Home: Adoption, Foster Care, and Mentoring — Living Out God’s Heart for Orphans” by Jedd Medefind. Medefind is president of the Christian Alliance for Orphans, a national organization of which ABCH is a supporting partner.
Joey Hocutt, a development officer with The Baptist Foundation of Alabama, said the event spoke to his heart both professionally and personally.
“As an officer with the Baptist Foundation of Alabama, we are strongly linked to the Alabama Baptist Children’s Homes in using our resources to grow money for the glory of God and the care of children. This meeting made me proud to be a part of this monumental and worthwhile task,” he said. “But I was also touched personally, in that God is calling me, my wife and our three daughters to get in and get involved, seeking out those specific ways we are being called not to just give resources but to go and put our hands on those who need a warm bed, a meal and to be shown the love of Christ.” (Michelle Drashman, ABCH)
For more information, visit alabamachild.org/churches or call 1-888-720-8805.
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