Around six years ago, my wife Emily and I brought two beautiful little girls into our home through the foster care system. Not long after, we were blessed to adopt them into our family. Our passion for fostering and adoption came from a few different places. We realized that adoption is a picture of the…
When people ask how our foster care journey is going, we usually want to respond with, “How much time do you have?” It’s great, frustrating, all-consuming, exhausting, and fulfilling. It’s all of these things and more, but most of all, it’s hard. It’s probably the most difficult thing we have ever done in our marriage…
Joel Ainsworth, Community Pastor at the Church at Cane Bay, and his wife, Emily, are passionate advocates for foster care and adoption. As Joel explains, “from the very beginning, foster care and adoption have been part of our heart as a church because they’ve been such a big part of our story.” In fact, they…
For David and Katie Bennett, their experience as foster parents has been a Gospel opportunity for their family. David spoke about how they felt called by God to enter foster care ministry, saying “We really felt like this was what God was calling us to do…an opportunity for us to display the Gospel through our…
One of the core values of the South Carolina Baptist Convention is the Potential of Every Life. This every life extends to children who are removed from their homes and placed in foster care. It extends to the biological families who have had their children removed from their care. This Every Life extends to the…
As a pastor, you have a unique opportunity to lead your congregation in caring for vulnerable children through foster and adoptive ministries. Will Browning, adoptive parent and SEND City Missionary with the North American Mission Board, shared three key ways to do that: model, join, and dedicate. By modeling, joining, and dedicating, you can lead…
Growing up in foster care can be an isolating experience for many young people, particularly those who age out of care without a forever family. Without a support system, it can be challenging to navigate the complexities of adult life. However, having a positive role model can make a significant difference in the life of…
As Christians, we are called to love and care for the vulnerable in our society. One group of vulnerable children that needs our help and advocacy are medically fragile children in foster care. These children face unique challenges that require specialized care and support. Josh Bradley, Church Planting Catalyst at SCBaptist and foster parent said,…
As Christians, we are called to care for the most vulnerable among us, and that includes children in foster care, particularly those who are medically fragile. It can be challenging for families to take in these children, as they often require extra appointments and therapies, but the need is great. Josh Bradley is a foster…
As Christians, we are called to care for the most vulnerable in society. One group that is often overlooked are older children who are aging out of foster care. Alex Lyons, a foster alumnus, shares his experience of aging out of the system without a forever family. He says, “who among us are ready at…
