Paul Pennington at Family Life’s Hope for Orphans shared this great news with us about stories and interviews recorded at Summit VI in Minneapolis:

Monday, August 30^th through Friday, September 3^rd, Steven Curtis and Mary Beth Chapman will be guests on FamilyLife Today.  As many of you know, the Chapmans adopted three girls from China and several years ago began a ministry, now called Show Hope.  As many of you also know, the Chapmans lost their precious daughter, Maria Sue, in a tragic accident in May 2008.

In addition to the Chapman shows next week, FamilyLife Today will also be featuring several orphan ministry leaders in a two-part series in mid-September.  Hope for Orphans has had the privilege of helping hundreds of churches start orphans ministries over the past seven years.  These two broadcasts will feature some of our special friends who have been pioneers in this movement, including, on September 16^th, Rocky Gill, Founder of Hope for 100 at Green Acres Baptist Church in Tyler, TX, Elizabeth Styffe, Director of both the HIV and Orphan Care Initiatives at Saddleback Church (where Rick Warren is the Senior Pastor) in Lake Forest, CA, and Jedd Medefind, President of the Christian Alliance for Orphans and former Director of President George W. Bush’s Faith-Based Initiative.  On September 17^th, guests include three local church orphans ministry leaders:  Beau Fournet of Watermark Church in Dallas, TX, Jodi Lewis of Kentwood Community Church in Kentwood, MI, and Jill Toth of Biltmore Baptist Church in Asheville, NC.  Please make sure you tune in on both dates and hear what God is doing through churches all across the nation to bring His love to the fatherless.

The Cry of the Orphan partners (Focus on the Family, Show Hope, and Hope for Orphans) are excited about our special, one-hour, pre-recorded program called Answer the Cry which was produced to support this year’s Orphan Sunday, scheduled for November 7^th, 2010.  Come back to Hope for Orphans in September for the soon-to-be announced details on how you can use this program for your church or Bible Study via DVD or live streaming.  The program features Francis and Lisa Chan, Steven Curtis and Mary Beth Chapman, Mark Shultz, and interviews with Hope for Orphans’ own Paul and Robin Pennington, as well as Kelly and John Rosati of Focus on the Family.

I had the privilege recently of guest blogging for our friends at Together for Adoption–some simple reflections on the way adoption and orphan care so often blend beauty and sorrow…

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Last weekend, my brother and I hiked deep into California’s Sierra Nevada Mountains.  Our mission: to re-supply my father and his two close friends who are fulfilling a lifelong dream of hiking the John Muir Trail, 210 miles of breathtaking, rugged wilderness.  Their faces glowed as they described the glories of God’s creation they’ve encountered, from Alpine meadows to granite peaks.  But my father’s friend Henry, though never losing his smile, also reminded, “There’s been real pain, too.”  Severe blisters, cramping legs, shoulder pain, biting hailstorms and cold to the verge of hypothermia were just a partial list.  It was clear the three hikers were having the time of their lives, but pain was interwoven with the journey.

It is easy to feel it should be otherwise.  Something deep inside us still recalls the world before the Fall and joins creation in groaning at all the things that aren’t the way they should be.  But the simple truth is that this side of heaven, most anything worth doing comes with pain—care for orphans via adoption, foster care or global ministry as much as any.

Of course, keeping our roots in Scripture (from Jesus’ words about “counting the cost” to Hebrews 11:36-38) disabuses us of any fantasy that health and wealth are guaranteed compensation for faithfulness.  Yet still there is a temptation to gloss over the difficult thing or just shove them under the carpet.  In adoption ministry, for instance, there can be a pull toward making “ministry” mainly a “cheerleading” for Christians to adopt with little emphasis on support after the child has come home.  There’s certainly a place for helping people see the beauty and purposefulness discovered in adoption and other forms of orphan care.  But ultimately we need to know:  there will be pain, too.

What’s tremendously heartening is that the movement of Christians committed to orphans is coming to embrace that truth.  I increasingly hear church orphan ministry leaders talk about the journey—that long, often beautiful, often difficult road that comes with loving anyone for a lifetime, especially a child coming from a hard place.

My prayer is that more and more, church orphan ministry will be a place where this beauty-mixed-with-pain is shown for what it is:  an inescapable reality of life in a broken world and a journey worth taking.  May it be that in church, like nowhere else, worn out foster parents, struggling adoptive families and weary orphan care workers can speak transparently about their burdens.  And where others can help them bear the load in discerning, well-prepared, sacrificial ways.  That’s church orphan ministry—and just plain Church—at its very best.

The last post highlighted the need for men, specifically, to catch up with our stalwart sisters in taking up the cause of the fatherless.  My own father—who embodies for me the blend of gentleness and strength that marks  a man fully committed to Christ—shared with me a song last week that resounds with this theme as well.  It’s clearly from an artist with a vision for men stepping forward as fathers to the fatherless, country singer Randy Travis.

Raise Him Up

When I first met his momma
She was just 19
Couldn’t say for certain who the father was
I have known him since he was a pup
And I’m gonna raise him up

If you never knew your daddy
Like I never knew mine
It feels like everybody knows you’re fatherless
This boy may not be blood of my blood
But I’m gonna raise him up

I’ll provide for him
Walk beside of him
I am strong enough
Cause it’s time he knew
What a son can do
With a father’s love
He can change the world

Ya’ll may have to look at Joseph
A couple thousand years ago
When he held a newborn baby he named Jesus
He said he may not be blood of my blood
Still I’m gonna raise him up

I’ll provide for him
Walk beside of him
I am strong enough
I will show him too
What a son can do
With a fathers love
And he will change the world

33 years later
When the Son was in his grave
Broken and abandoned by a world he came to save
His real Dad said he’s mine
Blood of my blood
And I’m gonna raise him up

I’ll provide for you
Walk beside of you
I am strong enough
I have seen from you
What a son can do
With a fathers love
One man changed the world
And he can change your world
But you gotta raise him up
Raise him up

It’s a beautiful thing.  For Christians who yearn to see the Church grow impassioned for the Gospel and the orphan, the newly-arrived July edition of Christianity Today is little short of thrilling.  The cover declares, Abba Changes Everything:  Why every Christian is called to rescue orphans. Inside, an excellent introduction framing the magazine is headlined, “Adoption is Everywhere.  Even God is into it.”

That the leading print voice of evangelicalism in America would choose to make orphan care and adoption the center of its July magazine underscores what many of us already knew:  God is stirring His people to again be known as those who “defend the cause of the fatherless” (Is 1:17).

Page 18 begins a tremendous article by Russell Moore, which gave the magazine its cover language, “Abba Changes Everything.”  I’ve heard Dr. Moore articulate this message from the podium, via radio and over the dinner table, but I must admit I felt my heart expand against my ribcage as I read this fresh expression.  Beautiful and heartbreaking; daunting and inspiring; and profoundly rooted in the ultimate reason for it all:  the Father-love of our God revealed through the Gospel.

Page 23 starts the cover story, “Coming Alongside Parents:  Churches are getting real about adoption’s challenges—and helping families after the child arrives.”  It shares the experience of Summit VI and highlights the robust growth of orphan ministry within churches.  Writes author Carla Barnhill, “…[T]he Summit drew more than 1,200 attendees, most of them ministering to orphans through their home churches.  Watching those gathered, I knew this was not my parent’s generation.”

Finally, page 52 carries the section “My Top 5 Books on Orphan Care” that I had the opportunity to provide:   Russell Moore’s Adopted for Life, Dr. Karyn Purvis’ The Connected Child; Melissa Fay Greene’s There is No Me Without You; Tom Davis’ Fields of the Fatherless, and Doug Sauder’s The One Factor.  (Several others came to mind after I’d submitted that I wish I’d included as well, but five was the limit).

If you can, pick up a copy of CT from the newsstand today.  If not, all these articles will come available online over the month ahead, and we’ll post them on the Alliance blog as they do.  In the meantime, advocates of the orphan care take heart:  God continues to build both passion and action in His Church for these children He so deeply loves.

One of the most thrilling things about a true movement is that new expressions of the “galvanizing conviction” start popping up everywhere.   That’s exactly what’s happening with conviction that God cares deeply for orphans and calls His people to do the same. It was just six years ago that the first Summit took place, an exciting but small and first-of-its-kind gathering.  Today, new events, conferences and regional orphan Alliances are visible and growing across America like new vegetation in springtime.  It is beautiful to see.

One upcoming event I’m particularly excited about is the Mid-Atlantic Orphan Summit on November 5-6, hosted by a remarkable team of local believers in Hershey, PA passionate for Christ and orphans.  With a first-rate lineup of speakers, the conference promises to be a rich and inspiring event.

But here’s another facet that’s particularly encouraging:  until recently, the Christian orphan movement was much less visible in the Northeast than, for example, in the South or Midwest.  I believe that’s starting to change, and this conference will be both a visible indication and a special catalyst of that expansion.

My prayer is that this conference will not only inspire and equip believers across the region for orphan ministry, but also bring together many men and women who’ve long been serving faithfully despite feeling a bit isolated in their mission.  The truth is, they are part of a much bigger, deeper, richer movement than they may have dreamed.  The Mid-Atlantic Orphan Summit stands to be just what’s needed to give orphan advocates across the northeast and beyond a fuller sense of the countless passionate co-laborers they have in their work.

Our good friends Dan Cruver and Jason Kovacs at Together for Adoption are building toward their national conference in Austin, TX on October 1-2.  Together for Adoption provides tremendous theological leadership in the realm of adoption and orphan care.  From their thoughtful blogging, to insightful instruction delivered at recent Summits, to in-church training opportunities, Together for Adoption plays an indispensible role continually drawing believers to the true wellspring of every Christian adoption:  God’s adoption of us.

The conference promises to be rich in reflection, as well as practical knowledge, for Christian action.  As always, Together for Adoption will weld together unswerving commitment to the Gospel of Jesus Christ with the biblical call to care for the fatherless.   See here to register!

I don’t believe I’ve ever seen God’s hand so evidently at work as at Summit VI last week.   So many people came ready to give much…and so many came ready to receive.  It seemed that everyone at Summit did both, and the resulting energy, enthusiasm and passion for Christ and for the orphan could hardly have been more poignant or sweet.

Countless individuals have prayed for Summit for months, and we rejoice in prayers answered beyond what we could have asked or imagined.

But even more, we now pray that seeds sown and cultivated at Summit will grow to produce much good fruit over decades to come.  That relationships forged become lasting partnership, ideas born become concrete choices, passions stirred become faithful action.

For those impacted by Summit, I’d like to share a few of the thoughts I’ve been reminding myself of over the days since Summit, particularly as we ponder steps each of us may be called to take in response.

Don’t let a big vision keep you from a small obedience. It can be thrilling to catch the vision for a great undertaking, from building a new ministry to becoming a foster parent.  Yet it can also be paralyzing, especially as we consider all it would take to bring it to completion.  But that’s not God’s call to us today.  His call, most often, is to a little act of faithfulness today, a single step forward.  All that lies on the road beyond the present is God’s business.  Our responsibility is to the one action we can take today.

Be fervent in prayer. To draw near to an orphan is to draw near to God.  Whether via adoption, orphan ministry, or otherwise, we come—like Moses did—to stand on holy ground.  So we must always tread forward with deep reverence and supplication.  Equally important, if God cares deeply about this work, we ought to keep in mind that His enemy does as well.  As much as any aspect of life, this battle is not against flesh and blood.

Walk the road with others. Jesus sent his disciples out in pairs, and Paul never traveled alone.  If God is calling you to deeper ministry to the fatherless, I’m confident He wants you to engage it with co-laborers, mentors and other allies.  Seek these out, both in your church and community, and also as a member of the growing community of the Christian Alliance for Orphans.

Never lose connection to the one Source that’s good for the long journey. The world’s need is vast, and we have every reason to weep over it as Jesus did at the tomb of Lazarus.   But this alone will not sustain us for the distance, especially as we encounter disappointments and difficulty.  The world’s great need will always outstrip our enthusiasm to solve it.  The only wellspring that will never run dry is to draw always from the unfathomed love of our God, who pursued us, defends us, and calls us His own.  “We love because He first loved us.”

The internet is abuzz—from Yahoo News to NPR to the Daily Beast—with the tragic controversy surrounding a single mother from Tennessee, who sent her adopted Russian son back to Russia, solo on a plane, claiming that he was acting out in ways she could no longer handle.

The mother certainly merits the sharp criticism she’s earned, and, if we can find it, compassion and prayers as well.  She cleary lost grip on the reality of what adoption represents:  that is a permanent intertwining of lives, a sacred commitment.  Her choice was like that of a new mother imaging she could simply reverse motherhood by taking a crying newborn back to the hospital—just as, sadly, sometimes happens.

The story highlights a number of important issues.  A few of these are:

The vital importance of thorough understanding and preparation before adoption. Initial reports strongly suggest that the mother had no anticipation of the difficulty she might face in seeking to care for the 7-year-old boy.  Children who have spent many years in an institution often carry wounds that take time, sacrifice and much patience to heal.  The simple truth is that because every child so deeply needs the love and permanence of a family, years in institutional care are not without consequences.  This, of course, is precisely why adoption is to be far preferred to orphanages whenever possible, and why it’d be a tragedy multiplied by thousands if the Russian government allowed this exceptional case to halt international adoptions, as they are now threatening.

The need for community. Adoption should never be viewed as a “just-me-and-my-child” undertaking.  All parents, especially single ones, need the support, encouragement, advice and practical aid of others as they raise their children.  This is particularly true with adopted children coming from difficult backgrounds.  This is why the local church is key to a full vision for adoption.  Adoption should not be seen merely as a family wrapping around a hurting child, but as a community wrapping around a family wrapping around a child.  The best church adoption ministries never focus just on the process of getting a family to the point of adoption, but on the whole journey that will include many years of great joys and real challenges after the child has arrived.

The significance of motivations. Adoption should never be undertaken merely as a way to fill our own cavernous needs.  It’s always wise to avoid judging motives, but it does appear that the Tennessee mother was adopting in large part to fill an emptiness within her own life.  Of course, just as with marriages entered for such reasons, adoptions in which the child is primarily a means to personal fulfillment, comfort, or other self-focused reasons are bound for trouble. No other human being will ever fill the gaps in our own lives completely, especially those with profound needs of their own.  So, if we are not prepared to give much more than we receive—whether as parents or in marriage—we’re likely to “want out” before long.

There are real risks that this sad situation could derail other Russia-to-U.S. adoptions, and thus relegate thousands of adoptable orphans to life in institutions.  In light of this danger, our friends at JCICS have done a great job pulling together a concerted response to this situation.  They’re seeking to confront the serious wrong done to the 7-year-old Russian boy, while also working to send a clarion message to our friends in Russia that this situation does not reflect the reality the vast majority of adopted Russian children experience in the U.S.   If you have stories that can help them convey this message, I’d encourage you to join their “We are the Truth” initiative here.

We’ve often quoted from and mentioned Tapestry Adoption and Foster Care Ministry on this blog.  This volunteer-led ministry at Irving Bible Church is among the most mature and substantive church orphan ministries in the nation.  They’ve just hit their five-year anniversary, and I must confess I’m blown away by all God has done through Tapestry over that time.  They’ve made a profound difference for local families and the children those families have fostered and adopted.  At the same time, they’ve also provided a tremendous amount of invaluable guidance to church orphan ministries nationwide that are a few steps behind them.

This new post on the Tapestry blog provides both a chance to take stock of what’s transpired in five years, and also words of hard-earned wisdom for churches and individuals new to adoption, foster and global orphan ministry.

Read the recent profile of the Christian Orphan movement and the Alliance from One News Now…

The need is great, the call is clear

Presently, more than 130 million orphans are estimated to be in the world. “Scripture is very clear that if we desire to reflect God’s heart in the world, one of the key ways that works itself out is in loving service to orphans,” said Jedd Medefind, president of the Christian Alliance for Orphans. The Alliance is a cohort that “works to ignite and equip individuals and churches for effective, Christ-honoring service to orphans,” according to its Web site.

“What’s also tremendously significant is when Christians choose to love orphans, they are mirroring the love of our Heavenly Father who loved us when we were wayward and alone,” he added.

Orphans’ physical needs such as food, water and shelter can be met on a mass scale through governments and big organizations.
“But it takes loving individuals to meet the deeper needs of a child without [one or both] parents,” Medefind explained.

This is where the local church comes into play as the essential instrument for effective orphan care.  “The local church empowered to care for its community is God’s vision for meeting human need,” Medefind said.  Therefore, he concludes that local Christians rooted in the local community are usually the ones most capable of providing long-term care.

Specifically, American churches play a powerful role in carrying out this vision. Domestically, the alliance is seeking to equip American churches for all forms of orphan care, including local foster care, adoption ministry and global orphan care partnerships. As a result, American churches will then have the resources and expertise to come alongside indigenous churches and teach them how to care for orphans in their own communities.

For example, the alliance is a part of a combined initiative called HORT (Haiti Orphan Relief Team), which is working “to identify, train and resource Haitian churches to be the direct rescue and care mechanism for Haiti’s hundreds of thousands of orphans,” according to  http://haitiorphanreliefteam.blogspot.com.  As part of the effort, U.S. churches are being recruited by HORT to partner with Haitian churches to strengthen orphan care in their immediate communities.

However, Medefind says that both adoption and in-country care are vital parts of the solution to a growing need.   But as the need grows, Medefind said there is a single statistic that matters more than any other: “It only takes one caring individual to make a lifelong difference for an orphan.”

Yet, orphans aren’t the only ones changed through this type of ministry. Orphan care ministry is also transformative in the life of the church.

“I’ve come to realize that discipleship and caring for people in need are not separate goals, but both are deeply intertwined with a Gospel-centered life,” Medefind explained. “We shouldn’t see evangelism and discipleship in contrast to orphan ministry.
They are integrally related. … If we’re truly seeking to live as apprentices of Jesus, we’ll continually be focused on both the spiritual and physical needs of our neighbor, just as Jesus was.”

ENGAGE

▶ Talk to your church leaders about involving your church in the HORT initiative.
▶ Stay up to date with the latest trends and information in orphan care by signing up for the Alliance’s monthly newsletter at www.christian-alliance-for-orphans.org.
▶ Attend Summit VI – Establishing and growing church-centered orphan ministry is the focal point of Summit VI, to be held April 29-30 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The annual two-day conference is a growing effort of the Christian Alliance for Orphans. It is designed to inspire and equip Christians for effective orphan ministry, which encompasses adoption, foster care and global orphan care.

Attendees will hear from some of the national champions of orphan care including John Piper, Tom Davis, Al Mohler and Mary Beth and Steven Curtis Chapman, among others. There will also be more than 50 workshops providing the nuts and bolts for church-based orphan ministry.

Summit VI is open to anyone interested in defending the cause of the fatherless. The conference will offer practical knowledge and allow attendees to build relationships and partnerships while gaining an understanding of where God is leading the church in terms of orphan care.

For more information and to register, visit www.christian-alliance-for-
orphans.org/summit/. For questions, send an e-mail to info@christian
alliancefororphans.org or write to Christian Alliance for Orphans, 6723 Whittier Ave., McLean, Virginia 22101.