1.Share stories – testimonies about making a difference in the lives of kids from tough places shoud be normal and commonplace in our church. Use this as a chance to say, “Some people are called to foster these children in their home, and the rest of us are called to support. We can ALL do something.”
2. Communication – it should not just be a special event Sunday or back pack supply drive that reminds the church that caring for orphans is scripturally everyone’s job. There shoud be a regular place people can go to post or share needs and resources, and find out information about how they can help. It should be part of the regular communication of the church to look for ways to play a part. 1 Peter 4:7-11 says, “Everything in the world is about to be wrapped up, so take nothing for granted. Stay wide-awake in prayer. Most of all, love each other as if your life depended on it. Love makes up for practically anything. Be quick to give a meal to the hungry, a bed to the homeless—cheerfully. Be generous with the different things God gave you, passing them around so all get in on it: if words, let it be God’s words; if help, let it be God’s hearty help. That way, God’s bright presence will be evident in everything through Jesus, and he’ll get all the credit as the One mighty in everything—encores to the end of time. Oh, yes.” (MSG)
3. Take a meal – after the development of a ministry that regularly identifies and communicates with foster and adoptive families, we should know when they accept placements, or finalize adoptions, or send children back to a scary situation following a court hearing. We can support them through meals, a call, an offer to help with other children, or any other way we can take the load off. This could utilize existing women’s ministry or meal train channels, as well as other resources.
4. Develop a group of volunteers who are willing to become a team of babysitters for these families. Work with county agencies to get fingerprints/background checks/driver’s abstracts for this team on file so they can be called on to support whenever a need arises. My dear friend recently had to rush her biological son to the emergency room twice in two days….foster kids in the home certainly cannot go with her!
5. Create a culture of inclusive and encouraging talk in your church regarding foster/adoptive families (and ALL, for that matter!). Don’t point out the number of children, the size of their families, the burden of childcare or the constancy of need when discussing these families as leaders or parishioners. If not them, than who? Who will provide a family for those children in need? What Church will come together and support those families with study, prayer, resources, childcare, and blessing so they can continue to do the work God has called us all to do? God has some strong words to say to us about these children. “Don’t mistreat widows and orphans. If you do and they cry out to me, you can make sure I’ll take them most seriously.” Exodus 22:22a (MSG)
5. Celebrate adoptions the same as you would the birth of new baby into a family. When baby dedication time comes up, or immediately following adoption, offer to dedicate the new children of members of your church. They weren’t in the position to have the authority to dedicate someone else’s child as a foster, but after that hearing you better believe they want to dedicate those kids to Jesus. They need it more than any! The whole point of that dedication is put our arms around the new parents and their children and commit to helping them raise their children to love God. Don’t let age be a factor when it comes to dedicating children to God. Jesus told us in Matthew 19:14, “Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” (KJV)