What if our churches were teeming with orphans that were given up for adoption or were formerly entrenched in the foster care system? What kind of a picture of compassion would that send to an on looking world? What if the norm in our culture was for churches to be known for their orphan care? If we are really pro-life, why don’t we rescue more kids? If this were the norm for Christians would this not potentially prove to be a viable and winsome option for single pregnant women? I can’t shake the connection between being pro-life and adoption.
Yes we still needs to fight for legislation that will outlaw abortion (and I will do that), but along with that, as Christians we need to fight just as hard to be a gospel-centered witness of compassion and care for those who are voiceless and helpless inside the womb and outside of it.
Jason Kovac's
Abba Fund
for the entire article: http://abbafund.wordpress.com/2008/11/26/pro-life-and-adoption/#comments
Blessings,
Greg
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Monday, November 24, 2008
Traits of Successful Adoptive Families
When I asked Debi Grebenik, Ph.D, if she'd write an article for PPAC, she was gracious and let me know she already had some great stuff out there (she didn't tell me that, but it is great stuff). Instead of cutting each of the articles from the Focus on the Family website and reposting here, I'm simply going to past the link so you can read each of the four articles. Thanks,
http://www.focusonthefamily.com/parenting/adoptive_families/traits_of_successful_adoptive_families.aspx
About the Author:
Debi A. Grebenik, Ph.D., is the executive director of a foster care and adoption agency. She is a licensed clinical social worker, trained as a specialized attachment therapist. With this knowledge and experience base, she's built a private practice of adoptive parents experiencing challenges with their children.
Blessings from MSC Adoption Ministry and the Nowlins
http://www.focusonthefamily.com/parenting/adoptive_families/traits_of_successful_adoptive_families.aspx
About the Author:
Debi A. Grebenik, Ph.D., is the executive director of a foster care and adoption agency. She is a licensed clinical social worker, trained as a specialized attachment therapist. With this knowledge and experience base, she's built a private practice of adoptive parents experiencing challenges with their children.
Blessings from MSC Adoption Ministry and the Nowlins
Sunday, November 23, 2008
MSC Adoption Support Group
One of the traditions we have at MSC Adoption Support Group is an annual picnic in June. We've had two so far, and they have become a real highlight of our year. We present so much educational material during the year, that it is very valuable to just get together in a fellowship format. We also do an annual dessert potluck in December with all the children included.
Blessings from MSC and the Nowlins
Blessings from MSC and the Nowlins
Over 1,500 attend Wait No More event at New Life
So, what does the "Wait No More" event success mean for Colorado Springs? We at Mountain Springs Church (MSC) Adoption Ministry believe God is calling this city to step up to the plate to care for our domestic orphans in a way we haven't seen to date. MSC has been meeting together as an adoption support group for the past 18 months, and we see how many other churches in the area may now be in the situation we were in back in January of 2007. Following a Project 1.27 (http://www.project127.com/) kickoff event with over 150 people in attendance, 20+ MSC families came forward to start the adoption process. At the same time, a few families in the church were starting the adoption process with an orphanage in Haiti (http://www.forhisgloryoutreach.org/). The call on our body started to come into focus, but with the call and the plans being layed to bring children home, there was a big need for a support structure.
With this in mind, Melissa and Greg Nowlin felt compelled to ask the MSC staff if they could organize an adoption support group based on the secular group they had been a part of when they adopted a little boy through the foster care system in Montana. One of the pastors responsible for Family Life replied, "When do you want to start, and how big a room do you need?" The group started in April of 2007, and has supported (and supports) 20-30 families in various stages of their domestic or international adoptions. The Nowlins were very interested in building a support structure based on the love of Christ, so adoptive families would be supported in their physical and emotional struggles of adoption but more importantly through the spiritual difficulties adoptions can present. After all, through adoption, believers are taking back God's kids that the enemy has sought to steal, kill, and destroy. One of the most import things an adoption ministry can do is set up a prayer network to cover adoptive families.
November 22, 2008 marked a clear call for many other churches in the Pikes Peak area to answer the call of James 1.27. Pastor Brady Boyd stated this mandate so clearly in his remarks during the "Wait No More" event by saying, "If you're not sure what to do for God, keep yourself from being polluted by the world and find some widows and orphans to take care of until He tells you to do something else." The 1,500 people in attendance represent churches from many parts of the Colorado Springs area and beyond who will undoubtedly have a response to God's call laid out in James.
One of the ways the churches and adoption-related organizations in the Pikes Peak region can keep this passion alive and effective, is to learn from one another. The scripture teaches in Proverbs 27:17, As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. This principle would certainly be applicable to ministries sharing good ideas with each other. So here's the vision for the Pikes Peak Adoption Coalition:
First, build the list. Look for email communication to invite you as an adoption ministry leader (future leader) to be a part of the mailing list. The group will be patterned after several other adoption coalitions that meet quarterly to share successes, failures, and to collaborate on larger projects. Mountain Springs Adoption Ministries will host the first meeting sometime in Q1 of 2009 (details to come after we find out who is interested).
Why a blog? As we were thinking about how to show pastors or other families who are thinking about adoption what is going on in the Colorado Springs area, the ability to read adoption stories from here in the Colorado Springs makes sense. The vision of the PPAC blog would be to have other ministries tell their God stories concerning adoption so whoever needs to be encouraged by what is taking place here can simply come to read about it. It will also be helpful in communication meeting or event times.
We don't have any pride in ownership at MSC. We just know that God is on the move here in our city, and this is one of the ways we feel God is calling us to participate with our brothers and sisters in our community. Anything we've done can be used with your ministry if it makes sense. Please contact us if you'd like to discuss any adoption issues at: adopt@mountainsprings.org or visit our site at: www.mountainsprings.org/adopt. One final invite, is to drop by our monthly meeting to see what we do. MSC adoption support group meets every 2nd Friday from 6:30 - 8:30 at Mountain Springs Church in Colorado Springs. We have had couples from other churches attend in hopes to start a group at their church.
Blessings from MSC and the Nowlin household. We are so excited to see what God is going to do in the next few years in our beautiful Pikes Peak region by enabling us to care for widows and orphans in a dynamic and effective way!
Greg Nowlin
With this in mind, Melissa and Greg Nowlin felt compelled to ask the MSC staff if they could organize an adoption support group based on the secular group they had been a part of when they adopted a little boy through the foster care system in Montana. One of the pastors responsible for Family Life replied, "When do you want to start, and how big a room do you need?" The group started in April of 2007, and has supported (and supports) 20-30 families in various stages of their domestic or international adoptions. The Nowlins were very interested in building a support structure based on the love of Christ, so adoptive families would be supported in their physical and emotional struggles of adoption but more importantly through the spiritual difficulties adoptions can present. After all, through adoption, believers are taking back God's kids that the enemy has sought to steal, kill, and destroy. One of the most import things an adoption ministry can do is set up a prayer network to cover adoptive families.
November 22, 2008 marked a clear call for many other churches in the Pikes Peak area to answer the call of James 1.27. Pastor Brady Boyd stated this mandate so clearly in his remarks during the "Wait No More" event by saying, "If you're not sure what to do for God, keep yourself from being polluted by the world and find some widows and orphans to take care of until He tells you to do something else." The 1,500 people in attendance represent churches from many parts of the Colorado Springs area and beyond who will undoubtedly have a response to God's call laid out in James.
One of the ways the churches and adoption-related organizations in the Pikes Peak region can keep this passion alive and effective, is to learn from one another. The scripture teaches in Proverbs 27:17, As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. This principle would certainly be applicable to ministries sharing good ideas with each other. So here's the vision for the Pikes Peak Adoption Coalition:
First, build the list. Look for email communication to invite you as an adoption ministry leader (future leader) to be a part of the mailing list. The group will be patterned after several other adoption coalitions that meet quarterly to share successes, failures, and to collaborate on larger projects. Mountain Springs Adoption Ministries will host the first meeting sometime in Q1 of 2009 (details to come after we find out who is interested).
Why a blog? As we were thinking about how to show pastors or other families who are thinking about adoption what is going on in the Colorado Springs area, the ability to read adoption stories from here in the Colorado Springs makes sense. The vision of the PPAC blog would be to have other ministries tell their God stories concerning adoption so whoever needs to be encouraged by what is taking place here can simply come to read about it. It will also be helpful in communication meeting or event times.
We don't have any pride in ownership at MSC. We just know that God is on the move here in our city, and this is one of the ways we feel God is calling us to participate with our brothers and sisters in our community. Anything we've done can be used with your ministry if it makes sense. Please contact us if you'd like to discuss any adoption issues at: adopt@mountainsprings.org or visit our site at: www.mountainsprings.org/adopt. One final invite, is to drop by our monthly meeting to see what we do. MSC adoption support group meets every 2nd Friday from 6:30 - 8:30 at Mountain Springs Church in Colorado Springs. We have had couples from other churches attend in hopes to start a group at their church.
Blessings from MSC and the Nowlin household. We are so excited to see what God is going to do in the next few years in our beautiful Pikes Peak region by enabling us to care for widows and orphans in a dynamic and effective way!
Greg Nowlin
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