9. Encourage the church family to give financially to adoptive couples. Giving financially to adoptive parents is one of the most—if not the most—significant things you can do. As potential couples take the giant step of faith in the adoption process, one of the biggest concerns will be "how are we going to pay for this"? A monetary gift along with a note of encouragement can greatly encourage the couple by affirming their decision to pursue adoption.
10. Create a standing church fund for adoptions costs. Church members can contribute to this special fund that adoptive families can utilize (either an interest-free loan or one-time gifts to these couples). Churches can also take up a special Deacons' Fund offering.
The church should be very cautious to spend it's monetary resources first and foremost on those things we are explicitly called to do before we spend on stuff we are not called to do.
6 comments:
Arthur,
Bless you for this post. My observation is that in American Christianity there is the idea that adoption is a means to have children rather than to fulfill our obligation to minister to the orphan. Adoption is sadly looked at as Plan C or Plan B, rather than Plan A. Plan A: have biological children. Plan B: use infertility drugs. Plan C: adopt.
It is also passively assumed that giving a few bucks before Dec. 31 to a third world orphanage to gain a tax deduction can be considered part of one's tithe, yet all the day-to-day expenses over several decades of raising an adopted orphan can be considered simply as normal child rearing part of life.
I'm all for what you say here.
Steve,
That is a great point, in fact that is a blog post all its own. Adoption is more than Plan C, it is a Gospel imperative. It is not something to fulfill our desires for children, it is to provide mercy to the helpless.
Great, great thoughts.
Adoption certainly should be done more often, but the monetary pricetag makes me ill!
Close to a years wages for us!
Some may scoff at the route we are taking, but foster adopt is the only feasable route for us.
We have a big house and empty arms.
Its all very conflicting.....
If you haven't already read it (and even if you have), I highly, highly recommend "Adopted For Life" by Russel Moore. I know you don't agree with everything he stands for (and for the record, neither do I), but it is one of the only non-biblical books I've ever read that I can honestly call life-changing. Maybe it hasn't changed my circumstances (yet?) but it changed the way I look at both adoption, and the gospel. As someone who has not been able to have children yet desperately desires to do so, adoption had been my plan B for some time. We were never interested in the fertility treatments, but adoption was always about us--about us getting a child, about us being parents. And it is about that. If/when we are able to adopt, that child will be a blessing to us just as much, if not more, than we are to him. But recognizing a)what a responsibility we have as Christians in this area, and b)what an awesome picture adoption is of the gospel, was mind-blowing. I really think you would enjoy the book, Arthur.
Paula,
You are right, it is crazy how expensive adoption is. We would adopt kids as well but we have our hands full right now financially. I can't see how we could afford it.
April,
I keep meaning to get Russ Moore's book. I actually got the link to this article from him on facebook. I think as it applies to adoption, he is a lone voice in many ways among the leaders of evangelicalism where it comes to adoption. I should put his book in the amazon queue. In fact I just did!
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