Bethany Baptist ChurchFoster and Adoption Ministry“Open Hearts, Open Homes”

Presentation Outline

Ministry Goal Biblical Mandates Opportunities for Believers at Bethany Opportunities for Bethany as a Church Current Status and Next Steps

Ministry Goal

Equip families to reach foster children and orphans through the ministry of the Home, with the guidance, support and prayer of the church body—to the glory of God!

Biblical Mandates God’s Care for Orphans

Deut 10:18a – He executes justice for the orphan and the widow.

Psalm 10:14b – The unfortunate commits himself to Thee; Thou hast been the helper of the orphan.

Psalm 68:5 – A father of the fatherless and a judge for the widows, Is God in His holy habitation.

Hosea 14:3 – For in Thee the orphan finds mercy.”

Biblical Mandates God’s People Care for Orphans

Isaiah 1:17 – Learn to do good; Seek justice, Reprove the ruthless; Defend the orphan, Plead for the widow.

James 1:27 – Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

Biblical Mandates Orphans and Evangelism

Deut 6:6-9 – And these words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart; and you shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. And you shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. And you shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

Biblical Mandates Orphans and Evangelism

Matthew 28:19-20 – Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.“

Revelation 5:9 – And they sang a new song, saying, "Worthy art Thou to take the book, and to break its seals; for Thou wast slain, and didst purchase for God with Thy blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.”

Opportunities for Believers at Bethany1. Adopting Children

2. Fostering Children

3. Mentoring Families who Foster and Adopt

4. Prayer Commitment

5. Financial Support

6. Babysitting

7. Administration

1. Adoption - Domestic Sharing the love of Christ with a child by making him or

her a permanent member of a family Agency Adoption - Children matched with parents via

Agencies (DCFS, Catholic or Lutheran Social Services) Numerous eligible children in the Central Illinois area Through DCFS, little to no cost & partial expense subsidization

through age 18 (medical card & WIC) Private Adoption – Children matched with parents via Doctors,

Lawyers, Crisis Pregnancy Center, word of mouth, etc. A consenting birth mother matched with an eligible family

1. Adoption - Foreign Sharing the love of Christ with a child from another

country by making him or her a permanent member of a family Number of Orphans worldwide is over one hundred million Common countries for adopting include China, Russia,

Ukraine, Vietnam, India, and Guatemala (to name a few) Children matched with parents via agencies Agency has staff in both the US and in target country FamilyLife has recommended agencies

2. Foster Care Sharing the love of Christ with children by bringing

them into the family on a short or long term basis Short term foster opportunities exist for families to

offer respite to long term families Eligible children range from newborn to age 18 Through DCFS, families must:

Complete a home study Complete classes

There is a constant waiting list of children Families can decide to foster a “placement” child

based on gender, race, age, disability, likelihood of adoption, and any other available information

3. Mentoring A Mentor serves to guide a new family through the

Adoption and Foster process from the very first step Many families within Bethany have experienced

Adopting and/or Fostering and can offer prayers, advice, answers, encouragement and guidance to new families.

Adopting and Fostering can be emotionally and mentally overwhelming The adoption experience can bring long waiting periods,

last minute back-outs by biological Mother, private questions, numerous questions, etc.

The foster experience can include frustrations with agencies, emotionally scared children, separation anxiety for both the children and foster parents when children are relocated, etc.

4. Prayer Commitment The faithful prayers of believers at Bethany

will be essential for this ministry Prayer needs include:

Families both considering and in the process of adopting and fostering

Children who will be impacted by this ministry Orphanages around the world who sustain

children while they wait for adoption

5. Financial Support Believers at Bethany have the opportunity to

give to help meet the financial needs associated with adoption

Adoption expenses range from $10,000 to $30,000

Opportunities may exist for: Giving to specific families who are trying to adopt Giving towards an adoption fund Giving to the general fund

6. Baby-sitting Providing relief to foster parents by

babysitting Increasing the family size can stand as a

significant barrier Other families, individuals, or even a team

could organize to baby-sit for families who are fostering children on a monthly or quarterly basis Could utilize church facilities to accommodate

numerous families

7. Administration The assistance of several individuals will be needed

to organize, plan, and communicate for this ministry Opportunities include:

Communication to the Church and those involved Planning and running events

Informational Meetings Bible Study

Answering questions Leadership responsibilities for specific areas

Domestic Adoption Foreign Adoption Foster Care

Opportunities for Bethany as a Church1. Facilities

2. Communications

3. Financial Support

Facilities To help with the ministry, Bethany could offer

facilities for: Informational Luncheons several times a year Meeting place for a Bible study Baby-sitting team once a month or quarterly for

participating families Provide a meeting place for DCFS training

classes Meetings for general administration purposes

Communications Individuals leading this ministry will need to

communicate to the general congregation and to those involved

Bethany could facilitate the communication of this ministry to the church body through: Announcements in the bulletin The pulpit Adult Bible Communities Website The Broadcaster

Financial Support As families face significant expenses with adoption, Bethany has

the opportunity to help by creating a specific adoption fund and assisting from the general fund

Expenses can range in cost from $10,000 to $30,000; varying significantly based on country, agency and foreign vs. domestic

Most significant expenses consist of: Agency/Program fees: $2,000 - $28,000 Orphanage fees or donations: $1,000 - $5,000 Travel – airfare & accommodations: $500 - $10,000 Attorney fees: $500 – $9,500 Birthmother expenses: $0 - $5,000 Home study fees: $500 - $3,000 Document fees: $35 - $2,400 Misc: $500 – $5,000

Screening, fees in foreign country, physicals, dossier translation & preparation, USCIS fees, etc.

Current Financial Assistance Available Employer Grants

State Farm - $5,000 per adoption (Caterpillar - ?) Life International Matching Grants ($1,000 - $5,000)

Needs Based at the discretion of LI Funds from Bethany (church & individuals) given to LI for

Bethany grant purposes + Funds raised by the family (through support letters for example)

Adoption Tax Credit ($10,000 per adoption) Remaining credit can fall to next year for up to 5 years Does not help with up-front investment

Funding opportunities for Bethany Connect a giver with a specific adoption effort Adoption Fund – Fixed amount per adoption and/or

variable amount based on needs General Fund – Discretionary assistance from the

general fund would be available for families who still fall short on necessary funds

Support Letters – similar in concept to support letters for missions trips

Consider starting a Fund at Life International for their matching grant program Grant amount is needs based at the discretion of LI

Funding opportunities (cont.) Funds provided by Bethany should have

specific criteria established by leadership Criteria examples: Married for at least a year, Members

of Bethany, Completed the Bible Study, Personal financial status review (see application for LI for net worth determination example)

$10,000 Tax credit is prior to Adopting An Interest-free loan could be est. with the intent

that tax credit is used to repay (LI provides a program like this)

Current Status and Next Steps Next Steps:

1. Continued direction from leadership

2. Organization of ministry participants into functional areas (Domestic and Foreign Adoption, Foster Care)

3. Plan Bible Study and Informational Meetings

4. Finalize scope of the ministry at Bethany and begin communicating

AfterDuring

“Open Hearts, Open Homes”

How is the Lord

leading you to serve?

AssistFoster Care Adopt

Foster or Foster to Adopt?

What Stages?

Foreign or Domestic

?

Before

Prayer Teams/ Partners

Foster Foreign Domestic

Prayer Teams/ Partners

Prayer Teams/ Partners

Donations

What Agency?

Agency Application

Home Study

BCIS

Home Study

Dossier Documents

Documents

Visa/Travel Selected by Agency

or Birth Parent(s)US

Adoption Process

Initiate Legal

Adoption

Finalize Home Study

Finalize Home Study

Adoption Final

Adoption Final

Foster to Adopt

Group Bible Study

Group Bible Study

Group Bible Study

Group Bible Study

Mentor Assigned

Mentor Assigned

Attend Support Group

Attend Support Group

Attend Support Group

Attend Support Group

What Agency?

Bethany Application

Bethany Application

Bethany Application

Bethany Application

What Agency?

What Agency?

Agency Application

Mentor Assigned

Mentor Assigned

Babysitter

Financial Support

Mentor

Liason

Babysitter

Financial Support

Mentor Mentor

Liason

Baby Shower

Baby Shower

Cmnication Cmnication Cmnication

Liason

Foster Classes

Foster Classes

Licensure Licensure

Resource Inventory

Resource Inventory