Partner with Parents

When it comes to supporting foster and adoptive families, the Church (big C and little c) is in such a wonderful position to be able to provide wrap-around care. And this doesn’t just stand to be true for families who attend churches or who are followers of Jesus. This is true for every foster/adoptive family because they all need a little extra help loving and raising kids from hard places.

As new families connect with your church, you want to make sure you are finding out the right information from them. We’ve compiled some of the forms and policies you may need to make sure you have the info you need to know, as well as help families understand a little more about your church.

How the church comes together to respond to the racism issue in our world is so important. A generation is watching. And every generation takes a cue from the generation that came before it. If we hope to demonstrate the Gospel to this generation then we are required to “love our neighbors” in a radical […]

Every generation takes a cue from the generation that came before it. The hard truth about racism in any generation is that it doesn’t just happen by accident. It is . . . a reflection a response a reaction to what the adults around them did or didn’t do. The Church is called to be a compass for every generation.

It’s no secret that parenting is an emotional rollercoaster. One moment you’re beaming with pride over a job well done and the next you’re asking yourself how your darling angel turned into such a hooligan. For all the ups and downs of being a parent, families with special needs deal with all that and more. That’s why it’s important as ministry leaders that we find creative ways to make special needs families feel at home in our ministries. Today on The Pod, we’re joined by four leaders who have made it their mission to serve in a special needs context. They share the heart behind special needs ministry, tips and tricks for getting the resources you need, and a plan for recruiting and keeping the right volunteers. Whether you’re a leader looking to start or improve the special needs ministry in your church or a volunteer looking for ways to lean in, we know you’re going to get a lot out of this episode.

The new year is a popular time for saying “yes.” “Yes” to more family time. “Yes” to exercise. “Yes” to getting plenty of rest. But what if this year, you could accomplish all these things and more because of a decision to say “no” instead? Today on The Pod, Frank Bealer and EJ Swanson join us to talk about the practice of slowing down. As two ministry leaders fluent in large-church ministry and high-level responsibility, Frank and EJ are pros at being efficient with their time while still leaning into relationships. They share how we can all slow down and manage our days in a way that won’t drive us—or our families—to the breaking point.

If you want to reach the heart of a kid, then you have to reach the heart of his or her parents. And the number one way to do that? Care about their marriage. Today on The Pod, we talk about how to incorporate a marriage ministry into your church that’s not only effective, but doesn’t require a fleet of staff to pull it off. First we hear from Ted Lowe, who shares some approaches to marriage ministry that fall short, as well as some mindset shifts that must happen in order for leaders to be proactive and strategic in their support of the married couples in their community. Then we join guest hosts Sarah Bragg and Holly Crawshaw as they interview Todd Graham on practical ways to engage your entire family ministry in being cheerleaders and resources for married people everywhere.

Today on The Pod, we hear from two educational experts who are passionate about educating ministry leaders and families on ways schools and churches can intersect. First we hear from Nicole Baker Fulgham, whose organization The Expectations Project, is on a mission to end education inequality. Then we hear from Leslie Bolser who provides practical steps—and some cautions—for churches looking to serve local schools. Welcome to Episode 73 of The Think Orange Podcast.