The Disciple-Making Conference is North Carolina Baptists’ largest, single-day event held for ministry training and equipping church leadership. This year’s annual Baptist event saw a record number of registrants and attendees, with more than 1,250 pastors, staff, and lay leaders from across the state turning out. At the event, attendees chose from more than 40 breakout sessions offering practical discipleship training on a variety of topics. Of those breakouts, the Hispanic Pastor’s track was the highlight for more than 120 pastors and their staff.
During the Hispanic breakout, Pastor Luis Quintanar, Hispanic Foster Care Licenser for the Baptist Children’s Home (BCH), was given the opportunity to share about the new Hispanic EVERY CHILD ministry. BCH now provides resources and training in Spanish to North Carolina Baptist Hispanic congregations to address the foster care crisis in our state. Sadly, there are more than 10,000 children in the North Carolina foster care system. However, Baptists serve a Mighty God who has brought His church and His people, Spanish and English-speaking believers, together to address this issue through this innovative strategy.
After the breakout, Pastor Luis summarized his presentation by saying:
“The Foster Care system in North Carolina has many children who need a safe and stable home, and, most importantly, each child needs the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Our Hispanic friends recognize that there is a great need to be met. However, they also realize that not every family can foster or adopt a child. Nevertheless, every church can begin a ministry that focuses on foster families who have foster children. Every church can assist and support these families as they strive to disciple each foster child. I felt it was very fitting to be talking about this important topic at a disciple-making conference.”
Pastor Luis is the lead pastor of Mills Home Baptist Church in Thomasville and has served as a foster care trainer with BCH for more than two years. He was excited to describe the overwhelming response of those attending the breakout. He said at the end of his presentation:
“About 10 couples approached me and wanted to get more information about how they could partner with BCH and become a foster family. I was grateful to hear this from each and every one of them. However, I also encouraged them to take this information back to their local churches and share it with their congregations.
“BCH invites all of our churches, Hispanic and English-speaking, to engage this ministry and see how they can minister to foster children. The goal is to encourage and facilitate all kinds of foster care ministries across North Carolina. My prayer is that the Baptist Children’s Homes will become a liaison for our Hispanic churches to be able to lead their local body of believers into this ministry.”
Now that BCH is providing training and resources in the Spanish language, you may be asking:
¿Cómo puede usted asociarse con mi iglesia para ministrar a los niños vulnerables y apoyar a las familias que han abierto sus casas para ellos?
El Hogar Bautista para Niños de N.C. y la Convención Bautista Estatal creen que nuestras iglesias de Carolina del Norte son la respuesta para impactar un promedio de 10,000 niños que están en la custodia del sistema de cuidados de crianza [foster] del estado. TODO NIÑO, Ministerio de Crianza y Adopción viene a su iglesia para:
• Preparar y certificar a parejas en su iglesia a quienes Dios está llamando para criar o criar-para-adoptar. Las clases se darán en su localidad y en un horario conveniente para ustedes.
• Ayudar a su iglesia a establecer su propio ministerio para brindar apoyo y comunidad a los niños y a los padres de su congregación que quieren criar y adoptar.
• Brindar un continuo apoyo a su iglesia y a las familias. Si hay un problema o una crisis, nosotros podemos aconsejarles.
• Ofrecer capacitación acerca de traumas para ayudar a los niños y niñas que proceden de circunstancias traumáticas.
• Preparar y certificar mediante una perspectiva cristiana.
¿Cómo mi iglesia puede comenzar este ministerio? Considere invitarnos a su iglesia para explicarles el cuidado decrianza y el proceso de adopción, y para responder preguntas y comentar personalmente las necesidades. Es posible que en su congregación haya personas a quienes Dios ya esté llamando a este ministerio, pero tal vez no lo reconozcan hasta que se hable con ellos sobre esta necesidad.
Comuníquese con Dr. Mark Smith, Baptist Children’s Homes Foster & Adoption Church Liaison [enlace para iglesias del Hogar Bautista para Niños y del Programa de Adopción], al 828-450-9136 o mesmith@bchfamily.org -- www.every-child.org/espanol
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With 10,000+ children in the North Carolina foster care system, and more being removed from their homes daily, EVERY CHILD’s mission is to equip couples in our congregations and churches to provide homes, support, and ministry through fostering and adoption. Every child deserves a home—wants a family and needs
hope. These children need the church, especially Spanish speaking churches.
Are you interested in becoming part of the solution? If so, contact Dr. Mark Smith at 828-450-9136 or mesmith@bchfamily.org. Learn more at www.every-child.org
Written by Dr. Mark E. Smith, BCH Foster & Adoption Church Liason