A recent conference held at Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, Texas, aimed to address the foster care crisis in the United States. The “Chosen” conference focused on empowering Christians and their congregations to establish foster care ministries at their churches and become effective foster parents. The event welcomed about 2,000 attendees, with several hundred more streaming online. The pastor of apologetics at Prestonwood Baptist Church, Rev. Jeremiah Johnston, emphasized the need to raise awareness about foster care and the importance of caring for all children, rejecting the idea of any child being unwanted. The conference sought to encourage, resource, and celebrate foster parents who face challenges in caring for children in the system.
Rev. Johnston believes that churches in the United States have the potential to solve the foster care crisis if they mobilize effectively. There are currently 400,000 children in foster care in the United States, with 100,000 available for adoption and 20,000 aging out annually. Johnston highlighted the role of religious congregations in addressing this issue, with over 350,000 churches in the country. The Chosen conference aimed to remove hurdles associated with establishing adoption or foster care ministries, providing pastors with the necessary tools to start such initiatives in their local church communities. Johnston emphasized the importance of building awareness and taking action rather than just talking about the problem.
Despite misconceptions that Christians only care about babies until they are born, Johnston is adamant that the church can be a force for good in addressing the foster care crisis. He hopes to lead a new movement within the church community to prioritize caring for vulnerable children. Johnston stressed that every church can play a role in fostering or adopting children, and no church should feel obligated to do everything alone. He believes that focusing on solutions rather than dwelling on the challenges is key to making a positive impact on the foster care system.
The goal of the Chosen conference was to equip pastors and church members with the resources and support needed to establish foster care ministries within their congregations. Johnston emphasized the need to support and celebrate foster parents who face emotional challenges and uncertainties in their role. By providing pastors with a ready-made “ministry in a box,” the conference aimed to streamline the process of establishing adoption and foster care ministries. Johnston expressed his belief that fostering and adoption should be at the forefront of church initiatives and emphasized the importance of supporting and protecting vulnerable children.
In conclusion, the Chosen conference held at Prestonwood Baptist Church sought to mobilize Christians to address the foster care crisis in the United States by empowering them to establish foster care ministries and become foster parents. Rev. Jeremiah Johnston emphasized the need for churches to raise awareness about foster care and provide support for foster parents facing challenges in caring for children in the system. By equipping pastors with the tools and resources needed to start adoption and foster care ministries, the conference aimed to encourage churches to take action and become part of the solution to the crisis. Johnston hopes to lead a new movement within the church community to prioritize caring for vulnerable children and make a positive impact on the foster care system.
