God put me in the world of social work my second year out of college. I had no experience with the state foster care and adoption system but needed a job and thought working with kids would be fun. Foster care and adoption became my passion.It has been my opinion for a long time now that Christians need to move beyond paying lip service to the pro-life position and make caring for orphans (and foster children) a practical outworking of the gospel within our churches. When I heard about this book, I knew I had to read it. It arrived today and I have been "amening" over and over again. Aaron is getting sick of me reading quotes out loud to him. This book goes in depth about how our theology of the gospel must bring an adoption mindset.
The gospel of Jesus Christ means our families and churches ought to be at the forefront of the adoption of orphans close to home and around the world. As we become more attuned to the gospel, we'll have more of a burden for orphans. As be become more adoption friendly, we'll be better able to understand the gospel. ... In this book I want to call us all to consider how encouraging adoption - whether we adopt or whether we help others adopt - can help us peer into the ancient mystery of our faith in Christ and can help us restore the fracturing unity and the atrophied mission of our congregations.
It is one thing when the culture doesn't "get" adoption. What else could one expect when all of life is seen as the quest of "selfish genes" for survival? It is one thing when the culture doesn't "get" adoption and so speaks of buying a cat as "adopting" a pet. But when those who follow Christ think the same way, we betray that we miss something crucial about our own salvation.
I am only half way through but I know that I already recommend this book. If you already have a heart for adoption you will be encouraged. If you have considered adoption but think of it as a "second best alternative" to having biological children you may find your heart changed. If you know that adoption is not something you can do at this time in your life you may be spurred to find ways to help others who are adopting. It can only build your faith to delve deeply into your personal adoption as God's child!
1 comment:
okay, anecdote here... we had a bible study recently where we were studying james and that the gospel is taking care of the poor and needy and widows and orphans. one of the guys in our study said that our church does a great job in that area already because we have family like the mcdonalds (that's us!) (oh yeah, you read that right... our church is apparently absolved from caring for the orphans because we attend there with our adopted kids!!!!) now that i have left two self-righteous comments on your blog in one day, i think i will check this book out - sounds great.
and how is it going with your own "family planning?" do you think you guys will be able to adopt anytime soon?
Post a Comment