During their annual convention held this year in Louisville, Kentucky on June 23rd & 24th, the largest Protestant denominational group, the Southern Baptists, passed a resolution proposed by Dr. Russell Moore on adoption and orphan care. This is a landmark step for Christians worldwide and one step closer to recognizing the orphan crisis and providing much needed help to the orphans of the world. Below is a summary of the passed resolution.• An expressed commitment to seek mercy for orphans
• That all Southern Baptist families pray for guidance as to whether they are being called on to foster or adopt a child
• Encouraging Pastors and church leaders to preach and teach God’s concern for orphans
• Commending churches and ministries that equip families by providing financial and other resources to those who are called to adopt through grants, matching funds or loans
• Asking the International Mission Board and North American Mission Board to make the ministry to orphans around the world a priority and to seek out ways to energize Southern Baptists behind this mission
• November 8, 2009 to be recognized as Orphan Sunday, focusing this day on adoption through Christ and the common burden of orphans, and asking that Southern Baptists unite with other denominations in recognizing this day
• The hope that God is creating an adoption culture in churches and families and will point us in a gospel oneness that is defined by the Spirit unity and peace rather than racial, economic or cultural sameness.
• That Southern Baptist congregations will increasingly announce and picture in word and deed, that “Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world”
Praise should be given to Dr. Richard Moore and the Southern Baptist Convention for recognizing the orphan crisis and making strides to providing assistance to families and orphans worldwide. Remember if only one percent of the Christian population would address and adopt the orphan crisis, it would not exist.
Sonja Brown
Sonja Brown works as the International Program Director for MLJ Adoptionsā programs in Burkina Faso, Democratic Republic of Congo, Haiti and Samoa. Sonja is also proud to work directly with our Individualized Country Program families who are adopting from countries where no adoption service providers currently operate.