Several years ago, my wife and I found ourselves looking for a new church home right in the midst of grief: we had just been told that we would not be able to have biological children.

As newlyweds facing a reality far from the world's idyllic portrayal of new beginnings, the Lord revealed that our path to parenthood was not ours to dictate but rather an invitation to surrender our family's future to His will.

We found community at Houston’s First - Sienna, where our Bible study class quickly embraced us in our sadness and provided a place of rest, like Aaron and Hur in Exodus 17.

Since then, our church has equipped us, prayed for us, supported our adoption process financially, learned trauma-informed care practices, and continued to encourage us through each new season of our family life.

Your congregation has the opportunity to walk alongside families intentionally through similar seasons by considering an informed approach to their care.

Whether your church is a new plant or a deeply rooted institution, consider how the Lord is calling you to embrace and cultivate growth in the foster and adoptive families in your community.

1. Start by asking good questions.

Throughout Scripture, we see God’s heart towards the fatherless. James 1:27 tells us that pure religion cares for the most vulnerable among us. So, what does this look like for your church? Where do you start?

These questions, though potentially overwhelming, shouldn’t lead to inaction. What if you started by asking question like:

What resources do we already possess?
Who within our community is already involved?
How can we best serve them?

2. Create space for organic connection.

Years after being encouraged by our church community, I am now part of the team that serves adoptive and foster families in our church. At Houston’s First, we seek to connect, equip, and sustain families for the trajectory of their foster, adoptive, and kinship care journeys.

One way that we do this is by creating a space each month to offer vital encouragement and equipping for moms and, separately, dads. These groups have been an impactful opportunity to minister not only to the needs of families within our church but also to those from other congregations seeking this unique support.

3. Plant the seeds God has given you.

Our church also recently launched a center called The Oaks, which provides professional holistic care services to foster and adoptive families throughout Houston. We saw a need to bring multiple therapeutic services under one roof. Through the generosity of our church, we have been able to provide specialized care, adding a new layer of wraparound support to our church ministry.

We want to be the church that not only celebrates the coming home but also honors the journey ahead. Our church saw a need, and found that we had space in our orchard to plant a seed. In The Oaks, we are beginning to see the fruits of nurturing as we cultivate growth and healing through every season ahead.

As we spur one another on (Hebrews 10:24-25), consider seeking out those who are already doing this work and may feel isolated. This could be a family who adopted years ago or a family who is exploring an adoption or foster care journey.

Even more creatively, look for the aunt, the grandmother who has taken over the care of their young family members. Can you support them with a regular meal train, grocery drop-off, or intentional prayer support?

The answer may not be a new program but a sharpened image of how to best serve those who are already in your midst.

4. Care for families—biological, adoptive, and foster.

“We, too, were once far from our Father, and yet he welcomed us ”

Foster care is one tool our legal system has established to repair some of the brokenness around us. It provides an opportunity for a family facing serious challenges, whether due to sin or systemic issues, to work towards reunification and reconciliation.

While reunification is not always possible, the Church must maintain a steadfast hope for these families, approaching them with compassion and mercy.

What pathways could you offer for life restoration? Consider how that fits within the larger gospel narrative of moving toward the vulnerable.

Many fields, one harvest

After a big storm in Houston, we always share the work of clean up and restoration. Similarly, Christians in Houston form a collective body of believers who bear the burden of serving vulnerable families.

But we don’t have to do it alone. Ultimately, we are all on the same mission of making disciples and bringing the gospel to our communities. As we work together to care for the vulnerable, we can show them the gospel. We, too, were once far from our Father, and yet he welcomed us into His family. He made a plan for us, through His Son, to have a way to our Father (Romans 6:23).

Whether your church is a new plant, just breaking ground, or a deeply rooted institution, we hope you can prayerfully consider how the Lord is calling you to embrace and cultivate growth in the foster and adoptive families in your community.

Howard Solis and the Legacy 68:5 team serve the families of Houston’s First Baptist Church who have accepted God’s invitation to move towards the vulnerable.
Howard has been married to his wife, Hannah, for 8 years, and they have two sons. They attend Houston’s First - Sienna Campus in Missouri City, Texas.