Copyright © 2020 Marshall Smith Henderson All Rights Reserved. the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary Has Permission to Re
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Copyright © 2020 Marshall Smith Henderson All rights reserved. The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary has permission to reproduce and disseminate this document in any form by any means for purposes chosen by the Seminary, including, without limitation, preservation or instruction. LEADING FAMILIES OF FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH IN FORT PAYNE, ALABAMA, TO PARTICIPATE IN ORPHAN CARE THROUGH FOSTER CARE AND ADOPTION __________________ A Project Presented to the Faculty of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary __________________ In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Ministry __________________ by Marshall Smith Henderson May 2020 APPROVAL SHEET LEADING FAMILIES OF FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH IN FORT PAYNE, ALABAMA, TO PARTICIPATE IN ORPHAN CARE THROUGH FOSTER CARE AND ADOPTION Marshall Smith Henderson Read and Approved by: __________________________________________ Anthony W. Foster (Faculty Supervisor) __________________________________________ Danny R. Bowen Date______________________________ I dedicate this project to my wife, Jill-Curry, whom I describe as the “heart” of our family. Her love for Jesus and for children has helped open my eyes to God’s heart for the fatherless. In many ways, this project has been ten years in the making as our marriage has been a tool by which God has been shaping my heart and my leadership in the church. In our time together, we have welcomed four wonderful sons into the world by birth, one precious son through adoption, and five other incredible, resilient children through foster care. Still, God reminds us that our home has room to welcome more. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF TABLE AND FIGURES…………………………………………………… viii PREFACE…………………………...……………………………………………………ix Chapter 1. INTRODUCTION….….….….………………………………………….………. 1 Context….….….….….….….………………………………………….……... 2 Rationale…………….….….….….….….……………………………………. 4 Purpose……….….….….….….….………………………………………….…6 Goals…….….….….….….….……………………………………………...….6 Research Methodology………….….….….….….….………………………....7 Definitions and Limitations/Delimitations………………………..............…..10 Conclusion………………….….….….….….….…………………………….12 2. THE BIBLICAL AND THEOLOGICAL BASIS FOR ORPHAN CARE AND CHILD PLACEMENT MINISTRIES………….….….….……………….13 Romans 8:12-17.….….….….….….….….…………………………………...13 The God Who Adopts……….….….….….….….….….….….…......….….…14 The Spirit of Adoption……….….….….….….….…..………..….….….…....19 Sons and Daughters of God….….….….….….….….….….….……....…….. 21 James 1:27……….….….….….….….……………………………………..…23 True Religion and Orphans….….….….….….….….….….….….….…......…23 Father to the Fatherless…………………….….….….…..............….………..25 The Test of Wealth…….….….….….….….….….….….…......……………..27 iv Chapter Page Matthew 25:31-46…….….….….….….….…………………………………..28 The Least of These…….….….….….….….…..…...….….….….….….….….30 Deeds of the Righteous….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….……..32 Matthew 28:16-20…….….….….….….….…………………………………..33 The Great Commission….….…..….….….….….….….….….….….….…….34 Orphan Care and the Great Commission…….….………………….….……..35 Conclusion………….….….….….….….…………………………………….37 3. THEORETICAL AND PRACTICAL ISSUES RELATED TO ORPHAN CARE……………………….….….….…………………………...…38 Christians Are Responsible for Orphan Care….….….….….….….………….38 From Orphans to Children….….….….….….….….….….….….….….…..…39 The Church’s Response to the Orphan…….….….….….……......…....……..42 The Church’s Unique Character….….….….…..…………….….….….….…44 Orphan Care: Spectrum of Care….….….…..…..…..……..………………….47 Who Is an Orphan?...........................................................................................47 Is a Spectrum Necessary?................................................................................ 50 What Is Orphan Care?...................................................................................... 53 The Role of Church Leaders….….….….….….….……………….……….....58 Teach God’s Word……….….….….….….….….…..………...….….……….59 Demonstrate by Example…….….….….….….….….….….…....….……...…62 Implement an Organized Plan……….….….….….…..……….......….………64 Conclusion…………….….….….….….….….….….….….….……………...67 4. THE ORPHAN CARE MINISTRY PROJECT…………………………………69 Development and Evaluation of the Teaching Sessions (Weeks 1-9)....…......69 Pre-Testing (Weeks 4-5)………….….….….….….….………………………70 Teaching Sessions (Weeks 6-10) ….….….….….….….……………………..71 v Chapter Page Session 1….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….…...71 Session 2......….….….….….….….….….…...….….….….….….….….….…72 Session 3….….….….….….….….……………...….….….….….….….…….73 Session 4…………….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….…......…..74 Session 5……….….….….….….….….…..………..….….….….….…….….74 Post-Testing (Weeks 11-12)…….….….….….….….….……………………..76 Interviews (Weeks 13-15) .….….….….….….…….…………………………76 Ministry Plan and Next Steps (Weeks 13-30).….….….….….….……………76 Development and Evaluation of the Ministry Plan….….….….…...............…76 Next Steps..………….….….….….…..…………….….….….………………77 Conclusion…….….….….….….….………………………………………….80 5. EVALUATION OF THE PROJECT…….….….…………………………….…82 Evaluation of the Project’s Purpose….….….….….…..…………………..….82 Evaluation of the Project’s Goal…….….….….….….….……………………83 Assess Understanding….….….….….….……….….….….….….….….….…83 Develop Teaching Series….….….….….….….…………….….….….……...85 Equip the Church...…….….….….….….….….…..……….….….….….…... 86 Develop Ministry Plan….….….….….….….………..….….….….….….…. 90 Strengths of the Project….….….….….….….………………………………. 92 Weaknesses and Improvements of the Project….….….….….…..………….. 94 Theological Reflections….….….….….….….……………………………… 96 Personal Reflections…….….….….….….…………………………………. 97 Conclusion…………………………….….….….….….….………………… 98 Appendix 1. ORPHAN CARE ASSESSMENT (OCA) ………………....…………………...99 2. TEACHING SERIES EVALUATION RUBRIC….……….………………….104 vi Appendix Page 3. POST-SURVEY INTERVIEW QUESTIONS……….….….….….…………..105 4. MINISTRY PLAN EVALUATION RUBRIC….….….….…………………..108 5. MINISTRY PLAN……………….….….….………………………………….109 6. W.R.A.P. SUPPORT MINISTRY……..….….………………………………..118 7. W.R.A.P. SUPPORT MINISTRY CARD…….….….….……………………..119 8. W.R.A.P. QUESTIONNAIRES FOR FOSTER FAMILIES….….….………..121 9.T-TEST RESULTS……….….….…………………………..…………………124 10. OUTLINE OF TEACHING SESSIONS.……..................................................126 BIBLIOGRAPHY……………………………………………………………………....131 vii LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES Table Page 1. Pre-OCA average scores per question……….….….…..….….………………. 84 2. Summative scores for each evaluator……....................................................…..86 3. Pre- and post-OCA results…….….……………….….….….….….….………..87 4. OCA results comparison …………………………...……………………...…...90 5. Scores for each evaluator ….….…….….………........…….....….........…..........91 A.1. Summary of post-survey interview questions…......…...................................106 A.2. Pre- and post-OCA results ….…………………….….….……………….….124 Figure A.1. T-test paired two sample for means .….……….….….….…..………………125 viii PREFACE This is project is rooted in the prologue to the Gospel of John: “He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God” (John 1:11-13) Many years ago, Jesus brought me in and made me a part of God’s family. I have had the privilege of preaching the Word of God over the years and inviting others into the family. First Baptist Church of Cleveland, Mississippi, has been a constant source of love for my family and their prayerful support all my ministry endeavors. I am grateful to First Baptist Church of Fort Payne, Alabama, where I currently serve. Continually, the church family shows its love for me and my family. The church has also responded to the needs of orphans in our community, and its compassionate ministry overwhelms me. I am grateful for my friend and former pastor, Nathan Vanhorn. He has been committed to sharpening me as a brother for many years and was the person who first suggested that I pursue a DMin. I would also like to thank my supervisor, Dr. Anthony Foster, for commiting to supervise this project, for guiding me through the process and for being just as passionate about the project as I have been. His encouragement and insight have been invaluable. I am grateful for my late grandparents, Nathan and Audis Lee Goss, who adopted my mother. They were the “real-life” picture of gospel adoption—of immeasurable love for and welcome of a child into their family. I am most thankful of all for my wife, Jill-Curry, and our five sons. Our sons are still puzzled somewhat by what we mean when “Daddy has school work,” but they are supportive all the same. My wife is my best friend and the “heart” of our family. Her ix sacrificial love keeps our family going and has made all the difference in the gospel ministry we do. Marshall Henderson Fort Payne, Alabama May 2020 x CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION The vision and mission statement of First Baptist Church of Fort Payne, Alabama (FBCFP) identifies knowing Christ, growing in Christ, going for Christ, and showing Christ as four commitments by which First Baptist Church will participate in the mission of Jesus. The church is to show Christ by ministering to the needs of people in the church as well as those in the community. Jesus identified His followers as those who see and respond to needs. The responsive ministry of His followers unto the “least of these” is like ministry done for Jesus, Himself (Matt 25:31-46). Furthermore, the Bible gives specific mandates to the church for