The “Chosen” conference held at Prestonwood Baptist Church aimed to empower Christians to address the foster care crisis in the United States. Rev. Jeremiah Johnston emphasized the importance of raising awareness about foster care, highlighting the need to support foster parents and celebrate their efforts in caring for children. He believes that churches can play a significant role in solving the foster care crisis, with 400,000 children in foster care and 100,000 available for adoption. Johnston hopes to inspire a movement within the church to focus on solutions and take action to care for those in need.
The conference provided pastors with resources and tools to establish adoption or foster care ministries in their churches. Johnston acknowledged that there is a lack of awareness about fostering and adoption in many church communities and hopes to change this by encouraging churches to take action. He emphasized that every church has the capability to do something to support foster children and should not feel overwhelmed by the problem. The goal is to shift the narrative and showcase Christians as caring individuals who are committed to helping children in need.
Johnston expressed the need to push back against the misconception that Christians only care about babies until they are born. He believes that the church should lead the way in addressing social issues, including the foster care crisis, and be a force for good on Earth. The focus should be on taking care of children, regardless of the challenges that may arise. By standing firm in their commitment and dedication to this cause, Christians can make a significant impact on the lives of foster children and contribute to a positive change in society.
The ultimate goal of the conference was to equip attendees with the tools and resources needed to establish foster care ministries in their churches and support foster parents in their communities. Johnston emphasized the importance of celebrating foster parents and providing them with the encouragement and support they need to navigate the challenges of foster care. By mobilizing churches around this issue, the hope is to create a network of support and care for the many children in foster care in the United States. Through awareness, action, and collaboration, the foster care crisis can be effectively addressed by the church community.
Overall, the “Chosen” conference sought to inspire and empower Christians to take action and make a difference in the lives of foster children. By providing pastors with the tools and resources needed to establish foster care ministries, the conference aimed to create a movement within the church community focused on solutions rather than just talking about the problem. Johnston emphasized the need for churches to be active participants in caring for foster children and highlighted the significant impact that a united effort within the church could have on addressing the foster care crisis in the United States.
