Together For Adoption - Message Summaries and Interviews

• Session One – Adoption: Outsiders Made Insiders, Dan Cruver
• Session Two – The Freedoms of Adoption, Scotty Smith
• Session Three – Adoption and the Pursuit of Racial Reconciliation, Scott Roley
• Session Four – The Gospel, Social Justice, and the Missional Church, Ed Stetzer
• Session Five – Orphan Care and Jesus, the Great Servant of the Poor, Michael Easley
• Session Six – Adoption and the Renewal of Creation, Russell Moore

Some highlights:

Session one with Dan Cruver: When we look to the gospel, we will have true religion. The Gospel is the power of God to bridle the tongue, because it speaks good news to us. The Gospel is the power of God to visit orphans and widows. The Gospel is the power of God to free us from performance based religion that equates to being stained by the world.

Session Two with Scotty Smith: “With Romans 8:18-25 in mind, Scotty reminded us that one day God is going to finish his story. One day orphans will be orphans no more. We won’t even need the word “orphan” anymore. Now we get to work with God in his mission. This is not a burden, but a blessing to be entered into. Jesus’ work for us signs us on for a new job. Not to earn anything, but to be blessed to share in the work of making things right again.”

Session Three with Scott Roley: “There is no bias in the adoptive work of Christ. Scott reminded us that we are one body in many different tribes. We can reflect the adoptive work of Christ (who is no respecter of race when he adopts lost and forgotten people into his family) when we adopt. He adopts from ALL tribes, tongues, and nations. He is creating a new family. There is one unity in this family and his new family in the New Heavens and New Earth will be gloriously diverse. We are pursuing and following our leader in doing this work now. We are acting out the prayer, “Let your Kingdom come, let your will be done” when we pursue transracial adoption.”

Session Four with Ed Stetzer: “It is interesting to note that Paul is far less vocal about social justice than Jesus was. There is a perceived tension here and historically churches have not resolved this very well. The solution is not in the dichotomy but in the robust engagement in both proclamation AND pursuit of societal transformation.”

Session Five with Michael Easley: Michael “ended his message by challenging those of us to quit talking about the financial obstacles as if God will not provide. If God cares for the weak as much as he says he does in his word, then would it not follow that he will provide for those who want to be his hand and feet in caring for these weak ones? He will provide the path and resources.”

Session Seven with Russell Moore: “If the orphan care movement is going to be successful, it cannot be a movement. It has to bubble up out of real churches. It’s can’t be a special interest group competing with other groups. If it becomes a group movement like Homeschoolers, then it is not calling us to what the doctrine of adoption is about in the first place. We are not adopted because of what we have done based on deeds, how cool we are for adopting, or for what we have accomplished. We cannot get prideful and frustrated by those who don’t ‘get it’ or share our vision of adoption care but rather we know that we are saved by grace and so we can extend grace to those who ‘don’t get it.’”