As a senior pastor at Preston Trail Community Church in Frisco, TX, it is my privilege to underscore the value of Arrow Child & Family Ministries.
It is valuable to couples who are wanting to offer a home for foster care and/or adoption, because children are readily available, and training and support are in ample supply. It is valuable to children who need to have a home where they can grow and mature in the context of the love of Jesus Christ, because these kids desperately need acceptance, affirmation, encouragement, direction, and wisdom.
It is valuable to churches who desire to minister to “the least of these” whom society neglects, but whom Jesus dearly loves, because it gives a clearly marked-out path for a viable local ministry of mercy and compassion.
Our church has decided to work with Arrow because J.B. and Traci Seal have had such an excellent experience with the organization. The Seals are active in our church and have fostered and adopted two children whom God led them to through Arrow. Their experience highlights what I’ve said above – that Arrow is a professional, top-flight agency devoted to helping Christian families provide foster or adoptive care for children who are in deep need of a loving home. Since the church is the logical place for those families to be identified, we are delighted to cooperate with Arrow and to make our church aware of the opportunities they offer.
If I can answer any more questions, please contact me at paul@prestontrail.org.
Paul Basden
Senior Pastor
Preston Trail Community Church
Frisco, Texas
God gave me new insight that in America we really don’t use the term “orphan” and we don’t really have “orphanages.” Those seem to be saved for children in other countries. America’s orphans are foster children and the orphanages are foster care.
Within about a 60 miles radius of our church there are over 10,000 children in foster care. Many are removed from their situations with only the clothes on their back and everything they knew, held dear, and thought they owned disappears. The care that foster parents give to these children is a life changing and life saving experience.
In Psalms 82 the scriptures tell us, “Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.” God’s church must step up and His children must surround foster families with His love and care. We are called to be His hands and feet to a hurting world. How amazing would it be if every single child who comes into foster care were placed in a Christian home and instantly given a church family to love and support them.
As realization of this huge need grew in me it was imperative to find the right answers to provide help to foster children and families. Arrow Child & Family Ministries provided the way for our church to learn and become involved. Working with their team of professionals has been an abundant blessing! They helped us to understand the needs of foster families and gave us guidance to begin Project Rescue: Fostering Hope Today. This ministry has grown into Foster Family Appreciation Days; Training and Information meetings in our church so that foster parents receive free child care by trained professionals; special events for foster children; info meetings and step by step guidance to our church members on becoming foster parents; the creation of Shared Treasures with free clothing and gifts for foster children; four weeks of summer camp just for foster children and case worker appreciation events.
Ours is a true partnership with Arrow and one that is cherished and growing weekly. Arrow can’t do it alone they need churches to partner with them and make the difference of Christ to the children. I would encourage every church to take the step and partner with Arrow today in ministry – hand in hand!
Sheryl Steely
Family Life Ministries
The Woodlands United Methodist Church
The Woodlands, Texas
As a congregation that has placed a high priority on family ministry, we believe we have a special calling to assist those children in our culture who lack the benefits of home life. In the midst of our struggle to discover effective ways that we could make a difference, we were blessed to find Arrow Child & Family Ministries. They have come alongside us to offer the resources we need to make a real difference. I wholeheartedly recommend the work of Arrow to any church that is stepping into this essential area of ministry. I can't wait to see what God has in store!
Ryan Rush
Senior Pastor
Bannockburn Baptist Church
Austin, Texas
