Community Service

In a historic and far-reaching decision, the U.S. Supreme Court officially reversed Roe v. Wade, declaring that the constitutional right to abortion, upheld for nearly a half-century, no longer exists. Writing for the court majority, Justice Samuel Alito said that the 1973 Roe ruling and repeated subsequent high court decisions reaffirming Roe "must be overruled because they were egregiously wrong, the arguments exceptionally weak and so damaging that they amounted to an abuse of judicial authority". This decision will mean the court itself, as well as the abortion question, will become a more significant battleground politically from now on.

We prayed outside of abortion clinics, attended right-to-life rallies, and debated the science that life begins at conception. This reversal of Roe v. Wade is currently at a unique inflection point in the history of reproductive rights, but it's too soon to measure the rise in babies born to mothers who did not wish to have them. Many of these babies will be born in states that are said to have already the worst maternal and child health outcomes in the nation. Although the existence of these children is the goal of the anti-abortion movement, America is unprepared to adequately care for them and the people who give birth to them. This means more and more children will be put up for adoption, and the need for foster care will spike. It's time to put our lives where our beliefs have been. We've been called out! Excuses and well-crafted intellectualizing, while self-impressive, will only reinforce the hypocrisy we are accused of. We must act, and it won't be easy coming from a faith-based perspective. What's the expression, "Be careful what you pray for?"

It has been over 165 years since George Mueller took in his first orphan. His vision must continue as faith-based initiatives around the U.S. are inspired by his faith to depend on God to meet their needs and the needs of helpless children. George Mueller's life story is in a video called "The Obstacle to Comfort."

Frankly, I'm very concerned. After nearly 30 years in para-church ministry outreach, I don't believe we have enough authentic people committed to immovably living according to the precepts of Christ and fueled by enough of His Grace who are willing to be inconvenienced and live with an eternal view of life - even at a cost to themselves if need be.

On May 20, 2024, the fragility of life unfortunately hit our family. It was a beautiful sunny Monday morning as my cousin was driving on a winding road, and a car crossing the dividing lines was speeding and struck her head-on. She died an hour later in the emergency room of a local hospital. 

An investigation followed, and the driver whose car struck Debbie was determined to have been on their cell phone.

My cousin was an adopted child, a situation which she struggled with deeply until the day of her death. I couldn't help profoundly grieving for her that when she was born, she was placed in an orphanage alone and then died alone. In her adult years, she would find her birth mother; however, when she spoke to her mother on the phone, her mother told her no one knew she existed and asked that Debbie never call her again.

Some months back, our team was discussing what our missional/community service would look like. As Romans 11:33 teaches, "How unsearchable are God's judgments and paths beyond racing out?" In light of my personal experience coupled with the heated abortion issue, I believe God has made our path straight.

As we launch The Country Club of Life Virtual Life and Golf Training Platform, we plan to solidify a collaborative relationship with former Wendy's Founder's Dave Thomas Foundation.

The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption is dedicated to finding forever families for the more than 140,000 children waiting to be adopted from foster care in the United States and Canada. The Foundation works closely with child welfare advocates and policymakers, provides free adoption journey resources, and raises awareness through social media, ad campaigns, public service announcements, and events.

The following five key themes have emerged and become the bedrock of our work as we advance.

1. Adoption Is Not a One-Time Transaction

It's a lifelong journey for the entire family. It is important to understand adoption as a transformational experience that lasts a lifetime to encourage healthy identity development and strong relationships.

2. A Human Rights Framework Is Needed

Adoption is in urgent need of a cultural shift; this shift requires us, first and foremost, to make decisions in adoption through the lens of human rights and to practice adoption in a way that primarily and fundamentally respects and upholds the humanity of all who are connected to this rich and complex experience.

3. Market Forces Create a Variety of Concerns

It is critical to develop uniform standards and regulations to remove the influence of money as it relates to the practice of adoption. CHILDREN ARE NOT COMMODITIES.

4. Adoption in America Lacks Uniformity

Adoption policies and practices vary widely by state and type of adoption. The consequence of these inconsistencies can lead to fraud, coercion, and undue stress on families and ultimately leave children vulnerable.

5. No Reform Without Education

One of the most significant impediments to meaningful reforms in adoption and foster care are the societal misperceptions and general lack of knowledge surrounding this experience. We must foster understanding in society and the systems that serve families if changes need to be made.

Bringing a child into a family—whether by birth, adoption or the blending of families—is life-changing for everyone. Adoption can represent an evolved definition of family when we recognize the lifelong impact and put children at the center. Strong families build strong communities, which make a better world for all of us. While we have reached many milestones, more work needs to be done, and today, our work feels more urgent than ever.

While the typical genetics may not be present in adopted families, lives connected through the life-saving blood of Jesus Christ is a royal lineage given to us.