211: Adoption, the Pro-Life Movement, and the Body of Christ with Herbie Newell

Herbie Newell is the President and Executive Director of LifeLine Children’s Services, an organization that is an adoption, orphan care, and foster care ministry. His passion with this organization is to see the Church be equipped to manifest the gospel to orphans, vulnerable children, and vulnerable women. This ministry exists to see the Church carry out their God-given mission in the gospel of justice and caring for the widow and the orphan, the stranger, the alien, the ones in need. This mission has been given to the Church, and it is the Church that is to do this work. With November being National Adoption Month, our prayer is that you would come away from this episode with your heart stirred on this topic of adoption.

What We Chat about in Today’s Episode:

~Info about LifeLine Christian Services, the largest evangelical adoption agency in the country

~The gospel-motivation for the work going on at LifeLine

~How Herbie came to be the President of LifeLine, what led him to first become involved in this work, and what his daily work looks like; why he is passionate about this topic

~The importance of seeking the Spirit on what we personally are called to do in this area

~What being truly pro-life actually is – and how just demanding that there be a birth is not what all we are called to as the Church; the importance of us stepping up and helping these mamas and babies in need

~The importance of advocating for life inside as well as outside the womb

~The problem with being busy and becoming nearsighted, losing sight of what God is actually calling us to do with our days

~The purpose of our lives as believers as not being one of comfort and ease, but of mission

~The call to deny ourselves and pick up our cross so that we can serve others well

~What the state of adoption is in this country and around the world; the number of orphans currently in this world who need a home

~The increase in abortion that we are actually seeing post Roe v. Wade and the reality that conservative states were not even prepared for the overturning; the work the church still has to do

~Laws, practices, etc. that are leading to this orphan crisis here and around the world; what we as believers can do about this crisis whether or not we adopt ourselves

~The infinite wisdom of God’s design for the family and the world at large

~Herbie’s insider analysis of where the defense of life movement is, what is coming down the pike, and what part adoption plays in all of this; adoption as a pro-life option

~Talking about abundant life and having a pro-woman stance as a pro-life advocate

~Ways in which the church is dropping the ball in these areas; what we can do to be the hands and feet of Christ; how to make a difference in these areas

~Understanding that having a pro-life stance does not begin at the political or federal level; it starts in your home, with your family, and in your community

~How people can become involved with LifeLine Children’s Services

~Being faithful with what is in front of us and the importance of just doing the next right thing

~And more!

Resources Mentioned

The 6 Types of Working Genius: A Better Way to Understand Your Gifts, Your Frustrations, and Your Team by Patrick Lencioni

The Explicit Gospel by Matt Chandler

The Swans series by John Piper

INSPIRING QUOTES TO REMEMBER:

“Our heart at LifeLine Christian Services is to see the Church be equipped to manifest the gospel to orphans, vulnerable children, and vulnerable women. This ministry exists to see the Church carry out their God-given mission in the gospel of justice and caring for the widow and the orphan, the stranger, the alien, the ones in need. This mission has been given to the Church, and it is the Church that is to do this work.”

“Our call here at LifeLine is to see the Church flourish and be equipped to where the Church can do the work the Lord gave us to do. That is what we are all about – seeking to live out this aspect of the gospel.”

“Yes, children are being born, but what kind of life are they being born into? Being pro-life is more than just demanding birth. Being pro-life means doing the hard work of standing beside that mom and helping her be successful. It means families being able to provide stable homes. But all of it first and foremost requires us as the Church to be able to show the light and love of Christ to those in need.”

“In and of ourselves, we can’t do these things. But when we rely on Christ, things change and all things become possible.”

“We do need to advocate for that life in the womb, no matter what that life looks like. But we need to step up in various ways once that life is born, too.”

“Christ calls us to deny ourselves and pick up our cross. We are called to make sacrifices and if we are called to defend life, it looks like not just speaking out, but actually doing the harder thing of truly serving those lives in need. We are to enter into the pain of another.”

“The breakup of the family and the family structure is undoubtedly leading to some of the orphan crisis we see. When we drift from what God says is good and right, we begin to see broken families and broken systems. And when we begin to drift from God’s design, children are the first ones who suffer.”

“Adoption is a pro-life issue, because it shows that those of us on the pro-life side do have options and alternatives to offer, whereas the pro-choice side does not.”

“The pro-life side needs to stand up for women and show that they are pro-woman and for the flourishing of women. In a winsome, kind, compassionate, caring way, we need to take back what it means to be truly be pro-woman. And if we can be pro-woman and pro-baby, then we can truly be pro-life.”

WHERE YOU CAN FIND HERBIE ONLINE:

Website – LifeLine Children’s Services

Instagram – @lifelinechild

To Leave a Rating and Review on iTunes

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