Personal Finance Coaching

In years past, most families would have put "develop healthy financial habits" on the "nice-to-do" list but certainly not on the "must-do" list.

My, what a few bank failures and a tanking economy will do to shift financial priorities.

If only it were that easy -- just a few behavioral tweaks and then everything will be good-to-go. In fact, families and their financial advisers are realizing that learning new ways to relate to money is difficult -- especially now that money is tight for so many. A few recent statistics illustrate my point:
- 75% list money as the No. 1 source of stress in their lives (American Psychological Association).
- One in four Americans are seriously distressed about their financial situation (Thomas Garman, Virginia Tech).
- Credit-card debt per U.S. household averages about $9,000 (Department of the Treasury).

Lately I've been speaking to people about the importance of having a good defense when it comes to your finances. Whether it was a large group of corporate employees, successful entrepreneurs and their families, or attendees at a regional community foundation conference, I've noticed several new themes emerging from the folks in the audience.

People are eager if not anxious in their quest to adapt to this "new normal." Specifically, they're asking for ideas and guidance on rebalancing the family budget, discussing a job loss with a child, setting short-term and long-term money goals, creating spending boundaries for everyone in the family, and keeping a philanthropic focus in an increasingly challenging environment.

In the haze of stock market run-ups and the housing bubble, most adults, regardless of socio-economic status, forgot the personal-finance basics. Now more than ever, investors need guidance and wisdom to help them rebalance their money habits -- not just their retirement portfolio. They need a good coach to help them play defense in an increasingly volatile economic environment, and to focus them on things they can control.

Lack of attention to the fundamentals is a big part of what got us into this mess. So seize the day and navigate the new normal by reconnecting with the basics. Here are three discussion topics that both investors and financial advisers should find valuable:

1. Refocus core money values - Look closely at your past habits to avoid making the same mistakes. Check out a one-page exercise for adults and young people called My Money Plan that you can download for free from the Share Save Spend Web site.
2. Come clean about spending - Use the information from Step One in My Money Plan as a springboard into an honest talk about financial habits. This can be accomplished by doing a 30-day expense-tracking exercise (and yes, credit card charges count). I call this the "Truth Tonic." It will do wonders to help determine where adjustments need to be made to spending behavior.
3. Involve the entire family - A good relationship with money is not just an issue for adults. Children also need help in developing a healthy attitude about financial matters.

Remember, it's always easier to instill healthy money habits in a young child than it is to unravel unhealthy habits in a young adult.

[from Market Watch]

Is Your Church On It's Way To Extinction?

A church consulting colleague of mine, Bill Tenny Brittian, recently posted the following:

I suppose I shouldn't be surprised, but over the past several weeks I've been hither and yon across the country training church leaders in evangelism and church transformation. One would think with the way things are that leaders would be ready to hear what’s working. But by and large, that’s not the case. And the more European the denomination, the more push-back we get. I’m finding that the worse off the church becomes, the more church leaders seem to “need” to cling to something for stability and comfort … and that something is almost always tradition. Whether it’s traditional worship style, traditional doctrines, or traditional thinking, it’s clear that Tevye was right … tradition keeps the fiddler on the roof (with images of Rome burning flitting through my mind) and it keeps the church on track to irrelevance and all too many local churches to extinction.

This week, the ARIS came out - the America Religious Identification Survey from Trinity College in Hartford, CT. If you’re waiting for good numbers, you’re going to be disappointed. Christianity in North America is it a flat spin, which is significantly worse than a tailspin (just ask a jet pilot).

- The percentage of “Nones” (no religion) has risen from 8.2 percent in 2001 to 15 percent in 2008. The percentage of “Nones” has grown in every state of the Union.
- The percentage of people claiming to be Christian has plummeted from 86.2 percent in the 90s to 76 percent - and 90 percent of that decline comes largely from the mainline. Notice, that’s a full 10 percent loss in less than twenty years.
- The mainline lost enough members that they've gone from 18.7 percent of the population in 1990 to only 12.9 percent.
- Even the Baptists are shrinking, in terms of percent of the population. On the other hand, the Mormons are growing enough numerically that they’re keeping up their “market share” at 1.4 percent of the population … a number that is now greater than those who claim to be religiously Jewish (at 1.2 percent).
- A full 12 percent of the population are philosophically atheists.

The news is, shall we say, pretty grim. There is some good news … sort of. The number of those attending mega-churches has literally skyrocketed from less than 200,000 in 1990 to over 8 million today. Of course, a good number of those attending these mega-churches have left the small membership churches. Which is one of the reasons it’s so frustrating being a church consultant in these times. Churches are hunkering down. Church leaders are more married to their church traditions and antiquated priorities that they'd rather let their churches die than do what it takes to stem the hemorrhaging.

So, what did I teach at these training sessions that was so abhorrent that church leaders were metaphorically clapping their hands over their ears?

1. Church transformation must be built on a spiritual foundation - and a spiritual foundation isn't based on some prescribed set of denominational tenets, but upon practicing discipleship (Bible reading, prayer, faith sharing, encouraging one-another, etc.).
2. Church leaders must lead in these spiritual practices if they expect the congregation to follow. If the pastor isn't spending time with the unchurched and sharing their faith with them and bringing them into worship, the congregation isn't going to. Indeed, according to the above figures, it’s clear that most mainline congregation’s are already following their pastor’s example … and they’re following it very well.
3. Church leaders cannot allow conflict to go unresolved. Conflict isn't going away on its own, so pastors are going to have to get a backbone, step up, and deal with it (see the many posts I've written on resolving conflict).
4. Church leaders must shift their focus from teaching to discipling. Discipleship is 90 percent behavioral and 10 percent right thinking, not the other way around. We won’t turn these trends around until Christians start acting like Christians in church, at home, at work, in school, when making any decision about anything - but particularly about how they spend their money and how they spend their time.

And there were other things, but these were the offending key points … and the two most heinous were (1) Pastors have to model, not just tell everyone what they need to do, and (2) Teaching all those doctrinal points are mostly a waste of time. Nobody outside the church really cares about reformed theology. What they’re looking for is a religion that actually changes lives and is so life-transforming that it’s worth giving their lives to.

[from http://www.billtennybrittian.com/got-a-foundation-lets-build/frustrations-of-a-church-consultant]

Today's Quote

"To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you." ~ Lewis B. Smedes

Gospel Music Is Coming To Miami Gardens

Get ready for hand-clapping, foot-stomping gospel music. The musical, May The Circle Be Unbroken, written by the late Lehman Beneby, is coming to town.

The musical, which features more than 20 favorite gospel songs made famous by such gospel greats as the Rev. Shirley Caesar, Albertina Walker, Dorothy Love Coats, Clara Ward, the Rev. James Cleveland and Thomas Dorsey, will be performed March 20-22 in the Lou Rawls Center of Performing Arts at Florida Memorial University, 15800 NW 42nd Ave., Miami Gardens.

Beneby was a graduate of Northwestern High School and Miami Dade College. He made his Broadway debut in the hit 1980s musical, Mama, I Want to Sing.

He is a product of the Church of God of Prophecy, where his mother, Prescola Beneby, is an evangelist. His sister, Althea Duren, producer of the musical, said presenting the musical is a way of keeping the memory of her brother alive. Lehman Beneby died at 51 in 2001.

The show will feature guest appearances by recording artists Asher Williams, whose mother is the legendary Betty Wright, who made a name for herself as an R&B queen, and Merian Terry of Christian Life Ministries.

In addition to traditional and contemporary gospel, the show will also feature gospel rap. Tickets are $5 each for the performance at 10 a.m. on March 20; $25 for adults and $10 for children 6-11-years-old for the performances at 7 p.m. on March 21 and 5 p.m. on March 22.

[from the Miami Herald]

More Americans Say They Have No Religion

A wide-ranging study on American religious life has found that the Roman Catholic population has been shifting out of the Northeast to the Southwest, the percentage of Christians in the nation has declined, and more people say they have no religion at all.

Fifteen percent of respondents said they had no religion, an increase from 14.2 percent in 2001 and 8.2 percent in 1990, according to the American Religious Identification Survey.

Northern New England surpassed the Pacific Northwest as the least religious region, with Vermont reporting the highest share of those claiming no religion, at 34 percent. Still, the study found that the numbers of Americans with no religion rose in every state.

"No other religious bloc has kept such a pace in every state," the study's authors said.

In the Northeast, self-identified Catholics made up 36 percent of adults last year, down from 43 percent in 1990. At the same time, however, Catholics grew to about one-third of the adult population in California and Texas, and one-quarter of Floridians, largely due to Latino immigration, according to the research.

Nationally, Catholics remain the largest religious group, with 57 million people saying they belong to the church. The tradition gained 11 million followers since 1990, but its share of the population fell by about a percentage point to 25 percent.

Christians who aren't Catholic also are a declining segment of the country.

In 2008, Christians comprised 76 percent of U.S. adults, compared to about 77 percent in 2001 and about 86 percent in 1990. Researchers said the dwindling ranks of mainline Protestants, including Methodists, Lutherans and Episcopalians, largely explains the shift. Over the last seven years, mainline Protestants dropped from just over 17 percent to 12.9 percent of the population.

The report from The Program on Public Values at Trinity College in Hartford, Conn., surveyed 54,461 adults in English or Spanish from February through November of last year. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 0.5 percentage points. The findings are part of a series of studies on American religion by the program that will later look more closely at reasons behind the trends.

The current survey found traditional organized religion playing less of a role in many lives. Thirty percent of married couples did not have a religious wedding ceremony and 27 percent of respondents said they did not want a religious funeral.

About 12 percent of Americans believe in a higher power but not the personal God at the core of monotheistic faiths. And, since 1990, a slightly greater share of respondents — 1.2 percent — said they were part of new religious movements, including Scientology, Wicca and Santeria.

The study also found signs of a growing influence of churches that either don't belong to a denomination or play down their membership in a religious group.

Respondents who called themselves "non-denominational Christian" grew from 0.1 percent in 1990 to 3.5 percent last year. Congregations that most often use the term are megachurches considered "seeker sensitive." They use rock style music and less structured prayer to attract people who don't usually attend church. Researchers also found a small increase in those who prefer being called evangelical or born-again, rather than claim membership in a denomination.
Evangelical or born-again Americans make up 34 percent of all American adults and 45 percent of all Christians and Catholics, the study found. Researchers found that 18 percent of Catholics consider themselves born-again or evangelical, and nearly 39 percent of mainline Protestants prefer those labels. Many mainline Protestant groups are riven by conflict over how they should interpret what the Bible says about gay relationships, salvation and other issues.

The percentage of Pentecostals remained mostly steady since 1990 at 3.5 percent, a surprising finding considering the dramatic spread of the tradition worldwide. Pentecostals are known for a spirited form of Christianity that includes speaking in tongues and a belief in modern-day miracles.

Mormon numbers also held steady over the period at 1.4 percent of the population, while the number of Jews who described themselves as religiously observant continued to drop, from 1.8 percent in 1990 to 1.2 percent, or 2.7 million people, last year. Researchers plan a broader survey on people who consider themselves culturally Jewish but aren't religious.

The study found that the percentage of Americans who identified themselves as Muslim grew to 0.6 percent of the population, while growth in Eastern religions such as Buddhism slightly slowed.

[Fox News]

Today's Quote

“Helping someone else is the secret of happiness.” - BT Washington

Financial Stewardship

If you've been on the fence about whether to open a Roth IRA, there are plenty of reasons now to tilt towards a Roth, financial advisers say.

First, account values are low. That's bad news, of course, for your overall net worth, but it also means a lower income tax hit when moving money from an IRA into a Roth. Once you've bit the tax bullet and converted to a Roth, your money can grow tax-free. (Any money you put into a Roth has already been taxed, and everything, including earnings, comes out tax free.)

Second, there's a special perk available only next year: If you convert in 2010 you can delay paying taxes for a year, plus take two years to pay the bill. "If you convert in 2010 you don't have to pay any of the taxes until 2011 and 2012," said Christine Fahlund, a senior financial planner with T. Rowe Price.

Third, starting in 2010, the income limit that prevented higher-income savers from converting to a Roth is lifted, thanks to the Tax Increase Prevention and Reconciliation Act of 2005, signed into law in 2006. (Until that rule change goes into effect next year, taxpayers with adjusted gross income higher than $100,000 can't convert to a Roth.) Note: This applies to conversions only; there still will be income limits on contributions to a Roth. See this IRS page for current contribution and conversion rules on Roth IRAs.

Fourth, many people expect income-tax rates to rise in coming years. "It's not a big reach to say that if you look at income tax rates now versus the future, they're probably going to be higher in the future," said Joseph Montanaro, a certified financial planner with USAA, based in San Antonio, Texas. USAA is a financial-services firm for military personnel and their families.
"Combine that with the fact that most of our portfolios have taken a beating," he said, and "you have the opportunity to convert to something that will hopefully rebound in a much more tax-friendly environment in a Roth."

READ MORE

A few more things you can do to help protect your church or ministry.

Churches can work to stop a shooter or anyone else intent on harming church members with the proper security measures in place.

Remember, although the church is "open to the public," the church is, in fact, private property. It is totally reasonable and appropriate to remove a disruptive person from private property.

The church should have a written security plan in place. When writing a security plan for your church, seek the help of professional consultants.

Identify the police and medical professionals who attend your church and can help in case of an emergency-your church's "emergency team."

The members of your emergency team should be properly trained.

Train your staff and your emergency team to recognize and deal with "danger threats." A danger threat is someone who poses or threatens to pose real and present danger to persons or property.

Danger threats are the types of people who:
- Have a weapon;
- Are intoxicated by alcohol or drugs;
- Appear to be mentally ill;
- Are homeless and appear to be unstable or aggressive;
- Are embroiled in a family law or child custody case or a lawsuit involving congregants or members of the staff; or
- Are hostile to the teachings of the Christian church or fiercely opposed to its political views.

Train your staff, your volunteers and your emergency team to recognize the behaviors of people who are danger threats to your church.

A danger threats' behavior includes:
- Display and use of weapons;
- Assault and battery;
- Robbery and burglary;
- Domestic violence;
- Sexual abuse;
- Verbal abuse, including hate speech and verbal threats;
- Violent political activity; or
- Unusual or aberrant behavior, including things such as:
-- Carrying a large bag into the church;
-- Wearing inappropriate clothing considering the weather conditions. For example, in warm weather a person enters the church wearing a long over coat and dark glasses;
-- A first time visitor insisting on sitting very close to the stage; or
-- Sweating profusely and not involved in the service.

Train your staff and volunteers on how to confront a danger threat in your church:
- Speak firmly;
- Speak respectfully;
- Speak in a way that is not embarrassing; and
- Speak in a way that leaves no room for negotiation.

[from http://www.churchlawgroup.com/]

Today's Quote

"Hurting people sometimes hurt people."

Today's Word

“He comes alongside us when we go through hard times, and before you know it, he brings us alongside someone else who is going through hard times so that we can be there for that person just as God was there for us. We have plenty of hard times that come from following the Messiah, but no more so than the good times of his healing comfort--we get a full measure of that, too. When we suffer for Jesus, it works out for your healing and salvation… Your hard times are also our hard times. When we see that you’re just as willing to endure the hard times as to enjoy the good times, we know you’re going to make it, no doubt about it… Now that the worst is over, we’re pleased we can report that we’ve come out of this with conscience and faith intact, and can face the world--and even more importantly, face you with our heads held high. But it wasn’t by any fancy footwork on our part. It was God who kept us focused on him, uncompromised.” (2 Corinthians 1, MSG)

If you’re going through a tough time in ministry, take heart. God has a plan, and you’re in it! The key is to run the race and to finish well.

What Will You Do About Church Security?

The Pastor killing yesterday is a very concerning and sober occasion for pastors and other church leaders to examine if they are in fact doing all they can to ensure the safety of their flock and church leaders.

Therefore, the following questions are offered in hopes of helping church leaders do all they can to ensure the safety of their church.
I want to stress that I am in no way seeking to criticize or call into question anything that the staff or leaders at First Baptist Church did or did not do. My questions below are in no way directed toward any single church or ministry. We offer them to help churches do all they can to ensure safety.

I am in no way critical of any other church on this issue and simply want to serve the safety of all those who gather for worship everywhere. As a general rule, if we are going to err, it is best to err on the side of caution and preparedness.

1. Does your church have a series of written, known, and practiced emergency plans? For example, if there is a fire, the children will need to be safely escorted out of the building. However, if someone pulls a gun, the last thing you want is to have the children taken outside into the open and instead the children’s ministry needs to be locked down for safety.

2. How secure is your children’s ministry? Are there security guards ensuring that no one but approved parents are allowed into the children’s area or can anyone walk in off the street and have access to the children? Is there a safe and secure check in and check out procedure for the children?

3. Does your church have security? Are there trained men who ensure that those who are dangerous, mentally unstable, disruptive, or violent are not allowed in the building and if they are in the building that they are escorted out safely?

4. Does your church have a warm relationship with the local police? Are you friends with the police officers in your area and can you reach them quickly in a crisis? Have they met with your church staff to inform you of what to do under various emergencies and what you can do to work with them to ensure the safety of your people?

5. Does your church have a policy for potentially dangerous people? For example, are registered sex offenders (including those registered at the highest level and likely to offend again) required to check in and be escorted on property, if they are allowed to worship at all? When someone is disruptive or dangerous, does your church have a policy for filing a restraining order to keep them from walking on church property? What do you do with threats that come in against the pastor or church?

[from Resurgence by Mark Driscoll]

Pastor Shot and Killed in the Pulpit

Church security has been addressed many times on this Blog. It is a growing concern regardless of the size of your church. For years, we have offered free security training materials upon request (DGBrock@aol.com), and church consulting services to teach or train onsite. After many incidences in America over the past five years, tragedy has struck again.

Yesterday a gunman walked down the aisle of an Illinois church during a Sunday service and killed the pastor, then stabbed himself and slashed two other people as congregants wrestled him to the ground, authorities said.

The local newspaper reported late Sunday a source close to the case confirmed the gunman as Terry Joe Sedlacek, 27, who developed mental illness after Lyme disease attacked his brain.

Sedlacek walked into the sprawling red brick First Baptist Church shortly after 8 a.m. and briefly spoke with The Rev. Fred Winters before pulling out a .45-caliber handgun and shooting Winters once in the chest, said Illinois State Police Master Trooper Ralph Timmins.

The gun jammed before the man could fire again, Timmins said. (The gunman had several loaded magazines.) Sedlacek then pulled out a knife and injured himself before churchgoers subdued him. Two parishioners involved in the struggle also suffered knife wounds, Timmins said.

Timmins said officials don't know whether Winters, a married father of two who had led the church for nearly 22 years, and the gunman knew each other.

"We don't know the relationship (between the gunman and pastor), why he's here or what the circumstances came about that caused him in the first place to be here," Timmins said.

The Rev. Mark Jones, another pastor at First Baptist, said he did not recognize the gunman, who he saw briefly before the man pulled out his weapon. Jones went into an adjacent room and did not see the shooting, though he heard a sound like miniature fire crackers.

"We have no idea what this guy's motives were," Jones said outside the church. "We don't know if we'll ever know that."

Winters was pronounced dead at Anderson Hospital, spokeswoman Natalie Head said. Two people who were injured at the church were flown to another hospital, Head said.

The gunman and one victim, 39-year-old Terry Bullard, were being treated at St. Louis University Hospital, spokeswoman Laura Keller said. Bullard underwent surgery for stab wounds and was in serious condition, she said.

Keller said the gunman underwent surgery Sunday afternoon but could not provide his name, condition or type of injuries.

The other victim, Keith Melton, was treated and released from Gateway Regional Medical Center, spokeswoman Kate Allaria said. A man who answered the phone at a listing for Keith Melton in Troy identified himself as Melton's stepson and said Melton had been stabbed but was going to be fine.

First Baptist had an average attendance of 32 people when Winters became senior pastor in 1987; it now has about 1,200 members, according to the church's Web site. Winters also was former president of the Illinois Baptist State Association and an adjunct professor for Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, according to the site.

"Our great God is not surprised by this, or anything," Nate Adams, executive director of the Illinois Baptist State Association, said in a statement. "That He allows evil and free will to have their way in tragedies like this is a mystery in many ways."

The church sits along a busy two-lane highway on the east side of Maryville, a fast-growing village of more than 7,000 people about 20 miles northeast of St. Louis. A farm sits directly across from church, but subdivisions of newer homes can been seen from every side.

"Things like this just don't happen in Maryville," Mayor Larry Gulledge said. "We've lost one of the pillars of our community, one of our leaders."

Congregant Sharla Dryden pulled into the church parking lot for a 9:30 a.m. service in time to see "just a lot of chaos, lot of police, fire, and people just devastated."

"They just said there had been a shooting," said Dryden, 62. "I would have been devastated if anyone had been shot, but to hear it was the pastor was terrible. You just never expect this to happen at a church."

But Jeffrey Hawkins, executive director of the Christian Security Network - a national organization that deals with security, safety and emergency planning for churches, schools and ministries - noted in a statement that while the shooting is a tragedy, it is "one that has been witnessed many times over the years."

Last month, a man shot and killed himself in front of a cross inside televangelist Robert H. Schuller's Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, Calif. In November, a gunman killed his estranged wife in a New Jersey church vestibule as Sunday services let out.

The Illinois shooting also follows an event in July, when a 58-year-old man opened fire in a Knoxville, Tennessee, church during a children’s play. Two people were killed and six wounded in that shooting at Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church.

In the Tennessee case, Jim Adkisson told police he targeted the church because of its “liberal teachings,” according to court papers. Adkisson pleaded guilty last month in a deal that allowed him to avoid the death penalty and will face life in prison without parole, court officials said.

Just this year, there have been 139 incidents in 31 states against Christian churches, schools and ministries.

The only recourse that churches have to is to acknowledge that it can happen to them and to be prepared.

President Obama to Lift Restrictions on Embryonic Stem Cell Research

President Obama is expected to sign an executive order reversing a ban on federal funding of embryonic stem cell research, according to administration officials.

The officials said the president will announce the move at a Monday event at the White House, during which he will overturn a 2001 order by President George W. Bush that restricted federal funding of embryonic stem cell research to the existing 60 cell lines, according to reports by The Associated Press and CNN.

Obama's intent to lift restrictions on the controversial type of stem cell research has been known for some time and is even articulated as part of his administration's agenda on The White House's Web site. But the exact date of when the reversal would take place was leaked on Friday.

Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, accused the president of "leaking" the news on Friday so it would receive less attention.

He said the administration used the same tactic to announce the repeal of other pro-life orders, including the Mexico City Policy, which declared that American tax dollars would not fund international organizations involved in performing or promoting abortions abroad, and a Bush administration rule that federally funded health institutions comply with laws protecting the conscience of medical and health practitioners.

Perkins said the order would give a green light to the use of taxpayer funds for experiments that encourage human embryo destruction.

"I believe it is unethical to use human life, even young embryonic life, to advance science," he said in a statement. "While such research is unfortunately legal, taxpayers should not have to foot the bill for experiments that require the destruction of human life."

Embryonic stem cell research has drawn controversy because it necessitates the destruction of the embryo during the process of harvesting the stem cells.

Proponents of embryonic stem cell research point to the cell’s pluripotent ability – or its capacity to become nearly all cell types and tissues in the body – claiming that it holds the cure for debilitating diseases such as Alzheimer, Parkinson’s disease, and diabetes.

But pro-lifers, many of whom believe that life begins at conception, argue that destroying a human embryo is tantamount to killing human life. Many hold the view that embryonic stem cell research is not only unethical but also unsuccessful in producing cures or treatments for debilitating diseases.

Adult stem cell research is much more promising, pro-life advocates say.

"We should be increasing funding for adult stem cell treatments, which have been used to treat patients for over 70 diseases and conditions, and we should fund the historic achievements in reprogramming ordinary skin cells into embryonic-like stem cells without compromising ethics by destroying life," stated Perkins.

Republican Congressman Chris Smith of New Jersey also echoed Perkins' sentiments.

"Why does the president persist in the dehumanizing of nascent human life when better alternatives exist? Human embryo-destroying stem cell research is not only unethical, unworkable and unreliable – it is now, demonstrably unnecessary," said Smith, according to FOXNews.

In anticipation of Obama's decision, the National Institute of Health has started drafting guidelines, that among other ethical demands, are expected to require that the cells being used are derived with proper informed consent from the woman or couple who donated the original embryo, according to AP.

Dr. Arnold Kriegstein, director of the Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research at UC San Francisco, told the San Francisco Chronicle the NIH will probably not be permitted to fund the actual derivation of new embryonic stem cells, under a federal law limiting embryo research called the Dickey-Wicker amendment.

There was little question that Barack Obama would reverse George W. Bush's policies on embryonic stem cell research. But many were surprised that he did not do so by executive order upon first taking up residence at the White House. Obama explained his thinking to CNN's John King in an interview that aired two days before the new president was inaugurated.

"Well, you know, if we can do something legislative, then I usually prefer a legislative process because those are the people's representatives. And I think that on embryonic stem cell research, the fact that you have a bipartisan support around that issue, the fact that you have Republicans like Orrin Hatch who are fierce opponents of abortion and yet recognize that there is a moral and ethical mechanism to insure that people with Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's can actually find potentially some hope out there, you know, I think that sends a powerful message. So we're still examining what things we'll do through executive order. But I like the idea of the American people's representatives expressing their views on an issue like this."

I wonder, what changed?

Today's Quote

"A government big enough to give you everything you want, is big enough to take away everything you have" - Thomas Jefferson

10 Ways to Pastor Adoptive Parents and Those Considering Adoption

There are many ways that you can express your pastoral care for those considering adoption and those who have adopted already. I offer a few thoughts on how to help adoption become a biblically based, heart-led, missional movement in your church and not merely another program on your church's list.

1. Develop your own heart for the fatherless.

God calls Himself a "father to the fatherless" (Psalm 68:5) and emphasizes throughout Scripture his special care for orphans. In fact, the very heart of the gospel is God's passion to not only redeem sinners but to adopt them as his very sons and daughters (Ephesians 1:4-5).

Many adoptive parents and those pursuing adoption feel alone in their churches because it seems like no one understands. By communicating that adoption is fundamentally connected to the gospel and the nature of God you will challenge the view that adoption is a "plan B" if a couple cannot have children biologically.

2. Do a biblical study on God's perspective on orphans.

As you develop your heart for adoption, pass this on to your people in your preaching. You can start by simply looking up all the instances in the Bible to the "fatherless."

3. Educate yourself on basic facts about adoption and orphan care.

Did you know there are roughly 129,000 children waiting to be adopted today in the US and over 132 million orphans worldwide? That is a starting point to stir your heart to pray and cry to God for his justice and grace to be poured out on their behalf.

Some websites I've found helpful in keeping me aware of these issues are...
Cry of the Orphan
Joint Council of International Children's Services
US State Department Office of Children's Issues
US Department of Health and Human Services

Your awareness of these kinds of things will speak volumes to the church you lead. Whether it is through your preaching, teaching, or just regular conversation, your church will begin to hear this and will gain God's heart and perspective on adoption.

Your understanding will also touch those who have adopted and who are considering it.

4. Ask questions.

Listening is one of the most powerful expressions of your care. Learn to ask the right questions. Here are a few good ones to ask:
- Why are you considering adoption? Are you both on the same page? If not, where do you differ?
- Do you both have the faith for adoption?
- Are you aware of the risks, ups, downs, and unknowns of adoption?
- Have you talked to other adoptive families about their experience?
- Have you been praying together about this?
- Where do you feel called to adopt from?
- What kind of support do you have in place?
- Are you aware of the cost of adoption? How will you pay for it? Will you need help?

5. Remind them that they desire a good and God-magnifying thing.

Encourage those pursuing adoption with God's heart for the fatherless. Encourage them with God's promises to direct their steps (Prov 16:9). Encourage them with God's faithfulness to provide.

6. Keep on encouraging them.

Those who step out in faith to adopt enter a journey filled with many ups and downs. Keep supporting them throughout the process. Ideally, they will have a care group or some close friends that will be able to do this as well.

7. Provide financial counsel and help.

The majority of couples adopting are challenged by the high costs. Any ways that you can provide encouragement and help financially will express love in a very tangible way.
One way you can do this is by establishing a church adoption fund to offer grants and loans to members. You can visit Hope for 100 for an example of what one church in Texas is doing.

8. Cry with them and celebrate with them.

The majority of adoptions are filled with great highs and great lows.

There are often many tears shed due to failed placements and other setbacks. There is also unparalleled joy in being matched with your child and bringing them home.

Do what you can to enter into their experience. Embody the compassion and empathy of Christ in the hard times and magnify the joy of the Father in the celebration.

9. Celebrate adoptions publicly in services.

Give time during worship services not only to teach on God's heart for orphans, but also to celebrate specific adoptions. You can perhaps do this as part of Sanctity of Life Sunday or in conjunction with another special day such as Mothers' or Fathers' Day. Also, November is National Adoption Awareness Month.

There are many ways you can publicly celebrate adoption during the service such having an adoptive family share their story, honoring adoptive parents in the congregation, or taking a special offering for your church adoption fund. Be creative!

10. Don't feel like you have to have all the answers.

Use the wisdom and experience of the Christian adoption community. There are a growing number of resources available, including many churches that have ministries aimed at promoting and supporting adoption.

Encourage those in your church who have a passion for adoption to lead the church in caring for the fatherless and supporting adoption. And remember you are not alone! There is a community of others to support you and above all, God, the Father of the fatherless, is with you to provide all that is needed to follow his call to care for the "least of these."

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For more information on the connection between our adoption by God and our adoption of children please visit Together for Adoption. The second national conference on adoption is this October in Nashville.

[from Desiring God Blog by Jason Kovacs]