In this episode of Undivided Birmingham, Jeff Hurn of Alabama Baptist Childrens Home shares about the ministry of foster care provided by ABCH.

ABCH was founded in 1891 by Rev. John Stewart as an orphanage after the Civil War left so many children in need of care due to the loss of their parents.

Today, about 6,000 children are placed in foster care with the State through DHR. ABCH steps in to help DHR by connecting with area churches that have families willing to open their homes and offer Christian foster care as a ministry to these children in need.

Learn more at https://www.alabamachild.org/fostercare.

In today's Undivided podcast, Dr. Chris Crain interviews Tim Crist and Ashley Turton of Lifeline Children's Services about CarePortal. CarePortal is a technology platform designed to connect churches and community partners to families in their community. Lifeline offers CarePortal to partner churches for meeting tangible needs and developing opportunities for relationships and gospel conversations with families near them.

Jay Gordon, Minister of Adults and Small Groups at The Church at Brook Hills discusses discipleship, small groups, and how the church can connect people to Christ and each other.

Gary Hollingsworth retired on April 30, 2023, after 47 years in full-time ministry. He had served as SCBC executive director-treasurer since January 13, 2016, based in Columbia. The Alabama native moved to South Carolina from Little Rock, AR, where he was pastor of Immanuel Baptist Church. His pastorates have included churches in Kentucky, Virginia, and Alabama. He also served as senior director of cultural evangelism at Southern Baptists’ North American Mission Board from 2005-2007. Now, Gary is part of the Mission Dignity team of Guidestone Financial Resources.

In this episode of Undivided Birmingham, Mark Clifton of the North American Mission Board, shares about bringing life to dying churches. Approximately 800 SBC churches are forced to close each year unless a healthy church partners with them to replant and revitalize them to new life. The majority of these churches are in populated areas and not in rural communities as many would think. Listen and learn what can be done to help these dying churches before it is too late.

Also, Mark mentions NAMB's 2023 REVIVE Summit that will take place at Hope Community Church in Birmingham, AL, on September 12th and 13th. To find out how to register for this event, contact Marisa Taylor at marisat@bmbaonline.org or Josh Cook at joshc@bmbaonline.org.

In this episode of Undivided Birmingham, Dr. Johnny Fain, shares about prayer and the story behind Assignment International Ministries.

The story of AIM is one that started back in June of 1978, when Johnny and Debbie were married and shortly after became the pastor of a small church over 3 hours from their home in Ft Worth ,Tx.

From that starting point, 41 years later, they found themselves in the crossroads of “What is next, Lord?” With this prayer being offered up to the Father in Heaven, they found themselves receiving the answer while visiting in the home of Glenn and Jackie Sheppard on a small sheep farm in Kansas City, Mo.

Being “learners” of revival and prayer movements, they journeyed to K.C. to visit a prayer meeting that had been going on for over 17 years, at a site called The International House of Prayer. Little did they know that the Lord would speak a word of direction to them, not at the prayer meeting, but out by a sheep pen.

Early Wednesday morning of that week, Johnny went out to pray and learn the lessons of the sheep. Of course, when you are learning about sheep, you must read Psalm 23. After reading this Psalm, the Lord lead Johnny to read Psalm 24. The purpose was to know that the Lord was his Shepherd and his King! Following the 24th, the Lord said to read Psalm 25 with the question, “Being that the Lord is my Shepherd King, what is my response to Him?” I will trust You, God. Show me Your ways. Teach me Your paths. Lead me into truth for I trust in You.

Johnny began to pray these things and the Lord spoke very clearly, “It is time to leave the pastorate.” He replied, “Lord, you’re going to have to speak this to Debbie.” The Lord said that was not a problem! With no word of this spoken to Debbie, she began writing what the Lord was saying to her during her Bible study and prayer time. The words were clear. They had finished the work in the pastorate and it was time for something new. Debbie came from her time with the Lord and shared with Johnny the word given to her. It was the same as Johnny had received!

They knew something new was coming but did not know what it was to be.

The word “assignment”, kept coming up and gradually the Lord revealed His plans to form Assignment International Ministries or AIM.

https://assignmentinternationalministries.com/

Join us for the If My People Will Pray Multi-City Prayer Rally on October 1, 2023, from 5:00 PM-7:00 PM, at the Wright Center at Samford University for one hour of worship followed by one hour of prayer.

Learn more at https://ifmypeoplewillpray.net

In this episode of Undivided Birmingham, Dr. Chris Crain interviews Dr. Rod Marshall, President and CEO of Alabama Baptist Children's Home and children's Ministries. Dr. Marshal has degrees from Samford, UAB, and Regent and has served as for 28 years at ABCH.

ABCH was established in 1891 as a traditional orphanage, but in the last 20-25 years has become Alabama's largest foster care provider.

One out of ten children in foster care in the State of Alabama are provided for by ABCH. Dr. Marshall said that when asked what keeps him up at night, it is that he doesn't know what has happened to the other nine children out of ten that are not cared for by ABCH.

The number one need of ABCH is financial. The State provides $16 per day for each child in foster care and ABCH is responsible for raising the other $40 a day they need to give a child quality care.

As Christians, not everyone is called to be a foster parent, but everyone is called to do something for fatherless children. Rod calls upon churches to adopt foster families and come along beside them to help them as they answer the call to foster parenting.

To learn more about becoming a foster parent or how you can help, please call the ABCH office at (205)982-1112.

In this episode of Undivided Birmingham, Mary Teel, a Journeyman for the International Mission board (IMB), shares her experience of being called as a missionary to Uganda and her step of faith in following Jesus and trusting Him to lead her and guide her as she shares the Gospel across the world.