Adoption
According to UNICEF there are over 100 million orphans in the world today and 500,000 orphans (135,000 who are adoptable) in the United States. Would Jesus have 2.1 billion professing Christians and 16 million Southern Baptists ignore their cries?
Ashland Avenue Baptist Church is committed to do all we can to adopt as many orphans from around the world as possible. Every member of the Ashland family is challenged to be a part of rescuing children from around the world by giving, praying, and adopting. Our commitment to adoption flows from our commitment to the gospel. All who know the grace of God found only in Jesus Christ have been adopted by God. It only makes sense that those of us who have been adopted in this way display such grace in the world through a radical commitment to adoption.
The ABBA Fund is a crucial tool in fleshing out this vision while connecting everyone at Ashland to this mission of rescuing orphans from around the world.
The ABBA Fund was created to aid families in rescuing orphaned children from all around the world through the God appointed means of adoption.
In 2009 the Ashland ABBA Team recommended to Ashland that the best way to disperse these funds is through the use of a 3rd party ministry designed to administer and disperse the funds on behalf of the church. The 3rd party organization Ashland has decided to partner with is also called ABBA Fund.
While matching grants will be given at the recommendation of the ABBA Fund, interest free loans will be the primary use of the fund for the following reasons:
- funds are available up front with reasonable repayment options
- funds becomes self-sustaining and reproducible, benefiting more families over a longer period of time
- families are assisted in “support raising” process by ABBA FUND to help them gather prayer and financial support
- funds raised are matched “dollar-for-dollar” up to a specified amount.
If you are member of AABC and would like to apply for assistance through ABBA FUND, go to abbafund.org and submit your application.
If you would like to give to the ABBA FUND submit your money to Ashland designated ABBA FUND.
At Ashland, we seek to create and cultivate a culture of adoption, not settle for an adoption ministry. We want adoption to be viewed as central to who we are, not just something we do. Foundational to such a vision is the understanding that we are all ex-orphans who are together for adoption.
Ex-Orphans
The good news of the gospel is that by God’s grace through faith we have experienced adoption. In the Son, our status is transformed from poverty stricken spiritual orphans to wealthy heirs of God’s eternal Kingdom. This truth must be cherished and championed in every home, not just those where children who have been adopted live.
Together For Adoption
As ex-orphans, we are all in this together. Rescuing and caring for orphans is the responsibility of everyone in the church, not just adoptive families. Everyone must be involved in praying for the rescue and care of orphans as well as giving to see orphans adopted. The church must use all of its creative ideas and resources to the great end of alleviating the suffering of orphans around the world. Those who are called to become adoptive parents will naturally step forward in a culture like this, but everyone will be caring for and rescuing orphans.
