Church Adoption Funds

“Through their work in and among the churches in the US, Lifesong for Orphans is fulfilling their mission of ‘bringing joy and purpose to orphans.’ They are living out the gospel in the work they are doing.” 
– Francis Chan, Pastor, Cornerstone Church & Author, Crazy Love

“I am deeply grateful for God’s grace in Lifesong… I wholeheartedly recommend Lifesong to churches who want to express the love of the Father to the fatherless here and around the world.”
– Dr. David Platt, Senior Pastor, The Church at Brook Hills & Author, Radical

Common Barriers & Solutions

Here are the 3 most common barriers churches face when starting an Adoption Fund and Lifesong’s solutions to overcome these hurdles.

Church staff “plate is already full” to administer fund. 

Solution: Lifesong will manage/facilitate the Fund & carry the administrative load on behalf of church, using mutually agreed upon criteria (reviewing applications, accounting, donor receipts, disbursing funds on behalf of adoption, etc.)

Church feels uncomfortable/awkward approving/denying their own families (viewing financials, etc.).

Solution: Lifesong will provide all the screening, reviewing, approving/denying as a ‘partner’ on behalf of the church, using mutually agreed upon criteria for those decisions 

Adoption Fund is unfamiliar territory.

Solution: Lifesong has passion, and expertise in adoption funding processes, maximize stewardship, use existing grant/loan procedures, IRS approved, ECFA approved (establishes financial integrity & avoids recreating the wheel)

One of the best aspects: Lifesong manages & administers the Adoption Fund at no cost to churches! Lifesong has helped over 237 churches establish and launch their own Adoption Fund as a ministry of their local church. 

An Adoption Fund is a Practical Way to…

Hear what Church Fund Partners have to say about Lifesong!

• Meet Needs – Orphans find homes, families are assisted and churches become more active in orphan care and adoption.
• Share Jesus – Adoption provides us with an opportunity to share the Gospel and point people to Jesus.
• Encourage Others – An adoption fund allows us to put our faith into action, to build relationships and to support others.
• Do Justice – We are called to seek justice for the oppressed, to lift up the downtrodden and to speak up for the forgotten.
• Live out Loud – As the church is active, the community will see that Jesus is alive and working in His people (Matt 5:16).

How does Lifesong help the Church establish a Fund?

• Launching a fund – Lifesong helps your church allocate funding from missions budget, benevolence fund or raised funds (see Both Hands Project for Churches) to launch ministry for Adoption Fund. Example: First Baptist Church allocates $15,000 to be used as interest-free loans and/or matching grants.
• Administratively easy – Lifesong serves your church by using our existing grant & loan management processes to administer your Church Adoption Fund (i.e. qualifying families on mutually agreed upon criteria, administering funds, etc.). This eliminates the need for the local church to “re-create the wheel” in establishing a Fund. Lifesong will help administer the Adoption Fund, at no cost to the Church or the Fund.
• Engages Body of Christ – The Body of Christ as a whole is engaged in this Kingdom activity (local church, family, friends).
• “Win-Win-Win” situation – The local church is actively involved on behalf of orphans, the financial roadblock for families is removed, the orphan child is adopted into a permanent Christian family…all with minimal administrative burden for the church.
• Synergy – We can do more together (Local Church and Lifesong) than either of us can do solely on our own. 

Start a Church Adoption Fund…

• Call us at 309-747-4527 or email us to begin exploring this possibility.
• Lifesong will create a customized Adoption Fund Proposal, as a tool to use in presenting this idea to your Church Leadership.
• We can organize a conference call to help get church leadership on board if that would be useful.
• Launch it and see what God will do!

Additional Resources

• Church Adoption Fund Info Sheet
• Outside the Walls Network
• Adoption Without Borders
• Simple Ideas, Big Opportunities
• 20 Ways to Become an Adoption-Friendly Church
• Watch & Listen to Adoptive Family Testimonials