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Archive for the 'Theology' Category


Together for Adoption Conference Audio

Together for Adoption has posted the audio from their Nov. 1 conference. Check it out at their 2008 Conference Audio page. The audio titles are:

Jason Kovacs and Maridel Sandberg - “Conference Welcome and the Christian Alliance for Orphans’ Vision for Orphan Ministry”
Dan Cruver - “Adoption in God’s Story of Redemption”
Rick Phillips - “The Good News [...]

Adoption language: “parent” vs. “adoptive parent”

Over at the Adoption Guide’s Advice page, I came across a document labeled “Accurate Adoption Language,” which links to a PDF entitled “Positive Adoption Language.” The fact sheet (reprinted from OURS Magazine, May/June 1992), has a fairly complete listing of preferred language (which it calls “positive”) and dispreferred language (called “negative”) for talking about adoption.
In [...]

Audio Sermon: The Cosmic Significance of Adoption

I had the privilege of preaching at Grace Church of Memphis yesterday on the cosmic significance of adoption within the story of redemption. You can listen to it here.

Nov. 1: Together for Adoption Conference, Greenville, SC

I just put this announcement up over on our Adoption Workshops and Events page. But we don’t want you to miss it, so I’m putting it here, too!
Together for Adoption Conference, Greenville, SC
Saturday, November 1, 2008
www.togetherforadoption.org
Together for Adoption wants Christians to think vertically about adoption and allow the truth of vertical adoption (i.e. God [...]

But are they REALLY brothers?

When we started our adoption, I found myself answering questions that really irritated me deeply. And what I recognized were my own prior assumptions about adoptions.

Russell Moore on Adoption

Russell Moore: When did you first begin thinking theologically about adoption?

Russell Moore is the Dean of the School of Theology at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and one of the speakers at Together for Adoption Conference 2008. Carolina Hope is one of the conference exhibitors.

The Safest Place for Adoptive Families

Michael Monroe, leader of Irving Bible Church’s adoption ministry Tapestry, believes that the church should be “the safest place on earth for adoptive and foster families.” Unfortunately, it often is not. Read Michael’s two-part series on this important topic: The Safest Place on Earth - Part 1 and Part 2.
Check out Tapestry’s many [...]

Our Tragedy and God’s Gift of Adoption

As many of you know, in honor of his daughter Maria Sue, Steven Curtis Chapman wrote a CNN article entitled, “Our Tragedy and God’s Love for Orphans.” It is a great example of how vertical love (God’s adoptive love for us) can move horizontally (our adoptive love for an orphan). Steven’s article about Maria and [...]

The Gospel and Transethnic Adoption

This is a reworked and reformatted article. To read the article, click on the image below, and you will be able to download the article as a PDF.

True Religion: A Gospel-Centered Look at James 1:27

To read the article, click on the image below, and you will be able to download the article as a PDF.

Helping Your Adopted Child

Helping Your Adopted Child: Understanding Your Child’s Unique Identity by Paul David Tripp
Publisher’s Description: Long before you decided to adopt, long before your child was born, God planned to put your adopted child into your home. Your child is an amazing gift from God, but nurturing an adopted child also brings unique challenges.
Understanding your adopted [...]

Glorifying the Father of the Fatherless

Check out Jason Kovacs’ excellent post on adoption at Desiring God’s blog. It is entitled “Glorifying the Father of the Fatherless.”

Transracial adoption: Is God’s leading enough?

In a post two days ago, Dorothy Bode wrote in answer to those who ask the question, “Am I making a terrible mistake by adopting transracially?”:
The main thing I help them question is their motivations. “Is God building your family or are you trying to do it in spite of Him and in your own [...]

Adoption Sermons

I wanted to make you aware of the new Gospel Coalition website. One of its great new features is links to audio sermons by TGC council members. I was pleased to discover that it devotes an entire page to council members’ sermons on adoption. There are sermons on adoption by John Piper, Mark [...]

To Be Loved in the Same Way

Commenting on Ephesians 1:3-6, Dr. Michael Barrett writes:

“The adoption of children is specifically defined as being accomplished through the agency or mediation of Jesus Christ (v. 4).  The Lord Jesus as the Second Person of the Holy Trinity is the eternal object of His Father’s love.  Christ testified to this eternal love in His great intercessory prayer: [...]

Adopting Grace

“Adopting grace is the proof of the Father’s undying love for dying sinners. In adoption we learn the truth of Jesus’ words: ‘The Father himself loves you’” [John 16:27] (Philip G. Ryken, The Message of Salvation, 212).

Kevin Twit on Adoption

Kevin Twit, RUF campus minister at Belmont University, gave this lecture on adoption at Belmont’s convocation:
Audio Lecture (mp3): The Doctrine Of Adoption (pdf of notes)

Adoption in the Story of Redemption

Even though the term adoption occurs only five times in Scripture (all in Paul’s epistles), its “marking” function within redemptive-history demonstrates its theological significance. Vertical adoption (i.e., God adopting us as His children) plays a key role from the beginning of the unfolding story of redemption (before god even created the world) all the [...]

Sermon on Adoption

Justin Taylor introduces his sermon (23:35) on adoption by considering adoption within Islamic thought in contrast to its central importance within Christianity. I think you will find the entire sermon a great introduction to Scripture’s teaching on God’s gracious provision of adoption.
(HT: Jason Kovacs)

Dr. Joel Beeke on the Doctrine of Adoption

Dr. Joel Beeke talks about the importance of the doctrine of adoption for the Christian. His new book, Heirs with Christ: The Puritans on Adoption, will be available on June 3rd. You can learn more about this powerful little book here and pre-order a copy here.