The "Together" refers in part to the conference speakers from various denominational backgrounds. Forgive me for bragging on my own "team" a little but the Presbyterian preachers (Rick Phillips and Carl Robbins) represented in force! I wish I could have heard these messages back when Kristin and I were first considering adoption--they were very stirring and biblically-insightful. I'll put up a link to them next week when they're on-line, but for now here are a few choice quotes.
"When you hear the word adoption, do your thoughts move to the horizontal (families adopting children) or do they move vertically (God adopting us)?"
Dan Cruver
[note: test question for whether our thoughts are biblically-calibrated]
"'Relationship with God' talk doesn't have much content to it unless you know what we've been saved to"
Rick Phillips
[note: while we may have a strong sense of what we're saved from we suffer from not appreciating what Adoption has saved us to]
"Our manner of adopting: we want white, blond-headed, perfect babies. But God adopted those who were his enemies and had no merits."
Rick Phillips
"The most potent form of evangelism and discipleship is adoption."
Rick Phillips
"Any denial of our togetherness with Christians of other races on the horizontal plane is a denial of Adoption on the vertical plane! And is working against Christ!"
Carl Robbins
"God adopts transracially; He has crossed the boundaries"[...so should we].
Carl Robbins
"The 'end' of our Adoption [in Christ] is not horizontal adoption but the ultimate goal is for earth to become like heaven. God uses us for this purpose."
Tullian Tchividjian
"God is not in the process of giving it [the world] all up but gaining it all back. Christians should engage the world and solve the orphan care problem."
Tullian Tchividjian
There was also a great group of exhibitors representing foster care and adoption ministries. I visited every table and will bring some materials to church with me for those that would like to see them.
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