An adoption story...ten kids later and seven brought home through adoption

An adoption story...ten kids later and seven brought home through adoption

  • Today on the podcast, Pastor Chris Johnson and his wife, Alicia Johnson, join the podcast to share their adoption story. They have ten children and adopted seven of their children through foster care. They have served as foster parents for more than 40 children. 
GUEST
  • Today, we are going to talk with a man we affectionally call Pastor Chris and his wife, Alicia. Chris is the Vice President of Church Partnerships and Government Affairs at Lifeline and his family has also grown through biological children, foster care adoption, special needs adoption, and sibling adoption. Pastor Chris previously served as a pastor. 
HOST
  • Herbie Newell is the President & Executive Director of Lifeline Children’s Services and its ministry arms.
CO-HOST
  • Rick Morton is the Vice President of Engagement at Lifeline Children's Services.
RESOURCES
  • Today, we are going to talk with a man we affectionally call Pastor Chris. Chris is a staff member at Lifeline and his family has also grown through biological children, foster care adoption, special needs adoption, and sibling adoption. 
  • Lifeline walks families through domestic, international, and foster care adoption. When you partner with us, you help these children find their families and help those families thrive. 
  • Through your partnership, God is changing lives now and for eternity. Learn how you can Change One Life and more by visiting https://bit.ly/46AdEQC. 
LIFELINE CHILDREN'S SERVICES
  • The mission of Lifeline Children’s Services is to equip the Body of Christ to manifest the gospel to vulnerable children. Our vision is for vulnerable children and their communities to be transformed by the gospel and to make disciples. 
  • Web: lifelinechild.org
  • Email: info@lifelinechild.org
  • Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @lifelinechild
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Creators and Guests

Herbie Newell
Host
Herbie Newell
Herbie Newell serves as the President & Executive Director of Lifeline Children’s Services, holds an MBA in Accounting from Samford University and brings years of experience from his work as an independent auditor at WAKM Companies, LLC. Serving as Lifeline's Executive Director since 2003, Herbie has significantly expanded international outreach, obtained licensure in 17 states, and led the establishment of the foster care arm. A passionate advocate, he co-founded (un)adopted in 2009, focusing on equipping orphaned children with life skills for community transformation. Herbie, also the author of "Image Bearers: Shifting from Pro-birth to Pro-Life," emphasizes that being pro-life extends beyond opposing abortion, urging a broader ethic that includes fighting for racial equality and embracing every individual with the love of Christ. Herbie and his wife, Ashley, reside in Birmingham, Alabama, and are the parents to three children.
Rick Morton
Host
Rick Morton
As Vice President of Engagement, Rick Morton shepherds the ministry’s outreach to individual, church, and organizational ministry partners as well as the ministry’s commitment to publishing resources that aid families and churches in discipling orphans and vulnerable children. Prior to Lifeline, Rick served for 15 years as a college and seminary professor, and he also served local churches in Tennessee, Louisiana, and Mississippi. He is an accomplished writer and sought after speaker. Most notably, Rick is the co-author of the popular Orphanology: Awakening to Gospel-centered Adoption and Orphan Care and the author of KnowOrphans: Mobilizing the Church for Global Orphanology. Rick and his lovely wife Denise have been married for over 32 years, and they have 3 children, all of whom joined their family through international adoption. God has continued to grow their family, and he now enjoys the role of “Doc” to his precious granddaughter!
Pastor Chris Johnson
Guest
Pastor Chris Johnson
Chris joined Lifeline in March, 2020, and serves as the Sr. Director of Church Partnerships & External Advocacy. He previously served as a pastor for 24 years and as the Executive Director of the Kentucky Governor’s Office of Faith and Community Based Initiatives. Chris has also served as a consultant and has been a frequent speaker at local, state, and national conferences, churches, and community gatherings, sharing his family’s story and challenging others to answer the gospel call to care for vulnerable children and families. He was born and raised in metro Atlanta, GA, and currently lives in Birmingham. Chris studied Church Ministries (B.A.) at Trinity Baptist College and Educational Leadership (M.Ed.) at Regent University. He and his amazing wife, Alicia, have 10 children (7 adopted from foster care) and 3 grandchildren (2 adopted from foster care). They have also served as foster parents to more than 40 children.