Opening Hearts and Homes: A Journey into Foster Care with Makyna and Matthew Hart
In this episode of The Defender Podcast, we are joined by foster parents Matthew and Makyna Hart. They share their heartfelt journey of opening their hearts and home to vulnerable children. Against the backdrop of National Foster Care Month, we delve into Lifeline's mission to mobilize the Body of Christ to support foster families, birth families, and state caseworkers. Join us as we uncover the realities, challenges, and triumphs of fostering, while offering encouragement and practical insights for those considering this meaningful calling.
GUESTS
GUESTS
Matthew and Makyna Hart have been together for 13 years, serving in full-time ministry on staff at Movement Church in Madison, AL. Matthew serves as a worship pastor, while Makyna serves as a Family Pastor. They are both bio, adoptive, and foster parents. Over the past year, they have been actively fostering, having already cared for 10 children. Their passion lies in facilitating family reunification and nurturing enduring relationships with the bio families of the children under their care.
HOST
Herbie Newell is the President & Executive Director of Lifeline Children’s Services and its ministry arms.
CO-HOST
Dr. Rick Morton is the Vice President of Engagement at Lifeline Children's Services.
RESOURCES
Children enter foster care through no fault of their own and are in need of a safe, stable place to land while their parents work towards reunification. Lifeline’s hope is that the Body of Christ would be the hands and feet of Jesus to children in foster care, their birth families, and other professionals that serve them. We provide holistic, Gospel centered pre- and post-licensure training to foster families to equip you to enter into the mission field of foster care.
Lifeline also offers training for local churches to equip the Body of Christ to care for these children and families. While every person may not be called to foster, everyone can play a significant role in supporting and caring for foster families, birth families, and state caseworkers. Visit LifelineChild.org/Foster-Care for more information about how you and your church can get involved in foster care.
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.
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Creators and Guests
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.
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!
Guest
Matthew and Makyna Hart
Matthew and Makyna Hart have been together for 13 years, serving in full-time ministry on staff at Movement Church in Madison, AL. Matthew serves as a worship pastor, while Makyna serves as a Family Pastor. They are both bio, adoptive, and foster parents. Over the past year, they have been actively fostering, having already cared for 10 children. Their passion lies in facilitating family reunification and nurturing enduring relationships with the bio families of the children under their care.