Herbie Newell

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.

Appears in 553 Episodes

Best of 2024: Heartbreaking News: The Future of China Adoptions

Best of 2024: Heartbreaking News: The Future of China Adoptions

In this rebroadcast of one of the best episodes from 2024, The Defender Podcast revisits a powerful conversation between Herbie Newell and Karla Thrasher, Lifeline's S...

Waiting in Hope: Advent Week 1 – Trusting in God’s Promises

Waiting in Hope: Advent Week 1 – Trusting in God’s Promises

In this special Advent edition of The Defender Podcast, Herbie Newell explores the theme of waiting as we prepare our hearts for the coming of Christ. Reflecting on th...

A Heart of Thanksgiving: Reflecting on God’s Goodness Through All Seasons

A Heart of Thanksgiving: Reflecting on God’s Goodness Through All Seasons

As 2024 draws to a close, Herbie Newell and Dr. Rick Morton reflect on the significance of cultivating gratitude, even amidst life’s challenges. Drawing from Scripture...

Empowering Churches to Care: A Conversation with Andy Cook of Promise 686

Empowering Churches to Care: A Conversation with Andy Cook of Promise 686

In this episode of The Defender Podcast, Herbie Newell and Dr. Rick Morton welcome Andy Cook, President and CEO of Promise 686, a ministry dedicated to equipping churc...

Embracing the Call of Adoption During National Adoption Month

Embracing the Call of Adoption During National Adoption Month

Join Herbie Newell and Karla Thrasher on this special National Adoption Month episode of The Defender Podcast as they explore the profound impact of adoption on vulner...

Engaging the Vulnerable: A Conversation with Josh Benton of Send Relief

Engaging the Vulnerable: A Conversation with Josh Benton of Send Relief

In this episode of The Defender Podcast, Dr. Rick Morton and Herbie Newell sit down with Josh Benton, National Vice President of Send Relief, recorded live at the Sout...

Orphan Sunday: A Call to Action for the Church with Pastor Chris Johnson

Orphan Sunday: A Call to Action for the Church with Pastor Chris Johnson

In this special episode of The Defender Podcast, host Herbie Newell and Dr. Rick Morton are joined by Pastor Chris Johnson, Lifeline’s Senior Director of Church Partne...

Heartbreaking News: The Future of China Adoptions

Heartbreaking News: The Future of China Adoptions

In today's episode of The Defender Podcast, Herbie Newell is joined by Karla Thrasher, Lifeline's Senior Director of International Adoption, to discuss a devastating a...

2024 Mid-Year Ministry Update: Celebrating Lifeline’s Impact

2024 Mid-Year Ministry Update: Celebrating Lifeline’s Impact

In this episode of The Defender Podcast, hosts Herbie Newell and Dr. Rick Morton provide a mid-year update on Lifeline Children's Services' ministry efforts in 2024, c...

Pastor Greg Matte on Adoption and Community Impact

Pastor Greg Matte on Adoption and Community Impact

In this episode of the Defender Podcast, hosts Rick Morton and Herbie Newell engage in a heartfelt discussion with Pastor Greg Matte of Houston’s First Baptist Church ...

Casey Stevens on Family, Faith, and Making a Difference with Stand for Orphans

Casey Stevens on Family, Faith, and Making a Difference with Stand for Orphans

Join us as we sit down with Casey Stevens, who shares his family's inspiring journey from facing infertility to adopting their first son, Alek, from Kyrgyzstan in 2016...

Operation Patriots for Children

Operation Patriots for Children

On today's episode of the Defender podcast, join us for an inspiring conversation with Scott and Lynne Watson, a devoted couple with a heart for philanthropy and famil...

Biblical Faithfulness and Caring for Vulnerable Children: A Conversation with Jonathan Leeman

Biblical Faithfulness and Caring for Vulnerable Children: A Conversation with Jonathan Leeman

In this episode of the Defender podcast, Herbie Newell and Rick Morton are joined by Jonathan Leeman from 9 Marks to discuss the importance of biblical faithfulness an...

Faith, Foster Care, and Filmmaking: A Conversation with Jeremy Carlson

Faith, Foster Care, and Filmmaking: A Conversation with Jeremy Carlson

In this episode of The Defender Podcast, recorded  last year at the 2023 Southern Baptist Convention Annual Meeting, host Rick Morton interviews Jeremy Carlson of WTA ...

Building Legacies: Empowering Older Youth in Foster Care with Sean and Jenny Miller

Building Legacies: Empowering Older Youth in Foster Care with Sean and Jenny Miller

In this episode of The Defender Podcast, we explore Lifeline Children's Services' Heritage Builders program alongside guests Sean and Jenny Miller. The Millers share t...

Opening Hearts and Homes: A Journey into Foster Care with Makyna and Matthew Hart

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 t...

Mothering with Scarlet Hiltibidal

Mothering with Scarlet Hiltibidal

In this special re-aired episode of The Defender Podcast, we delve into the depths of motherhood with Scarlet Hiltibidal, an international adoptive mom. As we approach...

Defending the Vulnerable: Child Abuse Prevention with Julie Lowe

Defending the Vulnerable: Child Abuse Prevention with Julie Lowe

In this episode of the Defender Podcast, hosts Herbie Newell and Rick Morton engage in a discussion on Child Abuse Prevention with guest Julie Lowe, a highly experienc...

Holy Week Reflections

Holy Week Reflections

In this special Easter episode of The Defender Podcast, Herbie Newell and Dr. Rick Morton reflect on the significance of Holy Week amidst their own family traditions a...

Celebrating Social Work Month: Lifeline's Unsung Heroes

Celebrating Social Work Month: Lifeline's Unsung Heroes

Join hosts Herbie Newell and Dr. Rick Morton in this special episode of The Defender Podcast as they express gratitude to the unsung heroes of Lifeline Children's Serv...

Honoring our Global Partner on International Women's Day

Honoring our Global Partner on International Women's Day

The latest episode of the Defender podcast delves into the celebration of International Women's Day by highlighting the work of Global Orphan Care Partner in Pakistan....

Global Partners in Life

Global Partners in Life

In this episode of the Defender Podcast, join us in an inspiring conversation with Beau Sides, the founder and president of Global Partners In Life, a non-profit organ...

Gender & Sexuality in Today's Culture

Gender & Sexuality in Today's Culture

In today's episode of The Defender podcast, we sit down with Rev. Zach Coffin, whose incredible journey began with a miraculous encounter with God at the age of 5 when...

Hope for the Journey

Hope for the Journey

In our latest episode of The Defender Podcast, we welcome Justin Myers, the Director of Programs at Show Hope discussing the Hope for the Journey Conference. Justin pa...

Love, Marriage, and Family: A Biblical Perspective for Stronger Homes

Love, Marriage, and Family: A Biblical Perspective for Stronger Homes

In this insightful episode, Herbie Newell and Dr. Rick Morton explore the significance of Valentine's Day through the lens of Christian values, emphasizing the importa...

Finding Strength in Our Call

Finding Strength in Our Call

Join Dr. Rick and Kara Clark in this follow-up episode as they expand on the "Coping with Emotional Exhaustion" episode from last year. They delve into the intersectio...

The Landscape of International Adoption in 2024

The Landscape of International Adoption in 2024

In this episode, Lifeline's very own Karla Thrasher and Jana Lombardo join the podcast to talk about the landscape of international adoption. Listen in as they reflect...

Overcoming Winter Blues

Overcoming Winter Blues

In today's episode we are joined by Lynn Becket, a seasoned professional with a background in social work and extensive experience in foster care and adoption. Listen ...

Journey of Healing: A Pregnancy Counselor's Path Through Abortion

Journey of Healing: A Pregnancy Counselor's Path Through Abortion

In today's episode of the Defender podcast, Dr. Rick Morton engages in a deeply moving conversation with Alexis Morris, a pregnancy counselor at Lifeline Children's Se...

Chelsea Sobolik Update and New Book

Chelsea Sobolik Update and New Book

In 2023 Chelsea Sobolik shared of her family's adoption journey. Now home from India, she joins today sharing the exciting changes that have happened since last year. ...