October 2, 2026
ATLANTA, Ga. — Mission Georgia, an initiative of the Georgia Baptist Mission Board, is partnering with First Baptist Church of Atlanta to provide a one-day workshop designed to help churches launch and equip a foster care and adoption ministry. Pastors and church leaders who attend the Chosen Conference will learn about a Biblical vision for foster care and adoption, and they will discover proven tools to launch or grow a foster care ministry.
Many Georgia Baptist churches are beginning to recognize the critical need for foster care and the incredible opportunity to bring stability and compassion to a child, and help that child attain his greatest potential in Christ.
Beth Ann Williams, lead strategist for the GBMB, said, “This is an incredible opportunity for Georgia Baptist churches interested in beginning foster care ministries to learn how to take the next steps in developing an effective ministry. Mission Georgia is excited to partner together on this event!”
Jesus Himself had a special interest in children and said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 19:14 NKJV).
Chelsea Ethier, a member of First Baptist Church in Atlanta, testified, “My husband and I discovered that opening our home to children in need of stability, love, consistency, and parental nurturing was a blessing to us. Most importantly, fostering allowed us to share the love of Jesus, our Savior, with children and their biological parents/family through action and words of encouragement."
Ethier added that fostering strengthened her marriage."We prayed together often, which is something we didn’t do previously. We were also very aware that our marriage and the way we communicated were being watched by ‘little eyes,’ which motivated us to model what loving relationships look like."
Judy Womack, a foster mother and member of First Baptist Church in Atlanta, said, “When I look back on my fostering journey, I am amazed and grateful for not only how the Lord led me to foster, but how he gave me the courage to obey His calling. However, it was not until I retired that I prayed to God and surrendered myself, my home, and everything I had to Him to do with as He pleased.” After attending an informational session at her church, she was surprised to learn she was eligible to foster. “I was stunned,” Womack recalled. “Now I had no excuse. For months, I struggled with the idea of being a foster parent before I started the process of preparation. There was no looking back.”
Her first placement came unexpectedly when she was asked to provide respite care for two sisters, ages 3 and 4. “For two consecutive weekends, I kept the girls. In the third week, they were officially mine to foster. From the time they came into my home, it felt like they should be there.” Together they built a family routine that included preschool at church, nightly Bible reading, and prayer. “It was gratifying when they began to ask to pray for their teachers by name,” she said.
During their nine months together, Womack said, “We made wonderful memories, celebrated each of their birthdays, and Christmas. We were blessed to have volunteers from the church who regularly spent time loving the girls. I am most pleased with how much the girls loved going to church.” When the time came for the sisters to move on, Womack remembered, “We spent time hugging and loving each other. I prayed a special prayer for them. What an unforgettable parting gift, when the 5-year-old prayed for me. I am forever grateful and positively changed by our time together.”
Anthony George, pastor of Atlanta’s First Baptist Church, stated, “We are honored to host this Georgia Chosen Conference at our church. God is mobilizing churches across America to provide safe and nurturing homes for precious children at risk. We are praying for a great turnout from our churches.”
The Chosen Conference is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025, at Atlanta’s First Baptist Church. The conference is designed to empower local churches to build meaningful foster care and adoption ministries, engage in the call to care for vulnerable children, and discover how every believer can play a part.
For additional information about the Chosen Conference and how to register, go to: fba.org/chosen.
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