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ABOUT

Family First is a North Texas District Department with first priority of serving NTD churches. In addition to partnering with NTD, Family First maintains an ecumenical approach to ministry and collaborates with churches and faith based organizations outside the Assemblies of God in order to meet the needs of children who are marginalized, at-risk, or currently in the child welfare system.
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Engage

On any given day there are approximately 30,000 children in the Texas foster care system. Family First is dedicated to increasing the involvement of the local church in caring for these children and their families.

Equip

As the church becomes aware of the need, Family First will equip the church to respond through church leadership training and programs.

Empower

As the church responds to the need, they will play a vital role from prevention to permanency. Family First will continue to support the church as their ministry to children and families grow.

CONNECT WITH A CHILD

Becoming a Foster/Adopt Parent

Interested in becoming a foster parent or adding a blessing to your family through adoption? Here at Family First we are committed to assisting churches in launching Orphan Care Ministries and walking alongside its members in the foster licensing and adoption processes.

These processes vary based on the agency partner and their specific requirements. Family First has cultivated relationships with Child Placement Agencies (CPA) and is dedicated to connecting churches to the CPA in their region and come alongside in training and relationship building.

Interested in receiving more on becoming a foster/adopt parent? Click Here

Teen Resources

Family First can provide specific training to assist foster parents in adequately caring for and resourcing their foster teen. This training will cover college admission processes, financial assistant programs and applications, de-escalation training, and the driver’s education training process.

Support Aging Out

Every year in the state of Texas 1,500 or more youth age-out of the Texas foster care system, many without families or any semblance of a support system to help adequately transition them into adulthood. 50% of these youth will be homeless and will enter into drug, alcohol, and/or sex addictions before their eighteenth birthday. This issue is a growing problem and is seen most clearly in the simple fact that the state prison systems of America base their future inmate population from the number of youth that age-out of the foster care system. Family First is committed to helping these young people, so they may successfully transition into adulthood with bright futures full of opportunities.

For more information and resources check out Phased In.

*Phased in is an approved Missions Project for the North Texas District.

TRAINING

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Family First wants to equip you to protect the unprotected. It is our desire to help churches with training families who desire to foster and adopt. Because of our partnership with AWFC, we are able to provide church families with the necessary training that will meet the State’s requirements for this process.

We also understand that not every family is called to foster and adopt, but every church can provide the wraparound support needed in areas such as respite care (babysitting) and proper care. Family First and AWFC want to equip you to help in those areas as well.

To find out more about how you can schedule an AWFC orientation for your church, feel free to contact your regional pastoral representative or the Family First office.

Orphan Care Ministry Development

Family First is excited to offer three great Orphan Care Ministry Development programs that will intentionally assist in guiding your orphan care ministry development through training, coaching, and implementation of best practices from the Harvest Family Life Ministries Model, established in 2004.

Awareness

The Awareness Builder is a 3 month commitment and is designed to meet the needs of congregations that believe:

Momentum

The Momentum Builder is a 6 month commitment and is designed to meet the needs of congregations that believe:

Development

The Development Builder is a 9 month commitment and is designed to meet the needs of congregations that believe:

My church has accepted the biblical mandate to care for the orphan (James 1:27)

My church has appointed Orphan Care Leaders (i.e. Pastoral Staff, Lay Person(s), Ministry Team)

My church is committed to ongoing trainings, bible studies, events and programs related to caring for the orphan

My Church has an established relationship with a Child Placement Agency

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Poverty/Culture

There are a significant number of factors to consider when tackling the breakdown of the family ultimately to the point that a child is no longer safe, cared for and looked after in their home. One of the leading causes for children entering the child welfare system is poverty. Many would suggest that poverty is a result of poor choices or environmental factor. We understand poverty to have its own culture. Family First would like to invite you to explore new ideas that may reshape the way we interact with children and families in poverty. This training would be ideal for:

  • Pastors, church and ministry leaders, and congregation members considering their role in helping the materially poor at home and abroad.
  • People seeking an effective framework to guide their giving.
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RESOURCES

 DFPS Stats            SWAGG

EVENTS

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MEET OUR TEAM

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Kile Bateman
Acting Director
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Bishop Aaron Blake
Orphan Care Ambassador
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Rhonda Trout
Administrative Assistant
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Samantha Taggart
AWFC Representative
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Darrell Trout
Executive Director, Phased In
*Phased In is an approved Missions Project for the North Texas District.

REGIONAL PASTORAL REPS

Central Rep (DFW)

Landon Orrill
[email protected]

Spanish Rep

Ariel Olivencia
[email protected]

Northeast Rep

Michael Fleming
[email protected]

Southern West Rep

Landon Henry
[email protected]

North Central Rep

South Central Rep

John Braten
[email protected]

Southeast Rep

Mike Fowler
[email protected]

NTD Family First Ministries