Listen on:
Key Takeaways:
In this live conversation from CAFO Summit, Austin Ludwig and Callie Priest sit down with pastor, author, and Radical founder David Platt to discuss why caring for vulnerable children is not a niche ministry but a central expression of Christian discipleship.
Drawing from Scripture, David Platt explains that following Jesus means moving toward need rather than away from it. He challenges believers to overcome barriers like comfort, convenience, and individualism, while embracing the sacrificial, community-centered nature of foster care, adoption, and child welfare.
Throughout the episode, David Platt emphasizes that foster care should never be carried by individuals alone. God designed the local church to be a family that surrounds foster and adoptive families with practical, emotional, and spiritual support. When churches step into this work together, they not only care for vulnerable children but also become more like Jesus.
Ultimately, this conversation is a powerful reminder that the call to care for vulnerable children belongs to every believer. While not everyone is called to foster or adopt, every follower of Jesus is called to play a role in reflecting God’s heart for the fatherless.
Time Stamps:
3:08 | What It Means to Be Distinct From the World for the World
4:49 | The Barrier of Comfort and the Cost of Obedience
8:57 | Why Foster Families Need the Church Around Them
10:23 | How Foster Care Makes the Church More Like Jesus
14:21 | Why Caring for the Fatherless Matters to God
17:18 | How Foster Care Changes Entire Church Communities
20:19 | Partnering with Ministries, Communities, and Social Workers
25:45 | Moving Beyond Individualism Toward Interdependence
35:41 | A Challenge to Pastors: Cast Vision and Take the First Step
Reflection Questions:
- David Platt suggests that comfort is often one of the biggest barriers to obedience. What comforts or conveniences might be keeping you from stepping toward a need God is placing in front of you?
- David argues that individualism works against the kind of community foster families need. How has our culture shaped the way we think about dependence and community?
Links:
David Platt’s Website: https://radical.net/
David Platt’s Books: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author