By Blake Ragsdale & BCH Communications
The Johnsons’ hearts were broken.
They went into fostering as a step of obedience to God, but could not have been prepared for just how hard opening their home to vulnerable children could be.
So when the placement of two young sisters ended abruptly, Bradley and Kelly Johnson, along with their biological children, were devastated.
“We got a call at week six that the judge had ordered that they were to be returned to their mother that day,” Kelly says.
The news came without warning. Everything happened so quickly they never had the opportunity to tell the girls goodbye. The loss left deep wounds, and the entire family was left reeling.
At the very least, they needed a break from fostering. The emotional pull to quit altogether, sparing themselves another heartbreaking goodbye, was strong.
“Just that the way it ended was so tough for our family that we probably would have just stopped,” Bradley shares. “I think if we had not partnered with Baptist Children’s Homes (BCH), we would not even have attempted a second placement.”
At the time, Bradley and Kelly lived in Leicester, N.C. with their four biological children. Members of Newfound Baptist Church, where Bradley served as senior pastor, the couple began their foster care journey in 2020 after being trained and licensed through BCH.
Initially, the couple wanted to adopt until they learned of the overwhelming need for fostering. What followed would deepen their understanding, their faith, and reveal opportunities to minister and share the gospel in ways they did not anticipate.
Much has transpired in the six years since the Johnsons gave their “yes” to becoming a foster family through BCH. It has included a move from Leicester to Morganton, N.C., where Bradley is now serving as senior pastor of Pleasant Ridge Baptist Church. Even before their relocation, it also included a time of healing the family needed in order to step back into their calling to foster.
“BCH allowed us to take our time. They asked us to just pray about it and think about it,” Bradley says.
“We asked for that summer off to kind of heal,” Kelly continues. “And on August 1, they reached out and asked if we were ready to continue.”
The months away gave them time to process their grief and reflect on what God had taught them through their heartache.
What they learned from the hurt
As they prepared to welcome another child into their home, the Johnsons began to recognize how God was reshaping their view of foster care. Through the pain came a new clarity about what it means to foster.
“The Lord started opening our eyes to our motivation,” Bradley shares. “The motivation for fostering is not just to add another child to our family, but it’s to serve. It’s not about us. It’s about this child. It’s about their family.”
Over time, they embraced the importance of helping children safely reunite with their families whenever possible.
“Eventually we were praying, ‘Lord, save this parent, work out the situation,’” Bradley explains. “Even though it would mean this child would leave our home.”
Reunification opens up ministry
This new understanding meant forming connections, having conversations, and creating bonds that went beyond the child or children the Johnsons were fostering. They found God opening doors to demonstrate the love of Christ to the children’s families, many who were not believers and were struggling with brokenness in their own lives.
One particular placement further opened their eyes to the ministry opportunities foster care can create. The child came from a single-parent home. The mother struggled with addiction and lived in a low-income area where conditions were often unstable.
With encouragement from their BCH case manager, Kelly prayerfully began building a relationship with the child’s mother.
“I treated that mama like she and I were best friends from childhood and loved on her and just went the extra mile,” Kelly shares. “And the Lord really humbled me because I was prideful and snobby going into this.”
As the relationship grew, Kelly’s perspective began to change.
“We were two moms doing the best we can and working together to make this reunification happen,” she recalls.
As they walked alongside the mother, they found their hearts shifting to a bigger perspective. Foster care creates opportunities to share the love of Christ not only with children, but also with families seeking restoration.
When reunification is not possible
While many of the children who entered the Johnsons’ home eventually returned to their families, not every story ended in reunification. When the family received a call about the placement of a three-month-old baby boy, they welcomed Joseph into their home. A year later, another call came.
“For a year, Kelly prayed that the Lord would give him a little playmate,” Bradley shares. “And the Lord brought his little brother into our life as well.”
Teddy came home from the hospital joining his older brother in the Johnsons’ home.
“We went at it the same as we did with our other foster children, working with the birth mom and her extended family,” Kelly explains. “The ending just took a different turn with the adoption.”
Eventually, it became clear that reunification would not be possible. After years of caring for the brothers through foster care, the Johnsons were given the opportunity to become their forever family through adoption.
Even after adopting Joseph and Teddy, Bradley and Kelly are mindful that their commitment to fostering is rooted in the literally thousands of children across North Carolina who still need safe, loving homes.
“You hear that number, but when you look in those eyes and know, it breaks my heart,” she says. “Everything they take comfort in has been ripped away from them, and this may be the only time they ever hear the name of Jesus.”
“Fostering has been the most difficult thing we’ve done as a family, but it’s also been one of the greatest blessings,” Bradley says. “We’re so grateful for Baptist Children’s Homes. They have just walked alongside of us.”
Hear more from Bradley and Kelly
Bradley shares his insights as both a foster parent and a pastor in his column, What our family did not know about fostering. You can also watch Bradley and Kelly talk about their journey, the need, and how fostering became an opportunity for ministry.
Questions about foster care, reunification and adoption
What is the first goal of foster care?
The first goal of foster care is always reunification, helping a child safely return to his or her parents or kin. When a child goes home, it is hard but right. Many BCH foster families, like the Johnsons, come to see walking alongside a child’s parents as a ministry of its own.
What happens when reunification is not possible?
When a child cannot safely return home, adoption becomes the way home. When parental rights are terminated during foster care, BCH helps create a pathway toward adoption so the child can have a forever family. The Johnsons adopted brothers Joseph and Teddy after years of caring for them through foster care.
How do I become a foster parent in North Carolina through BCH?
Start by attending an information meeting, then complete BCH’s 10-week licensing class, which meets North Carolina’s requirements to become a licensed foster parent. BCH licenses Christian foster families raised up through local churches and walks with them for the life of a placement. Find upcoming meetings and classes at bchfamily.org/events and learn more at bchfamily.org/foster-care.
Can foster parents take a break after a hard placement?
Yes. After a painful goodbye, the Johnsons asked for a summer off to heal, and BCH gave them time to pray and rest before asking if they were ready to continue. BCH walks with its foster families through hard seasons, not just good ones.
