Our Stories

Safety, connection, and discipleship, each rooted in the character of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, form the foundation of gospel-centered, trauma-responsive ministry that any church can build on.

Baptist Children’s Homes of North Carolina has never understood itself as merely a social service agency. Since the very beginning — since Mary Presson stepped off a train in Thomasville in 1885 and became the first child in our care — our ministry has been animated by something deeper than professional expertise or compassionate programming. It has been animated by faith. That faith is not incidental to what we do. It is foundational to everything. At the core of that faith

By Nancy Osborne | Chief Program Officer What changes for us when we choose to see foster care through the eyes of a child— a child who has been removed from their family of origin, often separated from siblings, and this taking place without his or her consent or understanding? Does that perspective reshape how we respond? As Christians, do we always play the pivotal role in seeing someone’s life changed by the gospel, or do we sometimes only have a temporary, finite amount

Most churches want to pray more meaningfully for children in foster care, for residential homes like the cottages at Baptist Children's Homes, and for the families serving them. The hard part is usually not the willingness. It is knowing where to start. You do not need a new ministry, a big budget, or a Sunday relaunch to begin. You need a few simple, repeatable practices and someone willing to put them on the calendar. Here are nine practical things your church can do — most

Every May, we recognize Foster Care Awareness Month. But at BCH, awareness was never the finish line — action is. This week, we're going deeper into one of the most misunderstood truths about foster care: that the goal was never replacement. It was always restoration. A Prayer From the Very Beginning When Malik first came to live with his foster family, they didn't pray for adoption. They prayed for something harder — and more beautiful. They prayed that he would feel saf

Adoption is one of the most profound decisions a family can make — and one of the most misunderstood. Hopeful adoptive parents often come to us with a powerful mix of deep desire and deep uncertainty. They sense God is calling them toward adoption. They’re just not sure what that road actually looks like. At Christian Adoption Services (CAS) — the adoption ministry of Baptist Children’s Homes of North Carolina (BCH) — we’ve walked alongside families on this journey since 19

The circumstances 15-year-old Amajha Slade was facing made it impossible for her to see the bright future that lay ahead. Amajha was unexpectedly pregnant. At the time, the uncertainty and choices in front of her were overwhelming. “It was shocking not really knowing exactly what to do or how everything was going to work out,” Amajha, who is now 27 years old, reflects “I was scared to tell my parents, and just to see how my life was going to change.” Amajha found the courage

*Note: Sophie’s name has been changed for her privacy. The swing that sits in the yard at Laura’s Home is a spot for the children to play, laugh, and simply have a good time. For 12-year-old Sophie*, the swing has an altogether different purpose. She finds a moment alone when the swing is unoccupied and the sounds of playtime have faded. Sophie rests herself in its familiar seat, pushes her feet against the ground beneath her, and starts swinging. To her, the swing means safe

Every May, our nation pauses to recognize something that Baptist Children’s Homes of North Carolina carries in its heart every single day: the urgent, beautiful, and sacred calling to care for children in foster care. National Foster Care Month is not just an awareness campaign — it is an invitation. And we believe God has placed that invitation before you for a reason. There are more than 10,000 children in foster care in North Carolina alone. Behind every number is a name,

Gospel-centered, trauma-informed ministry matters because both believers and unbelievers recognize that our world is hard, messy, and deeply broken, and many are longing for a better way. The Church knows that the Gospel—and a restored relationship with Jesus—is the true answer. Our work is to equip the body of Christ to step into the messy and hard places of life with compassion, seeing people as Christ sees them: image-bearers often held captive by sin and the enemy, yet de

By BCH Communications Baptist Children's Homes of North Carolina (BCH) took part in the 2026 NC Baptist Disciple-Making Conference, joining nearly 1,400 pastors, church staff, and lay leaders gathered for a day of encouragement, equipping, and gospel-focused training. Hosted at Hickory Grove Baptist Church in Charlotte on February 24, the conference brought together ministries from across the state united in a shared desire to make disciples in a rapidly changing cultural lan

By Nancy Osborne | Chief Program Officer & Erica Spivey | Senior Director of Special Projects As we recognize April as National Child Abuse Prevention Month, may we as followers of Jesus choose to shine brightly in a world that desperately needs His light. (Matthew 5:16) The needs around us are real, but so is the hope we carry. More than half of the children entering the foster care system do so due to neglect or lack of resources. (US Foster Care Statistics 2026: Data & Tre

By Blake Ragsdale | Editor of Charity & Children When the bell in the tower of the old school rang, its familiar sound would reverberate across the Mills Home campus. It signaled to the boys and girls who called the campus "home" that it was time—time for classes, time for church, or time to let everyone know that your team had won its ballgame. Today, the bell stands as a symbol of history for Baptist Children's Homes of North Carolina's (BCH) inaugural location in the small

By Blake Ragsdale | Editor of Charity & Children The basketball teams were decided. Jeremy and his youngest son, Ezra, would take on his oldest son, Gabe, and the family's sixteen-year-old guest, Devin. When the two-on-two basketball game was over, Devin and Gabe exchanged high fives as they celebrated their victory underneath the hoop in the Brady family's driveway. Jeremy smiled as he watched his two sons and Devin together. "'This is it,' I remember thinking," Jeremy refle

NOTE: The following is a letter from Baptist Children's Homes CEO David Melber to supporters announcing changes with Cameron Boys Camp, Camp Duncan for Girls, and Oak Ranch. Dear Friends and Faithful Supporters of Camp Duncan, Cameron Boys Camp, and Oak Ranch: We greet you with gratitude and deep respect for the decades of prayer, generosity, and partnership you have poured into the wilderness ministries of Baptist Children’s Homes of North Carolina (BCH). Your investment ha

When the Every Child | Every Church initiative was first introduced at last year's Annual Meeting of the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina, it marked a defining moment in Baptist Children's Homes of North Carolina's (BCH) commitment to churches. The vision is simple yet profound: to help churches say "yes" to the vulnerable people in their communities and even within their own congregations. "Every Child | Every Church is about helping churches be equipped to step i

Preparing for a family vacation is as much of an adventure for Phillip and Sara Carlisle as the getaway itself. With five adopted children—ages ranging from one to seven—caring for everyone’s needs during their recent weekend trip to Williamsburg, VA required no less than two double seated strollers, a wagon, three cribs, and scores of luggage all tightly packed into their SUV. (They have since upgraded to a roomier transit conversion van.) Extended family came along to help

“From the very beginning of our adoption journey, we have seen God’s hand woven throughout each of our children’s stories. He has faithfully opened and closed doors, carried us through trials, and used this process to refine our hearts and draw us closer to Him. Through it all, God has been shaping us into better parents and reminding us of the beauty of being chosen, just as we ourselves have been adopted into His family through Christ. Looking at our sweet boy, we can clear

Written by Jay Boyd, Chief Advancement Officer Bryan and I were riding in the back of my grandfather's pickup truck in late November. Thanksgiving on the Florida Panhandle had already been full—bonfires, s'mores, oysters on saltines, and outdoor adventures on the farm. We were somewhere between catfishing and dove hunting as the truck bumped across a cut peanut field, our legs dangling off the tailgate, shotguns across our laps. Everything had been going great. Bryan had been

Charity & Children Editor Jim Edminson concluded his Baptist Children's Homes career December 31. In June 2000, he and his family moved to the Tar Heel State from Louisiana where he served as communications director at the Louisiana Baptist Children's Home in Monroe. BCH founder John Haynes Mills was the first editor, launching the publication July 7, 1887. The longest-tenured editor, Archibald Johnson, followed Mills serving as editor for 40 years from 1895 until 1935. Edmin