The Normans began the journey in fostering and adoption ten years ago, unaware they were traveling a path to a new ministry. Rick was named Baptist Children’s Homes’ new Foster and Adoption Church Liaison on October 1.
After 13 years at Stony Point Baptist Church, Rick resigned his pastorate. The church rallied around Rick and the family. Their love and support has been vital to the children and family’s transition.
"Our role is to wrap our arms around foster children, showing them the love of Jesus."
But one does not have to be a foster parent to be involved in a foster child’s life. Members of churches can offer support and walk with foster families.“We see churches as the hub for ministry,” Rick says. “Prayer is paramount. Meals, supplies, and clothes are needed. Children often come with little—sometimes with only the clothes on their backs. We need to have a heart for this ministry and allow God to use us to do what He desires.”
Rick Norman was raised in a Christian home, loved by parents he admired. He made his profession of faith in Jesus when he was 10 years old at Hilliard Baptist Church in High Point. Godly family life became his life’s aspiration.
As a teen, he began working for the same grocery store chain where his father worked. It was here he met his future wife, Melissa, at the checkout counter. They attended Green Street Baptist Church together, fell in love, and after Rick graduated from college with a business degree, the couple married and began their family.
It was then that he felt a stirring in his heart. It was a calling.“Being a pastor was not what I was supposed to be doing,” Rick recalls. “I always shrugged it off when I was asked, ‘You sure you’re not supposed to be in ministry?’”
A serious illness slowed life down. He knew he needed to act: “I realized I’m not guaranteed another day.”
He registered in seminary and soon earned a master’s degree in Theological Studies. Stony Point Baptist Church called him to be their associate pastor in 2011.
Rick, Melissa, and their two daughters, Michaela and Autumn, made Stony Point home. Their son Danny was born a year later, and the family of five thrived.
“The ministry at church was going well, but Melissa and I wanted to do more,” Rick says.“We wanted a personal way to minister in the community. In 2014, our hearts turned to foster and adoption.”
Alan came into their home when he was two years old. His older sister, eight-year-old Floricela, came next, and the Normans adopted them together.
Rick was now senior pastor. Their family had grown to seven. They thought it was the perfect number. But God had other plans.
“We had five children in our home—there are restrictions—that’s the limit,” Rick says. “Or that’s what we thought.”
Reign was a preemie born with medical issues. It was an emergency placement, and a waiver was submitted. Rick and Melissa brought her home from the hospital at three months. Things moved quickly. Two and a half years later, she was adopted, becoming child six.
“Reign is the child we didn’t know we needed,” Rick says.
With 10,000+ children in the North Carolina foster care system and more being removed from homes daily, Rick now works to recruit and equip couples from North Carolina Baptist churches across the state to provide homes through fostering and adoption. His efforts are a part of the EVERY CHILD Foster & Adoption partnership with NC Baptists.
“Foster children do not choose their lives,” Rick says.“They deserve love, a family, and a home—not a worldly love but the love of God.”
Rick’s goal is to encourage and facilitate all kinds of foster care ministries across North Carolina. Individuals interested in becoming foster parents and churches who want to learn how to minister to foster children are encouraged to contact him at: 828-450-9136 or rnorman@bchfamily.org. Learn more at every-child.org.
Learn more at www.every-child.org.
Written by Jim Edminson, Editor of Charity & Children