Virginia, US, 27 Nov 2025, ZEXPRWIRE, Pastor Bob Griffith, a Virginia-based minister, professor, and founder of the nonprofit 1Hope Together, has released Fostering Jesus, a new book urging Christians and church leaders to take practical steps in supporting children in foster care. Drawing from two decades of ministry experience, personal stories, and biblical teaching, the book positions foster care as a core responsibility for the Church.
Fostering Jesus emphasizes that supporting vulnerable children is not optional. It offers encouragement, theological insight, and concrete ways for individuals and churches to engage. The book is grounded in scripture, including James 1:27 and Isaiah 1, which Pastor Griffith believes are direct mandates for Christian action.
“Not everyone is able to be a foster parent directly, but everyone is called to do something to support children who have no one to care for them,” said Pastor Griffith. “Helping our community is a hallmark for Christians. In contemporary language, It is our brand, it’s what we should be known for.”
Pastor Griffith’s background includes pastoring a large church in the Washington, DC suburbs and serving as executive pastor for a large multi-site church in the Midwest. He is also a professor at Southeastern University, where he teaches practical theology and leadership. His advocacy for foster care has been featured in Outreach Magazine, K Loveradio, Focus on the Family, the Washington Times, and CBN.
The book also shares parts of his own journey into foster care, including the challenges of saying yes.
“I used basic logic and just said no at first,” he recalls. “I could not see how we could do this.” But after asking God to reveal His desire for us in this decision, “we had seven confirmations” within 24 hours that this was God’s will for our lives. Soon after, “we had sold our home and bought a bigger one at the same price, in the same neighborhood, with the two extra rooms needed for the foster children! All we had to do was tell God we would say yes if it be his desire and he reordered the details. We saw how far God will go to provide for vulnerable children.”
Through Fostering Jesus, Pastor Griffith outlines how churches can create sustainable systems of care that support both children and foster families. He makes the case that the foster care system depends on compassion and participation.
“In America the foster care system depends on love,” he said. “People have to care for foster care to work.”
In addition to his work in churches and classrooms, Pastor Griffith founded 1Hope Together, a nonprofit that mobilizes volunteers and strengthens partnerships between churches and foster care agencies. He has mentored doctoral students and collaborated with faith leaders to build practical, mission-driven support for the community.
“Foster care is an issue for today, but there is hope for tomorrow when children are shown the love of God.” Pastor Griffith said.
Fostering Jesus includes scholarly research unique to this field and is available now. To purchase a copy of this book, visit Fosteringjesus.org and for speaking requests visit BobGriffith.org.
