On this episode of the MBCH Podcast, hosts Nate Melton and Jasper Rains conclude their conversation with Dawn Hensley, Program Director for the Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) Ministry at the Missouri Baptist Children’s Home. In this part, Dawn highlights the crucial role local churches play in welcoming adults with IDD into full, active participation within the body of Christ. From singing in the choir and greeting guests to participating in sports, IDD adults thrive when congregations create intentional opportunities for them to exercise their God-given gifts and independence.

The discussion also previews the upcoming IDD Joyful Retreat in Branson, Missouri—a statewide gathering for IDD individuals (ages 16+) and their families featuring praise, fellowship, and a trip to Sight & Sound Theatres. Don emphasizes how churches and individuals can get involved with MBCH’s IDD Ministry, whether by donating items from their program wish list, hosting community field days, or offering specialized life-skills training. Tune in to learn how wrapping around these adults and their families provides lasting hope, inclusion, and joy.

On this episode of the MBCBH Podcast, hosts Nate Melton and Jasper Rains highlight the vital work of the individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) Ministry at the Missouri Baptist Children’s Home. Joining the conversation is Dawn Hensley, Program Director in Peculiar, Missouri, who shares how MBCH serves adults ages 18 and older living with conditions such as autism, cerebral palsy, and Down syndrome. Rather than focusing solely on basic care, the IDD Ministry strives to create a dignified, supportive environment where clients are empowered to build independence, pursue personal goals, and achieve their full potential.

The discussion explores MBCH’s residential group homes in Peculiar and Springfield, along with an exciting new Day Haven program designed to help clients develop practical life and social skills. Dawn shares inspiring examples of how IDD clients actively engage in their local communities—from participating in Special Olympics and riding adult tricycles in local parades to serving as door greeters and choir members in their partner churches. Tune in to learn how this ministry fosters a true sense of family while equipping adults with IDD to live fulfilling, purpose-driven lives.

On this episode of the MBCH Podcast, hosts Nate Melton and Jasper Rains sit down with TFC recruiters Kimberly Cooper and Mary Schneider from Western Missouri to discuss Treatment Family Care (TFC). They break down what TFC is, the unique needs of children in this program, and how church communities can surround and support TFC foster families.

Kimberly and Mary share about the higher level of specialized training TFC parents receive to care for children stepping down from residential treatment or managing elevated emotional, behavioral, or medical needs. They highlight the intensive, 24/7 support TFC specialists provide to families, including weekly home visits, customized treatment plans, and crisis intervention.

The conversation also introduces Finding 15, a new initiative aimed at recruiting 15 new foster homes in every Missouri county over the next five years while equipping local churches to become supportive, trauma-informed communities. Whether through opening a home for TFC, offering weekend respite care, or building care teams within a congregation, listeners will learn practical ways to wrap around foster families and help children experience stability, safety, and love.

On this episode of the MBCBH Podcast, hosts Nate Melton and Jasper Rains continue their look into the Family Resource Development program at the Missouri Baptist Children’s Home. They are joined once again by Jasmine Hamilton Baldwin, Assistant Program Director for Family Resource Development, and Angie Gentry, Family Resource Development Supervisor from the Joplin office. Together, they share the raw data and look at the actual realities surrounding youth in foster care, helping to dismantle common misconceptions along the way.

Listeners will discover that the standard face of foster care is older than most people realize. While many prospective foster parents hope to take in babies, the reality is that the average age of a child entering care in Missouri is around 8 years old, and a staggering 35% of youth in care are 13 or older. Jasmine and Angie clarify the common misunderstandings about who can step into this role, explaining that licensed foster parents don't need to be married, but do require a reliable community network and a supportive faith background.

They also map out the licensing process, detailing the timeline of around 120 days from a family's initial class to completion, and explore alternative avenues of support, such as short-term emergency fostering or weekend respite care. Finally, Jasper highlights an exciting new cinematic resource, Sound of Hope: The Story of Possum Trot, a faith-based film that demonstrates the explosive impact a local church can have when it chooses to wrap around vulnerable kids. Whether you can take a child for a night or a year, this conversation reminds us that there is a critical space for everyone to participate in healing the foster care crisis.

On this episode of the MBCBH Podcast, hosts Nate Melton and Jasper Rains introduce listeners to the Family Resource Development program at the Missouri Baptist Children’s Home. They sit down with Jasmine Hamilton Baldwin, Assistant Program Director for Family Resource Development, and Angie Gentry, Family Resource Development Supervisor from the Joplin office. Together, they discuss the critical purpose and function of the program in recruiting, training, and supporting foster parents to care for youth across Missouri.

The conversation highlights the sobering math and significant need for specialized foster homes in the state—where over 12,000 children are currently in care with only about 5,000 licensed foster homes available. Jasmine and Angie break down the realities of this deficit, sharing that many current homes are already at full capacity, and explaining the urgent bottleneck causing older youth to occasionally sleep in offices or hotels with staff while waiting for a permanent family placement.

Listeners will learn about the exact steps and requirements to become a foster parent, from background checks and home visits to the 11-week pre-service training process, which at MBCH uniquely integrates an extra week focused on spiritual development. The guests also touch on the flexibility of age preferences and clear up common misconceptions about marital status, emphasizing that healthy, loving environments can successfully come from single-parent homes just as they do from married couples.

Finally, the episode highlights additional ways for churches to wrap around local foster families, pointing out that everyone can step into love-in-motion—whether by opening their home to foster or by supporting the foster families already within their own faith communities.

On this episode of the MBCBH Podcast, hosts Nate Melton and Jasper Rayns sit down for part 2 of their conversation with Heather Gain, the Director of Communications and Outreach at Rooftop Church in Affton, Missouri.

In this episode, the team dives into the practical reality of living out a culture of service. For Rooftop, Care Portal is just one piece of the puzzle. Heather walks us through their multi-faceted local ministries, including their 18-year partnership with the Affton Christian Food Pantry and their dedicated "Street Team" homeless outreach. Lead by veteran coordinator Justin Stone, the street team goes beyond distributing essential supplies; they focus on looking people in the eye, listening to their stories, and bringing their specific prayer requests back to the church body.

Heather also discusses their Fostering Faithful Families ministry, which hosts essential "Parent Night Out" events to give foster and adoptive parents a much-needed break. Additionally, she explains how Rooftop balances global missions—allocating 12% of their budget to global work—with localized cross-cultural engagement right in South County, St. Louis.

Whether you are looking to get your own hands dirty in local ministry or seeking inspiration on how to build transformational community, this episode highlights how the simple, obedient act of serving shapes both the server and the served.

On this episode of the MBCBH Podcast, hosts Nate Melton and Jasper Rayns sit down with Heather Gain, the Director of Communications and Outreach at Rooftop Church in Affton, Missouri.

Heather shares her unique journey from working as a crime reporter for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch to transitioning into vocational ministry. She opens up about the heart and personality of Rooftop Church—a community that famously "takes Jesus seriously, but doesn't take themselves seriously" (yes, this includes throwing Easter candy off the church roof!).

The conversation dives deep into what it truly means to be an imperfect family following Jesus by putting love into motion. Heather explains how the church stays connected in a digital world and highlights their hands-on approach to serving through local food pantries, homeless ministries, and their long-standing partnership with Care Portal. Tune in to hear an inspiring real-life story of how stable, gospel-centered community support helped open doors for a family in crisis, and learn how one small "yes" can change everything.