Manassas, VA, 6th May 2026, ZEX PR WIRE — Dr Robert Griffith, also known as Pastor Bob Griffith, is a leading voice among pastors and academics advocating for churches to take a structural role in supporting foster and kinship families. As the author of Fostering Jesus and a board member of Backyard Orphans, Dr Griffith works with congregations in Virginia and beyond to build the kind of practical infrastructure that makes a measurable difference for families navigating the foster care system.
Foster care in Virginia involves approximately 5,000 children at any given time, according to the Virginia Department of Social Services. Many foster families report a lack of community support as a primary factor in discontinuing care. Dr Griffith’s approach addresses this gap by helping churches build respite care networks, supply closets for emergency placements, trained volunteer teams, and direct relationships with local child welfare agencies.
Dr Griffith founded 1Hope Together to create a replicable model for church-based foster care support. That model helped congregations move from one-time awareness campaigns to sustained ministry programs with dedicated budgets, trained coordinators, and agency partnerships. He now continues this work through his board role with Backyard Orphans, which mobilizes communities to support children in care.
His book Fostering Jesus serves as a field guide for church leaders, covering the practical steps required to build foster care ministry infrastructure. Topics include volunteer mobilization for non-fostering families, partnership protocols with government and private agencies, and the organizational structures that help foster care ministries survive beyond initial enthusiasm.
“Most churches stop at awareness. They run a campaign, people feel something, and then everyone goes back to their regular programming. The families doing the actual work need more than that.
They need systems they can count on.” said Dr Robert Griffith.
Dr Griffith’s advocacy has been recognized in Outreach Magazine and on K-LOVE radio. His foster care efforts have been cited from the floor of the United States Congress. He teaches practical theology and leadership at Southeastern University, where his courses address the intersection of theological conviction and organizational practice.
Explore more biblical teaching and leadership content from Dr. Robert Griffith (also known as Pastor Bob Griffith) on his official YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/XQVfJGJRPgk?si=hnfLNnxC_cCm6MjZ
Disclaimer: The views, suggestions, and opinions expressed here are the sole responsibility of the experts. No Euro Tidings journalist was involved in the writing and production of this article.
