Church of God World Missions Names Consultant For International Orphanages
With some 119 identified orphanages and children’s homes around the globe, Church of God World Missions announces the appointment of Dr. John Sweet as field consultant to International Orphanages.
For many years, Church of God missionaries and national leaders have worked with orphans in their field areas. More recently, partner agencies such as Serving Orphans Worldwide (formerly Children of the World), People for Care and Learning, as well as local churches, have increased the number and impact of the homes for children. Sweet’s appointment is a natural progression in serving orphanages and ministry partners. In addition to raising awareness and promotion, he will be providing training, program development, networking, and consultation for the institutions and agencies.
Most of the homes serving children have been established by local churches, territorial offices, and national offices throughout the Church of God structure, although a few were begun by missionaries. With little training or experience, but with a desire to help children, pastors and lay persons opened their hearts and homes. Through the gifts of donors who designated orphanages as the recipient of their giving, World Missions has assisted with orphanage care; however, the bulk of support has come from churches in countries where the orphanages are situated.
With the needs and numbers of children growing ever larger, World Missions sees this appointment as an opportunity to provide much needed support and training. Sweet is the author of the book, Healing for a Hurting World: Five Steps to Behavioral Change, which serves as a training manual and resource for childcare and Christian education workers. During his tenure as program director of the Smoky Mountain Children’s Home in Sevierville, Tenn., the agency achieved top ratings among similar programs based on professional performance standards. A recently revised edition of his Five Steps book, titled Parenting: The Peacemaking Model, furnishes guidance to parents of troubled children.
The author brings to the new missions assignment a wide array of experience and a passion for caring for hurting children and those who care for them.
John, with his wife, Jo Ann, led the Green Meadow Church of God in Alcoa, Tenn., for 20 years. In 1995, they developed a foster care ministry out of that church. Sweet has also been involved in recruiting and training care-giving parents for 17 years. In 2002, the foster care program moved to the Smoky Mountain Children’s Home in Sevierville, where he became Program Director in 2007. The program served about 180 children on a regular basis and nearly 500 a year. Well over 100 children were adopted during Sweet’s tenure.
The new consultant received his Doctor of Ministry degree from the Pentecostal Theological Seminary in Cleveland, Tenn., where his graduate project focused on care ministry for the 21st century. He has served as a pastor, foster parent, law enforcement chaplain, crisis intervention specialist with children and families, and has taught courses in the sociology department of Lee University. He is also a board member for People for Care and Learning, a humanitarian agency working primarily in Southeast Asia.
Bill George, Coordinator of Missions Education/Publications
© 2012 Church of God World Missions
