The Defender Podcast

GUEST Mckinley Landen serves on the Education team as a Family Therapist.  She received her Bachelors in Human Development and Family Sciences and her Masters in Social Work from Samford University. McKinley primarily works with attachment and trauma in adolescents, adults, and couples, as well as helping people with anxiety, grief, depression, anger, marriage and parenting support. McKinley utili...

GUEST Dr. Walt Mueller, the Founder and President of Parent Youth Understanding. It helps provide parents with an understanding of the culture that  kids are living in, and how to respond to conversations through a gospel-centered perspective. HOST Herbie Newell is the President & Executive Director of Lifeline Children’s Services and its ministry arms. CO-HOST Rick Morton is the Vice Presiden...

GUEST Jessie Jacobs , is a social worker in the Huntsville office on the Foster Care team. Jessie received her BS in Psychology at Blue Mountain College and her Masters of Social Work from Auburn University. Carrie Dean , is a mom through Foster Care. Carrie has brought two generations home. Chris and Alicia Johnson are bringing the Church to bear in child welfare. They are adoptive and foster par...

GUEST Ed Litton is the Pastor of Redemption Church in Mobile, Alabama and nominated as the President of the Southern Baptist Convention HOST Herbie Newell is the President & Executive Director of Lifeline Children’s Services and its ministry arms. CO-HOST Rick Morton is the Vice President of Engagement at Lifeline Children's Services. RESOURCES We house hundreds of helpful articles, activity i...

GUEST Aren Williams joined Lifeline in October 2020.  She is from Birmingham, Alabama and serves on our Foster Care Team as the Older Youth & Independent Living Transitions Coordinator.  Aren attended Baylor University and received her Bachelors in Business Administration and later her Masters of Science in Health Administration and Masters of Business Administration from the University of Ala...

GUEST Ann Maura Hinton is the Director of BRIDGE Educational Services. She joined the Lifeline team in August of 2017. She brings with her over 25 years teaching experiences in a variety of different settings and with a variety of different disabilities.  She loves to learn and is constantly looking for new ways to help build a bridge from frustration to hope alongside families in need.  She is a...

GUEST Angela Maines, MA, LPC, TBRI® Practitioner, Registered Play Therapist, joined Lifeline’s team in December 2012. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a minor in Family Science from Anderson University, a Master’s Degree in Licensed Professional Counseling from Liberty University, and a certificate in Play Therapy from Capella University. Angela primarily works with attachment and t...

GUEST Kristen Avery, is a missionary in Kenya. She provides an adoptive parents perspective during a really difficult year. HOST Herbie Newell is the President & Executive Director of Lifeline Children’s Services and its ministry arms. CO-HOST Rick Morton is the Vice President of Engagement at Lifeline Children's Services. RESOURCES We house hundreds of helpful articles, activity ideas, and ot...

GUEST Lynn Beckett, received her bachelors of social work from the University of Georgia in 1981. She worked in the area of foster care and adoption in Georgia and Virginia before joining Lifeline staff in 1989. She became a TBRI® Practitioner in 2016. Lynn feels that it is an incredible privilege to be able to be a part of this ministry that is so committed to the care of orphans both here in the...

GUEST Rob Pacienza, Lead Pastor of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida HOST Herbie Newell is the President & Executive Director of Lifeline Children’s Services and its ministry arms. RESOURCES The Defender Bible Study  Another free weekly podcast for you – led by a Lifeline staff member.  Featuring an in-depth study either on a portion of Scripture, or a book like...

GUEST Brad Evangelista , lead pastor at CrossPointe Church in Columbus, Georgia and church partner with Lifeline Children's Services. RESOURCES Parent Coaching is a service available for any parent who needs additional insight into their child’s behavior. Tailored to each family and each child. These are 45-60-minute sessions filled with proven tools and techniques to use in building additional st...

Bridge Educational Services - lifelinechild.org/bridge GUEST Rick Burgess has been the cohost of the “Rick and Bubba Show” since 1994, a nationally syndicated radio show which airs to 1.2 million people weekly. Rick has coauthored multiple New York Times bestselling books that are autobiographical in nature, but his latest release is a 40-day devotional designed to disciple men, a personal passion...

Lifeline Store - https://store.lifelinechild.org/ GUEST  Jason was born and raised in Birmingham, AL before moving to Suwanee, GA where he would finish high school. Upon graduation, Jason signed a football scholarship at The University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) where he would be a 4 year starter and 4 year letter winner at Fullback. Though raised in a home that taught him to love and fear God, it...

Lifeline Store - https://store.lifelinechild.org/ GUEST  Pastor John Onwuchekwa RESOURCES Join us for the next Arc Stories event, featuring Lifeline family stories on adoption, fostering, family restoration, and orphan care. Proceeds from the event go to support Lifeline's ministry departments taking gospel hope to the vulnerable. Purchase Your Tickets Today !   HOST Herbie Newell is the President...

Lifeline Store - https://store.lifelinechild.org/ GUEST  Josh Caldwell, Vice President of International Ministries  Claire Davis, Program Director of Domestic Adoption Kemonia Brown, MA, LPC, NCC, Family Therapist  RESOURCES Parent Coaching is a service available for any parent who needs additional insight into their child’s behavior. Tailored to each family and each child. These are 45-60-minute...

Lifeline Store - https://store.lifelinechild.org/ GUEST  Jason Paredes, is the lead pastor of Fielder Church in Arlington, Texas and joined the staff in 2005. He assumed the role as lead pastor in 2016. He has an amazing family. (Wife: Virginia and has 5 daughters and 1 son) RESOURCES Road Map to International Adoption Webinar: If you’re considering international adoption but are stuck with too ma...

Lifeline Store - https://store.lifelinechild.org/ GUEST  Chuck Johnson serves as president and CEO of the National Council For Adoption. He is responsible for all aspects of NCFA, including management as well as implementing the organization’s mission. He is an advocate for children, birth parents, and adoptive families, and is a frequent writer, speaker, and commentator on adoption policy and pra...

Lifeline Store - https://store.lifelinechild.org/ GUEST  Chuck Johnson serves as president and CEO of the National Council For Adoption. He is responsible for all aspects of NCFA, including management as well as implementing the organization’s mission. He is an advocate for children, birth parents, and adoptive families, and is a frequent writer, speaker, and commentator on adoption policy and pra...

Lifeline Store - https://store.lifelinechild.org/ GUEST Lili, Birth Mother, shares her story of God's goodness and mercy. Lili is a super hero in our eyes as she was faced with overwhelming odds and options. Learn more about how Lili had to decide what was best for herself and her twins. Lauren Eddie, Pregnancy Counselor,  joined the Lifeline staff in January of 2018. She’s originally from New Orl...

Lifeline Store - https://store.lifelinechild.org/ GUEST Dr. Rick Morton, Vice President of Engagement Rick shepherds Lifeline's outreach to individuals, churches, and organizational ministry partners as well as the ministry’s commitment to publishing resources that aid families and churches in discipling orphans and vulnerable children. Holding both the Doctor of Philosophy and Master of Arts degr...

Lifeline Store - https://store.lifelinechild.org/ RESOURCES This year’s Sanctity of Human Life is January 17, the Sunday closest to the historic Roe v. Wade landmark case.  Use this day to mourn the loss of life through abortion and to take a stand for life. Find free resources for your church, like bulletin inserts and small group Bible studies, at https://lifelinechild.org/lifematters/ HOST Herb...

Lifeline Store - https://store.lifelinechild.org/ GUESTS Lynn Beckett,  Education Specialist, LBSW, TBRI® Practitioner Renee Griffin, Served families, children, foster families, with excellence over a 38-year tenure at Lifeline Jana Lombardo, Senior Program Director, International Programs,  LBSW, TBRI® Practitioner Karla Thrasher, Director of International Adoption, LBSW, TBRI® Practitioner  Trac...

Bridge Educational Services - lifelinechild.org/bridge GUEST Rick Burgess has been the cohost of the “Rick and Bubba Show” since 1994, a nationally syndicated radio show which airs to 1.2 million people weekly. Rick has coauthored multiple New York Times bestselling books that are autobiographical in nature, but his latest release is a 40-day devotional designed to disciple men, a personal passion...

Lifeline International Adoption - https://lifelinechild.org/international-adoption/ GUESTS Jana Lombardo is the Senior Program Director of International Programs. She has been with Lifeline since 1992 after she graduated from Auburn with a bachelor’s degree in social work. She worked for six and a half years as a domestic social worker/ birthmother counselor until the birth of her first son Eli. S...

GUEST Brittney Gilbert: She is a dentist in Alabama, specializing in pediatric dentistry and is on our Alabama board. RESOURCES Another free weekly resource podcast for you – led by a Lifeline staff member. Featuring an in-depth study either on a portion of Scripture, or a book like “Plain Theology for Plain People” or “New Morning Mercies,” etc. Listen wherever you find your podcasts. T-shirts Th...