Mike Blackwood is the new Director of Church Engagement for Connie Maxwell Children’s Ministries.
“I cannot think of anyone more fitting than Mike Blackwood for this important role,” said Danny Nicholson, President of Connie Maxwell Children’s Ministries. “His heart for the Lord, love for local churches, and wealth of experience working with South Carolina ministries makes him the perfect person to help us advance our 10-year strategic plan, A Decade of Dreams!”
Blackwood brings over 30 years of ministry experience. His career began in music evangelism, traveling predominantly throughout the Southeast with his wife, Kim, to play music at conferences, events, and revival services. In 1996, Blackwood opened his first recording studio, writing songs for ministries like Upward Sports and producing mostly Christian music.
Through that role, he was invited to be a worship pastor at Milestones Church, which transitioned him into pastoral ministry. He later became a worship pastor at First Baptist Church of Indian Trail in North Carolina, and he returned to South Carolina to serve as worship pastor and later as executive pastor at Lifesong Church in Spartanburg.
A lifelong songwriter and worship leader, Blackwood has a deep love for the Church and a heart for vulnerable children and families. In 2021, Blackwood became Christian Adoption Services’ Director of Development for South Carolina to increase church engagement.
In his new role as Connie Maxwell’s Director of Church Engagement, he will connect South Carolina churches with foster care opportunities. Blackwood plans to have conversations with pastors or ministry leaders to design a personalized roadmap to meet the foster care needs of their church.
Anytime there’s a family that’s fostering children, they need support from Christian brothers and sisters,” Blackwood said. “So, how can we help you build that ministry to wrap your arms around this couple that is doing such an amazing work? How do we build a prayer ministry to support that?”
After he meets with them, Blackwood is hopeful churches would want to start the process of their next steps, getting them only as involved as they desire and have capacity.
“Everybody can’t foster a child, but everybody can do something. And so, we want to help them understand what that something is,” Blackwood said. “We really can’t do it without the support and help of the local church.”
As James 1:27 calls for the Church to care for orphans, Blackwood is praying for such a movement among South Carolina churches.
“Connie Maxwell knows that local churches are the lifeblood of our mission, and this has been true for over 133 years!” said Jay Boyd, Connie Maxwell’s Senior Vice President of Strategy and Engagement.
“We pray pastors and ministry leaders will see Mike’s role as the bridge that can connect their church into a healthy, transformational partnership as they seek to care for the fatherless, support foster care efforts, and mobilize their people into missional opportunities with Connie Maxwell.”
Get Involved with Connie Maxwell
Many children throughout South Carolina don’t yet have a safe place to call home. “The needs are greater than ever,” Boyd said.
If you are a pastor, ministry leader, or lay leader who feels called to help your church care for children in hard places, the following are five opportunities to get involved with Connie Maxwell Children’s Ministries.
- Raise awareness of Connie Maxwell to couples in your church who may want to foster a child.
- Build a foster care ministry to assist families who are fostering children in your church.
- Volunteer at a Serve Day at Connie Maxwell with a Sunday school class or small group from your church.
- Collect items of needed supplies for children and families and deliver them to a Connie Maxwell campus.
- Pray faithfully and give financially to make an eternal impact on vulnerable children and families.
Ready to get started? Reach out to Mike Blackwood at mblackwood@conniemaxwell.com or get more information on how to engage your church in foster care.
