Lifeline Children’s Services, the largest evangelical adoption agency in the United States, has named Chelsea Patterson Sobolik as its new senior director of policy and advocacy. Sobolik has served as the director of public policy for the Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission since 2018, where she advocated for issues of life and religious freedom. Sobolik is also the author of “Longing for Motherhood: Holding on to Hope in the Midst of Childlessness.” 

“I am honored to be joining the hard-working and professional staff of Lifeline Children’s Services, the leading evangelical child welfare organization in our country,” Sobolik said. “I hope that together we can continue to make an impact on the lives of vulnerable children, women and families for generations to come.”

Lifeline President and Executive Director Herbie Newell issued the following statement: “We are proud to welcome Mrs. Chelsea Sobolik to our staff and are confident that her extensive experience in policy and advocacy will help advance the efforts of our mission here at Lifeline.”

Lifeline Children’s Services, with offices in 16 states, serves vulnerable children and families through private domestic and international adoption, family restoration and pregnancy counseling. 

While Lifeline is not affiliated with any denomination, it was created to support pregnancy counseling and adoption work in 1981 by Briarwood Presbyterian Church of Birmingham, Ala. Lifeline’s headquarters remain in Birmingham. In 2000, Lifeline expanded its ministry to international adoption, starting in China. Each year, additional countries have been added to its ministry, and now Lifeline is presently involved in 18 countries.