Houseparents - Nashville, IN

Houseparent Overview & Qualifications

Thank you for exploring houseparenting at New Song Mission. As you look through the qualifications below, we hope you are blessed and encouraged in Christ.

At New Song, houseparents serve as missionaries on campus, raising children in a gentle, caring way and helping the ministry as a whole in whatever ways are necessary. For the children, houseparents are caregivers, role models, educators, and spiritual mentors, teaching life principals and instilling moral values that will help each child live to their highest potential. For the overall ministry, houseparents serve at New Song with humility, helping out in various ways that may be unrelated to houseparenting. 

Houseparenting is a very demanding position that requires a great deal of flexibility. Houseparents must possess a number of specific personal qualities in order to effectively fulfill their role, and they must also have a close walk with the Lord so can rely on the special strength, patience, and wisdom that only He can provide. Houseparents must be mature, stable people who are personally whole.

In addition, houseparents must enjoy being a part of a community since they will work collaboratively with other New Song houseparents, staff, teachers, and volunteers to facilitate the success of the entire ministry. Houseparents must have an “open house” mentality as other staff will visit the children in the houseparents’ home regularly, and tours of the home may occasionally be given to ministry supporters, volunteers, and other guests.

Houseparents are not permitted to work off campus or conduct another business while working at New Song so that they can devote their full attention, energy, and time to the children and the ministry. Houseparents are provided with room, board, health insurance, a small bi-weekly salary, and the means to care for the children placed in their home.

We care deeply about our houseparents and will do our very best to support and nurture them. Our hope is that houseparents will be a part of the ministry for several years, and we want to take care of them both because it’s the right thing to do and so that the New Song kids have consistency in their lives.

Some of the general houseparent qualifications/requirements include:

• A personal, growing relationship with Christ Jesus and a significant heart for the Scriptures
• Strong agreement with New Song Mission’s Statement of Faith (available upon request)
• An understanding of child development as well as the emotional needs and behavioral issues of kids who come from impoverished, dysfunctional backgrounds
• Experience in working with emotionally challenged children and youth (past foster parent experience is much preferred, but not essential)
• A desire to help children grow in the knowledge and grace of God and a firm commitment to the children’s academic success
• Personal characteristics that will enable houseparents to connect with and nurture the children and otherwise meet their needs
• An appreciation of teamwork and living in an open campus community which includes interactions with other New Song staff, donors, counselors and others
• It is preferred that a houseparent couple be married for three years or more and that they be at least 30 years of age
• If houseparents have minor children, having just one child or having two children of the same gender works the best, and it is preferred that the kids are 8 years old or more
• Houseparents should envision a five-year minimum commitment to the ministry as we want the New Song children to grow up in a stable home and family

If you, as a couple, would like to take the next step toward possibly houseparenting at New Song Mission, please click below to fill out our registration.