The Chapman Family
A Story of Parenting and Prayer
“Not everyone is called to adopt but everyone is called to do something.” –Emily Chapman Richards
“Before you do any of that (adoption process), begin with prayer and to start in a position of asking God what He might have for you.” –Emily Chapman Richards
“There are over 15 million children around the world that have lost both parents and here in the United States over 100,000 children that have had parental rights terminated in the Foster Care system that are waiting for permanency and family.” –Emily Chapman Richards
Sometimes God’s perfect will is just that hard.” –Steven Curtis Chapman
“As much as we are learning, have learned, and are continuing to learn about who God is, his Character, and this journey for us, I think I learned just as much about the amazing sense of humor, the winsomeness of God – which isn’t something I grew up thinking about God, but just how creative he was in directing this family.” –Steven Curtis Chapman
Watch the Chapmans’ Keynote
About Steven
In a career that has spanned over 30 years, Steven Curtis Chapman is the most awarded artist in Christian music history with 59 Gospel Music Association Dove Awards, five GRAMMYs®, an American Music Award, 49 No. 1 singles, selling more than eleven million albums and with ten RIAA-certified gold or platinum albums to his credit. Chapman also became a best-selling author in 2017 with his memoir “Between Heaven and the Real World: My Story”.
He has been featured on “Good Morning America,” “CBS Sunday Morning,” CNN, MSNBC, “60 Minutes,” E! Entertainment, “The Today Show,” “Fox & Friends,” “CBS This Morning,” and “The Tonight Show,” Glenn Beck’s “The Blaze,” along with appearing in the pages of People, Billboard, Parents Magazine, and more.
Chapman’s newest record “Deeper Roots: Where the Bluegrass Grows” debuted at No. 1 on the iTunes Country Albums chart, spent months as the No. 1 Billboard Bluegrass Album, and earned him his 49th No. 1 single with the bluegrass version of his song “Dive” featuring Ricky Skaggs.
A vocal supporter of adoption, Chapman, along with his wife Mary Beth, founded Show Hope in 2003, a nonprofit organization that helps restore the hope of a family to orphans.
About Mary Beth
Mary Beth Chapman is the Co-Founder and Board Chair of Show Hope, a leading organization in the movement to care for orphans that she and her husband Steven Curtis Chapman co-founded. She is a speaker and a New York Times Best-selling author.
Touched and forever transformed by the miracle of adoption in their own family, Mary Beth and Steven Curtis Chapman began the nonprofit ministry of Show Hope in 2003 with a mission to care for orphans by engaging the Church and reducing the barriers to adoption. To date, Show Hope has helped welcome home children through Adoption Aid grants for more than 6,700 orphans from more than 60 countries, including the U.S. In addition, more than 2,700 waiting children with acute medical and special needs have received care through Show Hope’s Care Centers in China.
Steven and Mary Beth Chapman, college sweethearts, will be celebrating their 35th wedding anniversary this coming fall and have six children – three biological: Emily married to Tanner, Caleb married to Julia, Will Franklin married to Jillian, and three adopted daughters, Shaohannah Hope, Stevey Joy, and Maria Sue, who is now with Jesus. Their most treasured title is being called “Grammy” and “PopPops” to their six beautiful grandbabies, whom they love spoiling.
About Emily
Born and raised in Franklin, TN, Emily has enjoyed watching Show Hope, a nationally recognized voice for adoption advocacy and orphan care support work, grow from a dream in her parents’ heart to an organization that has helped thousands of children come to know the love of a family. Emily met her husband, Tanner, on a blind date at a local Starbucks. Married in 2008, Tanner and Emily are the proud parents to three beautiful ladies—Eiley, Della, and Verity.
After earning her BA in International Studies and Religion from Baylor University (‘07), Emily continued her education while living abroad, graduating from Queen’s University Belfast (‘12) with a Masters of Theology. Emily enjoys traveling and talking theology over a cup of coffee. She is a visionary and a dreamer, and has long remained a passionate advocate for adoption and orphan care efforts. Emily considers it an honor to serve alongside the Show Hope staff as the Executive Director.