A THEOLOGY OF FOSTER CARE

WWe believe the Church is the solution to the foster care crisis. 

“God places the lonely in families” (Psalm 68:5-6)

A Biblical Basis. Christian care for vulnerable children is rooted in biblical mandate. “Defend the cause of the fatherless,” commands the book of Isaiah. “Pure religion,” says James, is marked by showing up on behalf of “orphans and widows in their distress” (James 1:27).

More profoundly it is a revealing of God’s nature. The same words that Isaiah used appeared hundreds of years before in the Torah as a description of God himself: “He defends the cause of the fatherless…” (Deuteronomy 10:17). To care for the most vulnerable is ultimately a reflection of God’s character. As Psalm 68:5–6 puts it, “A Father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling. He sets the lonely in families.” 

We see vulnerable children in need of a family and we can’t help but do something about it! Because that’s what God did for us! “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you” (John 14:18).

A Practice of the Church. Protection and care for vulnerable children has been a defining mark of Christianity since its first days. 

The call to look after “the orphan” and “the fatherless” included any child who lacked the full protection, provision and care that God intends families to provide — whether due to the death of one or both parents, abandonment, incapacity or otherwise. 

When Christians welcome and serve vulnerable children — whether through foster care or adoption, mentoring or support of struggling families — we are simply giving a small, humble reflection of the way he first loved us. 

God uses us to be the bridge that brings His hope and love to hurting children and broken families. 2 Corinthians 5:18 tells us that God has called us to be His ambassadors in reconciliation, reconciling people to God and to each other.

A Theology of Restoration. Not every child in foster care will return to their biological family. But that’s the hope. The trouble is, it’s sometimes hard to desire that, especially when the child you’ve come to love has been harmed by the family. I Corinthians gently rebukes: “Love hopes all things.” No matter how far a person has fallen, the gospel insists they are never beyond the reach of God’s redemptive love. This grounds Christians in a hope deeper than wishful thinking and calls us to work for the restoration of struggling parents whenever possible. 

A Theology of Koinonia. The challenges of foster care are more than anyone can bear alone. Thankfully, God gave us the local church. The true fellowship — koinonia — that God intends for his people is far more than Sunday services. It bears burdens (Galatians 6:2), shares hospitality and resources (Romans 12:13), and rejoices and mourns together (Romans 12:15). Not everyone is called to foster or adopt or work with struggling parents, but each of us can play a vital part.

A Theology of Suffering. Children and families involved in the foster care system have tasted the world at its most broken. When we welcome them into our homes and our hearts, we share in that hurt with them. This makes no sense if life’s purpose is to maximize pleasure and minimize pain. As Paul described, “I want to know Christ, the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings” (Philippians 3:10). It’s not that we want to suffer. But we trust that amidst the trials we can experience an unparalleled fellowship with Christ. In God, even the very hardest things can be the source of great good — both in our own lives (Romans 5:3–5) and for others (i.e., Genesis 50:20).

A Biblical Response. The truth is, “Adoption and foster care aren’t new ideas; they’re Biblical ideas” (Orphanology, Tony Merida & Rick Morton). We know this, but it can still be overwhelming to know how to help. No matter what has brought you to the proverbial foster care table–a passionate church patron, a foster parent you know, a conference speaker, a Google search, or a good read–it can be tricky to know where to start. 

How can we begin the process of biblically pursuing the call to foster care? 

PRAYER should be our first response, not our last resort. Every great move of God begins with prayer. See how you can pray for foster care.

LEARN what God’s Word has to say about orphan care! Check out books like Adopted for Life by Russell D. Moore that dive into the theology of adoption and meditate on Scriptures that reveal God’s heart for the orphan. Here are a few verses to get you started! 

• Proverbs 31:8 - Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute.
• Deuteronomy 10:18 - He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing 
• James 1:27- Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world
• Romans 8:15-17 - 15 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship.[a] And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory
• Isaiah 1:17 - Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow
• Micah 6:8 - He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God
• Psalm 68:5-6 - Father to the fatherless, defender of widows— this is God, whose dwelling is holy. God places the lonely in families; He sets the prisoners free and gives them joy
• Exodus 2:10 - When the child grew older, she took him to Pharaoh’s daughter and he became her son. She named him Moses,[a] saying, “I drew him out of the water.”
• Psalm 68:5-6 God sets the lonely in families,  he leads out the prisoners with singing; but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.

ASSESS How do you start an orphan care ministry? Start small. Start slow. Start simple. We know, that’s easier said than done. Here are some questions to consider

• What is the need? Talk to your local child welfare agency about the needs in your community. Connecting with your local agencies will begin to break down any barriers between the local Church and local child welfare. 

• What do we already have? Take a look at the current programs in your church. Can any of those programs be easily adapted to meet the needs of the local foster care community? Things such as parenting classes, addiction recovery classes,  clothing closets and feeding programs could be made available. Offer your church’s facility to child welfare to be used for supervised visits or foster care classes. What is already in your church? 

• Who do we already have? You may not know it, but you probably have people in your church who are (1) currently fostering or have adopted or (2) would be interested in getting involved if the church offered something.

SHARE what you’ve learned with others! Connect with us for information and resources that can help you get the word out. Healthy ministries are communicated from the pulpit and implemented from the pews. 

ENCOURAGE your congregation to join you in stepping out in faith to minister to the vulnerable of our communities.  God is in the broken places, let us join Him where he is working.

A Final Thought. Foster care isn’t easy, but we do it joyfully because we ourselves have experienced the hope of adoption (Romans 8:15)! We were lonely and destitute when God, through Jesus Christ, brought us into His family. We became sons and daughters and were given an inheritance! So this mandate, this “pure religion” James talks about, is merely taking the unmerited love we have received and giving it to the world.

Parts taken from ‘Theology of Foster Care by Jedd Medefind.”   (https://www.nae.org/theology-foster-care/)

Parts taken from "What is Biblical Orphan Care" (https://backyardorphans.org/your-backyard/what-is-biblical-orphan-care/)