'Look after orphans'

Roe v. Wade | Twenty ways to become an adoption-friendly church | Paul Golden

The Bloemsma family from East Flat Rock, N.C./Handout

While Christians commonly praise adoption, most American churches do not have a single family that adopted a child during the past year. Churches can and should play a crucial role in encouraging members to "look after orphans in their distress" (James 1:27). Here are some specific ideas on how to become an adoption-friendly church:

1. Pray that you and your church would become adoption-friendly. Pray that potential couples will be sensitive to the Lord's leading in their lives. Pray that the church as a whole steps up its involvement in assisting couples who adopt.

2. Preach key passages on caring for orphans and spiritual adoption. Passages like James 1:26-27 remind us that pure and faultless religion emphasizes care for those who are least able to care for themselves. Ephesians 1:3-5 portrays the act of physical adoption as a great object lesson for spiritual adoption in Christ). Since God cares for us in our affliction, we should care for orphans in theirs.