Biblical Mandate to Serve Orphan Children
Biblical Mandate to Serve Orphan Children
February 27, 2025
by GO! Team USA
The Bible places a significant emphasis on the care and protection of orphans, presenting it not only as a moral duty but as a divine mandate for all believers. Throughout both the Old and New Testaments, God's heart for the vulnerable, especially orphans, is repeatedly expressed, and His people are called to reflect His compassion by serving those in need. The biblical mandate to serve orphan children is not merely a suggestion, but a commandment that is central to living out one’s faith in God and demonstrating His love to the world.
The Old Testament: God’s Heart for the Orphan
In the Old Testament, the care for orphans is presented as an essential part of justice and righteousness. God's instructions to the Israelites are clear, urging them to protect the vulnerable, which includes orphaned children. In Exodus 22:22-24, God commands, “Do not take advantage of the widow or the fatherless. If you do and they cry out to me, I will certainly hear their cry. My anger will be aroused, and I will kill you with the sword; your wives will become widows and your children fatherless.” This passage illustrates the seriousness with which God views the oppression of orphans. To neglect or abuse the orphan is to incur His judgment.
Further, in Deuteronomy 10:18, God is described as one who “defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing.” This reinforces that care for the orphan is not just a command but reflects the very nature of God Himself. God’s people are called to imitate His compassion, ensuring that orphans are provided for with food, shelter, and love.
The Old Testament also places a communal responsibility on the people of God. In Psalm 68:5, God is declared to be “a father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in His holy dwelling.” This statement emphasizes that God Himself is the ultimate protector and provider for orphans, and His followers are called to represent His character in their own communities.
Lastly, Isaiah 1:17 explains that we must learn to do good, seek justice, care for the oppressed, and specifically reference the orphans and widows. This instruction is not to be ignored and illustrates the very heart of the Father.
The New Testament: Christ’s Example and Command
The mandate to care for orphans is not diminished in the New Testament but is reaffirmed through the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. In the Gospels, Jesus repeatedly demonstrated love and concern for children, showing that they hold a special place in God's kingdom. In Matthew 18:5, Jesus says, “Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.” This statement reveals that serving and caring for children is akin to serving Christ Himself.
In Matthew 22:37-40, Jesus explains that the Greatest Commandment is to love God with all of your heart, soul, and mind. He then makes a declaration that loving your neighbor is of equal importance. It is clear that loving others is an important element to our faith in Jesus. Furthermore, this usage of ‘love’ is not just a feeling, but a call to actively demonstrate love through kind actions, support, and empathy.
Additionally, in James 1:27, the Apostle James writes, “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.” This verse clearly places caring for orphans as a central aspect of pure, untainted religion. It emphasizes that serving orphans is not a peripheral act but a fundamental expression of the true faith that God requires.
The apostle Paul, in his letters, frequently speaks about the care and support of the needy. While he does not always specifically mention orphans, his teachings on charity, compassion, and justice are applicable. In 1 Timothy 5:8, Paul writes, “Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” While this primarily addresses family responsibilities, it extends to the broader ethical responsibility of caring for vulnerable members of the community, including orphaned children.
The Role of the Church
The Church, as the body of Christ, is called to reflect God’s care for orphans by establishing ministries and programs that provide for their physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. This is not exclusively speaking of the building down the street where people gather on Sunday, but this means each of us. We are the Church!
The Church should not only advocate for the orphan, but also actively support them through adoption, foster care, and outreach. Many modern churches operate orphan care ministries that support children in need both locally and globally.
The biblical call to care for orphans also speaks to the broader issue of justice. The Church is tasked with standing against injustice, including the exploitation and neglect of vulnerable children. This means advocating for systems and policies that protect orphans from abuse, trafficking, and neglect, as well as addressing the root causes that lead to orphanhood, such as poverty, disease, and conflict.
Practical Applications
There are several practical ways in which Christians can fulfill the biblical mandate to serve orphan children. Some of the most direct ways include:
Adoption and Foster Care: One of the most direct ways to care for orphans is through adoption and foster care. This allows orphaned children to find stable, loving homes where they can experience the care and guidance of Christian parents.
Financial Support and Sponsorship: Many Christian organizations around the world provide sponsorship programs for orphans. By supporting these programs, Christians can help meet the physical needs of orphans and provide them with education and health care.
Volunteering and Outreach: Serving orphanages, both locally and globally, through volunteer work, can make a meaningful difference in the lives of orphaned children. Volunteering might include mentoring, tutoring, or simply offering companionship to children in orphanages.
Advocacy and Awareness: Christians are called to be advocates for orphans, whether by raising awareness of the plight of orphans around the world or by participating in campaigns to improve policies that protect orphans.
Prayer: Christians are also encouraged to pray for orphans, for their protection, provision, and emotional healing. Prayer can strengthen efforts to care for orphans and bring about a change of heart in those who have the power to help.
Conclusion
The biblical mandate to serve orphaned children is clear and compelling. From the Old Testament to the teachings of Jesus in the New Testament, Scripture repeatedly underscores the importance of caring for orphans as a reflection of God’s love and justice. Believers are not only called to defend orphans but to provide for them in tangible ways. The Church has a significant role to play in the welfare of orphans, whether through adoption, advocacy, or direct support. Ultimately, serving orphaned children is an expression of the heart of God, who Himself is the ultimate Father to the fatherless. By answering this call, Christians participate in God’s redemptive work in the world, offering love, hope, and care to some of the most vulnerable members of society.
Fulfilling this Biblical Mandate is exactly what we encourage through our Church Mobilization Initiative. We have held 30 one-day Great Commandment Workshops that have deployed 4,249 GO! Ambassadors to serve orphan children in their communities. In January, 17,549 orphan children were served in some way through our GO! Ambassador Network in Africa & Asia.
Global Orphan Relief (GO) has been serving orphaned children since 2005. We have accomplished this work through local partners in each country that provide oversight and distribution of care through three care initiatives; Home-Based Care, Education, and Nutrition. In 2022, we launched our Church Mobilization Initiative by which we are mobilizing the local church to care for orphan children. Last month, we impacted 20,209 children in seven countries in Africa & Asia within these four initiatives.
Beyond the financial commitment of co-hosting Great Commandment Workshops, this effort is Indigenous, self-propagating, and self-supporting. Our objective is to engage local churches to expand our GO! network, mobilize the church body to serve orphaned children, and advance the Kingdom through demonstrating the Gospel to others. Through these workshops, we are:
Church Mobilization is our newest initiative launched in February 2022. We are currently working with local area churches to co-host Great Commandment Workshops where we bring together multiple subject matter experts to discuss the why and how to serve the poor generally, and orphan children specifically. We track the impact of children served through this through local GO! teams in each country.
We have co-hosted and facilitated thirty workshops in Africa & Asia where we have hosted more than 5,000 ministry leaders. At the conclusion of these workshops, we have been honored to commission more than 4,000 GO! Ambassadors. GO! Ambassadors are those who have received the call to serve orphan children in their communities during these one-day workshops and have made a commitment to serve children in their community. We encourage them in their journey to serve others each month. In addition, we do provide additional training and encouragement through our online Great Commandment Academy.
In January 2025, this GO! Ambassador Network served 17,549 orphan children.
You may send support or other correspondence to Global Orphan Relief, 16352 Prairie Farm Circle, Parker, CO 80134 or you may give also give electronically at Church Mobilization Initiative or give on this website at the upper righthand corner under ‘Donate’ by choosing Church Mobilization Initiative under the Fund designation.
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Global Orphan Relief (GO!) is a Christian relief agency serving vulnerable children and is a recognized U.S. public charity, tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3). All donations to GO!, or any charitable contribution processed through Network For Good Donor Advised Fund, are tax deductible to the extent of the law. If you prefer, you may provide gifts of support by sending via mail to the address above.