There is a verse most Christians know by heart. James 1:27 calls us to look after orphans and widows in their distress. It is a very clear and direct command repeated across Scripture. And the Church has taken it seriously. Generations of believers have built orphanages, funded residential care, and travelled across the world to serve children in need. The heart behind this giving is genuine, generous, and good.
But what if the way we have been expressing that love, however well-intentioned, has sometimes caused harm?
Today, on June 1, International Children's Day, the World Evangelical Alliance is releasing a statement that I pray will help the global evangelical community better understand its calling to serve vulnerable children. I am deeply thankful for the collaboration that made this statement possible: regional WEA leaders, child welfare experts, and practitioners who brought their experience, their research, and their faith to this work together. And together we feel urgent to share it with all those who support, work with or run orphanages across the world.
Orphanages should be a transition, not a destination
A Barna report released earlier this year was encouraging and sobering at the same time: the amount that Christians donate to orphanages has almost doubled in recent years. The generous heart is not the problem. The Church wants to help. However, generosity without a clear understanding of the issue can inadvertently sustain systems that do not serve children as well as we hope. And the evidence on this is no longer ambiguous.
Research consistently shows that children who grow up in institutional settings face significantly higher risks of developmental delays, emotional difficulties, and social challenges. Many who age out of orphanage systems are simply not equipped to live independently and are at greater risk to become victims of addiction, homelessness, human trafficking, and more. These are not isolated cases. They are patterns documented over decades across different continents. As someone with first-hand experience of growing up in an orphanage has written compellingly on this, the unintended consequences of institutionalized care deserve our honest attention.
Many Christians may not realize that the vast majority of children living in orphanages today are not orphans in the traditional sense. Most have at least one living parent. The primary reason families place children in residential care is poverty. Not abuse, not death, not abandonment in the deeper sense. Economic hardship is separating children from parents who love them. And in many cases, a modest, well-targeted investment in that family could keep them together entirely.
This does not mean orphanages have no role. They do. And the statement being released today is careful to say so. Residential care can be a vital emergency and transitional resource. The question is whether it becomes a destination rather than a bridge. The shift the WEA is calling for is not abolition, it is reorientation. It is asking institutions to reimagine their purpose: toward family reunification, kinship placement, foster care, and adoption. Toward strengthening families so that separation never becomes necessary in the first place.
Shifting the paradigm towards family-based care
The idea that children thrive in families is in itself not a new discovery or unique to any culture. People across nations and traditions agree: a child needs someone who knows their name, who stays, who loves. This is not contested ground. It is common ground. And it is deeply biblical. God himself places the lonely in families (Psalm 68:6). The family was His design from the beginning.
So why is this statement needed? Churches and ministries can play a critical role in shaping a better future for vulnerable children. And I believe the WEA is uniquely positioned to carry this message on behalf of evangelicals. As a global fellowship representing hundreds of millions of evangelical Christians across more than 160 nations, it can give voice to what local churches and ministries are already discovering on the ground — and translate that into a unified, theologically grounded call to action.
For churches and congregations wondering where to begin: there are resources available through expert organizations working in this space. You do not need to navigate this alone. Talk about this with your leadership. Evaluate the programs you currently support. Ask questions. And trust that when we align our generosity with the best available understanding of what children need, we will better fulfill God's call to care for the vulnerable.
Shifting a paradigm is never easy, but it is far from impossible. Across the world, many churches, ministries and orphanages are already making this transition, and they are seeing children flourish as a result. Their experience, wisdom, and hard-won lessons are available to learn from. Perhaps there is already someone in your country, your region, or even your own network who is pioneering this work and from whom you can learn. Or perhaps God is calling you to be that pioneer!
So I invite you to read the statement below and share it with others in your church, ministry or community. And may the Holy Spirit guide the conversations that will emerge.
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A Call to Embrace Family-Based Care: A Statement from the WEA
As a global community of evangelical churches and ministries, the World Evangelical Alliance affirms its unwavering commitment to care for vulnerable children in ways that reflect the heart of God and uphold the dignity, value, and rights of every child. We believe that the global Church must urgently shift from institutional child care toward family-based solutions.
Children are the future of our churches, communities and countries. How we care for them today will profoundly shape the well-being of our societies and the witness of the global Church in the years to come.
We recognize that, for generations, many well-meaning efforts to care for orphans and vulnerable children have relied heavily on institutional care. These institutions have often provided essential short-term support during times of crisis. However, mounting global evidence—as well as clear biblical principles—reveals that institutional settings are not an adequate long-term solution for children. Research consistently shows that children raised in institutions are at higher risk of developmental delays, poor mental health outcomes, weakened social and emotional skills, and exposure to trauma, abuse and neglect.
God created families as the natural and nurturing environment for children to grow and thrive. Families offer love, guidance, security, and a sense of belonging that institutions, by their very nature, cannot replicate. Children need consistent caregivers who know them by name, who walk with them through life's joys and challenges, and who reflect the love of our heavenly Father. This is why we believe that family-based care—such as family reunification, kinship care, foster care, and adoption—is the most appropriate and life-giving option for children whenever possible. This approach will greatly foster a sense of belonging and identity in Christ which is essential for their well-being to attain their God given potential and success in life.
It is deeply concerning that the majority of children in orphanages today are not actually orphans. Many have living parents or extended family members who placed them in institutional care solely due to poverty or temporary hardship, not because of death or abuse. With proper support—whether financial assistance, parenting help, or community-based services—these families could be strengthened to care for their children at home. It is unjust that economic hardship should separate a child from their family, especially when solutions exist that can help families stay together. When a biological family is unsafe, foster or adoptive families can provide a safe, loving family environment within the community context.
Investing in family preservation and community-based care is not only a more compassionate approach—it is also a more sustainable and responsible one. Moreover, institutional care is not only less effective but also far more expensive than supporting children in family settings. Churches, ministries, and donors have a vital role to play in shifting resources toward solutions that prioritize the family as the foundation of care.
We also recognize that in certain situations—such as needs for respite, rehabilitation, and emergency purposes—temporary residential care may be needed. In such cases, it should be short-term and small-scale, with a clear goal of reunification with family or placement in a permanent, loving home. No child should remain in institutional care indefinitely. Instead, we must work toward long-term, nurturing family environments where children can truly flourish.
As followers of Christ, we are called to reflect God's heart for the orphan (James 1:27), to act justly and defend the vulnerable (Isaiah 1:17), and to embody God's love in practical and transformative ways. We believe the Church has a unique and critical role to play in transforming how society cares for children.
We therefore encourage churches around the world to become active agents of change, supporting families in crisis, engaging in foster care and adoption, mentoring vulnerable youth, and partnering with local and national child protection systems. Congregations can identify the needs within their own communities, evaluate existing programs, and advocate for policies that prioritize family-based care. Every step taken to strengthen families and prevent unnecessary separation contributes to a culture where every child can belong.
The shift from institutional care to family-based care is not without its challenges. It requires intentional investment, collaboration, training, and long-term commitment. But we are confident that, with solid biblical teaching on the matter, prayer, God's guidance and the united efforts of churches, ministries, governments, and communities, we can build a future where every child grows up in a safe and loving family.
Together, let us reimagine care for children - not through the lens of institutions, but through the life-giving promise of safe and loving families.
Rev Dr Rebecca Goropevsek has served as the Coordinator of the World Evangelical Alliance’s Children Network since 2020 and previously held several other roles in the WEA, including Representative to the United Nations in New York. She also serves on the Global Leadership Council of World Without Orphans and has been involved in a Christian K-12 school and Christian teen ministry.
