3 Reasons Family Preservation Belongs to the Church
This month, we’re celebrating our church partners! Today, 51 churches are actively partnering with New Mercies to walk alongside vulnerable families in Northern Indiana. Fifty-one congregations choosing to live out the Gospel in tangible, relational ways. Fifty-one churches saying yes to family preservation.
We are deeply thankful.
Family preservation ministry does not simply complement the work of the Church. It belongs to the Church. Here are three reasons why.
1. Caring for Vulnerable Families Reflects the Heart of God
From Genesis to Revelation, Scripture reveals a God who draws near to the vulnerable. Psalm 68:5 calls Him “Father of the fatherless and protector of widows.” Throughout the Gospels, we see Jesus moving toward those facing crisis, isolation, and hardship.
Family preservation ministry is a reflection of His same redemptive heart.
When a church surrounds a parent facing life’s challenges with practical support, prayer, and community, it becomes a living picture of the Gospel. When believers step in before a crisis leads to separation, they protect children from preventable trauma and help parents regain stability with dignity.
The Church has always been called to embody hope to those in the most need. Family preservation gives congregations a clear, relational pathway to do just that.
2. The Church Is God’s Design for Community
The families we serve love their kids. They are just lacking the community they need to take care of their families during some hard moments.
Social isolation is often the hidden crisis behind greater struggles. Small challenges like a car breaking down or surgery can quickly become overwhelming if a single mom is doing this on her own. But God designed His people to function as one body, bearing one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:2).
Family preservation ministry mobilizes believers to step into that design.
Host Families open their homes for to children. Family Coaches walk alongside parents. Ministry Coordinators build bridges between volunteers and families. Support Line Volunteers respond when a parent reaches out for help.
This is the Church being the Church.
Through these relationships, families are connected to a family-like support network where they are known and cared for. Congregations are strengthened as members serve together. Faith deepens as believers witness God’s faithfulness firsthand.
3. The Church Is Positioned to Prevent the Crisis From Escalating
Government systems often intervene after harm has occurred to children and families need to be separate to keep them safe. The Church has the unique opportunity to step in before the crisis reaches a point where kids are neglected, simply due to a lack of resources.
Through our Hosting Ministry and ongoing relational support, believers from our church partners help stabilize families before situations escalate to the point of foster care involvement. This proactive, Gospel-centered approach protects children from being separated from their parents for preventable reasons.
It strengthens families, reduces trauma, and reflects Christ’s reconciling work. It allows congregations to move from awareness to action in a way that is structured and sustainable.
And today, 51 churches are doing exactly that.
To every pastor, Host Family, Family Coach, Ministry Coordinator, Support Line Volunteer, and financial partner: thank you. Your yes matters. Your faithfulness is bearing fruit. Your church is helping protect children and support parents in crisis.
If your church has not yet joined this mission, we invite you to prayerfully consider becoming part of what God is doing. Family preservation belongs to the Church.
And there is room at the table.