How Bethany Christian Services Became Bethany Services
I don’t pretend to understand how this is all supposed to work. How the government got in the business of adoption and fostering I’ll never understand. But there they are, they of the increasingly hostile stance toward the Bible and its teaching. Christians, of course, have a history of caring for the downtrodden, for widows and orphans all the way back to the beginning. Caring for them is not something new and innovative but part and parcel of the very meaning of true Christianity, according to James (1:27). The church and the state working together worked reasonably well for a while, but two things conspired together to change everything.
First, the state not only brought its power to enforce the law to the question of caring for orphans but eventually they brought out their checkbook. Of course I use the word “their” loosely since all their deposits come right out of the paychecks of the people. It seemed to many at the time like the ideal situation. The government, bad cop, could enforce the law, even removing children from deeply troubled families, while using its muscle to finance the whole thing. Christians, in the meantime, as good cop, placed these needy children in loving homes. Everybody wins.
When, however, you dine with the devil, you’d better use a long spoon. That money, entering into your coffers, free from the constant burden of having to ask others to give, having Uncle Sam as your chief fundraiser is something any of us can easily get used to. Just like, it seems, Bethany XXXXXXXX Services did. The largest evangelical adoption and fostering ministry in the country in January, with a unanimous vote from their board of directors, determined to provide their services for the openly and unrepentantly sexually immoral.
If Bethany had chosen otherwise it is almost certain that within a year’s time there would be no more of that sweet government money. I’m sure it’s pure coincidence that their board got on board the good ship HMS Woke just when Uncle Sam started to put his checkbook away. Bethany’s president, Chris Pulasky, acknowledged that they will lose some donors because of this, but noted that Goliath was much much bigger and fiercer than any of the children of Israel. He said, ““We will now offer services with the love and compassion of Jesus to the many types of families who exist in our world today.” He gallantly refused the offer from the Little Sisters of the Poor to take down Goliath, suggesting that he, for one, welcomes our new Philistine overlords.
I recognize that I’ve never been in Mr. Pulasky’s shoes. I’ve never had a massive payroll to meet, nor thousands of children to help. I don’t want to be sniping from the sidelines. I do, however, want to point out the obvious- when we allow ourselves to become dependent upon Rome to do the work of the Lord, we’ve already lost. You can’t give a cup of water in Jesus’ name if it was paid for by Caesar. Those strings attached to those coins soon enough bind us. Jesus, however, offers freedom. Bethany chose poorly. Pray we all learn from it.
