Bethany Christian Services Chose the Harder Right
TL;DR: Bethany Christian Services’ policy change on adoption is a necessary and courageous stand for biblical conviction, even though it invites intense criticism and misunderstands Christian love.
Bethany Christian Services made the right, though incredibly difficult, decision this week. In a move that reverses its 2021 position, the prominent adoption and foster care agency announced it will no longer permit LGBTQ+ couples to adopt or foster children.
As a software developer, I deal in logic and systems. As a husband, father, and small group leader, I deal in the messy, beautiful reality of applying God’s Word to our lives. This news from Bethany hits right at the intersection of those worlds: a deeply personal policy change with massive public implications, rooted in a theological conviction that our culture finds not just outdated, but offensive.
To be clear, this is not a simple policy tweak. It’s a declaration. Bethany Christian Services is choosing to align its operations with its foundational, biblical beliefs about marriage and family, knowing full well the storm of criticism it invites. This isn't a theoretical debate; it's a decision with real-world consequences for the organization and the families it serves.
Why this, why now?
The official reasoning points to the organization's desire to operate consistently with its statement of faith. This statement upholds the historical Christian understanding of marriage as a covenant between one man and one woman. It’s a direct application of Scripture to practice. The Bible’s teaching on the family is not a minor theme but a cornerstone of its redemptive story, beginning in Genesis and affirmed by Jesus himself.
Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.
Genesis 2:24 (KJV)
This verse isn't just a cultural artifact. It’s God’s design for the family unit, the primary institution He created for human flourishing and for raising children in the knowledge of Him. For a Christian organization whose entire mission is centered on building families, adhering to this biblical pattern is a matter of integrity. To do otherwise would be to say that their faith commitments are secondary to cultural acceptance or government partnership.
Answering the strongest objection
Let's be honest about the strongest, most compelling argument against Bethany’s decision. It’s the one I’ve seen all over social media this week: “What about the kids?”
There are hundreds of thousands of children in the U.S. foster care system. The need is overwhelming. The argument is that turning away any loving, stable, and financially capable couple is a betrayal of these children. Isn’t a safe home with two loving same-sex parents better than a group home or no home at all? It’s a question that rightly pulls at our hearts.
My wife and I have friends who have fostered and adopted. We’ve seen the heartbreak and the joy. The need is real. But this question frames the debate in a way that misses the fundamental point of a faith-based agency.
Bethany Christian Services is not just a social services provider. It is a Christian ministry. Its goal is not simply to place a child in any house, but to place a child in a Christian home that reflects, as best as humanly possible, God's design. This isn't a judgment on the love or stability a same-sex couple can offer. It is a conviction about the theological importance of modeling the male-female marital covenant for a child.
For a Christian organization, faithfulness to God’s Word cannot be sacrificed on the altar of pragmatism, even when that pragmatism feels deeply compassionate. It’s a painful choice, but it’s a choice about first principles. This is the very core of difficult Christian decision-making: navigating between competing goods while holding fast to what is biblically non-negotiable.
The real tension: faithfulness vs. conformity
The issue is bigger than just one agency. It’s about whether Christian organizations will be allowed to exist as Christian in the public square. The pressure to conform is immense, coming from government funding bodies, corporate partners, and the court of public opinion. This decision will almost certainly cost Bethany dearly in contracts and reputation.
Here’s a breakdown of the competing frameworks at play:
Principle · Christian Worldview Application · Secular Worldview Application
Child's Welfare · Flourishing in a home that models God's design for family and discipleship. · Placement in any safe, loving, and financially stable home.
Religious Freedom · An organization's right to operate according to its core biblical convictions. · A limited right that cannot be used to discriminate in public services.
Equality · All people are made in God's image, but roles and covenants (like marriage) have specific biblical definitions. · All couples have an equal right to be considered as parents, regardless of orientation.
This isn’t about animosity. It's about a foundational disagreement on the nature of reality, family, and flourishing. The Christian view is that true love and true compassion mean aligning ourselves with God's good design, even when it’s hard. It requires a robust framework for Christian ethics that is grounded in Scripture, not shifting cultural sands.
What this means for our families
When I discussed this with my small group, the conversation wasn't abstract. We talked about our own kids, our schools, and the workplaces where we are asked to celebrate ideas that contradict our faith. Bethany's public stand is a macrocosm of the private choices we all face.
Will we teach our children the biblical definition of marriage, even when their friends and teachers call it hateful? Will we stand for our convictions at work, even if it costs us a promotion?
These questions don't have easy answers. They require prayer, wisdom, and a deep grounding in God's Word. It’s in these moments that I’m grateful for the tools we have. When my group gets stuck on a tough passage or wants to see what the whole of Scripture says about a topic like justice or family, we often turn to a tool like FaithGPT. It doesn’t give us the answers, but it helps us ask better questions and points us back to the Bible, which is always the final authority.
You can explore Scripture for yourself on topics like these at FaithGPT.io.
What Bethany Christian Services has done is draw a line. They have counted the cost and chosen what they believe to be faithfulness over cultural and financial gain. You may disagree with their conclusion, but it’s hard to deny the courage it took to make it.
They chose the harder right.
In an age that demands conformity, faithfulness will always look like a choice.
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