In the training I do helping churches start men’s team ministries, I talk about the church taking custodial care, or “final responsibility,” for widows. But what does taking “final responsibility” really mean? What kind of liability is the church assuming for those with long term needs in its midst? Is taking final responsibility for these people the same as taking total responsibility for them?
Taking final responsibility for widows means being an advocate for them
What taking final responsibility means is that the church acts as an overseer and advocate for the normal social systems that should be in place to provide for widows. If one of those social systems fails, the church then takes custodial care of the widow.
The social systems we are talking about are the family and extended family of the believer in need, then available charities and finally, government resources.
Taking final responsibility means the church is a last resort for its widows
The church does not step in and take the place of these resources as a first resort. That would be taking total responsibility. Rather, the church checks to make sure these resources are functioning on behalf of the person in need.
This “checking function” is what Paul was doing in 1 Timothy 5:16 when he wrote: “If any woman who is a believer has widows in her family, she should help them and not let the church be burdened with them, so that the church can help those widows who are really in need” (New International Version). In this situation, the church is to act as an advocate for the care receiver.
Should these resources fail, the church itself assumes the custodial care: that is the financial support for the needy believer—i.e. “those widows who are really in need.”
A prime example of the church stepping in when the family wouldn’t is Jesus on the cross assigning the custodial care of Mary to John: “When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, ‘Dear woman, here is your son,’ and to the disciple, ‘Here is your mother.’ From that time on, the disciple took her into his own home” John 19:26-27 (New International Version). Jesus had other brothers and sisters (Mark 6:3). But entrusting to them the care of his mother at this time would not have been appropriate.
Your team is an agent of your church and acts as an advocate for her
Your team is acting as an agent of the church and, as such, is “overseeing” the care of your care receiver. By taking final responsibility, you are offering your church to your widow as a guarantee that, should other resources fail, the church itself will be there for her.
This post first appeared in Doing Good Well, by Herb Reese, and in NewCommandment.org.
Learn how to start your own men’s team ministry for free. And for additional ideas on ministry to widows, check out A Comprehensive Church-Based Widows Ministry.
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Learn how to form teams of men for every widow, single mom
and fatherless child in your church at NewCommandment.org.
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