Faith-Based Strategies for Ending Homelessness

A Christian Response to Today’s Homelessness.

In the shadow of Chicago’s skyline, John’s life unraveled. Once a skilled carpenter, he built homes for others but now has no home of his own. His wife’s sudden death, followed by crippling medical debt, left him without the ability to pay rent.

Overwhelmed by grief and financial stress, John spiraled into homelessness. He now spends his nights under bridges and his days scouring for food.

Tragically, John’s story is not unique. In 2023, over 582,462 individuals experienced homelessness on any given night in the United States—a 12% increase over 2022, according to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Homelessness is a crisis. While the Bible recounts stories of purposeful homelessness, today’s reality is often tied to systemic issues due to failed policies like mental illness, addiction, and veteran care.

Let’s look at a biblical perspective on homelessness, the historical role of evangelical outreach, and the impact of systemic government failures. Finally, it provides actionable steps Christians can take to help.

A Biblical Perspective: Homelessness with Purpose

Homelessness in the Bible is often depicted as a temporary condition tied to a divine purpose. However, the modern homelessness crisis is different because it reflects human brokenness and societal failures.

Biblical Examples of Homeless People

The Bible introduces us to figures like Abraham and Moses, who were called to leave their homes for a greater purpose. For example, Abraham, often called the “father of faith,” left his homeland to follow God’s promise (Genesis 12:1-4). He lived in tents, moving from place to place, embodying faith and reliance on God. His journey was purposeful, pointing to God’s providence, but required significant personal sacrifice.

The Israelites were homeless in the wilderness for 40 years. After fleeing slavery in Egypt, the Israelites wandered in the desert for four decades (Exodus 16:35). Their homelessness was a result of their disobedience, but God used it as a time to shape their identity and dependence on him.

“For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come” (Hebrews 13:14). This passage looks to the past wandering of the people of God and to their future permanent home in the Kingdom of God. It does not glorify homelessness.

The New Testament continues this theme, presenting Jesus and his followers as individuals without permanent homes. Jesus said, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head” (Matthew 8:20).

His choice to live without a home reflected his mission to serve and save others rather than accumulate material possessions.

The Apostle Paul endured homelessness, shipwrecks, and persecution as he spread the Gospel (2 Corinthians 11:25-27). His hardships underscore the sacrifices often required in following Christ.

Biblical homelessness was often tied to faith, obedience, or divine mission. Modern homelessness, by contrast, frequently stems from economic disparity, addiction, mental health issues, and systemic governmental failures.

While Christians are called to show empathy, we must also address the root causes behind today’s crisis. We must recognize that the current “Progressive” ideology has failed and that an entirely new approach is needed. We know that the liberal, humanistic approach has failed because the number of homeless on any given night has remained static at about 500,000 souls, with only slight fluctuations up or down, for decades.

The Evangelical Christian History of Homeless Compassion

For over a century, evangelical missions have been at the forefront of combating homelessness. However, secular expectations often overburden these organizations, creating challenges they cannot tackle alone.

Evangelicals Led Compassionate Social Movements

Evangelical Christians were the first to help the homeless in an organized way. Founded in 1877, Pacific Garden Mission in Chicago has provided shelter, meals, and spiritual counseling for over 145 years. It demonstrates how faith-based initiatives can address immediate needs while offering hope through Christ.

In Los Angeles, the Union Rescue Mission has served the homeless since 1891, providing shelter, rehabilitation, and job training helping individuals rebuild their lives.

Today, most cities have Christian ministries that work with the homeless. They have been doing that work long before our present homeless crisis.

Most secular Progressives are ignorant of the fact that Bible-believing evangelical Christians were at the forefront of caring for others in these ways.

We started our great but now fallen universities. Huge numbers of local schools were started in church buildings. Our names (Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian) were on of the nation’s first hospitals. We established numerous orphanages so women would not have to kill their unborn babies. We evangelical Christians were the impetus behind the Underground Railroad, the first significant Civil Rights movement in the US, and our colleges, churches, and homes were the waystations for Blacks seeking freedom.

It was only natural that we addressed homelessness as it became an issue in urban centers in the post-Civil War era and continue those outreaches today.

Secular Expectations and Limitations

Modern so-called “progressives” tend to denigrate Bible-believing Christians. However, we were doing the work they hijacked and then did poorly at, and we are now calling into question.

Under their control, universities have fallen into hyper-expensive hothouses for political and social extremists. Hospitals have ceased to be charities and now crush patients with government regulation and outrageous fees that feed the profits of their new corporate owners. They want women to kill a third person (babies have DNA different than the parents) rather than allow others to adopt them. They have not solved racism, expressed by Blacks or Whites, even though we Christians implemented early paths to racial harmony.

Now, progressive finger-pointing has touched on the issues of homelessness, even though we were among the first to try to address it.

Churches often face pressure from secular organizations to convert their spaces into shelters. While many are willing to help, the logistical and financial strain can overwhelm congregations, which are not equipped to function as long-term housing providers.

Though churches can address homelessness on a compassionate level, they cannot solve systemic issues like housing shortages, drug addiction, or mental health crises on their own.

The Progressives caused an enormous problem, and now they think Christians are shirking our responsibility by not throwing our doors open to let homeless people eat in our kitchens and sleep in our children’s training areas and our worship spaces. Progressives are missing the point entirely.

In modern America, Christian programs that address spiritual, physical, and emotional needs are more likely to succeed. Churches excel in offering relational and spiritual support, but more extensive systemic changes require broader collaboration. We cannot clean up the failed Progressive social experiment except when we vote.

Government Policies Perpetuate Homelessness

While billions are spent annually to combat homelessness, many government policies fail to address its root causes, perpetuating the crisis. Here are a few of the government policies that have created the massive homelessness we experience today.

The Community Mental Health Act (1963). This act led to the deinstitutionalization of mental health care, releasing thousands of patients from state hospitals without adequate community-based support. Inadequate drug treatment facilities are part of this problem. Many of these individuals ended up homeless.

Open Southern Border. Lax border control has allowed an influx of drugs like fentanyl, worsening addiction. Americans must insist that our borders be closed to stop the inflow of drugs. Illegals also contribute to the homeless crisis. The 10 million invaders do not have homes and will usurp the housing needs of others that existed before they arrived.

Using drugs makes many people homeless. Continued dependence on drugs among the homeless is a significant factor that keeps them on the streets. They will have to stop using if they accept housing, and many don’t want to comply.

Veteran Care Deficiencies. According to the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), approximately 33,000 veterans experience homelessness annually, primarily due to insufficient federal support. The US government has largely abandoned veterans. Nonprofits are now the only safety net.

Housing Affordability Crisis. Rising housing costs, fueled by speculation and greed, have pushed low-income families into homelessness. In cities like San Francisco, the median monthly rent is over $3,000, far beyond the reach of minimum-wage workers.

Misallocated Spending. Despite billions spent on housing initiatives, homelessness has risen by 12% in one year, revealing gross inefficiencies in current strategies.

What Christians Can Do

Christians have a unique role in combating homelessness by addressing immediate needs and root causes. Here’s what you can do:

Pray for change. Here are some ways we can do that.

Seek God’s Guidance. Ask God for wisdom in addressing homelessness with compassion and effectiveness. Remember, however, prayer is not enough. We must put feet to our prayers with action (James 2:14-26).
Intercede for Leaders. Pray for policymakers to enact changes that address root causes, not just symptoms. While there are plenty of problems on the national level in the US, most policies are promulgated by state legislatures and city councils. Pray for them, but also work to recall those who support failed “Progressive” solutions.

Be an Advocate for Effective Policies

Trillions of US tax dollars are wasted. Nevertheless, well-run initiatives deserve our support. You must investigate programs before you become an advocate for this. This includes various ballot measures. Type of programs Christians want to support when they measure up:

Mental Health Care. Lobby for increased funding for community mental health services and addiction recovery programs. Many homeless individuals struggle with substance abuse.Volunteering at or donating to recovery centers can make a significant impact. Can people recover from addictions without Christ’s power? Christians think not.
Veteran Programs. As my readers know, I am pro-life. That means more than just being anti-abortion. It also means being anti-war.Many young people join our armed services thinking of nothing more than seeing the world and getting money for education and housing when their enlistment ends. They have no idea how many come back physically maimed or with psychological trauma.The Veterans Administration (VA) is in a perpetual state of melt-down, so our government has failed veterans. Nonprofit organizations are trying to take up the slack. They are helping homeless veterans, and Christians can and should aid them in their work.
Housing Affordability. Encourage policies incentivizing affordable housing development, such as developer tax credits. Likewise, you want to call out and condemn abusive landlords.For example, California passed AB 1482, limiting rent increases to no more than 10 percent per year. Unethical landlords then started adding new fees for things like sewer and water, which meant the actual increase was closer to 25 percent. Bible-believing Christians should be putting pressure on those who look for ways to subvert the law and generate more homelessness by doing so.

Get Involved with Faith-Based Organizations

Once, I was walking along a San Diego street with a friend when a homeless man stopped and asked me for money. I reached into my pocket and gave him a $5 bill.

Afterward, my friend said, “You should not have given that man cash. He’ll just buy cheap wine with it.” I replied that I just wanted to give the man some hope and did not think of the negative consequences.

Today, I agree with my friend. I have learned it is best to give money to nonprofits who can make the most of the funds.

Support nonprofits addressing homelessness. You can do this through prayer, financial contributions, and volunteer efforts. Invest in programs that empower individuals to achieve self-sufficiency through education, job training, and mentorship. Christians should be more interested in giving a hand-up rather than a hand-out.
Serve Locally. Offer time and resources to local rescue missions like Pacific Garden Mission. There is usually at least one in each urban center. Include the homeless in your church’s outreach program. We cannot meet all the needs of the homeless, but we can offer empathy to individuals.

Build Relationships with the Homeless

I preached at the old Lighthouse Mission in Phoenix, Arizona years ago. The homeless had to listen to preaching before they got their meal and bed for the night. Today, I do not think we should withhold food and shelter until they hear the Gospel. However, there is nothing wrong with sharing your Christian testimony as you ask them if they want more coffee and another piece of pie.

Show Compassion. Engage with homeless individuals directly. A warm meal, kind words, or a listening ear can restore dignity and hope. Mental derangement is common among the homeless. Be on guard against theft and unprovoked violence.
Share the Gospel. Introduce individuals to Christ, offering spiritual hope alongside practical assistance. As I have mentioned, feel free to share how the Lord has changed your life. You do not need to drag out a Bible to do that. Just share your personal testimony about how God changed you. Bible teaching will come later.

Homelessness is a multifaceted crisis requiring a comprehensive response. As Christians, we are called to act compassionately, advocate for effective policies, volunteer with faith-based organizations, and extend Christ’s love to the most vulnerable. By addressing the spiritual, physical, and systemic aspects of homelessness, we can reflect the heart of God and offer lasting hope to those in need.