Every church wants to live out its faith tangibly, loving its neighbors in new or deeper ways. Pure Religion Sunday is an opportunity to help them do exactly that in the world of vulnerable children and families.
Rooted in James 1:27, “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world …” (NIV), Pure Religion Sunday is a day to recognize and respond to God’s heart for vulnerable children and families. Observed on the second Sunday in November or any Sunday throughout the year, it encourages churches to engage deeply in care for vulnerable children and families as a foundational piece of living as disciples of Jesus.
For some churches, that may look like foster care or adoption. For others, it may involve supporting kinship families, wraparound care, mentoring, prevention efforts, or partnering with organizations serving vulnerable children and families in their community or around the world.
The goal of Pure Religion Sunday is not simply awareness; it is helping churches discover practical pathways to faithful engagement, however and wherever they choose to engage.
Pure Religion Sunday as a church mobilization tool
Churches around the world are already participating in Pure Religion Sunday. But there’s an incredible, often-overlooked opportunity for organizations to leverage Pure Religion Sunday to engage more churches and transform communities.
Organizations often carry stories, expertise, local data, relationships and opportunities that can help equip churches to move from compassion to action. Many churches do not know where to begin, what the local needs are or how they can engage in ways that make a real impact.
Pure Religion Sunday builds a bridge that helps close that gap.
The beauty of Pure Religion Sunday is that it gives churches a framework without requiring them to build everything from scratch. Organizations can come alongside pastors and ministry leaders and give them that framework — not by asking them to “do more” — but by helping them to engage in ways that align with their mission, calling and capacity. And then providing the resources they need to do so.
Pure Religion Sunday can also create opportunities for long-term relationship building. A single Sunday may spark a journey that evolves into an ongoing partnership and cultivates sustained care for vulnerable children and families over time.
New Pure Religion Sunday resources for organizations
That’s why, in addition to resources for church leaders, this year CAFO’s Pure Religion Project is launching an entire suite of Pure Religion Sunday resources to help organizations inspire, equip and mobilize churches.
These resources for organizations include:
- A toolkit to share with churches that includes an event guide, teaching resources, videos, graphics and marketing materials to help them host Pure Religion Sunday;
- An on-demand workshop to help leaders like you leverage Pure Religion Sunday as a tool to mobilize churches where you live; and
- Coaching cohorts to gather with the Pure Religion Project team and church engagement leaders for idea sharing and inspiration.
All of these resources focus on equipping organization and ministry leaders to invite churches to participate in Pure Religion Sunday and serve as their guide — helping build relationships locally that lead to long-term impact.
More than a Sunday
For organizations serving in this space, Pure Religion Sunday can become more than an annual event. It can become a strategic and catalytic tool for equipping churches year-round.
And perhaps most importantly, Pure Religion Sunday reminds all of us that this work is not ultimately about programs or campaigns or single Sundays in a year. It is about people. Children who need families. Families who need support. Churches learning to embody pure religion in practical and meaningful ways, together, for the long haul.
When churches are resourced, mobilized and supported well by organizations like yours, small acts of faithfulness can grow into lasting impact over time.
That’s the goal of Pure Religion Sunday.
– Jason Johnson is the National Director of Church Engagement and Mobilization at CAFO.
Access Pure Religion Sunday Resources for Your Church or Organization Today
Whether you are an organizational leader looking to engage churches in your work or a church leader yourself, we’ve created resources to help you leverage Pure Religion Sunday for long-term change in your community.
