Chapter2 is a Christian organisation insofar as the motivation for the mission and value base is rooted in a belief in the gospel of Jesus. However, the primary goal of Chapter2 is to provide boys with a male mentor and male community regardless of the faith of either party. Although the Christian basis for the mission is at the heart of what we do and why we do it, proselytism (i.e. to attempt to convert mentees to the Christian belief) is not the aim.

 

From a practical standpoint, Chapter2 works in partnership with local organisations, such as a church or para-church organisation. Our partners are a great resource for recruiting men to be mentors and an already established community to help combat social isolation.

 

We believe that the church can and should be part of the solution to the fatherless crisis. However, we are not exclusive and welcome people into our mission that don’t profess to be a Christian. We believe that the church at its best, is a church working in and with its local community.

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‘Father to the fatherless, and defender of widows, is God in His holy dwelling.’

Psalm 68:5

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We believe that the Christian faith calls us to take the issue of fatherlessness very seriously. In both new testament and old Christians are urged to care for the fatherless. Interestingly, the old testament word for an ‘orphan’ comes from a Hebrew word meaning ‘fatherless’. The term is used liberally in the old testament, most notably as a means to describe the compassion that God has for the most vulnerable in society, the fatherless (Psalm 68:5, Psalm 146:9, Hosea 14:3).

 

But perhaps the most striking reference to the term orphan is in the new testament where it is used only once (James 1:27). Similar to the old testament use of the term, James is using the term to say; that caring for the fatherless should be a natural behaviour for those that believe whole-heartedly in Christian doctrine.

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‘Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.’

James 1:27

 

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