The following is part 3 of our Pro-Life for Pastors series. Be sure to read 101 first, then 201 parts 1 and 2 next before reading 301.
Pastors must diligently be about the business of building a Gospel foundation in the Church, and the church must live out the implication of the Gospel by standing up for the pre-born. This series contains practical tips and tools to help equip the Church to accomplish this momentous mandate.
From our founding
July 4th is the day in which America celebrates its independence as a nation each year. On this day, we celebrate the passage of the Declaration of Independence by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776.
In the preamble of the Declaration of Independence, the founding fathers penned the following timeless, wise, and weighty words:
Let’s ponder these phrases afresh:
- All men (that is, humanity)
- Created equal
- Endowed by their Creator
- With certain *unalienable rights (*Impossible to take away or give up Merriam-Webster)
- Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness
Notice that the first unalienable right granted by the life-giving Creator God is Life, because without life nothing else matters. We typically think about life from the perspective of freedom and liberty for those we see moving throughout the earth. We fail to think about it from the perspective of those we don’t yet see—the most vulnerable human beings still inside their mother’s wombs. These innocent pre-born little girls and boys, within the wombs among us, want a chance at life too. Don’t the unalienable rights bestowed by the Creator also apply to those living in the womb?
No more Roe
Abortion was still legal across our nation when I wrote my Pro-Life 101 for Pastors, and Pro-Life 201 articles (part 1, part 2). Thankfully, since that time, on June 24, 2022, the Supreme Court of the United States overturned Roe v. Wade! Praise the Lord!
I believe Roe v. Wade, which legalized abortion at a national level in America, was in fact a covenant with death. Consider Isaiah 28:15, which reads:
Now that the death decree of 73’ has been abolished in our nation, it ends America’s Covenant with Death for the pre-born at a national level. This decision has released a life-affirming shift in our nation.
If you were born before January 22, 1973, like me, then you remember when Roe originated. For pro-life pastors in our age group, the ending of this death decree has a more significant meaning than for our younger colleagues. If you were born after 1973, this is the first time you have ever experienced living in a nation where legalized abortion was not the law of the land. Thank God for the prayers and tireless efforts of countless individuals and organizations for nearly 50 years!
Many, like myself, have preached, taught, compassionately cared for, and connected people with life-affirming resources for decades. Therefore, June 24, 2022, marks a historically monumental moment for those in our nation, born and pre-born! Bearers of God’s image, still residing in the womb, stand a greater chance of fulfilling His plans for their lives!
The fight for life continues
Although a proverbial bell rang in our nation on June 24, we don’t have the liberty of returning to rest in our corners. This is not the time to sit on a stool, to be refreshed by others between rounds. The fight for life continues!
- We need to advocate for the pre-born more than ever before!
- Those saving sex for marriage still need instruction and accountability.
- Women still need resources and support.
- We still need to equip and encourage fathers.
- The post-abortive people in our pews, which are many, still need hope and healing.
- A grace-filled Gospel must form the framework of all we advocate for. Otherwise, we risk further distancing ourselves from the very ones that still need to receive the Gospel.
The fight for life continues!
Battlelines become blurred
Now that Roe has been overturned, we have much work to do at the state and local levels. However, the battlelines now become blurrier. Employee healthcare plans covering the costs of abortions, including out-of-state travel for abortions, will now become more prevalent. Many employers consider abortion to be healthcare. Why is this the case, you might ask. It seems as if many employers would rather pay for a pregnant employee to have an abortion, rather than missing work for pre-natal visits and maternity leave, even if it means paying for them to travel to another state to do so. Unfortunately, what these employers fail to consider is the post-abortion trauma that many women experience immediately following, and long after, their abortion has occurred. Employers are not as quick to acknowledge post-abortion trauma. They certainly aren’t quick to offer help, hope and healing for wounded women.
Standing for life in your state
Contact the local Right to Life group in your city or state. They will be able to provide credible resources to help you get started. Find out what pro-life laws currently exist in your state.
In the great state of Ohio, where I live, we currently have a Heartbeat Bill. This bill (House Bill 258) prohibits an abortion if the pre-born has a detectable heartbeat, often as early as 6-weeks.
Also, find out what anti-life strategies the individuals and organizations in your state are initiating.
My plate is already overflowing
Thankfully many mothers choose life, so by the grace of God, many are the recipients of the unalienable right to life. Without life, I wouldn’t be writing this article, nor would you be around to read it. Therefore, we have a Biblical mandate, as well as a moral imperative, to speak up for those who cannot yet speak for themselves.
Where do I start?
I have been serving in pastoral roles for nearly 40 years. May I suggest a simple, but practical, and powerful strategy to help? Begin by identifying a couple of people in your church capable of being pro-life advocates on your church’s behalf. They do not have to be subject matter experts in this regard, but rather have the passion and ability to serve in this capacity. They should be people with a teachable spirit, and an aptitude for learning. Our team at the Douglass Leadership Institute, where I serve as National Director of Ministry Engagement, would love to help equip them to stand strong for life.
The Church has a great opportunity to be a voice for life more than ever before. Now is the time!
Contrary to what you may think, you will not stand alone! We are looking for men and women of God to join the 500+ Pastors that are active participants in the Douglass Leadership Institute’s Jeremiah 1:5 Project. They are praying for an end to abortion. Some of them have even been involved in abortions, but have been forgiven by God, and are healed through the completed work of Christ (1 John 1:9). They are preaching that life is precious and must be protected, and they’re promoting this project by recruiting their pastoral peers. Will you stand with us? Learn more and sign up now!
The post Pro-life 301 for Pastors: The Fight for Life Continues appeared first on Focus on the Family.
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