How Should the Church Respond?

How should we, the church, respond to the emotionally charged issue of unexpected pregnancy and abortion? 

We have debated this issue for almost 50 years. We have lamented over the 60 million human beings that never took their first breath and the countless women and men in pain over a past decision. We have seen men pushed out of this conversation. We have watched with horror as the preborn, because of their age, size and location, become the largest group of marginalized humans in this city, country and world. 

As believers, we know that each person has inherent worth and dignity and we believe that all lives in a pregnancy are important and valued: woman, man and child. How can we take this belief and turn it into a response that has the power to change our culture? 

It is our conviction that change will take place through honest and civil conversations about the complexities and pressure of unexpected pregnancy; that when we encounter those in our community in an unexpected pregnancy, we do so through the lens of the gospel, instead of through a politicized approach that only widens the gap between ourselves and those who are making abortion decisions.  

We believe that Jesus reveals to us the transformative power of compassionate, grace-centered responses to those among us: 

As Jesus tells us in Luke 6:32-36, “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” 

We encourage everyone to engage in grace-filled conversations that demonstrate the character of Christ. It is crucial that this rising generation knows that if they find themselves in an unexpected pregnancy that we, the community of believers will support and help them with compassion and care and hope for the present and the future.  

It is our prayer that those who are watching the church will not see us by the judgment we show but through the love we give for those created in His image.