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Here are some Important Facts and Statistics Every Thoughtful Follower of Jesus Should Know About Abortion and Our Current influence on the abortion minded mom.
When we put these numbers together, we see that since 2008, Pro-Life clinics have claimed to save about 2 million lives, while abortion has claimed at least 14 million. This means that despite our efforts, approximately 88% of women facing unplanned pregnancies are choosing abortion.
This stark reality should prompt every follower of Jesus to ask: "How can we be more influential with abortion-minded moms?" But before we seek solutions, it’s important we realize things are probably much worse than the above numbers show. See, we believe the impact of Care Net’s “lives saved” figures are overstated. Are these truly “lives saved?” Here’s why we’re skeptical.
In today’s world, it’s relatively easy for women to identify which clinics are Pro-Life and which provide abortions. Pro-Life clinic websites generally state that they do not offer abortion services, and a simple phone call can confirm this. Additionally, the Pro-Choice movement has even created websites to help identify what they call “all the fake women’s health centers.” This suggests that women are not likely to walk into Pro-Life clinics unless they are already leaning towards choosing life. While there are certainly exceptions, it’s hard to believe that even 14% of women had their minds changed, especially those living below the poverty line from where more than half of all abortions come from.
While the compassion and resources offered by Pro-Life clinics—such as blankets, buggies, and brochures—are important, they often do not provide the long-term support or tangible solutions that these women need. Therefore, we believe our clinics are likely changing fewer minds than they might think. Again, this doesn’t mean their work isn’t necessary or valuable, but it does mean that the church may be reaching an even smaller percentage of abortion-minded moms than we realize.
We understand that this perspective may not be well-received by organizations like Care Net or many Pro-Life clinics. Our intention is not to offend but to call God’s people to a deeper awareness of the situation so that we don’t fall victim to the deception that “this is the best we can do” and stop short of what God wants from His people for these moms. Regardless of what you hear at Pro-Life fundraisers or in newsletters….our existing legislative, political, clinical, and nonprofit-driven approaches are not the comprehensive, gospel-centered response necessary to change hearts and minds on this issue. In this case, “good” can become the enemy of “great.”
What God wants you to hear is this: the only way to truly change the culture is for the church to once again offer moms what they truly long for and that’s a genuine opportunity for a new life in a new kingdom. Anything less than an intentional, sacrificial, effort to connect them to the one entity God designed to usher in that the life, the local church, gives us a bad reputation, making it seem as though we care only that the child is born, but not about the struggles that follow. Our leaders in this effort have let us down in this regard. As long as our Pro-Life clinics and nonprofits continue to say “we’ve got this,” and our Senior Pastors agree, failing to mobilize the crucial role God requires of the church, we will never change the culture.
We can debate this issue endlessly, point fingers, blame politicians, the devil, etc, etc, but throughout history, even under the worse persecutions, the church has always been a force for cultural change when operating as it should. The church today is no longer the culture-changing force it once was because we’ve abandoned the very things that made us unique. As a result, we’ve lost our most powerful evangelistic tool in our effort to save souls and save lives.
Specifically, we no longer live in close-knit communities. We no longer meet regularly in the life-giving way we were made for. Instead, we live in isolation, showing up on Sunday mornings for a quick meet and greet, listen to a sermon, sing a few songs, and then rush off to our busy lives. Where are the communities that used to meet in one another’s homes, sharing meals, sharing struggles, confessing sins, meeting needs, reminding each other of God’s promises, and spurring one another on toward love and good deeds? These kinds of communities were the fertile soil in which we grew in the Trinitarian love Jesus invited us into (John 17). This is the kind of community He made us for and what we long for. These communities are what made us unique. They facilitated the new life in the new kingdom that the gospel proclaimed. This is the life the lost world leaned into for a closer look—and what these moms desperately need.
Moms stuck in cyclical, generational patterns of destruction need a way out. Only the church, operating as it should, can pursue and shepherd them toward the abundant life Jesus came to bring.
Brothers and sisters, the most important thing you can do to curb the tide of abortion is to start a small group in your home. Meet regularly. Pray for one another. Love unconditionally. Extend and receive grace and truth. Meet each other’s needs. Remind one another of God’s promises. Encourage each other to seek first His kingdom and not live for this world. Then, invite the lost, especially these moms, to come and take a closer look. Share a meal, discuss the Word, praise the Lord, save some souls. In starting a small group like that, you’ve planted a church, just as the early church did. Reject this current version and let’s see what God might do in our day.