I remember when I was called to pro-life evangelism. I had been a Christian for only three years, and lived with the secret, the shame, and the guilt of my own abortion. When I surrendered my life to Christ and started a journey through discipleship, I attended a healing retreat facilitated by my church. I confessed and sought healing for the trauma from that abortion. It was also the day I heard the Lord call me to duty. 

I thought back to when I made the decision to have an abortion, and I considered my state of mind. I had compassion for the “old me” and forgave myself. I did not know Jesus—I lived as an agnostic. 

The day I entered the abortion clinic, there was no one outside trying to stop me, no one yelling at me, no one praying, no one offering help and hope. Everyone that I had asked for help told me that I “could not have this baby.” I was an addict and an alcoholic. Abortion was the only solution offered to me. Not rehab. Not counseling. Not Jesus. 

As a new Christian, I wondered, “Where were the Christians that day? Why wasn’t someone sent to tell me the truth? Surely God cared enough about me (knowing what I know now) that He would send someone to rescue me and my baby!” 

I decided that, instead of focusing on what someone else didn’t do, I would answer the call of God.

So, I began my outreach as a sidewalk advocate, offering hope to women at the abortion clinic.

Every day we reported our successes, and needs for prayer, back to our pastor and church leadership. We learned, and so did he. He humbly listened to everything we shared and covered our team in prayer.

 Eventually, our frontline team grew to over 50 trained advocates who were equipped to walk alongside women in need. We reminded each other of Galatians 6, to humbly help these women back onto the right path, bear their burdens, and not get tired of doing good. 

We started a Bible study group, specifically for women facing unplanned pregnancies. When the moms finished the 11-week course, the church threw them a baby shower, and they gained a whole new family. The Lord turned their valley of trouble into a gateway of hope.

The new moms were now adopted into the family of God. 

According to the most recent data from Guttmacher, Planned Parenthood’s research arm, 54% of women who obtained an abortion were Christian. In a study conducted by Lifeway Research, women do not trust the church when it comes to abortion, believing the church would “gossip rather than help.” This same study reported that 76% of the women surveyed said the church had “no influence on her decision to have an abortion.” 

However, we know the truth. The church is the most powerful organization on the planet, positioned to make an impact on our culture— especially now. With the overturning of Roe v. Wade, many women are looking for answers. (Continued on pg. 16).

PreBorn! is providing these answers to women every day who are seeking abortions by providing lifesaving options and life-affirming care. We are also developing a continuum of care that will include the local church. As we provide case management services to meet a woman’s needs, we know the greatest need she has is to be reconciled to the Father. 

Is your church ready? 

Here are five action steps to help your church create a pro-life culture: 

  • Treat every single person in the church as an image-bearer of God, starting with yourself. To advocate for life, one should be able to bear witness that “life is good.” 
  • Share the pro-life message from the pulpit. Include statistics on abortion among those who attend church. These truths are powerful! 
  • Appoint a representative (or council) in your church to be a Life Ambassador(s). 
  • Instruct the Life Ambassador(s) to create a catalog of local resources to be ready to assist a woman facing an unexpected pregnancy, or a woman, or even a man who has been impacted by a past abortion experience. 
  • Invite a local PreBorn! representative to share the pro-life message with your congregation or women’s group to offer opportunities for service and prayer. 

Encourage your church to stand! 

PreBorn! is inviting churches across the nation to stand shoulder-to-shoulder, affirming that they are a pro-life church and that they will do the following: 

  • Join the PreBorn! affiliation of pro-life churches, affirming that they are against abortion, for the sanctity of life and the gospel of Jesus Christ. 
  • Commit to giving one Sunday a year to the issue of the sanctity of life. 
  • Commit a portion of their missions, giving to the field of the fatherless.

Many Complex Factors

Maria felt the weight of many complex factors stacked against her when she learned she was pregnant. Not only was she living unmedicated for her bipolar diagnosis, but she learned she also had cervical cancer. 

Unsure about the nature in which she conceived, whether it was from an assault or a consensual encounter, Maria was a victim of domestic violence, abused by her ex-husband, and was receiving victim’s services from her county. Everywhere she looked, abortion seemed like her only option. 

Maria was desperate when she contacted a PreBorn! Network Clinic in Beaumont, Texas. The Clinic questioned the practicality of the visit, as Maria lives in Louisiana. Yet, because she was willing to travel two hours to another state for an abortion, she was also willing to drive to a PreBorn! Network Clinic. 

The Clinic provided her with multiple resources, booked her with a care provider, and counseled her through every uncertainty. Despite the obstacles in her way, she chose life for her baby. Our God makes a way even in the wilderness “for God is not the author of confusion, but of peace” (1 Corinthians 14:33, NKJV). 

Maria is now four months pregnant and learned she is having a baby girl! She has an OB and is receiving the medical care she needs and deserves. She’s grateful for the life-changing care that was only possible because of your faithful support.