What Should the Church Say About Abortion? Some Thoughts and Free Resources

It is not an understatement to say that abortion may be the most divisive issue of our generation. The deep emotion that clouds this issue tempts us to lose reason and truth in a forest of political ideology. Further, the church cannot avoid the question about its own role on this issue because of the politics, emotion, or past abuses. Even when churches and pastors decide not to engage, they have taken a side, often the side of cowards.  And while most political support for the prolife cause comes from Catholics and Evangelicals, it is sadly true that most churches do very little to engage on the abortion issue, especially at a spiritual level.

For some Christians, cultural issues like abortion are THE mission of the church. In my opinion, this is a mistake as well. The church has a mission to testify to the truth of Christ and through this, to make disciples. And while our good works also play an essential role, we cannot escape the New Testament emphasis on speaking the word of God to every creature. The church is the pillar and ground of the truth (I Tim 3:15). We are to make and teach disciples (Matt 28:18-20). We are to witness to the risen Christ (Acts 1:8)

But we have to see that the gospel is only good news if there is a problem to be remedied. Mercifully, the gospel always comes with a call to repentance. It is a call to trust in Christ, and to stop trusting and serving our idols (I Thess. 1:9-10).  If we are to be like the apostles, we must call all people to “repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 20:32). Because of this, any church that perpetually neglects the abortion issue is failing to call the culture (and the church) to repent. And it is failing to offer the healing medicine of the gospel to areas of guilt and shame that need it most. Men and women who are suffering from abortion as part of their past are betrayed when the church is silent.

At Free Grace Church we have been committed from the very beginning to engage on the abortion issue in ways that are wise, compassionate, prayerful, materially-supportive, bold, and grace-filled. In addition to supporting and partnering with prolife organizations, each year on Sanctity of Human Life Sunday we take time to address the abortion issue directly. We address it at other times, but we feel it is important to come back to speak truth against one of the darkest sins of our generation.

We welcome you to join us this Sunday as we address the issue again. We will be looking at why abortion is wrong, and why you don’t even need a Bible to see this. Our services start at 10am on Sunday morning, and we meet at 3385 E. Shields Ave near First St. (next to Target). You can find more info here.

We would also like to offer these free messages from previous years to help you think through the issue.

Is Abortion Selfish? This is a controversial question and even asking it is offensive to our generation. But what if we take seriously what prochoice authors themselves say about their motivations for abortion? Listen to the message here. http://bit.ly/1OqpMTt

Abortion and Lies? Our society is awash with misinformation and falsehoods when it comes to the abortion issue. What are the foundational lies that abortion culture is built on? Listen here. http://bit.ly/2jNubcG

Also, several years ago we preached on "Abortion and the Charge of Hypocrisy" and that resulted in a discussion on Life Report with Josh Bram. You can listen below.

What To Do About Planned Parenthood

Here is an email I sent to our Church:

Church Friends and Family,

Another Planned Parenthood video was released today. It is linked right here, and embedded below. If you have been following them, you know that the revelations to our collective conscience are more and more disturbing. So the great question is, "what can I do?"  In addition to your personal prayers, acts of love for men and women affected by abortion, and donations to quality pro-life organizations like this one, I would like to let you know about several more opportunities.

Here are a few things in the near future that you can do to stand for the lives of the unborn.  Feel free to share this info with friends.

• Join the peaceful/prayerful protest Saturday morning 8/22 at the Planned Parenthood building in Fresno. This is part of a national event where Christians and prolife advocates around the country (and world) will be gathering to stand for life.  It is taking place on 8/22/15 from 9am-11am. Our local event is organized by our friends at Right To Life.  You can get more info or RSVP at the Facebook page here.
• Join us for a community prayer meeting on 8/30 at Free Grace Church from 7pm-8pm. You can find more info on the Facebook event page. 
• Get Equipped on how to think and speak the truth
  • At Free Grace Church on October 4th, our own Josh Brahm will be offering a seminar on the most undervalued pro-life argument. Josh has devoted his life to helping pro-life people think clearly, and engage with prochoice people in wisdom and compassion. We will have the training following worship from 12pm-2pm and lunch will be included. RSVP by email or here on Facebook.
  • Our local Right to life is hosting a training event: "Abortion from Debate to Dialogue" with 2 different dates available. 8/27 and 8/29. for more info or to RSVP Call (559) 229-2229 or Visit www.RightToLifeCA.org/JFA This event includes class time and also time on campus doing pro-life outreach.

Laboring with and for you,
Pastor Matt

Here is the most recent video. It is disturbing, as we would expect any faithful depiction of abortion to be:
 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE #PPSellsBabyParts PLANNED PARENTHOOD ABORTED BABY'S HEART STILL BEATING IN LATE-TERM ORGAN HARVESTING CASE Whistleblower Who Harvested Aborted Baby Parts Inside Planned Parenthood Clinics for StemExpress Describes "Most Difficult Experience I Had There" In Latest Documentary Episode Contact: Peter Robbio, probbio@crcpublicrelations.com, 703.683.5004 LOS ANGELES, Aug.

Prayer Meeting for Abortion

Join us for a prayer meeting held at FGC this Sunday night at 7pm on July 26th. We are inviting folks from the community to come and pray with us. We will spend time in repentance and humbling ourselves before the Lord to see his mercy on this issue.

If you have seen either (or both) of the sting videos from Planned Parenthood that came out in the last few weeks you have to be disgusted. You should also know that people are having conversations about abortion that have never been had before. In many ways this information is not new, it has just been hidden behind a veil of willing ignorance. But now the filth has been exposed to the light and many people are finding a voice to talk about this. And even many pro-choice advocates are having conversations about this.

All of this adds up to a great opportunity for repentance and change in our country. We would love to seen an end to the evil of legalized abortion in America. But that will never happen without the intervention of God. Undercover videos, political operatives, social media, large donations, etc. all have their place as "extras" in this play. The starring role can only go to Christ. 

In case you haven't seen the videos, you can watch them here:

Abortion and Lies

Sunday I preached on abortion for Sanctity of Human Life Sunday. We have done this since we planted the church. Each year we try to look from a different angle at the issue to provide Biblical truth and also cultural insight.  This is always done with the perspective of the gospel in mind. The deep change that we need to recover from the wounds of abortion and be reconciled to God can come only through the message of His grace in Jesus Christ.

This year we looked at some of the great lies that abortion culture is built on.

Below is one of the stories I quoted in the message that you can listen to here.   You can (and should) read more about the long list of abortion providers that gave up their work after seeing what it was really all about. This comes from the Human Life Review.

"At least one clinic worker, nurse Brenda Pratt Shafer, turned against abortion almost immediately after witnessing a partial-birth abortion. (This is also called a “D&X” abortion for “dilation and extraction.”) Shafer, who was “very pro-choice” at the time, accepted a temporary agency’s assignment to Dr. Martin Haskell’s abortion clinic in Dayton, Ohio, in 1993. On her third day at the clinic, she observed the D&X abortion of a Down Syndrome baby in the sixth month of gestation. She saw Haskell deliver most of the little boy’s body, keeping only his head inside the womb:

The baby’s little fingers were clasping and unclasping, and his little feet were kicking. Then the doctor stuck the [surgical] scissors in the back of his head, and the baby’s arms jerked out . . .

The doctor opened up the scissors, stuck a high-powered suction tube into the opening, and sucked the baby’s brains out. Now the baby went completely limp. I was really completely unprepared for what I was seeing. I almost threw up as I watched Dr. Haskell doing these things. . . .

The woman wanted to see her baby, so they cleaned up the baby and put it in a blanket and handed it to her. She cried the whole time. She kept saying, “I am so sorry, please forgive me.” I was crying, too. I couldn’t take it."

After my message, one of the ladies at church came up to me and asked, with incredulity, "how could anyone who knows that this happens still support abortion?" And the answer is that most people don't know what really happens. I have done outreach on college campuses and discussed this. Most students don't understand what is going on. The evil and moral corruption of abortion can only survive when it is shrouded by deceit and darkness.  Advocates of abortion cannot speak about the dignity and life of the child. The discussion is shrouded in medical and political euphemisms.  And the sad thing is that these lies don't only take the lives of children, they harm women as well. Indeed a great many women go along with abortion because they are lied to.  You can listen to the whole message here. 

Photo used by permission Ged Carroll. Some rights reserved.