Practical Ways to Engage Your Church in Moving from Pro-Birth to Pro-Life
If we truly believe that God cares about every unborn life, we must also believe that God cares about that child after he/she is born, as well as the life and well-being of that child's mother. Use the ideas outlined below to engage your church in developing a culture of life:
Practical Ways to Engage Your Church in Moving from Pro-Birth to Pro-Life
1. Educate your church on what it truly means to be pro-life from a Biblical perspective.
2. Encourage your church members to look with the eyes of Christ and respond in love when addressing those whose views contrast with their own.
3. For every pro-life initiative that your church is involved in, make sure you are also providing resources on adoption and foster care.
4. Have interest meetings/classes for prospective adoptive couples, foster parents, and anyone interested in learning about the adoption/foster care process and challenges associated with it.
5. Set up adoption funds to help cover adoption costs for couples within the church looking to adopt.
6. Partner with local churches to create support and discipleship groups for women facing unplanned pregnancies and young single mothers.
7. Start a special needs children's ministry in your church to give respite to parents of children with special needs and provide encouragement to parents who are considering adopting/fostering a child with special needs.
8. Volunteer at a local pregnancy resource center (PRC) - counseling women, hosting fundraisers, cleaning up the premises, or other areas of need.
9. Reach out to parents with adopted children or foster parents in your church or community, ask how you can minister to them. Cook/deliver meals for the family, offer them encouragement and prayer.
10. Most importantly, pray - for forgiveness, for letting contempt of sin turn into contempt of the sinner. For new eyes, to see as the Lord sees and a new heart, to love as the Lord loves. For guidance and direction, in developing initiatives and programs to care for women facing unplanned pregnancies. For courage, to step up and defend the right of children, and to love them and their mothers just as Christ has loved us.
Practical Ways to Engage Your Church in Moving from Pro-Birth to Pro-Life
1. Educate your church on what it truly means to be pro-life from a Biblical perspective.
2. Encourage your church members to look with the eyes of Christ and respond in love when addressing those whose views contrast with their own.
3. For every pro-life initiative that your church is involved in, make sure you are also providing resources on adoption and foster care.
4. Have interest meetings/classes for prospective adoptive couples, foster parents, and anyone interested in learning about the adoption/foster care process and challenges associated with it.
5. Set up adoption funds to help cover adoption costs for couples within the church looking to adopt.
6. Partner with local churches to create support and discipleship groups for women facing unplanned pregnancies and young single mothers.
7. Start a special needs children's ministry in your church to give respite to parents of children with special needs and provide encouragement to parents who are considering adopting/fostering a child with special needs.
8. Volunteer at a local pregnancy resource center (PRC) - counseling women, hosting fundraisers, cleaning up the premises, or other areas of need.
9. Reach out to parents with adopted children or foster parents in your church or community, ask how you can minister to them. Cook/deliver meals for the family, offer them encouragement and prayer.
10. Most importantly, pray - for forgiveness, for letting contempt of sin turn into contempt of the sinner. For new eyes, to see as the Lord sees and a new heart, to love as the Lord loves. For guidance and direction, in developing initiatives and programs to care for women facing unplanned pregnancies. For courage, to step up and defend the right of children, and to love them and their mothers just as Christ has loved us.
Going Further / Resources
For more about the ideas highlighted in the italicized text and other resources on developing a culture of life check out our resources page below: