I
am ashamed of the churches I have attended and their silence, I am especially
ashamed of the fact that I went to 'the world's largest Christian university'
and that in the over 12,600 students that go there, only 10 or less can put
aside their needs to come sidewalk counsel and pray for an end to
abortion.
I am absolutely horrified that while on Facebook last night, I saw a friend from Nyack college, a more liberal leaning Christian college that I went to for a brief period, post about his great work at Planned Parenthood and then saw a pastor (from the same college) comment on the post commending my friend for his great work. I am astounded that someone who claims to serve God could ever say that he is proud of the work that goes into a company that kills living, human beings.
I
am grieved that many pastors do not preach on the sin of abortion as they do
the sin of hate towards one another. I am grieved that many churches only want
to fight abortion in the pretty ways, and not really get out there and discuss
that it is wrong. Why can we only collect money for pregnancy centers but
become suddenly frozen when we need to take a stand as a witness for life who
is against abortion?
Yesterday
was the first day of the 40 Days for Life campaign. I can imagine you know
where I was, but you cannot imagine the grief that I felt. So many of you tell
me you are pro-life and are all for what I do, but you do nothing yourselves to
put an end to this. I sat out there yesterday crying out to God in prayer
asking, ‘Why am I the only one sitting out there praying for three whole hours
at the start of this campaign’?
I am truly ashamed of my lack of movement on this issue, so do not just see this as me calling out others, but also calling out myself. There are many days that I could have driven the hour and a half to Richmond to go sidewalk counseling but did not. There were many days where I could have pulled out the abortion pictures I have and stood on the streets in order to educate people but I did not.
I want to ask you something though. Do you believe you would have taken in Jews during World War II and Hitler's Holocaust and kept them safe?
Well let me tell you this. I truly believe that if you have not spoken up to family or friends about abortion, if you have not gone sidewalk-counseling, if you have not regularly devoted time at a pregnancy center, participated in abortion image outreach, or another pro-life ministry that you would have not have even spent a few moments thoughts on helping the Jews in such a practical way.
I truly believe that and there is very little you could ever do that would convince me otherwise.
I believe that if you are one who contributes to those financially who fight abortion that you possibly would have also contributed to those who needed financial help to help the Jews.
I know I will hear from many of you that the 'pro-life ministry' just isn't what you are called to do or help with. But remember that saying that means that you also would have said the same thing about helping the Jews, the disabled, and the orphans when they were being lead off to the concentration camps.
I know that we are all busy and I am not trying to deny that your life, family, job, etc. are less important and do not keep you busy. What I am saying though is that, can you not manage one hour to pray or sidewalk counsel? Can you not manage a few days for a trip to educate the people who need to hear and see what abortion is? Can you not talk about abortion and teach lessons at your church about it? Can you not skip the football game and do your homework during that time so that you can go sidewalk counseling instead?
I leave you with this last thought. If we truly believe abortion is wrong and kills a baby, then we will devote time to trying to save these little ones and their families. If we believe that abortion is simply just another procedure that needs to happen, then we will sit back and hardly ever touch the subject.
"In front of every abortion clinic there needs to be a sign that reads, 'Here by permission of the Church." -Francis Schaeffer
I am truly ashamed of my lack of movement on this issue, so do not just see this as me calling out others, but also calling out myself. There are many days that I could have driven the hour and a half to Richmond to go sidewalk counseling but did not. There were many days where I could have pulled out the abortion pictures I have and stood on the streets in order to educate people but I did not.
I want to ask you something though. Do you believe you would have taken in Jews during World War II and Hitler's Holocaust and kept them safe?
Well let me tell you this. I truly believe that if you have not spoken up to family or friends about abortion, if you have not gone sidewalk-counseling, if you have not regularly devoted time at a pregnancy center, participated in abortion image outreach, or another pro-life ministry that you would have not have even spent a few moments thoughts on helping the Jews in such a practical way.
I truly believe that and there is very little you could ever do that would convince me otherwise.
I believe that if you are one who contributes to those financially who fight abortion that you possibly would have also contributed to those who needed financial help to help the Jews.
I know I will hear from many of you that the 'pro-life ministry' just isn't what you are called to do or help with. But remember that saying that means that you also would have said the same thing about helping the Jews, the disabled, and the orphans when they were being lead off to the concentration camps.
I know that we are all busy and I am not trying to deny that your life, family, job, etc. are less important and do not keep you busy. What I am saying though is that, can you not manage one hour to pray or sidewalk counsel? Can you not manage a few days for a trip to educate the people who need to hear and see what abortion is? Can you not talk about abortion and teach lessons at your church about it? Can you not skip the football game and do your homework during that time so that you can go sidewalk counseling instead?
I leave you with this last thought. If we truly believe abortion is wrong and kills a baby, then we will devote time to trying to save these little ones and their families. If we believe that abortion is simply just another procedure that needs to happen, then we will sit back and hardly ever touch the subject.
"In front of every abortion clinic there needs to be a sign that reads, 'Here by permission of the Church." -Francis Schaeffer
truth: not all who claim the title bear the cross. but to those who are God's children, i feel you are being judgmental, for we all belong to the one body, which is made of many parts. God did not make us all to be hands or feet or mouths or ears, nor did He make us to be all of the above. as apostles, prophets, teachers, miracle-workers, healers, assistants, administrators (I Cor 12.28), we each display a facet of God's heart. i feel you are wishing people to fulfill your expectation of them when they may in fact have their purpose in a different ministry (whether they're there now or not) or simply are not the type of worker you seek.
ReplyDeletetruth: abortion is a heinous crime that people would rather file under choice than come to grips with acknowledging that it's murder. and it is as equal a sin as any in Scripture. and i would not dare condemn you for your ability to take action in every sector of public awareness, nor at base for the heart God gave you. but just as you are "calling out" the faults of your brothers and sisters, so can you be called out on the other pressing issues of our day--i.e., do you devote as much time as you do for the pro-life ministry toward the topics of war/ persecution/ divorce/ homosexuality/ promiscuity/ slavery/ starvation/ health? this is not a question i ask to be answered, as i do not expect any single person to devote themselves wholeheartedly to every issue that breaks God's heart. because we are many, and He is one. and though we are divided by the ministries into which we are purposed, we are still united in God.
in following with the various gifts and abilities we each may have, being able to speak is different from being able to act or to support or to pray. and here is where it becomes personal for me. i cannot speak boldly (though i can write it), nor have i the money to support (though i have the desire), nor have i the ability to lead. but i feel you are judging Christian excuses (however accurate they may be at times) as heartlessness toward the issue.
as far as usefulness of time, i had felt similarly when wondering why bible-study attendance levels dramatically decreased. but i don't know what anyone is going through; i don't know what their day looks like, and if i did, i wouldn't know what personal struggles they're going through or how God made their mind work; in short, i don't know their heart. but i can tell you this: i would love more than anything to be able to take a homeless person into my home by the commandment that i should love one another, but i am not able to. and i do not blame God, and especially not other people, for the shortcomings i see in my present circumstances.
discouragement arises when we let our focus shift from God to man.
strength is not in numbers, but in God alone.