She's In Your Pews... What Will She Choose?

I'm guilty of it—thinking the only women seeking abortions are non-churchgoers. And if a woman in the church ever does have an abortion, she is the exception. How could someone who sits in service on a Sunday morning be found seated in an abortion clinic the following day? Doesn't she know abortion is murder? Doesn't she know she is making a huge mistake? Doesn't she know she has support from the church?

Ah, that last question makes all the difference.

According to a CareNet study, it seems unwed pregnant women do not feel that they will be supported by the church. Conversely, they fear they will be met with judgement, abandonment, and shame.

"Among those in the study who have had an abortion:

• Two-thirds (65 percent) say church members judge single women who are pregnant.

• A majority (54 percent) think churches oversimplify decisions about pregnancy options.

• Fewer than half (41 percent) believe churches are prepared to help with decisions about unwanted pregnancies.

• Only 3 in 10 think churches give accurate advice about pregnancy options." [1]

These are staggering percentages. And, as much as our gut response is to deny these claims, can we take a moment to examine our own hearts? If a single woman came up to you in church and told you she was pregnant, what would your internal response look like?

As Christians, we cannot condone sin, and we are not called to sweep it under the rug. However, we are also called to love one another—knowing that we all sin and fall short of the glory of God. Love, not judgement, brings restoration.

Our partnership with your church is a 2-way street. As much as we depend upon your support to enable our mission, we hope that you rely on us to educate, equip, and empower you to reach the abortion-vulnerable women in your congregation. We aren't here just to serve those out in the community. Our joint mission is to guide individuals towards the hope and healing found in Jesus Christ, and we cannot do that on our own.

We want to join with you in this life-saving work. If you want to establish or strengthen your partnership with Alight, please reach out to 518-956-2584 or natasha.entrup@alightpc.org

Together, we can change and saves lives with the Gospel of hope!

Sources:

[1] https://care-net.org/churches-blog/new-survey-women-go-silently-from-church-to-abortion-clinic/