In our nation, the landscape of the battlefield for life has changed, yet the battle continues to rage.
State legislatures are passing laws, some to take steps to support life and others to further promote abortion.
Tragically, most abortions in our nation are chemical abortions. And sadly, this kind of abortion can be hidden - done in secret. And yes, this kind of abortion can be obtained and has been obtained in all fifty states after the passing of Roe v. Wade.
It is critical that the church recognizes that our battle is genuinely a spiritual one, being fought in the heavens.
The church is genuinely the most powerful institution in the world. It is simply vital that we come to realize who we are and what we are called to do.
What are we called to do? We are called to love.
We are called to love people by proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ. And we are called to love people by being the hands and feet of Jesus in a world full of troubled, weary, and lost people.
One important group of people that the church must come alongside is mothers who find themselves expecting a child at a difficult time in their lives.
What can the church do to passionately show these mothers the love of Jesus in a very faithful and genuine way?
It can choose to become a “House of Refuge.”
The national ministry Love Life is helping local churches across our nation get involved with standing for life by helping them to become Houses of Refuge.
A House of Refuge church is a local church that does the following things:
- THIS CHURCH READS THE HOUSE OF REFUGE STATEMENT AT LEAST TWICE A YEAR FROM THE PULPIT AND THIS CHURCH POSTS THE STATEMENT PUBLICLY ON THEIR WEBSITE AND/OR IN THEIRLOBBY. (SEE STATEMENT BELOW)
- THIS CHURCH HAS SELECTED A REP FROM THEIR CONGREGATION AND LOVE LIFE HAS TRAINED THAT REP TO EQUIP THEIR CHURCH FAMILY TO BE A HOUSE OF REFUGE.
The following is the House of Refuge Statement:
Our church is a House of Refuge; this applies to everyone in this church or people you know that need a place of Refuge.
Here’s what we believe:
If you find yourself in an unplanned pregnancy, please know that being pregnant is not a sin, and the child you carry is not a punishment; this child a blessing. God is knitting this child in your womb. You may have made a sinful decision that led to this pregnancy, or you may have even been sinned against, but we want you to know you are loved, and we will do whatever it takes to help you carry and care for this precious child before and after birth.
We can never support or encourage a woman to have an abortion because the child you carry is made in the image of God and is innately valuable and loved by God. You need to know how we will respond.
Here’s what we won’t do:
This church family will not tolerate gossip about you, shame you, or abandon you. This is a House of Refuge, and we will not allow the family of God to harm one another with words or actions contrary to the Love of God as revealed in the Word.
Here’s what we will do:
We will do everything in our power to remove whatever obstacles stand in the way of you having this child. There are people in this church ready to mentor you, throw you a baby shower, and connect you to resources inside and outside of our church (a local pregnancy care center). We will also hold men accountable for living out their calling to provide and protect women and children.
Finally, if you have ever had an abortion in your past, we want you to know that abortion is not an unforgivable sin. Whoever confesses and forsakes their sin finds mercy. If you have never gone through a post-abortion Bible study, we will be happy to connect you to one so that you can walk in complete healing and freedom.
If your church has a desire to become a House of Refuge, it’s not hard to go through the process. And the reason to do it is because it helps the church, in one more powerful and effective and important way, to further be the hands and feet of Jesus in this tough world.
For more information on this opportunity, Love Life’s website is: https://lovelife.org/
