Is Your Church a 'House of Refuge'?

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 in all fifty states.

It is critical that the church recognizes that our battle is genuinely spiritual, being fought in the heavens.

The church is 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 souls.

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:

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Our Church is a House of Refuge. This applies to everyone in this church and people

you know who may be experiencing an unplanned pregnancy and need a place of

Refuge.

Here’s what we believe:

Every child, no matter how they are conceived, is an image bearer of God, knit together in

the womb by Him. Please know that being pregnant is not a sin, and the child you carry is

not a punishment. Regardless of the circumstances, we want you to know that you and

your child are loved, and we are here to support you.

While we will never encourage or support the decision to have an abortion, it is important

for you to know how our church will respond to those facing an unplanned pregnancy.

Here’s what we won’t do:

This church family will not gossip about you, shame you, or abandon you. This is a House

of Refuge. We will not allow the family of God to harm others with words or actions

contrary to the love of God as revealed in His Word.

Here’s what we will do:

We will walk with you every step of the way, helping you carry and care for your child both

before and after birth. There are people in this church ready to mentor you, throw you a

baby shower, and connect you with resources inside and outside of our church. We will

also encourage men to become loving fathers who protect women and children.

If you are considering placing your child for adoption, please know that we will be here to

encourage and support you as you make this loving decision.

If anyone in this church feels led to be involved in foster care or adoption, we will walk with

you and provide resources and community to help you answer this call to care for children

in need of a family.

Finally, if you had an abortion or been involved in an abortion, we want you to know that

abortion is not an unforgivable sin. Proverbs 28:13 says, “Whoever confesses and

forsakes their sin finds mercy.” If you have never gone through an abortion recovery Bible

study, we will be happy to connect you to one so that you can walk in complete healing

and freedom.

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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 that it helps the church, in one more powerful, 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/