Is pro-life message lost in the church?

USA (MNN) — Political correctness is invading the church in the western culture. Some churches have abandoned their stand on homosexuality. Divorce and remarriage is becoming less of an issue with some churches. What about the pariah of our culture today: abortion?

President of Life Matters Worldwide Tom Lothamer says churches can’t abandon the biblical pro-life message. God created man in His image, and Lothamer says that image is the basis of our view of people. “Many, many times, sad to say, pastors don’t fully understand the implications of what image means, what that has to do with the Gospel, and what that has to do with how we treat each other” — not just each other within the church, but every human being from conception to death.

Life Matters is talking with churches globally about their view of people. Valuing life is important in outreach, says Lothamer. “If we’re in a culture that doesn’t value life and it’s no big deal because of convenience or because of other issues, then that has an impact on culture where we become a more of a culture of death than of life.”

Most churches agree with their message, but some respond negatively. “Sometimes it’s just silence; they just won’t do it. Sometimes they might think, ‘Wow, maybe I have someone in my church who’s had an abortion.'”

That silence can cause other problems, especially with young people, says Lothamer. “It might be a young lady who’s 14, 16, or 18 who becomes pregnant and she’s never really heard about it in the church. She may say, ‘Well, maybe I’ll get an abortion.'”

While most evangelical churches are pro-life, many pastors haven’t been trained. Life Matters can help your church integrate pro-life ministry. “We’re in churches all the time and teaching about this. We have all kinds of materials–pastors’ materials and education materials for lay people, from conception to natural death.

Life Matters also has a ministry called Living in Faith Together, or LIFT. Lothamer explains, “The LIFT ministry is to the elderly and those who are facing chronic or terminal illness, and how we the body can care for members of our congregation who are going through that.”

Lothamer says the pro-life worldview needs to be a part of every church, which can have evangelistic impact. With crisis pregnancy and end of life support, churches can have great impact. “It says something to those people, and they’re [asking], ‘Why are you helping me like this?’  It gives us opportunities to share why we’re doing this. We can present Christ to them in a very loving and compassionate way; many are coming to Christ through these ministries.”

Support Life Matters Worldwide financially to help more Christians understand the pro-life message. Or, click here if you’d like additional information on how to implement pro-life ministry in your church.