Pastors, Your Church Needs to Hear the Truth
Written by Claudia Polczer-Lauzon
5 minute read
The discussion about abortion has been a topic widely avoided and suppressed within the
church throughout centuries. Often when it was addressed by the church, shame and rejection
went along with it. Unwed/single pregnant women were judged rather than supported by the
church, and post-abortive women faced shame and rejection by their congregations, rather
than forgiveness and restoration.
Sadly enough, women in the church today are still facing the same condemnation and lack of
support. Among women who have had an abortion, 65% say church members judge single
women who are pregnant and only 38% consider church a safe place to discuss pregnancy
options, including parenting, abortion, and adoption.
Why is it our responsibility as the pastors and congregations of the church to make a change in
the culture of abortion and how can we make this difference?
“The Righteous are Bold as a Lion.”
What a woman hears from her church sermon may be exactly what she needs to give her the
hope and confidence to choose life for her child!
It is our God-given call and duty to speak the truth in love. (Ephesians 4:15) As pastors, you
have the ability to share the truth of abortion and why it is wrong, the beauty of life, and the
support available to women so they can choose life.
Isaiah 1:17 commands us to, “Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to
the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause.” God commands us to protect and defend the widows
and orphans of our day, these single women facing the decision of abortion, and these children
in the womb threatened with death. We have the ability to correct the oppression, the lies
presented to women in the world, that killing their baby is the only option for them. We can
bring them the truth, the love and support they need to choose life.
We must, “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are
destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.” (Proverbs 31:8-
9)
We have the power of the word of God to defend children in the womb who cannot defend
themselves. By speaking the truth to women considering abortion, we can enable them to
choose the life of their child!
“Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter. If you say,
‘But we knew nothing about this,’ does not he who weighs the heart perceive it?” (Proverbs
24:11-12)
As Christians, it is our job to lead people to the truth. We are supposed to be the voice that
rises up against the works of darkness, and leads people to the light.
God has not called us to withhold the truth from people whom we have the ability to reach. We
can show greater love and compassion to those in deception, to those who need a solution,
because we have the love of Christ in us. We have the ability to bring transformation and
restoration to people’s lives!
“Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to act. Do not say
to your neighbor, ‘Come back tomorrow and I’ll give it to you’—when you already have it with
you.” (Proverbs 3:2-28)
As Christians and as pastors, you have the truth and the ability to support those in your church
and community who are in need. Teach the truth of abortion and share the support your
church and community can provide to women and children in need.
As pastors, you need to fulfill your specific call to shepherd God’s sheep, the church, to build
them up in the faith, to keep them rooted and grounded in the truth, and to look after and
nurture them.
As the body, we must be informed on how to become a support system for women. The body
of Christ, but more specifically the pastor, leaders, and church congregation of each woman
facing abortion, or post-abortion, should become a family to her, providing love and
counselling, wisdom and resources, for her to heal or to take care of her child.
There are so many other resources that these women need to know about, including adoption
options, pregnancy centers, childcare services, and counselling.
Love, Support, Forgiveness, and Counselling
What a lot of people in the church do not know is that seven out of ten women who had an
abortion identify themselves as Christian.
Many women in the church, possibly in your church, have dealt with unplanned pregnancies
and have made the choice to abort their children.
Many other women may be considering their next steps now, struggling to decide what the
best solution is for them.
Will they choose the life or death of their child?
Sadly enough, so many women who have had abortions do not believe churches would show
love to women with unplanned pregnancies, and many do not believe the church is informed or
equipped to support women with their pregnancies.
65% of women who had an abortion say church members judge single women who are
pregnant. 54% believe the church oversimplifies decisions about pregnancy options. Only 30%
think churches give accurate advice about pregnancy options.
As an even more shocking discovery, out of church-going women, only 7 percent discussed their
abortion decision with anyone at church, while a whopping 76% said the church did not have
any influence on their decision to terminate a pregnancy.
Women in the church who have had abortions need to know and be assured that there is
forgiveness, compassion, support, and restoration to be found in their church family. They need
to know that their pastor will not shun away from the discussion of abortion, and post-abortion
healing, but become a vessel of God’s love and comfort to them. They should be assured that
their church family will not minister condemnation and judgment to them, but love and healing.
Women who are dealing with unplanned/unwanted pregnancies and considering between the
life and death of their child need to be assured that their church family can be a support system
to them, coming alongside them with loving care and action. That their pastor will be informed
and confident in the truth, ready to give them real solutions so they can choose the life of their
child.
They require a church community with the truth to counsel them in the right direction, so
when/if the time comes to make a choice, they turn to their pastor and their church family for
solutions, and not to Planned Parenthood.
We are not being faithful to fulfill our God-given call as the church, when women considering
abortion do not feel loved and secure enough to discuss their needs and concerns within their
church family. Rather, they turn to the outside world, believing this is where they will find the
support and care they need.
Jesus showed kindness and compassion to women who had sinned and were living sinful
lifestyles. When the Pharisees brought the woman caught in adultery before Jesus, He told
them, “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.” Each of the Pharisees
were convicted by their own consciences and left one by one. Then He asked her, “Woman,
where are those thine accusers? Hath no man condemned thee?… Neither do I condemn thee:
go, and sin no more.” (John 8)
Jesus did not just show kindness, but forgiveness and restoration. He lifted her up out of her
place of sin, calling her to ‘sin no more.’ Not only do we not have the right to condemn and
judge women considering abortion or who have had abortion, but we have the responsibility to
show them kindness, forgiveness, and bring them the empowerment and conviction to choose
life.
Next Steps?
Your church congregation needs to hear the truth, and they need to find the support and
counselling within their church family and not the world. Pastors, you are not alone in this
journey of bringing transformation to the church’s role in ending abortion. We at L.I.F.E are
here to help you share the truth with your congregations and cultivate a culture within your
church family of love and forgiveness, and not condemnation and judgment.
Look out for more blogs with a great variety of resources and teachings to equip you to speak
up on abortion and counsel those in your church!
Together, and with the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, we will bring great change to the pro-
life movement in our churches, communities, and the world!
Resources
https://research.lifeway.com/2021/12/03/7-in-10-women-who-have-had-an-abortion-identify-
as-a-christian/
https://www.care-net.org/churches-blog/new-survey-women-go-silently-from-church-to-
abortion-clinic
https://www.focusonthefamily.com/pro-life/abortion/survey-women-go-silently-from-church-
to-abortion-clinic/