Pew and Far Between: How the Church Betrayed the Unborn
My pal, Josh Edmonds at Project:Ignite and Pulse Pro-Life Ministries wrote this tonight.
"Every Wednesday I have a meeting out in Loganville, Ga. with a networking group for local businesses. As I head back every morning, there's no construction to lengthen the drive. Grayson city schools are already in session. There is no special events going on at the fair grounds that I pass by. The hospital traffic is usually moderate. I turn right onto Lawrenceville-Suwanee Rd. and head towards my office in Suwanee, and downtown Lawrenceville is quiet enough. There is nothing especially notable about the 45-minute commute back to my office in Suwanee; as there isn't for anyone driving through that area of Metro Atlanta.
This is the problem.
Sitting quietly in the Atlanta suburb of Lawrenceville on Lawrenceville-Suwanee Rd., connected to a cigar shop and a Five Guys Burgers & Fries restaurant, located just around the corner from the Gwinnett Medial Center, is the Gwinnett County office of Planned Parenthood.
Many people passing by may not even know that on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10:00am to 6:00pm, and Saturdays from 9:00am to 1:00pm, like clockwork, children are being robbed of life in the most inhumane in
unjust manner. No trial, no jury, no defense for themselves, they are stuffed out with a pill that prevents them from receiving the necessary nutrients from their sanctuary - the womb.
Many of the women inside those walls may not know as they are being peddled out like lab rats to surgical locations of Planned Parenthood that they are being referred for the single most destructive act to be inflicted on other humans. That they will be allowing a "doctor" to murder their child and scar them physically and mentally for the rest of their lives.
The fact that many go without any knowledge of the atrocities committed in silence at houses or horror like this one is absolutely atrocious, and worthy of the world's sorrow. These people go on in ignorance and are deprived of offering a voice for the innocent, and even unknowingly allow murder.
But there is a cause to this atrocity that permits a holocaust on American soil.
I drive by this abortion mill at least once a week, and without fail, there is nothing exceptional about it's presence. There is no indicator to passersby that they are passing a graveyard. It looks just like any other storefront in the lot.
I go to church every Sunday, and I have attended numerous churches over the years in different capacities of leadership and as an attendee, and I have never once heard a sermon about justice for the innocent or about standing for the unborn.
The reason that Planned Parenthood sets up shop in a location like in Lawrenceville is astounding because that particular location is within 5 miles of 7 of the largest and most active churches in the entire county. Yet, without fail, I pass by this location as if I were passing a McDonalds.
This is the worst of the atrocity: the largest demographic of people that know what happens in that building every since week and all of the lives that are lost each day are within walking distance, and yet it thrives.
The very basis of the Pro-Life movement is in the Bible. Jeremiah 1:5 teaches that God knits each of us together in our mother's womb, and that He knows us even before then. Psalm 139:13-16 goes even further by saying that we are fearfully and wonderfully made, and that God has planned the days of our lives even before we were born. Psalm 78:5-6 expresses how important the unborn are to God. Our uniqueness and value as a human life is in the foundational truth that God has created us and that He is ordained us to have life. When that life is taken away, it is an abomination to God and dishonors His plans and the intricacies of the works of His hand.
The very basis of Pro-Life activism is in the Bible as well. Proverbs 31:8-9 teaches us to speak up for those who are weak, for those who cannot defend themselves, and to defend those individuals, whether they be the poor, the needy, or the unborn. The Bible goes on to say in Genesis 9:6, Exodus 20:13, Deuteronomy 27:25, and Proverbs 6:16-19 that God demands justice for the innocent and condemns the shedding of innocent blood.
The atrocity is that the church, who bases their faith and doctrines (while loosely at times) on the teachings of the Bible have forsaken these teachings that demand justice for the unborn and separated themselves apart from ministries that serve the unborn.
The church has betrayed the unborn and all those that stand for them.
By separating themselves from the Pro-Life movement, the church has allowed the pro-murder agenda to gain significant ground in America. When the church started distinguishing Pro-Life activism separately from the work of the church it allowed the Pro-Life movement to become a band of radicals that stand against progressivism.
The organization and size of the church makes it arguably one of the largest institutions on the planet, accounting the Christ-based denominations of Christianity ("denominations" that deny the perfection and deity of Christ, the unity of the Godhead, the sovereignty of God, etc, to not count as Christian denominations). This makes whatever the church stands for a stance of a global majority. However, the exclusitory nature of the 21st century church has allowed Biblical stances like justice for the unborn, sanctity of marriage, sanctity of the spiritual offices, and moral purity minority issues. Meaning that those who stand for these Biblical principles stand alone as a minority of the nation, without the backing of the church.
The reasons for the segregation between the church and the Pro-Life movement seem to root in the same cause of the segregation between the church and other social Biblical practices mentioned above: when you stand for a God that takes sides, you alienate people. The church is unwilling to do this because when you alienate people, you limit your attendance (and tithe) to those that stand for the same things that the church stands for. Thus, if a church takes a lackadaisical stance to moral purity, holds no stance on the commands regarding the institution of marriage and against divorce, distinguishes a separation between the Pro-Life movement and the church body, and teaches about personal edification vs. establishment of the Kingdom, you open the doors to anyone who is looking to feel good about themselves but doesn't want the responsibility of rules. Then, just like at a country club, the attendees go up and income increases as the church targets the community with intrinsic outreach (services that feel good to do, but don't necessarily cost you anything - while still drawing people into the church. Take, for example, a social dinner where tickets benefit a homeless shelter, or hosting an event for Halloween or Christmas that is free to the community).
Plagued today by financial and sexual controversy, the church is hopeless as an institution capable of bringing any significant change to the nation.
Selfishness and greed have dug deep into the heart of the church, and the cost has been too much to bear.
This Christmas season, while churches across America will be delivering encouraging Christmas programs, hiring Santa's for free pictures to community children, and hosting expensive Christmas dinners, the unborn will continue to die. They will be hidden, exploited, and murdered. There will be no justice for them. They will never have a voice. They will be debated in classrooms and committee hearings as to whether their blood has any worth. But they will still die. While the people commanded by their Creator to defend them open new XBOX Kinect's and Lego play sets on Christmas morning, they will be forsaken. They will be forgotten. While churches approve new budgets to build fitness centers and cafes in the church building, tax payer money will fund the death of 1.46 million children. In an act of unspeakable betrayal, the church will never mention their persecution, they will not remember their names, and they will continue to allow graveyards to be built in their backyard without so much as a raised eyebrow at what happens behind those doors.
Abortion will never end until righteous Americans stand up, adopt the doctrines of the Bible, stand for justice, and be a voice for the innocent.
America is cursed because of the innocent blood that stains her hands, God has turned His ear away from the prayers of a nation, and His self-proclaimed people are to blame."
"Every Wednesday I have a meeting out in Loganville, Ga. with a networking group for local businesses. As I head back every morning, there's no construction to lengthen the drive. Grayson city schools are already in session. There is no special events going on at the fair grounds that I pass by. The hospital traffic is usually moderate. I turn right onto Lawrenceville-Suwanee Rd. and head towards my office in Suwanee, and downtown Lawrenceville is quiet enough. There is nothing especially notable about the 45-minute commute back to my office in Suwanee; as there isn't for anyone driving through that area of Metro Atlanta.
This is the problem.
Sitting quietly in the Atlanta suburb of Lawrenceville on Lawrenceville-Suwanee Rd., connected to a cigar shop and a Five Guys Burgers & Fries restaurant, located just around the corner from the Gwinnett Medial Center, is the Gwinnett County office of Planned Parenthood.
Many people passing by may not even know that on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10:00am to 6:00pm, and Saturdays from 9:00am to 1:00pm, like clockwork, children are being robbed of life in the most inhumane in
unjust manner. No trial, no jury, no defense for themselves, they are stuffed out with a pill that prevents them from receiving the necessary nutrients from their sanctuary - the womb.
Many of the women inside those walls may not know as they are being peddled out like lab rats to surgical locations of Planned Parenthood that they are being referred for the single most destructive act to be inflicted on other humans. That they will be allowing a "doctor" to murder their child and scar them physically and mentally for the rest of their lives.
The fact that many go without any knowledge of the atrocities committed in silence at houses or horror like this one is absolutely atrocious, and worthy of the world's sorrow. These people go on in ignorance and are deprived of offering a voice for the innocent, and even unknowingly allow murder.
But there is a cause to this atrocity that permits a holocaust on American soil.
I drive by this abortion mill at least once a week, and without fail, there is nothing exceptional about it's presence. There is no indicator to passersby that they are passing a graveyard. It looks just like any other storefront in the lot.
I go to church every Sunday, and I have attended numerous churches over the years in different capacities of leadership and as an attendee, and I have never once heard a sermon about justice for the innocent or about standing for the unborn.
The reason that Planned Parenthood sets up shop in a location like in Lawrenceville is astounding because that particular location is within 5 miles of 7 of the largest and most active churches in the entire county. Yet, without fail, I pass by this location as if I were passing a McDonalds.
This is the worst of the atrocity: the largest demographic of people that know what happens in that building every since week and all of the lives that are lost each day are within walking distance, and yet it thrives.
The very basis of the Pro-Life movement is in the Bible. Jeremiah 1:5 teaches that God knits each of us together in our mother's womb, and that He knows us even before then. Psalm 139:13-16 goes even further by saying that we are fearfully and wonderfully made, and that God has planned the days of our lives even before we were born. Psalm 78:5-6 expresses how important the unborn are to God. Our uniqueness and value as a human life is in the foundational truth that God has created us and that He is ordained us to have life. When that life is taken away, it is an abomination to God and dishonors His plans and the intricacies of the works of His hand.
The very basis of Pro-Life activism is in the Bible as well. Proverbs 31:8-9 teaches us to speak up for those who are weak, for those who cannot defend themselves, and to defend those individuals, whether they be the poor, the needy, or the unborn. The Bible goes on to say in Genesis 9:6, Exodus 20:13, Deuteronomy 27:25, and Proverbs 6:16-19 that God demands justice for the innocent and condemns the shedding of innocent blood.
The atrocity is that the church, who bases their faith and doctrines (while loosely at times) on the teachings of the Bible have forsaken these teachings that demand justice for the unborn and separated themselves apart from ministries that serve the unborn.
The church has betrayed the unborn and all those that stand for them.
By separating themselves from the Pro-Life movement, the church has allowed the pro-murder agenda to gain significant ground in America. When the church started distinguishing Pro-Life activism separately from the work of the church it allowed the Pro-Life movement to become a band of radicals that stand against progressivism.
The organization and size of the church makes it arguably one of the largest institutions on the planet, accounting the Christ-based denominations of Christianity ("denominations" that deny the perfection and deity of Christ, the unity of the Godhead, the sovereignty of God, etc, to not count as Christian denominations). This makes whatever the church stands for a stance of a global majority. However, the exclusitory nature of the 21st century church has allowed Biblical stances like justice for the unborn, sanctity of marriage, sanctity of the spiritual offices, and moral purity minority issues. Meaning that those who stand for these Biblical principles stand alone as a minority of the nation, without the backing of the church.
The reasons for the segregation between the church and the Pro-Life movement seem to root in the same cause of the segregation between the church and other social Biblical practices mentioned above: when you stand for a God that takes sides, you alienate people. The church is unwilling to do this because when you alienate people, you limit your attendance (and tithe) to those that stand for the same things that the church stands for. Thus, if a church takes a lackadaisical stance to moral purity, holds no stance on the commands regarding the institution of marriage and against divorce, distinguishes a separation between the Pro-Life movement and the church body, and teaches about personal edification vs. establishment of the Kingdom, you open the doors to anyone who is looking to feel good about themselves but doesn't want the responsibility of rules. Then, just like at a country club, the attendees go up and income increases as the church targets the community with intrinsic outreach (services that feel good to do, but don't necessarily cost you anything - while still drawing people into the church. Take, for example, a social dinner where tickets benefit a homeless shelter, or hosting an event for Halloween or Christmas that is free to the community).
Plagued today by financial and sexual controversy, the church is hopeless as an institution capable of bringing any significant change to the nation.
Selfishness and greed have dug deep into the heart of the church, and the cost has been too much to bear.
This Christmas season, while churches across America will be delivering encouraging Christmas programs, hiring Santa's for free pictures to community children, and hosting expensive Christmas dinners, the unborn will continue to die. They will be hidden, exploited, and murdered. There will be no justice for them. They will never have a voice. They will be debated in classrooms and committee hearings as to whether their blood has any worth. But they will still die. While the people commanded by their Creator to defend them open new XBOX Kinect's and Lego play sets on Christmas morning, they will be forsaken. They will be forgotten. While churches approve new budgets to build fitness centers and cafes in the church building, tax payer money will fund the death of 1.46 million children. In an act of unspeakable betrayal, the church will never mention their persecution, they will not remember their names, and they will continue to allow graveyards to be built in their backyard without so much as a raised eyebrow at what happens behind those doors.
Abortion will never end until righteous Americans stand up, adopt the doctrines of the Bible, stand for justice, and be a voice for the innocent.
America is cursed because of the innocent blood that stains her hands, God has turned His ear away from the prayers of a nation, and His self-proclaimed people are to blame."