Bringing Abortion Out of the Closet

As we have begun this work of equipping churches to minister to the post-abortive we have encountered some wonderful people…. People who understand the need for abortion recovery in the Church. People who are ready and willing to meet this hurting population where they are with the love of Christ and for His glory. These people, these churches have blessed us beyond what we could ever imagine!

But there have been a few that have rejected the idea for one reason or another. Either they are literally too busy to take on one more thing, they are too discouraged to think something of this nature would do any good, the job seems entirely too big, or they honestly do not see the need in their congregation. These are the more obvious reasons, but I believe there may be some other less obvious reasons at the root of this rejection. I think one reason may be fear.

When the Church is Afraid
People – even people within the Church -- are sometimes afraid of the word abortion. They are afraid it will polarize their people. They are afraid the topic will turn political. Maybe they are merely afraid they won’t know how to help those hurt by it or that they will be inundated with throngs of abortion-wounded people. Perhaps they’re afraid they won’t be able to put their own feelings aside regarding the issue in order to help them….

Overcoming the Fear
Whatever the case, those of us in ministry need to “get over it!” We have a job to do. Yes, it’s a big job, but God doesn’t call the equipped, right? He equips the called. If there is a shake-up in your congregation, go ahead. Some people need to be shaken out of their comfort zones anyway. And if there are people in your congregation that are pro-choice, they need to know the truth of why abortion is never the right choice. Our job as ministers of the gospel is to tell people the truth based on God’s Word. We don’t have to justify or defend the truth; we merely need to share the truth based on facts and allow the Holy Spirit to work how and where and in whom He will work.

Our priority should always be to please God, not man. We may offend some people in the Church as we discuss the truth about abortion, and as much as we don’t want to do that, neither should we choose to neglect those in our midst that are suffering silently due to a past abortion. Perspective is often a difficult thing to maintain, but the final plumb line must always be: Are we striving to please God in all we do regardless of others that may be displeased?

If abortion is brought out of the closet in your congregation, rest assured you will not be overrun with post-abortive people requiring immediate attention and/or counseling. Yes, some will come, but in a trickle usually. One at a time, little by little. There will not be a stampede during the altar call. It just doesn’t happen that way.

Becoming Informed
When they do come, yes, you need to know how to minister to them – which is what In Our Midst Ministries is all about. If you already know how to counsel others with Scripture – and hopefully you do!—the rest is just basics of understanding who has abortions and why, how abortion affects them, and the areas in which they need healing. And the best part is that you (as the pastor) probably will not be the one they need to walk with them through the healing process. The recovery process works best in small support groups with leaders that have been through the post-abortive healing process themselves.

So what do you, as the pastor need to do? You need to know the truth about abortion – not merely what you’ve heard through society or the media. You need to know why people “choose” abortion and how it affects them emotionally, spiritually, and physically. And you need to know how to create a “safe” environment within your church for those who have been wounded by abortion. “Safe” meaning that your congregation has been adequately informed about the abortion issue so that they have compassion (not condemnation) in their hearts for the abortion-affected. You will find that few people will come forward asking for help for recovery from this issue without first knowing they will be accepted and loved, not judged or gossiped about.

There are several ways you can prepare yourself for post-abortion ministry. One is to read up on the topics here at In Our Midst, in books, and on the Internet. (Use caution, however when surfing the web on this topic.) A second way is to invite us to come to your church to train you and your staff, as well as anyone else from your church or community that is interested in post-abortion ministry. The training can be done in a few hours.

Creating a Safe Atmosphere in Your Church
The next step is to begin creating a safe atmosphere in your church. Many people have misconceptions about abortion, who has them, and why. Your job is to inform your congregation about the truth of abortion. Dispel the wrong beliefs.

Treat abortion as any other sin and admonish your congregation to do the same. Jesus loved sinners. It was for the sinners that He came to earth in human form – to tell them about the Father’s love for them, to model that love for them, and to give His life as a ransom for their (our) sin. We must never forget where we ourselves came from, and each of us came from a life of sin.

Bring the sin of abortion into the light of the cross by the light of the Word of God. Show your congregation how Jesus defended the woman caught in adultery (John 8:1-11) – a sin punishable by death in those days. Show them how He defended her, shaming her accusers and saving her life before He ever confronted her sin. And even then He did not condemn her. He defended her, He shamed her accusers, then He freed her to go and sin no more. That is our model for dealing with the post-abortive…and how much more for the post-abortive Christians in our midst?

Reaping the Rewards!
God will so bless your church, your ministry, your people if you will answer the call to meet these hurting people at the point of their need. Abortion is a tough topic to grapple, and I won’t lie to you: post-abortion ministry brings with it a fair amount of spiritual warfare. Abortion is the enemy’s territory, one of his pet methods for destroying the people of God and their effectiveness for Christ. To bring post-abortion ministry into your church is to step on his toes. That in itself should be a good reason to pursue it! It is time to take back that territory, to tear down his strongholds on God’s people.

What a joy it is to see God’s people being set free from the pain and condemnation of a past abortion. What a thrill it is to see them go from mourning to dancing! And what a greater reward it is to witness them taking what the enemy meant for evil in their lives and using it to glorify God! That’s what this ministry is all about. Freeing God’s people, defeating the enemy’s hold over them, and watching as they go and do likewise with others similarly wounded.

Why wait another minute? Begin now and watch for God’s blessings. Contact us for more information about how to begin meeting the needs of the post-abortive in your midst. We are here to serve you.