In a culture where constant conflict and its resulting chaos have become the norm, the various societal issues to which the Church addresses itself (abortion, assisted suicide, marriage/family/sexuality, and religious liberty) seem to move in and out of the spotlight … in and out of the news cycle … in and out of our consciousness. Despite the fact each of them are of critical importance, the reality is most of us really aren’t capable of maintaining an intense focus on more than one of these issues at a time.

If that’s true, and in my experience, it is, then allow me to suggest it’s once again time for us to concentrate our time, attention and energy on the issue of abortion. I say this because it appears abortion is about to “move much closer to home” than it has ever been in our lifetime. With the Supreme Court having heard arguments in the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health case, and with the Court about to render its decision within the next 6 months, it is generally agreed that Roe v. Wade will either be overturned completely or, at minimum, have its scope drastically reduced. In either case, this means abortion will likely be transformed from a national issue dealt with almost exclusively by the Courts, to a State-level issue dealt with primarily through the political process. Being translated, that means it will soon become an issue for which you as a citizen will have much more control and much more responsibility.  In short, after 49 years of domination by a “distant Supreme Court,” the issue of abortion will soon be tossed into “our court,” that is, the court of the people and the legislators we elect.

With that new reality in mind, it seems particularly well-timed that our good friends at Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) have recently made a new resource on this topic available to pastors and others. In it, we’re given a fresh summary of the Biblical objections to abortion going forward and a fresh reminder of the forgiveness and grace fully and freely offered, in Christ, to those who have fallen prey to the false promises of abortion in the past. Click here to access this new resource.  

Whether you choose to use it in the “sermon format” in which it’s written or simply glean ideas to incorporate into your own preaching and teaching, I highly recommend it. I hope you’ll consider seizing this new cultural moment in which we find ourselves, to once again remind yourself and those in your circle of influence and responsibility, of the profound love God has for all His children and the absolute sanctity God has attached to human life at all its stages. Indeed, in a nation with a republican form of government like ours, it is good to be reminded that “we the people” have been called, in our baptism into Christ, to be active in guarding the welfare of all our neighbors, both born and unborn.

God’s blessings as you use the opportunities God will surely give you to show love for that neighbor!

In Christ,
Rev. Fred  Hinz
Public Policy Advocate, MN Districts