Whatever happens to Roe v. Wade, we need a new Christian response

Part 2 of our 4-month series

The University of Texas released a report in July 2021 estimating that 80% of women seeking an abortion would decide to parent after the Texas law restricting abortion after six weeks went into effect last fall. However, in the first six months, the total number of Texan women getting abortions fell by only 10%, because most Texans went to neighboring states or ordered medication online. “The law has not done anything to change people’s need for abortion care; it has shifted where people are getting their abortion,” stated a University of Texas researcher.

Two things stand out to me from this data:

1. The law does nothing to change the reasons why women seek abortions.
   
   
2. Most women would rather drive hours or endure a medically induced abortion at home than approach a church or Christian pregnancy organization in their community for help or support. 

Here is the problem we’re addressing based on these realities: While we as Christians have put much time, money, arguments, and effort into changing the law, we have neglected to engage in two essential ways we could have been bringing transformation to our communities:

1. Discover the reasons women seek abortions and intentionally meet those needs.
   
   
2. Change ourselves and our churches so that women will believe we are a safe place to approach when considering abortion. 

When we neglect these issues on such a broad scale, we can’t positively impact the lives of these women or their children. 

But we’re meant to have tremendous Kingdom impact. Jesus set up the Church to be a place where all can come to “receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16). What women facing unintended pregnancy need is a way to address the overwhelming emotions surrounding an unintended pregnancy: panic, isolation, and shame.

When a woman can find grace in community, she can work through these intense emotions in a safe space. When a woman can receive mercy in emotional and practical support, she can often begin to envision a hopeful future for herself and her child. 

This is what ProGrace does. We guide the Church in becoming the type of grace-filled community women will approach for help and support. We do this by equipping pregnancy organizations, churches, and individuals with a new way to think and talk about abortion and new ways to engage with women. 

What’s happening in Texas shows us that, no matter what the decision is around Roe v. Wade, the needs driving women to abortion remain. The opportunity for the Church is to be the primary place of hope by addressing those needs directly and being a safe place for women no matter what their decision is.

We dream that one day, the Church has the reputation of being THE place to go for grace and support when facing an unintended pregnancy. If that’s your dream, too, we can partner together in these ways to advance this work:

1. Download the ProGrace e-book and forward it to a leader in your church, asking if the church would be interested in having this new conversation.
   
   
2. Listen to our conversation with Skye Jethani about whether overturning Roe v. Wade should be our top priority as Christians.
   
   

3. Support our Capacity-Building Campaign, which will enable ProGrace to scale to have a national impact.
   
   

4. Get a group of friends together one hour a week for eight weeks and go through Transform the Christian Response to Abortion.

Together, we can see this dream become a reality!

Grateful for you,