A Day of Lamentation Births a Movement
Dear Fellowship,
Over 650 pastors and leaders gathered with PassionLife (PasionVida) in Sincelejo, Colombia last week to consider 4 Questions too long avoided.
The 4 Questions they examined are:
- What does God say about human life, including life in the womb?
- What does God say about the shedding of innocent blood, including abortion?
- How do we bring the grace of the gospel to the guilt of abortion, so that people are forgiven and set free?
- What does God call us to do to stop the shedding of innocent blood and how have others done so?
While the size of the crowd prevented the pastors from publicly expressing to everyone the impact these 4 Questions had on them, they were all able to do so online.
- “Now I recognize my responsibility. I must speak out.”
- “The 4 Questions struck me. We can experience God’s forgiveness. We can help save others.”
- “I was going to be aborted, but God chose to keep me. I will put this calling to rescue the innocent into practice wherever God takes me.”
- “The 4 Questions shocked me in a spectacular way. I have a purpose now to create a place that helps mothers in a crisis pregnancy.”
- “Jeanne’s testimony was shocking. To see how God can transform someone who experienced taking someone’s own child through abortion, and now do wonderful things with that same person…inspiring.”
In Medellin, about 200 leaders gathered to study the same 4 Questions. This time the tears flowed openly. Women first, and then men, stood to unburden themselves of their never-confessed, abortion-related guilt and regret that long weighed heavily on them.
Pastors and leaders of pastors stood before all, weeping and grieving their guilt for closing their eyes and saying nothing over the shedding of innocent blood.
Only in China in 2013-2015 have I witnessed such a similar awakening—godly sorrow over abortion followed by a zeal to set things right. For the pastors this means a fervent resolve to speak openly and call people to
At the end of that day of training and heart-felt emotion, these leaders each made a list of how many other pastors and leaders they would personally meet with and take through the 4 Questions, starting within the next 2 weeks. Hear the word. Obey the word. Share the word! That’s how movements spread. (And you and I get to be catalysts).
Over ten days, we prepared leaders in 5 cities: Cartagena, Sincelejo, Barranquilla, Medellin, and Bogota. Here is the story in numbers:
Pastors/leaders taught by PassionLife last week.
Pastors/leaders to be taught in turn by the pastors above.
Total church members estimated to be taught the 4 Questions in the next few months by the combined total pastors trained in the Gospel of Life.
If you are a giving partner to PassionLife, you are partner to all this! We are working even now to figure out how best to seize this opportunity and push this Gospel of Life out across Latin America. We need many generous partners and monthly supporters too. Whatever you can do is greatly needed and appreciated.
Thank you!
