Roe No More!
Dear Fellowship,
Thanks be to God. Roe is no more. For those of us who have prayed for this day, through 30, 40, and in a few cases, 50 years of hard work and enormous investment, it’s a knee-buckling moment of praise.
Eliminating Roe does not end abortion. But it does allow us to appeal to the moral sentiment of our neighbors and our state that every human being, no matter their size or location (in the womb or out), their level of awareness and abilities, or their degree of dependence, has intrinsic, equal, exceptional, and eternal value and is endowed with human rights. And that chief among these rights is the right to life.
Cross-Bearing for the Child-Bearing
It was 30 years ago, 1992, that my wife, Kristen, and I and a few others started to live this out by launching the first pregnancy help office in the inner city of Boston. The stories and testimonies of lives saved and lives changed spread. More of my fellow pastors took note. More of their church members joined the work. We called it cross-bearing for the child-bearing to remind us that rescuing people in crisis and helping them find God’s provision is hard and sacrificial work.
In 1995 we were still in the beginning stages of our pregnancy help office. One memorable day that year, August 11, I read the stunning news in the New York Post that “Jane Roe” of “Roe v. Wade” fame was now prolife. By the grace of God, she was brought to trust in Christ and was renouncing Roe. Her real name was Norma McCorvey (now deceased).
It struck me as a God-glorifying hope and prayer that Norma’s redemption was only Part 1. Part 2 would be the end of Roe itself.
In 1997, Focus on the Family did a follow-up on Norma. They titled the article, “Roe No More.” This struck me as a title that was both testimony to Norma’s new life and a prophecy. One day, with prayer and hard work, might we see the day that Roe itself was no more?
I do not save many things, but I felt compelled to save both of these articles as a pledge toward God, as a statement of hope, really. With persevering work and prayer, that day, the end of Roe itself, is now before us. As Proverbs 13:19 says, “A desire fulfilled is sweet to the soul.”
For Such a Time as This
Hopefully many more pastors and churches will recognize that the cross-bearing work that went into creating a network of 3,000+ Pregnancy Help Organizations from state to state over the last 50 years was wise and right. It was for such a time as this. The end of Roe means more crisis intervention work for us all in every neighborhood.
It will also signal to discerning pastors, churches and communities of churches that now is the time to equip everyone with a basic ability to make the case for life rationally and persuasively in our secular culture.
The end of Roe will have international influence in slowing down the lie that abortion is a fundamental right. It will encourage countries like Guatemala, Colombia, Costa Rica, Mexico and Brazil to push back against the international pressure to legalize abortion the way Roe did. We are planning to be in each of these countries this year.
Depending on which state you live in, abortion will be limited or expanded based on the elimination of Roe. We stand ready to help you, your pastor and your church answer the crisis of abortion with the Gospel of Life. Feel free to introduce us. Set up a Zoom call.
After Roe, it’s still cross-bearing for the child-bearing. Thank you for bearing this work with us.
