pregnancy resource centers Archives

How your church can serve pregnancy resource centers

The thought of sitting across the room from a woman facing an unplanned pregnancy strikes fear in the hearts of many. Visions of a quiet room, hushed tones, heartbreaking stories, positive tests, and difficult decisions may cause anxiety or discomfort. To be honest, this fear isn’t unwarranted. As a woman who has worked in the pregnancy resource center (PRC) world in a variety of capacities for the past 10 years, I’ve seen firsthand how serious and intense the frontlines of a PRC can be.

Staff and volunteers willingly walk into a difficult but essential ministry every day, committed to speaking truth in love to women who are either desperate to hear it or determined to reject it. These workers stand in the gap to advocate for life within the womb and for the mothers who carry those lives. Make no mistake: what’s happening behind those closed doors is life and death.

But in an attempt to paint an accurate picture of the life-changing work happening at PRCs, churches unwillingly—perhaps, unknowingly—may be discouraging their members from connecting with pregnancy centers at all.

Your congregation is filled with women who would go weak in the knees at the thought of closing themselves in a room with a mother who is considering abortion. Their hearts may be burdened to stand for life, but the knee-knocking, white-knuckled anxiety of what “could” or “might” happen keeps them glued to the sidelines.

Meanwhile, the other half of your congregation may believe this is a ministry in which they have no place. After all, what could men possibly have to offer in this woman-focused mission field?

The beauty of the Church of Christ is that there are many parts, but one body (1 Cor. 12:12). Every member of the body has a unique, purposeful, and invaluable role to fill. Because abortion is a gospel issue, the Church must rise up to address it at all costs.

Not only is there room for everyone in the pro-life movement, but there is a desperate need for everyone—male, female, young, old, confident, fearful—to step off the sidelines and find their place within this movement.

And at The Pregnancy Network (TPN) in North Carolina, people are rushing off the sidelines in droves.

“For many years, we struggled to have volunteer involvement beyond the core group who served as peer advocates,” said Allison Herrington, director of partnerships. “Peer advocates” refers to the trained volunteers who meet with women during their appointments to discuss options and offer the hope of the gospel message.

Herrington noted, “It wasn’t until we changed the narrative about what it means to get involved and make a difference in the pro-life movement that we started to see a shift.”

“We recognized that there was a complete subset of untapped potential within the church,” said Hope Earwood, director of development and communications. “When we started talking about how everyone has a part to play in this story—about how we needed people from all skill sets and backgrounds—we realized just how creative partners and volunteers could be.”

Women and men who previously had written off their abilities to connect with the mission of a pregnancy resource center now found themselves using their unique talents and abilities to serve.

Practical ways to serve

What does this look like on a practical level?

Herrington pointed out they have a volunteers doing a variety of things including:

setting up classrooms,
preparing food,
organizing
sorting baby items and donations,
writing notes of encouragement for mothers,
distributing class incentives,
cleaning offices,
and greeting clients

In addition, they have:

“women who use their time in school carlines to make phone calls to potential event sponsors;
men with infant CPR and other professional certifications teaching sessions for our parenting classes;
partners who donate funds to cover costs of billboards and other marketing tools to reach more clients;
women who serve as mentors, make baby blankets, assist with mailings;
and men who help set up and break down at events, and mobilize their small groups to assist with special projects.”

“Every volunteer is so flexible and willing to do whatever we need,” said Kimberly Gay, client services coordinator. “No matter what the task, people come faithfully and serve. And I believe it’s because we all want the same thing: to glorify God, love women, and protect life.”

“Our message to our community is simple,” said Earwood. “No matter where you serve, every person makes an impact on the life of another. You have a vital role to play in this mission. And there is a place for you here.”

Steps your church can take

So if your church wants to get more involved in the pro-life movement but isn’t sure where to start, what is the first step?

If your community has a local PRC (and it probably does), I guarantee they would welcome your involvement with open arms. Take the initiative to invite a representative from that PRC to speak with you and your church leaders about their needs.

Consider the unique strengths of the individuals in your church. Is your church filled with stay-at-home mothers? Empty nesters? IT gurus? Graphic designers? Writers? Businessmen and women? Event planners? The answer is almost certainly “yes” to all of these, and every last person in your congregation can serve in some capacity.

Something beautiful happens when a wave of individuals from different backgrounds, skill sets, and comfort zones unites around a common mission and purpose. When the body of Christ refuses to remain passive and complacent about putting the Word into action, and instead rallies around women in unplanned pregnancies by mobilizing every possible resource they possess, well—that’s when mothers will believe us when we say we value all life.

That’s when we live out our conviction that abortion is a gospel issue. And that’s when abortion can truly become unthinkable.

To find out more about how your church can build a healthy relationship with your local pregnancy resource center, contact The Pregnancy Network’s Associate Executive Director Luke Rosenberger at [email protected].

Why we should continue to seek the end of abortion

By Marie Delph / Mar 9

I could wallpaper my home with the baby shower invitations and birth announcements I’ve received over the years. It’s like I’m in a constant rotation of holding new babies, delivering meals to sleepy parents, and buying impractical but irresistible baby outfits.

This constant rotation is one I am more than okay with, though. Holding a newborn child never gets old to me. The miracle of new life whispers that every human exists on purpose, and shouts of the truth that we were made by a Creator.

But when I held baby Jordan for the first time, it was different. I was still awestruck at his beauty—the tiny, perfect features and the resemblance to his mama—but there was something more that gripped my heart that day as I held him close.

Jordan was almost aborted. Six times, actually.

A boy who almost wasn’t

His mother, Genine, is a beautiful and strong woman. She has a light that shines from deep within when she speaks, and when she looks at Jordan, her love for him is unmistakable.

But I remember when I first met her, when the news of her pregnancy was still fresh. The strain of a life interrupted was visible on her face. I’d never before seen such a war waged within a person. The struggle between what we want and between what is right—the struggle every person faces—played out before me in a way I won’t forget.

She was gracious and appreciative of our help, but also adamant that abortion was her only option. “I know this is wrong,” she said, “but I just can’t be a mom right now. There’s no way I can graduate. I just can’t do this by myself.”

The air was thick with the tension of a choice. A struggle. A war.

So when I offered her a free ultrasound on our mobile medical unit, I was surprised when she agreed to come.

The moment Jordan’s image appeared on the ultrasound screen—accompanied by the rhythmic blip of his heartbeat—is one that will forever be etched in my memory. Not so much because of Jordan, although he was fascinating to watch. It was because of Genine’s face. It changed.

A mixture of awe and wonder registered in her eyes, followed by sadness. She was silent. Torn. Again, the struggle. The war.

In the days that followed, Genine and I exchanged many texts and phone calls, and I learned that she made six separate appointments at an abortion center. She drove to the abortion center six times. And by God’s grace, Genine left that place—six times.

For many, abortion is more of an abstract concept—it doesn’t have a face. We are burdened by its existence, and we may speak out against it, but we don’t see it. We aren’t affected by it. But as I held tiny, perfect Jordan, the dark reality of abortion broke my heart all over again. Here in my arms was a boy who almost wasn’t. By God’s grace, his mother found the courage to choose life for her child.

Think, however, of all the little Jordans who are lost every day. And think of the mothers who are fighting these internal, unseen, spiritual battles.

Walking alongside women

Many Saturdays I have stood outside the abortion center in Greensboro, North Carolina, to pray for the women who enter its doors. I watch as, one by one, women are escorted from the building—no longer pregnant, but still visibly conflicted. Still torn.

Guttmacher reported that in 2020, more than 930,000 abortions were performed in the United States. That’s more than 2,500 unborn children whose lives were ended every single day. That means more than 2,500 mothers and 2,500 fathers were left to face the aftermath of their decisions every day.

In his book Knowing God, J. I. Packer makes the argument that those who know God have great energy for God. He says, “While their God is being defied or disregarded, they cannot rest; they feel they must do something; the dishonor done to God’s name goads them into action.”

Until we make this personal—until we get involved in the lives of these women, care for them, show up to intercede for the preborn, and refuse to rest while our God’s name is being profaned with every “procedure”—until then, we will not see an end to abortion.

A few months after Jordan was born, I received a text from Genine. It was a picture. She was in her cap and gown, a fresh college graduate. “Graduated with honors,” she said. “I did exactly what you said I could do.”

Genine’s story—her internal struggle—is the story of many women who are faced with unplanned pregnancies. But too often, these same women believe the lie that abortion is their only option. How many stories could turn out differently if these women were taken by the hand, offered practical support, and told “Yes, you can do this, and we will help you”?

My prayer is that this loving response would be the response of Christians as we seek to end abortion. That we, as the Church, would be unable to rest as long as abortion exists in our cities. That because we love God, we would love the women and men facing unplanned pregnancies and the preborn children they carry. That we would look these women in the eyes and make it personal—because there truly is no other appropriate response for the believer in Christ.

About The Pregnancy Network

The Pregnancy Network is a pregnancy resource center that serves the Triad of North Carolina. Our mission is to empower women to face their unplanned pregnancies without fear. By providing women with free medical services, educational and material resources, and mentorship opportunities, we believe we can help each woman go from “undecided” to “empowered.”

Our Accelerator program exists to maximize the potential of pregnancy centers within their communities through customized coaching. We partner with individual pregnancy resource centers to build the tools and resources necessary to mobilize the local church and serve women with compassion in their local communities. To find out how your local pregnancy center can partner with The Pregnancy Network, contact Allison Herrington, our director of Partnerships, at [email protected].

ERLC’s Psalm 139 Project Partners with North Carolina Baptists to Dedicate Ultrasound Machines to Two Pregnancy Resource Centers

By Lindsay Nicolet / Feb 22

Nashville, Tenn., Feb. 22, 2023—The Psalm 139 Project, a pro-life ministry of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, in partnership with the State Baptist Convention of North Carolina, has donated ultrasound machines to two North Carolina pregnancy resource centers, Hand of Hope Pregnancy Centers and Life Choices of Roxboro.

Todd Unzicker, chief executive officer of the State Baptist Convention of North Carolina commented on the dedications:

“North Carolina Baptists have rejoiced since the Dobbs decision, but we grieve that our state has become an abortion destination. If North Carolina can become a place where the sanctity of life is embraced, it must start with us. That is why NC Baptists celebrate our partnership with the Psalm 139 Project to offer expectant mothers and fathers the opportunity to see the image of God represented in those little noses and toes. These life-saving ultrasound machines are strategic tools to help build a culture of life as we live on mission together.”

Details for dedication ceremonies are below:

Hand of Hope Pregnancy Centers has three locations, serving 1,500 clients in Fuquay Varina, Raleigh and Fayetteville.

Dedication date & time: Friday, Feb. 24, 8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. EST
Location: 1522 Jones Franklin Road, Raleigh, NC 27606
Attendees: Bobby Reed (ERLC’s chief financial officer); Traci Griggs (ERLC trustee); Todd Unzicker (chief executive officer of the State Baptist Convention of North Carolina)

Hand of Hope Pregnancy Centers provides services such as:

Physician quality pregnancy testing;
Ultrasounds;
Abortion pill reversal;
Life Skills programs; and
STI testing.

“Introducing moms and dads to their preborn children through the ultrasound is an absolute life-saving opportunity,” said Tonya Baker Nelson, executive director of Hand of Hope Pregnancy Centers. “Since our pregnancy center is right beside the second largest privately owned abortion clinic in the southeast, the ability to immediately introduce those parents to their children is of utmost importance. We have witnessed the power that technology plays in opening minds and tendering hearts and softening ears to the truth that God has a plan for every single person He creates. The ultrasound is truly a witnessing tool for his truth to be revealed right before their very eyes. Lives will be saved and changed thanks to the placement of this machine through the Psalm 139 Project. A lifetime of thanks would never be enough.”

Life Choices of Roxboro is celebrating 25 years of operating in Person County and serves 225 clients annually.

Dedication date & time: Friday, Feb. 24, 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. EST
Location: 750 Martin St, Roxboro, NC 27573.
Attendees: Bobby Reed (ERLC’s chief financial officer) and Todd Unzicker (chief executive officer of the State Baptist Convention of North Carolina)

Life Choices of Roxboro provide services such as:

Pregnancy testing;
Ultrasounds;
Pregnancy classes;
Post-abortion and grief counseling; and
Parenting courses.

“Receiving this brand new machine is so exciting for us at Life Choices,” said Susan Bailey, executive director of Life Choices. “We want to thank the Psalm 139 Project, the SBC and NC State Convention for providing this invaluable resource. We know how important ultrasound is in the decision making process and that is why we are thrilled to be able to offer this service to our clients. To God be the glory.”

Pregnancy resource centers served by the Psalm 139 Project in 2022

By Lindsay Nicolet / Feb 16

In 2022, the Psalm 139 Project placed or committed to place 27 ultrasound machines across nine different states that are serving a wide variety of demographics within their communities.

Some centers are located in major metropolitan areas, while others are in small towns with limited prenatal care and pregnancy support. Rural areas requesting mobile units were a focus, as well clinics that were located near Planned Parenthood facilities.

These life-saving placements represent the successful completion of our goal to place 50 machines by January 2023.

The following list of centers have had ultrasound machines placed or are in the process of placement through financial gifts contributed to the Psalm 139 Project:

Smoky Mountain Pregnancy Care Center

Smoky Mountain PCC in North Carolina sees over 200 clients a year with over 90% of appointments utilizing the ultrasound machine. There are two locations and a medical mobile unit. This unit also travels to Asheville and Bryson City, North Carolina, numerous times per month.
“We had a 2014 Esaote Ultrasound Machine onboard and our nurse doing the scans said this new [ultrasound] machine opens up the window to the womb for this new mom to see her baby and the beating heart,” said the executive director. “These parents thank us for showing them the flicker on the screen and seeing these babies moving around when they cannot feel it. Showing itself off by turning around, sucking their thumbs, and raising their sweet arms up in the air waving at them.”
This placement was made possible through the partnership with the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina.

Albemarle Pregnancy Resource Center

Albemarle Pregnancy Resource Center sees about 600 clients annually. 92% of clients with a positive pregnancy test receive ultrasound services.
The center is located in North Carolina, but also has a medical mobile unit that serves six surrounding counties. They received a portable machine for the Mobile Medical Unit.
This placement was funded by the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina and was the second machine NC Baptists contributed to this year.

Coweta Pregnancy Services

Coweta Pregnancy Services in Georgia sees 1,500 clients a year. 95% of clients with a positive pregnancy test receive ultrasound services.
The executive director shared, “This new ultrasound machine will allow us to show families facing an unplanned pregnancy that their tiny baby that God has created and is knitting together in the mother’s womb, has a beating heart and is indeed a human being. More than 80% of women considering abortion choose LIFE for their baby after their ultrasound exam.”

Care Net Pregnancy Center of Houston

Care Net Pregnancy Center of Houston sees over 2,000 clients annually at their two locations and is expecting to open a third center. The Cypress location is where the new machine was placed and is expected to serve over 300 clients for ultrasound services per year.
This placement was made possible through the partnership with Southern Baptist of Texas Convention.

First Choice Reproductive Health

This center in Texas sees over 1,800 clients annually. They operate three facilities: First Choice Reproductive Health, a free medical clinic; Mobile Medical Clinic that takes medical services to the six surrounding counties; and The Parenting Resource Center.
This placement was made possible through the partnership with Southern Baptist of Texas Convention.

TruCare Women’s Clinic

TruCare Women’s Clinic in Texas sees over 2,000 clients a year with over 50% of appointments utilizing the ultrasound machine. The clinic is located just 600 feet from a location of Planned Parenthood.
This placement was made possible through the partnership with Southern Baptist of Texas Convention.

FirstLook Sexual Health and Pregnancy Center

FirstLook Sexual Health and Pregnancy Center in Texas sees 800 clients a year with 85% of appointments utilizing the ultrasound machine. They moved into a new facility in June 2021 to expand services with two ultrasound rooms. The new machine replaced an old one that was 12 years old.
This placement was made possible through the partnership with Southern Baptist of Texas Convention.

Community Pregnancy Center

Community Pregnancy Center in Texas sees over 1,200 clients a year with about 35% of appointments utilizing the ultrasound machine due to limited availability of sonographers.
The mobile ultrasound was placed on their new Save the Storks mobile unit that was received in the fall of 2022.
This placement was made possible through the partnership with Southern Baptist of Texas Convention.

Women’s Resource Center

Women’s Resource Center in Alabama sees 4,000 clients annually with over 70% of appointments utilizing the ultrasound services. There are three locations serving the region.

Sav-A-Life

Sav-A-Life in Alabama sees over 8,000 clients annually. 90% of clients with a positive pregnancy test receive ultrasound services. There are three clinics associated with Sav-A-Life in the area.
The executive director stated, “We know the need is great to serve women and families in an unplanned pregnancy situation and ultrasound is a critical tool as it reveals life in the womb. We are so grateful to the Psalm 139 Project and the Alabama State Board of Missions for making this a reality for us.”
A dedication ceremony took place with representation from the center, the local association, the state convention, and two national SBC entities which was a beautiful picture of SBC cooperation at all levels.
Birmingham Metro Baptist Association and the North American Mission Board through SEND relief donated to this building project. They were offered property in an underserved part of town and share property with the Birmingham Metro Baptist Association.

Confidential Care Mobile Ministry, Inc

Confidential Care in Tennessee sees about 500 clients annually with over 95% of appointments utilizing the ultrasound machine.
There are three mobile units that provide counseling, pregnancy tests, and ultrasounds for clients. The mobile ministry serves eight locations within the county. This specific machine placement is for the ministry’s third mobile unit.
“With the overturn of Roe, we anticipate thousands of women this year in the Mid-South will be seeking a way to obtain an out-of-state abortion,” said the executive director. “The addition of our continuum-of-care vehicle, equipped with this new ultrasound machine, will enable us to go to these women and show them that a new human being is alive within their womb. Once they see the living child on the monitor, many will choose life. This gift of an ultrasound in the hands of our medical ministry team will mean life for hundreds of preborn human babies and will open the door for a clear introduction to the giver of that life.”
This placement was made possible through the partnership with Tennessee Baptist Mission Board (TBMB) and another donor.

Compassion Women’s Center

Compassion Women’s Center in Oklahoma has seen an increase from 70 clients to 300 clients this year as they anticipate growth in going medical. This placement of an ultrasound machine will provide the opportunity to serve more clients since they moved to the county seat in recent years.

Triad Coalition for Life

This is a mobile-only care center in North Carolina that Save the Storks has partnered with and ERLC provided the ultrasound machine. Triad Coalition for Life is a sidewalk ministry that operates near an abortion facility.

Care Net Women’s Resource Center

Care Net Women’s Resource Center in California sees over 500 clients annually with roughly 25% of appointments utilizing the ultrasound machine. The county statistics report that 1 in 4 women aged 45 and under will have had an abortion.
This placement was made possible through the partnership with North American Mission Board (NAMB) through Send Relief funding.

Warrenton Pregnancy Center

Warrenton Pregnancy Center in Virginia sees about 160 clients a year with over 60% of appointments utilizing the ultrasound machine.
Placement was a partnership with Southern Baptist Convention of Virginia donating toward the purchase of an ultrasound machine.

Alight Care Center

Alight Care Center is a ministry name of Arise & Build Community Ministries, a New York domestic, charitable not-for-profit ministry engaged in a number of community outreaches. The pregnancy resource center has been in operation for over 22 years and began a mobile ultrasound ministry in 2017. The Mobile Medical Unit (MMU) was purchased in 2016 through an affiliation with Save The Storks. Recently, Alight has joined with CompassCare Pregnancy Services to reach more abortion-vulnerable women.
Alight Care Center under CompassCare sees over 1,000 clients annually with 100% of appointments utilizing the ultrasound machine on the medical mobile unit.
This placement was made possible through the generous donation of a church in Nashville, Tennessee.

The purchase of the following machines was made possible through a grant from the state of Tennessee:

Full Circle Medical Center for Women

This is the second time this center in Tennessee has received a machine. This machine will be placed in a new medical room that will increase the number of women who will be able to receive ultrasound services.

Pregnancy Resource Center

This is the second time this center in Tennessee has received machines to expand services. The center opened a satellite center in a neighboring city where one machine was placed. The other two units were placed in the primary location.

Birth Choice

This is the second time this center in Tennessee has received a machine and it will replace an older machine in the ultrasound room. The center has requested a portable model so that they can repurpose it on their mobile units if needed as a backup.

Hope Resource Center

This is the second time this center in Tennessee has received a machine and the first time through a grant from the state of Tennessee. This placement will increase the number of appointments the center will be able to offer to meet the needs in the area.

Life Choices Dyersburg

The ultrasound for this center in Tennessee was ordered in October 2022.

Tomorrow’s Hope Pregnancy Medical Clinic

The ultrasound machine for this center in Tennessee was ordered in October 2022.

Beating Hearts Help Center

The ultrasound machine for this center in Tennessee was ordered in November 2022.

LifeBeat Pregnancy Care Center

The ultrasound machine for this center in Tennessee was ordered in November 2022.

An additional placement in Tennessee is in process.

How we can speak to men in the abortion conversation

By Marie Delph / Jan 31

As a pastor, father, and follower of Christ, I have often found myself with a heavy heart when I think and pray about abortion. I’m saddened. I’m sickened. I’m burdened for the life of preborn children who are precious in the sight of God. And I have a deep conviction that there’s more that I can do for the preborn, their mothers, and their fathers.

While pro-choice supporters advocate that abortion is a “women’s rights” issue, we cannot deny the deeply profound implications that abortions have on the male partners. While we continue to fight for the preborn and pray and provide for the mothers, let us not neglect the men who are struggling.

A harsh reality for men

When a man is faced with his partner’s unplanned pregnancy, there is a temptation to abandon her and think, This isn’t not my problem. And if he is advocating for an abortion, he often provides the same reasons women do: income, marital status, reputation, or loss of future plans.

Yet, some men would choose to stay when their unwed partners become pregnant. They want to make things right. They want to fight for the baby. Even though they want to choose life, they still experience a deep sense of helplessness if their partner doesn’t choose life.

In most states, there are little to no laws that advocate for fathers to have a legal voice in regards to their partners’ abortion. A man can become frustrated if he has no say and often experiences grief if his partner has an elective abortion. The result is a loss of trust in the relationship as well as sadness that he could not change the situation. Most romantic relationships do not persevere through having an elective abortion; research shows that only 37% of couples are still together two years after an abortion.^[1]

What the Church can do

A few months ago I sat down at my computer in my office and began asking the Lord to guide me to go beyond giving money for the care of preborn children and their mothers. I want to be an active participant. After exploring opportunities in my local area for serving at a pro-life and counseling center, I was discouraged by the reality that while there are a plethora of opportunities for serving children and mothers, there are none in my area for the fathers. I found myself asking who is helping the men.

As I reflect how men are affected by abortions, there is more the Church can do to help. There’s more that I can do. Specifically, here are a few things your church can do to help men who have suffered loss from an abortion.

Counseling

Seek out training for your church leaders in grief and premarital counseling regarding sex, pregnancy, and abortion.
When possible, include men in pre/post-abortion counseling.

Education

Understand that a man’s involvement during the pregnancy greatly enhances a woman’s (and consequently the baby’s) health.
Communicate the reality of the grief and pain associated with an abortion for both the woman and the man before it is performed.

Preaching/teaching

Whenever you preach or teach against abortion, preach the gospel, and point out the forgiveness and hope that is found in Christ.
Preach that biblical manhood is displayed when a man supports his partner, fights for the life of the baby, and does not abandon his responsibility to them.
Implement discipleship opportunities for men to disciple men, and create an atmosphere of openness so suffering men can share and be ministered to.
Teach how the Bible provides us with a salvific message and a clear framework for understanding sex, intimacy, leadership, and stability in relationships.

Yes, there are clear physical and mental consequences for sin, yet the gospel of Jesus Christ provides the grace and forgiveness we desperately need. He doesn’t wait for us to have our lives in order before he saves (Rom. 5:8). If he did that, no one would be saved. The gospel tells us that he died for us when we were at our very worst.

Many men realize that in moments of deepest grief (like grief over supporting his partner’s abortion), conviction, and regret, Jesus offers forgiveness of sins when they repent and believe in him. Studies show that many men reference God and the importance of faith in him as a way of staying strong during an abortion crisis.^[2]

The gospel meets both the mother and the father involved in an unplanned pregnancy. As ambassadors of Christ, may the Church serve and care for both mothers and fathers as we advocate for the preborn.

Where does Kentucky go after a failed pro-life amendment?

By Lindsay Nicolet / Jan 19

Where do we go from here? Sometimes that phrase is heard after a family tragedy or a moment that upends our life or business. Many Kentucky Baptists and their neighbors were asking that very question after the historic west Kentucky tornadoes on Dec. 10, 2021, and the eastern Kentucky flooding this past July.

But in this case, the question was being asked after the Yes for Life Amendment (Constitutional Amendment 2) failed to pass in Kentucky’s voting booths Nov. 8, 2022. The amendment stated, “To protect human life, nothing in this Constitution shall be construed to secure or protect a right to abortion or require the funding of abortion.” The result of the vote was disappointing for those who worked diligently to see this amendment passed.

Much prayer and sacrifice went into the drafting and promotion of this historic amendment. Many elected leaders, as well as pastors and church leaders, put their own names on the line to defend the preborn in our state. Kentucky Baptist pastors and associational and ministry leaders were “all in” on promoting the passage of Amendment 2, and Kentucky Baptists showed up and voted for the amendment. We should give thanks for those who provided leadership to speak up for the preborn.

We are disappointed in the defeat of Amendment 2. Legalized abortion is the greatest human rights atrocity of our day, and Kentucky Baptists will continue to work and pray that it remains illegal in our state. We are grateful that Attorney General Daniel Cameron has proven that he will fight to uphold Kentucky’s pro-life laws in court, and we encourage our state legislators to continue passing legislation that protects preborn children made in the image of God.

What’s next for pro-life Kentuckians?

But, where do we go from here? Here are five actions to consider:

1. We continue to pray for abortion to be abolished in Kentucky. Abolitionist William Wilberforce fought tirelessly against the inhumane slave trade in Great Britain. He suffered defeat after defeat before finally experiencing victory. Our cause is one worthy of continued effort and prayer. This defeat gives each of us an opportunity to sharpen our pro-life apologetics and get to work convincing and persuading others of the rightness of our position.

2. We continue to care for women and families with unplanned pregnancies. Forty-nine pregnancy resource centers in Kentucky are connected to the Kentucky Baptist Convention. You can learn more here. The leaders and volunteers at these bastions of compassion woke up on Wednesday morning following the election and went to work doing what they do every day—serving women and families experiencing an unplanned pregnancy. We can help them with their work.

3. We continue to encourage elected leaders who defend life. I was so proud of many of Kentucky’s elected House and Senate members and constitutional officers who put their own popularity on the line to defend preborn children in Kentucky. The disrespectful chant that says “politicians look for a parade and get in front of it” does not fit these courageous leaders. In Kentucky, we have strong pro-life laws and an attorney general who will vigorously defend them before the Supreme Court. Continue to pray for the Kentucky Supreme Court as it heard arguments on Nov. 15t, 2022, about a challenge to the state’s pre-Roe trigger law which has currently banned abortion. We pray that they will uphold the ban which is currently in effect.

4. We continue to pray for pro-abortion advocates. During the recent Amendment 2 campaign, I was given a renewed passion for praying for and striving to persuade those who view preborn human beings differently than I do. I believe, according to God’s Word, that they are wrong in their position. I also believe they are people made in the image of God who need the gospel.

5. We continue to promote the adoption of vulnerable children. While a vulnerable mom might not be up to the task of parenting her preborn child, someone else is. There are couples all over the commonwealth who would line up to adopt vulnerable children and give them a great life.

So where do we go from here? We keep working toward the day when legalized elective abortion will be part of our terrible past, but not part of our more humane future.

As of the writing of this article, there are no legalized elective abortions being performed in Kentucky. Please join me in praying that this will be our normal from now on.

A version of this article first appeared here.

Why the (mis)labeling of pregnancy resource centers on Yelp needs to be corrected

By Marie Delph / Aug 29

Yelp announced last week that, in light of the historic Dobbs v. Jackson Whole Woman’s Health case at the U.S. Supreme Court and the continued push by many in society for greater access to abortion services, they would begin to recategorize crisis pregnancy centers (also known as pregnancy resource centers) and other faith-based clinics on their platforms to distinguish them from abortion clinics. They also have placed user warnings on these listings, indicating that crisis pregnancy centers “typically provide limited medical services and may not have licensed medical professionals onsite,” regardless of the reality of what these clinics might offer or the qualifications of those onsite. This announcement was framed in light of Yelp’s ongoing commitment to support “access to reproductive healthcare for our employees, underserved communities, and our users,” as vice president of User Operations, Noorie Malik, wrote.

This relabeling and the user warnings being applied to pregnancy care and resource centers by Yelp comes on the heels of other technology companies such as Alphabet’s Google being pressured by Congressional Democrats to limit the appearance of pregnancy resource centers in certain abortion-related search terms and results. In addition, there are calls to delete location data for those visiting abortion clinics, especially in states where abortion services may be severely limited due to the number of pro-life laws taking affect after Dobbs. In response to the push by Congressional Democrats in June, a number of Republican attorneys general sent a letter in July warning Google not to censor or suppress information about these clinics in search or map results. On Aug. 25, Google announced that it would alter how abortion clinics and pregnancy care centers appear in search results, ads, and on maps.

This particular issue is shaped by a number of significant current debates over content moderation, digital governance, and access to information in our increasingly digital public square. Dobbs has resulted in an unprecedented time of debate, and the predatory abortion industry continues in its long-established efforts to lead women to believe that the only option during an unplanned pregnancy is abortion—at times, even celebrating the practice of the abortion. Now, more than ever, technology companies must not bow to the pressure of abortion advocates, government leaders, and the abortion industry in limiting access to life-altering information for women in crisis. Access to accurate information in order to make life-and-death decisions should be at the very core of these businesses’ values.

Lack of information

One of the primary reasons that the technology industry has thrived — especially companies like Yelp, Google, and others — is that they give people access to nearly limitless information about things that matter (as well as a host of things that don’t) and help people make informed decisions. Accessing information can range from reading the breaking news to research about various topics to the details about a local restaurant, but it can also be life-saving as mothers in crisis are frantically searching for help with an unplanned pregnancy. One aspect usually left out of these conversations about vulnerable women searching for abortion facilities is that they are routinely under extreme duress and pressure from others to have an abortion regardless of their own choice. Whether it is an abusive or pressuring boyfriend or an embarrassed parent urging the woman to end the developing baby’s life, women in crisis pregnancies need to know where to turn.

Countless users, including women and their families, depend on these services to provide the right information in the midst of these often unplanned and emotional searches for help. This truth is clear, especially in light of the fact many women choose life for their preborn baby if they have access to an ultrasound image of the child in the womb. A vast amount of women have been led to believe by a deceptive pro-abortion industry that killing the baby in the womb is the primary solution in these types of situations. But with advances in technology, especially ultrasound machines, women can now see what they typically already know subconsciously—that there is a living human being growing inside of them for whom they are their only source of support, love, and protection.

While more information does not immediately solve the crisis at hand, nor is information all that is needed, pregnancy resource centers and faith-based clinics are ready and able to assist far more than abortion clinics in caring for women with prenatal, postnatal, and even postpartum services — including options like adoption. These services often include provision of clothes, food, diapers, strollers, and countless other items for women in need so that they can raise their family and care for their children, regardless of financial or material circumstances. On top of this level of holistic care, many of these life-saving clinics are also staffed with trained medical professionals, including technicians with limited OB-training that is required in order to maintain, use, and interpret the results of ultrasound machines.

The real cost of pro-abortion misinformation

Some abortion proponents, including Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, are actively promoting misinformation that these clinics are ill-equipped, lacking medical training, and simply exist to manipulate women into not having the desired abortion. But, as mentioned above, many of these clinics actually do employ medical professionals and offer a host of healthcare services as well as holistic care, as opposed to their pro-abortion counterparts.

For example, Hope Resource Center in Knoxville, Tennessee, offers free pregnancy testing, ultrasound imaging, STD testing, well-woman exams, and pap testing. In addition, the center employs seven medical professionals. But this clinic is currently labeled by Yelp with a consumer notice reading “This is a Crisis Pregnancy Center. Crisis Pregnancy Centers typically provide limited medical services and may not have licensed medical professionals onsite.” While some will argue that this simply indicates the clinic MAY not have licensed medical professionals onsite, it is misleading to apply such a broad label that is designed to introduce doubt in the minds of users, especially if those same notices are not applied to abortion clinics offering substandard care. In an ironic twist, it has been long documented that not all abortion clinics have adequately licensed medical professionals or a full range of medical services outside of abortion. Some clinics employ doctors who lack admitting privileges at local hospitals in case an abortion goes wrong or a woman is in need of further medical treatment after the procedure. This is one reason that Google’s recent announcement about labeling ads and locations as “providing abortions” and not providing abortions is better suited than overly broad labels utilized by Yelp that introduce doubt and confusion rather than provide accurate information.

It is clear that this labeling is one-sided and meant to ensure easy access to abortion while introducing friction for obtaining life-saving information and services.

It is true that pregnancy resource centers and faith-based clinics operate from a particular ideological and religious perspective, just as any clinic or medical professional, including abortion providers themselves. It is a myth to assume that anyone can truly be neutral and simply present information without their beliefs interfering. Our beliefs will always drive our actions, no matter the perspective we come from. And it should be noted that it is abortion clinics who are actually limiting the information available to women and pushing abortion services as the best option for women in crisis. This illustrates that just as Christians ought to unapologetically celebrate the Dobbs ruling and the passing of major pro-life legislation across states, we also must acknowledge that this ruling simply represents the first step among many in combating the abortion industry.

If Yelp and other information providers actually want to provide reliable information and assist vulnerable women, they would not apply misleading labels, delist, or remove this life-saving information from those who need it most. YouTube, for example, decided in late July to update its policies and remove certain abortion-related content and misinformation from its platform, but it appears it did so without pushing a particular view of abortion. Google, likewise followed suit with labeling that brings clarity, not introducing confusion or misleading the public about what clinics may or may not offer.

Limiting access to information based on partisan and ideological beliefs is the complete opposite of what these companies claim to stand for and support. Given that abortion is on the ballot in many states with mid-term elections coming this November, technology companies must resist the partisan push to remove information and limit the options of women facing these unplanned and crisis pregnancies. Women and their children deserve accurate and honest information, especially as Christians and other pro-life groups seek to push back against the lies and misleading information promoted by the abortion industry in the digital public square today.

Is pro-life work deceptive?

By Marie Delph / Aug 1

U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren recently made national news when she argued that the government should shut down women’s health organizations she labeled “deceptive.” “We need to shut them down here in Massachusetts and we need to shut them down all around the country,” Warren told reporters. “You should not be able to torture a pregnant person like that.” However, she was not referring to abortion clinics that exploit vulnerable women and take the lives of preborn children. Rather, the senator was speaking out against pro-life pregnancy resource centers.

The Stop Anti-Abortion Disinformation Act

In June following the landmark Dobbs decision, congressional Democrats introduced the Stop Anti-Abortion Disinformation Act. This bill would empower the Federal Trade Commission to crack down on crisis pregnancy centers for advancing purportedly false claims about abortion. If passed, these pro-life centers could be fined $100,000 or 50% of their revenue for violating the “prohibition on [abortion] disinformation.”

The text of the bill fails to define what exactly qualifies as “abortion disinformation,” but statements by the legislation’s sponsors illuminated their intentions. “It’s more important than ever to crack down on so-called ‘crisis pregnancy centers’ that mislead women about reproductive health care,” Warren said, claiming that pro-life pregnancy centers “lie” to mothers by encouraging them to choose life and should therefore face punishment.

Rep. Carolyn Maloney told reporters, “It is truly disgusting that reproductive rights are being threatened and attacked by crisis pregnancy centers whose guiding principle is to mislead, misinform, and outright lie to pregnant people in order to dissuade them from having an abortion. It is long past time that we prohibit these predatory tactics to undermine reproductive rights.”

Sadly, this legislative attack on pregnancy resource centers is not an isolated incident. Rather, it consistently tracks with the ethos of postmodern secularism—an unmooring from absolute truth that is reshaping the very moral frameworks that undergird our individual actions, cultural discernment, and political engagement. To discover what drives such legislative efforts, we should take a look under the hood of the religion of secularism.

Epistemology in a secular age

What is true? What is false? And who decides what is true? These epistemological questions frame our postmodern age and haunt Christians and secularists alike.

The prevailing doctrine of expressive individualism offers one possible take on the question of truth by advancing a system of truth claims that have influenced our modern moral order. We live in the “age of authenticity,” an era that the philosopher Charles Taylor characterizes as a “social imaginary of expressive individualism.” In our postmodern culture, authenticity is the prize, and self-actualization is the good life. By acting on the fundamental freedom to express oneself, the individual discovers his true purpose and place in the world.

In an age of expressive individualism, the pursuit of truth is no longer a quest for universal standards. Rather, culture has cast aside the universal value of human life to make way for a postmodern revelation: the individual is king. This secular revival rejects traditional institutional structures and communal senses of truth, instead heralding individual feelings and self-expression as sources of personal truth. The only prevailing truth is that each individual may choose for himself what is right, and the highest virtue is tolerance—celebrating each person’s “truth” while disdaining any truth claims that reach beyond the boundaries of the isolated, buffered self.

To a culture that sacralizes tolerance and venerates individual choice as an inviolable good, anyone who believes in the inherent value of all human life, including the preborn, presents a threat to the core values of the modern moral order. The pro-life ethic is rooted in human dignity and the image of God, which are fixed realities and transcendent truths that run counter to the secular norms of moral autonomy and individual choice. To the postmodern secularist, then, pro-life advocates appear to intrude on the individual’s autonomy by intentionally spreading false information about the nature of reality.

Technology experts label this “manipulation and distribution of facts” as disinformation. Disinformation, in contrast to misinformation, is false information intentionally meant to distract or dissuade the intended audience. Warren isn’t politely disagreeing with the pro-life movement; instead, she is actively assigning foul motives to pro-life pregnancy centers. But secularists aren’t the only ones tempted to label others as their “enemies.” Many of us struggle to navigate this world of disinformation, and labeling opposing opinions as “fake news” often serves as an easy escape from the difficult task of engaging faithfully in personal relationships and the public square.

While Warren’s recent actions are disappointing, it’s not surprising that she leveled charges of disinformation against pregnancy resource centers. The senator is acting in step with her secular ethic, advancing personal choice and autonomy at the steep cost of devaluing preborn lives. To the postmodern secularist, pro-life counseling provided by pregnancy resource centers can only be a restrictive, intolerant lie masquerading as healthcare that denies women the right to express themselves through abortion. And since these pregnancy centers bar women from exercising allegedly fundamental rights, then the government must be right to intervene, label heterodoxy as disinformation, and enforce a (twisted) interpretation of the common good.

But over and over, the postmodern ethic of expressive individualism is tested and found wanting. By rejecting God’s creation order and design for humanity, secularists are left directionless and hopeless, lost in the wilderness with no map. Their ethic proclaims freedom and autonomy for the individual but enslaves the soul either to the ruthless, all-consuming desire for more, or to the hopeless, empty feeling that there is nothing more. The heralded eschaton of self-actualization seems to always be a false peak, a disappointing mountaintop experience that always leaves the ambitious climber with nothing but unfulfilled longings and hollow regrets. Countless regretful mothers who now mourn their abortions agree: the view from the top isn’t nearly as pleasant as it looked in the travel brochure.

Truth under God

But there is another way. Jason Thacker writes that this fruitless pursuit of expressive individualism “is fundamentally at odds with a Christian understanding of truth and ultimate reality.” Scripture counters the rise of postmodern secularism by offering a radically different take on reality: truth is not decided by the individual but rather is founded in the nature and commands of almighty God (John 14:6). The psalmists sing that the Lord delights in truth, so our every endeavor ought to align with his heart for wisdom (Psalm 51:6). God created man not to live free of all constraints but rather to submit to his lordship and perfect design for our lives; therefore, we align with truth by reflecting God’s character and living by his Word (Psalm 119:160, John 17:17).

A Christian approach to disinformation, then, should consider the biblical principles of God’s created order, Christ’s lordship, and our responsibility to faithfully order our lives in light of both. Because the King of the universe has revealed universal standards of truth, disinformation is not just in the eye of the beholder. We can discern truth revealed in Scripture, and God also endowed men with a sense of reason to understand the created order and apply lessons revealed by common grace.

We can boldly speak the truth that life is worthy of protection and celebration, for each person is lovingly created in the very image of God. Pro-life pregnancy resource centers are not disseminating disinformation; they are working out their convictions in the public square in order to serve and love their neighbors. Senator Warren ignores that these centers serve women everyday by providing clothing, diapers, baby formula, and counseling. Pregnancy resource centers are an invaluable asset to their communities, and condemning them as disingenuous agents of disinformation does nothing but harm the very women that these politicians claim to serve.

Sen. Warren’s sweeping proposal aims its sights at legitimate pro-life speech, and it also opens the doors for the government to selectively weaponize speech codes to quash any other speech that the ruling party may find disagreeable. While it is good to combat legitimate disinformation and curtail its dangerous ramifications, we must also vigorously protect the right to free expression for all people, especially those with whom we disagree. An unhealthy public square forcefully cancels disagreeable speech and silences minority voices, but a healthy, flourishing public square encourages all to speak from their convictions and persuade without fear of government coercion.

Tag: pregnancy resource centers