Second attempt... the pastor liked it better this time...

Dear Pastor,

I guess you could say this letter comes from a concerned lover of Truth. My growing concern is what I see as a cultural theme that has been creeping into the church unchecked. Francis Schaeffer said, “Tell me what the world is saying today, and I’ll tell you what the church will be saying seven years from now”. I’ve found this to be true in the church’s view on the value of *life*.

I am active in Grande Prairie’s pro-life organization, Voice for Life. I have noticed over the years of my involvement in church and in pro-life work that there seems to be among the workers in this area an overwhelming feeling of defeat and weariness. As if the battle, once fought and lost is no longer worth the effort. We live in a country where abortion is legal at any stage of pregnancy and there need be no parental notification in the case of minors. Those in the medical field have gone so far as to try to change the definition of “pregnancy” to not include the first days after conception. Every day, our views on life, the precious commodity measured out by the Creator of the universe, get skewed in the name of “mercy” and “compassion”.

Along with a demoralized pro-life movement, there is a second problem that is hindering the church’s ability to uphold the sanctity of life. Birth control, and specifically the birth control pill, something that was universally rejected by the church up until the 1930’s has been embraced. The November issue of Christianity Today had an interesting article titled “A Hard Pill to Swallow”. This article deals with the possibility (some would argue “probability”) that the birth control pill actually causes abortions. In my research, I came across an excellent resource; a book by Randy Alcorn titled “Does the Birth Control Pill Cause Abortions?” I would encourage you to read the book with an open heart as to what God would have you teach in your premarital counseling. I would also encourage you to not stop there. It seems to me that the pro-life organizations that are active today have stopped short. I would classify them as “anti-murder” which is wonderful, but observably ineffective if they’re willing to blur the lines (or have them be blurred) for the sake of convenience. I’d like to share a quote from Randy Alcorn’s book:

“The biggest threat to Satan’s success in killing the innocent is that people become aware of the truth, then act on it. When I consider my own ignorance and lack of motivation to pursue and act on the truth that the Pill kills children, I am forced to conclude this may well be a spiritual stronghold that the evil one has on the church. Until we come to grips with, repent of and abstain from the chemical abortions we ourselves are having, I wonder how effective we will be as Christ’s representatives in general, and in particular in our efforts to prevent abortions. (Looking back, we haven’t been very successful in our efforts to curtail surgical abortions – perhaps this is one of the reasons.)”

The third issue that I feel compelled to write about, is the one that I feel is the most important out of the three that are in this letter. I believe that the solution to the first and second problems lies in the solution to the third. There has been an undeniable hardening of hearts in society, but even more disturbingly, in the church towards children. Abortion has been legal for 36 years in this country. Birth control seems to have been ushered in and popularized at roughly the same time. With this convenience came cost. It seems that as the (organized) church began to take measures to gain control of their fertility (something I believe the bible states rather explicitly is God’s territory), there began to be in the hearts of even believers, a hardening towards children. (Just ask any woman who has recently been to a baby shower if the subject came up: “I’m so glad it’s not me!”) It seems to me that even among those who know that life comes from God (Genesis 30:2); children are not viewed as a blessing, but rather as an avoidable affliction. I can imagine, even as I’m typing this letter that at this last point, I’ve lost you. I have been crying out to God for wisdom on this issue. My conclusions are based on scripture and my pitiful knowledge of my Saviour. In no way do I count myself among the learned, and I will continue to press into the word so that He can correct me and I can gain understanding (Proverbs 15:32). That said, I feel in my spirit that to remain silent on what I believe to be the root of the problem would be a compromise I’m not willing to make.
My eyes are dry, my faith is old,
My heart is hard, my prayers are cold.
And I know how I ought to be-
Alive to you and dead to me.

Oh, what can be done with an old heart like mine?
Soften it up with oil and wine!
The oil is you, your Spirit of love,
Please wash me anew in the wine of your blood…
-Keith Green

Until believer’s hearts are softened and we are able to see children as the blessing that God says that they are, I don’t think that any amount of effort poured into pro-life movements will bear fruit.

We need vision and strength and courage in our pro-life organizations. These things come from God. Please pray that God will pour out His blessings on Voice for Life as His people seek Him. Pray that this organization would be effective, and moved to action out of Love for God, and a desire to obey. Please pray that as Truth prevails, the enemy’s stronghold in this area of the church will be destroyed.
Thank you for reading my letter.
God is so good.

Paige Beselt