In a context where
abortion is a politically-charged issue, LIFE International challenges the
Church to see the missional call to protect the People of the Womb.
Who are the People of the Womb?
Alissa Hollander says LIFE
International began calling preborn children the People of the Womb to
be more missional in their language. The
objectives of the ministry have not changed, but this way of speaking helps the
Church orient the preborn to the Great Commission.
Hollander says, “It’s more or less a framework of thinking about how we approach the family structure that God has created, the Church that God has created for us. And how the Great Commission really does call us as Christians to take our rightful place as the Church in defending the most innocent among us. Putting the term People of the Womb on babies – people that are obviously human beings from the moment of conception – really does something in people’s hearts and minds to awaken them to the reality, not only the humanity of the preborn, but also our particular role as the global Church.”
A Practical Heart for People of the Womb
Practically this type
of thinking in relation to the preborn helps reach more image-bearers with the
Gospel. LIFE International often talks
about their call to join the mission field created by abortion. Speaking about the preborn as People of the
Womb highlights the missional opportunity. It also reflects God’s heart for a vulnerable
group in society.
LIFE International provides worldwide training for Christian leaders. “Journey of a Life Giver” teaches both on biology and the theology surrounding life. “It’s about a three - maybe four-day transformational training,” Hollander says. “So, the training really creates the opportunity, not only for people to understand the theology and the biology of life, but also to assess within their region of the world, or the context that they live in, the ways that life is devalued around them. And to ask the Lord to show them how they might participate in helping to either end abortion or some other way that they see life devalued.”
This training helps the Church see the truth about God’s image-bearers regardless of their context. Hollander says that many attending this training never understood the biological truths of human conception and growth before. For them, this can mean conviction.
“We also walk people through healing post-abortion, whether they themselves have had an abortion or they have gone with somebody, or counseled someone to get an abortion when that light bulb goes on for them and they realize the humanity and the image bearer that is in the womb, because most times we are interacting with people who are already professing Christians. You’d be surprised how many places in the world don’t really realize what an abortion is, don’t realize the humanity of life in the womb, and that it is an image bearer from the moment of conception.”
Join the Cause
The Great Commission
call to disciple the nations involves radical changes to lives. Some of that change includes rightly valuing
God’s image-bearers – the People of the Womb.
Chaplain (Colonel-Ret), U.S. Army
Pastor, Ft. Snelling Memorial Chapel
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