I had the privilege of attending the Evangelicals for Life Conference in Washington, DC last week. The conference was put on by Focus on the Family and our own Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission. The conference is a relatively new annual conference that is held each year on the days surrounding the annual March for Life. I was challenged and encouraged by the conference and hope to be able to attend again in the future. Below are a few brief observations from #EFL2018.
1. Progress is being made in the fight against abortion.
No, Roe vs. Wade has not been overturned. Abortion is still legal in America all the way up to the point of birth–a shameful reality that puts us in elite company with China, North Korea, Vietnam, and Canada. But progress is being made. Abortion numbers are down. Pregnancy care centers outnumber abortion clinics by more than 4-1. As abortion facilities continue to shut down, the number of pregnancy care centers continues to increase.
We see some positive things happening in state governments. Various states continue to pass measures intended to limit and restrict abortions. Perhaps you are aware of some of those things in your state and can mention them here in the comments.
We also see a couple of bills being considered at the national level. One is called the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act. This bill amends the federal criminal code to make it a crime for any person to perform or attempt to perform an abortion if the probable post-fertilization age of the fetus is 20 weeks or more. There is scientific evidence that unborn babies past 20 weeks gestation are capable of feeling pain in the womb. This bill passed the House by a 237-189 margin and has been passed along to the Senate.
The other bill is called the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act. This bill amends the federal criminal code to require any health care practitioner who is present when a child is born alive following an abortion or attempted abortion to: (1) exercise the same degree of care as reasonably provided to any other child born alive at the same gestational age, and (2) ensure that such child is immediately admitted to a hospital. This bill passed the House by a 241-183 margin and has been passed along to the Senate.
We clearly have a long way to go, but progress is being made.
2. Senators James Lankford and Ben Sasse are the real deal.
Lots of politicians say that they are opposed to abortion. But for many their opposition to abortion seems to be little more than a plank in their platform to appease their base. Not so for Senators James Lankford and Ben Sasse, both of whom spoke at the conference. You can tell when a person knows what he is talking about and means what he says. Both of these Senators demonstrated a clear understanding of the pro-life position and genuine desire to stand up for life in the United States Senate. Senator Lankford is a former youth pastor and Senator Sasse told about how his mom had him praying outside of abortion clinics as a child. Pro-life advocates can be sure that we have at least two firm allies in James Lankford and Ben Sasse.
3. Being pro-life is more than being anti-abortion.
There was a clear focus on abortion at the conference. The conference was planned around the annual March for Life. But the conference also took a much broader approach to what it means to be pro-life. The image of God in every human being means that we must value and defend all human life. Issues such as adoption and foster care, mental illness and disability, racial justice, and immigration were talked about both from the platform in the main sessions and during the breakout sessions.
There are some who are very passionate about justice but seemingly give very little attention to the slaughter of hundreds of thousands of unborn babies each year. There are others who are very passionate about defending the unborn but seem to have little concern for immigrants or the racially oppressed. We must guard ourselves against the tendency to care only about those justice issues that are most comfortable for us. We must care for and defend all human life.
4. Focus on the Family is doing some encouraging and important work.
I have always been aware of Focus on the Family. I used to listen to Adventures in Odyssey on the radio as a kid. I certainly knew about the ministry of Dr. James Dobson, but I had never really followed the work of Focus on the Family since Jim Daly became its president in 2005. In fact, I didn’t really realize until recently that Dr. Dobson was no longer president. From what I saw at the conference, Jim Daly is doing important work with Focus on the Family.
I was also challenged and encouraged by Kelly Rosati, Focus’ vice president of Advocacy for Children. She oversees some of the ministries that were highlighted at the conference such as their Adoption and Orphan Care Initiative and Operation Ultrasound. Operation Ultrasound helps place ultrasound machines in pregnancy care centers in areas with high abortion rates. Since 2004, Option Ultrasound has saved an estimated 390,000 precious lives! $336,000 was raised during the conference for this ministry. You can still give by clicking the link in the tweet below.
We are praising God for the news that $336,000 was raised for pregnancy centers and ultrasound machines today! #EFL2018
Give to the cause: https://t.co/crw94A7EdF
— ERLC (@ERLC) January 20, 2018
I had a great time at the conference and hope to attend again sometime. I hope to get a post up soon with some reflections on my first March for Life.
Videos from some of the sessions are still available on the ERLC Facebook page. If you are going to choose just one to watch, I recommend this testimony from Eric Brown. Make sure you have a box of tissues ready. Eric and his wife found out at 20 weeks that their baby was diagnosed with alobar holoprosencephaly (HPE), a neural disease with low chances of survival. Despite a grim prognosis and a doctor’s encouragement to induce labor and end the pregnancy, the Browns opted to embrace life and hope. They decided to carry Baby Pearl to term. Eric shares his testimony about how his daughter Pearl has changed his life.
Good update.
God bless all working in the Pro-Life movement.
Just read the national media gave three times more coverage to the Women’s March last Saturday, than the March for Life last Friday.
And, have you noticed the media usually cannot say the word, “Pro-Life”?
David R. Brumbelow
Yes, it is always “anti abortion groups”.
This is all very good and exciting news and I and thank God for it! Thank you for this encouraging article! However, I’m troubled that there is always something missing in our conversations about this – ministry to post-abortive women. I am absolutely, 100% against abortion in no uncertain terms. We should continue the good work mentioned above. But what about those women who ultimately choose abortion? In my experience there are many post-abortive women who deeply and painfully regret their decision. In the moment they thought it was the best move to make for any number of reasons (fear,… Read more »
Hey Scott, thanks for the comment. I have found that most pregnancy care centers see the need to care for women who have had abortions and are doing the best they can. I know that both pregnancy care centers that I have worked with are doing things to care for these women. As for the church where I pastor, we actually had an abortion testimony on Sunday. The goal was to communicate that there is grace and healing after abortion. Our local pregnancy care center does a post-abortive Bible study that we always publicize in our church as well.
Adam: Thank you for your report, and most of all for being there. I have never been able to go, but am glad this event continues to be held. I agree with most of what you mentioned, but have a few comments. 1. It is a serious mistake to try and combine the fight against abortion with a basket of other issues. There are significant differences that Christians may have on these issues. Using slogans like “I am pro-life, from conception to death” or something similar, will hurt, not enhance the pro-life movement. First, it is stealing the moniker “pro-life”… Read more »
Louis, There has to be a connection of pro-life from life in the womb to life out of the womb. The baby born in unfortunate circumstances, because the mother chose life over abortion, is just as much in need of rescue and aid, as is their mom, than the child in the womb. That’s why you are hearing more about being pro-life womb to tomb. It is intellectually and morally inconsistent to value the life in the womb, but to say “fend for yourself” once th child is born. That’s the reason you are hearing this fleshing out of the… Read more »
Very well said, Louis. Completely agree. Thank you.
Well, Adam: Owe you a quick clarification. I see that you were reporting on a specific conference called an “Evangelical” conference. I guess you participated in the march, but that is what I was referring to. My reference to President Trump was not directly applicable, except that I suppose the people that put this on (the ERLC and Focus on the Family) did not invite him, or if they did, he didn’t come. So I apologize for getting the events confused. I still believe that the President’s address of the Pro-Life March in D.C was a big story, and is… Read more »
Louis I think the events were in fact connected….
Louis,
I too am grateful for Adam’s presence there and his report here. Good work Adam. I agree with you that believers need to exercise caution about combining other emphases with the pro-life movement. This is a very valid concern. Thanks for articulating it well.
As for his mention of Lankford and Sasse it doesn’t sound like his giving them a blanket endorsement but only underscoring that their pro-life convictions are more than (political) skin-deep. Just how I read it.
Louis,
The criticism of Sen. Sasse is puzzling to me. The only people I know who have criticized him have been Trump syncophents like Sean Hannity and Todd Starnes who dislike his moral clarity on some of Trump’s negative actions. Would be interested to know if your criticism is based in Trump love or is there something I don’t know about.
Randy:
Good point.
Thanks.
Scott H: I was thinking primarily of Mark Levin. Levin is. Jewish Conservative who initially supported Sasse. Here’s a short assessment of Levin’s feelings. https://youtu.be/GWI_wqS1sJM I believe that evangelicals fall prey many times to polished guys who pontificate morally and are generally conservative and generally good guys in appearance. But who, despite appearances, are not really Conservative or reliable. For me, Rubio is one of those guys. Don’t get me wrong. If Rubio won the nomination I would easily vote for him. But his waffling and his back room sellouts just make me question where he would really be when… Read more »
Louis,
I disagree with your analysis of Ben Sasse, But I do understand your skepticism.
I agree about Rubio.
Several months ago I briefly fell prey to Senator Flake and his faux “conservative outrage”.
I do though feel that Sasse and Lankford are the real deal. I’ve watched them for sometime and I’ve not been disappointed…
I would ask you if you would… To please demonstrate how exactly these two gentlemen have betrayed the conservative cause.
Of course I realize this whole line of discussion about people’s affirmation or skeptical regarding Sasse and Lankford is all a bit subjective – even Adam’s statements about them in article is itself is his subjective analysis and as we all know “gut feelings” often lead people of good faith in different directions.
People will certainly disagree with my agreeing with you about the “vibe” from Rubio for example.
Disagreement is not the end of the world.
If Mark Levin, Glenn Beck, Ann Coulter, et al don’t like someone who is GOP that’s a pretty good indication they are a decent individual who wants to work together with everyone- even across the aisle- to better the country for everyone. So the fact that your questions about Sasse come from Levin, tells me all I need to know. You would do well to reconsider who you allow to influence your opinions of people. The reason the GOP is becoming what it is is allowing people like Levin to define who is a real “conservative” based on a scorched… Read more »
“You would do well to reconsider who you allow to influence your opinions of people.”
You realize that people almost certainly think the same thing about those who influence your opinions… Don’t you?
In the minds of many – putting Lindsey Graham in the same category as Lankford and Sasse does the latter two absolutely no favors.
Our government is based on working together and compromise. Not one group getting its way and rubbing it in the face of the “losers.”“
The GOP is certainly not the only party guilty of that tactic.
In fact, I’m reminded of a quote very similar to this that was made just a few years ago:
“ Well, Congressman Ryan, you lost and I won. You’re welcome to ride the bus with us but you’ll ride in the back.” – Barack Obama
I have to admit that I too, when someone is labeled a RINO, immediately view that person in a more favorable light. Especially in today’s political climate.
Ryan, in other words….
Republican/ reflective Trump hate will get us about as far toward good governance and real solutions as Democrat/ reflexive Obama hate has gotten us over the last few years.
It is humorous to me that any disagreement with Trump is automatically labeled as hate. I don’t hate him. I think he is unfit for office and unsupportable by people who follow Jesus based on his own words that come out of his own mouth. I also strongly dislike and disagree with the court evangelicals who prop him up, excuse his actions, and act as if his every suggestion is ordained by God. I am also strongly opposed to those who insist that my lack of support for him and his sycophants somehow makes me less than Christian especially when… Read more »
Ryan, I must have touched a nerve – When I talked about hate I did not mean a hatred from your heart… I mean spewing hatred – in the sense of incessantly looking for reasons to continue not liking Trump to the point of intentionally ignoring any reasons to affirm any good policy actions whatsoever… I do not disagree with a single thing you just posted about Donald Trump and the reasons that you do not support him and I am prettty much with you regarding the hypocrisy of many (not all) “evangelicals” who do… I stand with you there.… Read more »
Well said Tarheel. Well said indeed.
I always find it interesting when the words “step away from your sanctimonious high horse ” or words like it are used. For heavens sake we are Christians. We are supposed to be on sanctimonious high horses from what I read in scripture. All Christians are to be. We are to strive for the highest of morals and want justice, not evil in any form.
I will admit it is hard for me to praise Trump for any good when his actions and decisions are so bad on so many important issues.
sanc·ti·mo·ni·ous
?saNG(k)t??m?n??s/Submit
adjectivederogatory
making a show of being morally superior to other people.
high horse definition. To be on one’s “high horse” is to be disdainful or conceited: “Sally got tired of Peter’s snobbery and finally told him to get off his high horse.”
Definitions matter.
Debbie, i apologize that my comment may have seemed snarky. I didn’t intend it to be.
It’s just the definitions don’t match what you were intending to say. You said, “We are to strive for the highest of morals and want justice, not evil in any form.”
You are exactly right in that comment. Again my apologies.
If I do not echo Les Prouty’s comment stating to Tarheel, “Well said Tarheel. Well said indeed,” I will feel like a wretched coward and hypocrite all day long.
The guy’s right. Say what you please, but the guy is right and so is Les Prouty for commending him.
Tarheel, You make me laugh. I did not give, and would not give, Obama any cred for being pro-life or trying to prevent abortion. I simply said that abortions fell during his presidency. That’s a fact. In fact, as the article I posted notes, there is 0 correlation between who is in the Oval Office and the abortion rate. It has trended down since the Carter presidency. Also, we have had a lot of “pro-life” presidents since RvW and a lot of “pro-choice” presidents as well. None of them have slowed the decline of abortions. Abortion rates continue to fall-… Read more »
Ryan,
You don’t make me laugh.
I’m not defending trump. I’m simply giving credit where credit is due.
I wish you weren’t to arrogant and pompous to do so.
I am done with you and your smug condescension. I don’t need it. Nothing of value comes to my life through interaction with you. I’m walking away. You can have the parting shot if you desire.
Ryan, I suppose if you didn’t loathe DT so much you might actually be able to think clearly. While abortions have steadily gone down (and we are talking REPORTED abortions) it’s pretty easy to see that during the pro baby slaughter years of Obama, this happened despite his best efforts. It’s also pretty easy to see that DT policies (Mexico policy e.g.) saves the lives of babies. Tarheel said well how I think when I see your interactions and actually interact with you. You may be a fine fellow in person and perhaps one I would get along with fabulously.… Read more »
Tarheel:
I did not say anything negative about Lankford.
My comments about Sasse are above.
I am concerned about how evangelicals are susceptible to identity politics. They are easily manipulated in that regard.
And they are easily manipulated by certain types of moral arguments. Sometimes these are legitimate. Other times moral arguments are more along the lines of conversation stoppers that prevent true conversation and analysis.
Here’s another criticism of Senator Sasse’s failure to exercise wise leadership.
http://www.nationalreview.com/article/421047/republicans-have-needlessly-undermined-their-ability-resist-iran-deal-andrew-c
Ryan: I don’t think there is any push back from any Evangelical on the question of whether it is right to kill an unborn human being. That clearly is a moral argument. If people want to make the argument that some welfare state remedies for poverty etc., or race based remedies to address racial inequities, or certain immigration approaches are the equivalent of stopping the killing of unborn humans, it’s only going to go so far. Stealing the “pro-life” slogan, and then indicting people who don’t agree is not going to make the case. The reason that we are hearing… Read more »
Ryan: I did not mention Ann Coulter or Glen Beck, and find it interesting that you felt the need to do so. As to Levin, I note that did not engage (or maybe even listened to) Levin’s argument. Levin couldn’t be right on an issue or observation – because he’s Levin! You’ll see that I have also linked to a piece in National Review that is critical of Sasse. I know many young guys in ministry today (and there were plenty like this in the past) who are not really well read in many areas of politics and economics. It’s… Read more »
Louis, Interesting take. Dead wrong but a cute theory. I watched your Levin “video” (an excerpt from his radio show) and Read the nearly 3 year old McCarthy article from NR. Both focusing largely on disagreement with Sasse on the Iran deal. Here’s why I don’t like Levin and why you being influenced by him tells me a lot. He’s all fire no substance. He’s angry so that he can rile up a following and make money. He doesn’t offer well thought out researched critiques. Just bile and venom. The McCarthy article at least had some research and substance to… Read more »
Whew! I’m so glad I’m one of those Trump voters, though he was not my first Republican choice, who is “committed to following scripture even if it means they lose their place at the table, because theological faithfulness matters more than political power.” And I’m extremely happy and overjoyed that less babies are being slaughtered in the womb today because the Democrat didn’t win the election.
Oh and Louis thank you for your reasoned comments. Spot on brother.
Fewer babies were aborted under Obama as well. https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/abortion-rate-declined/
The occupant of the Oval Office has nothing to do with abortion rates. But keep using that lie to make yourself feel better.
Yeah, that Obama was a champion for life, right? I mean one can tick off so many of his policies and enactments that reduced abortion, right. Go ahead Ryan. List them. But we both know you can’t and that the declines were in spite of O. But Trump? Well… “Like every Republican president since Ronald Reagan, Trump reinstated the largely popular Mexico City policy, which denies U.S. aid money to any international group that funds or promotes abortion. But he took the policy a step further, expanding it to cover nearly all U.S. foreign health spending, not just family-planning funds.… Read more »
Here is a little more about the pro-life first year of Trump’s presidency.
https://www.sba-list.org/first100days
Ryan: I definitely stand with you, as you are my brother in Christ. We disagree, at times, on the best way to pursue goals. Many of those goals, we share. Some we may not, but that’s ok, too. I agree with you that the younger generation sees this as a struggle about “who gets to define American Christianity”. I have no interest in that battle because it is a quixotic and divisive effort. There are so many varieties of belief, not only as to doctrine (which is my primary interest – in preserving the faith once delivered to the saints)… Read more »
Ryan, I also wanted to weigh in on the “abortions went down under Obama” discussion. I will assume the stats to be correct. The fact that abortions may go up or down under a President is not consequential, unless we can connect something that President did to affect that change. Also, pushing the point too strongly can have the effect of concluding that we don’t really need to be involved in these issues, because the good we might accomplish doesn’t move the needle. It’s the same in economics and trying to track what changes helped people in poverty and which… Read more »
I’m willing to give Trump a little credit for Gorsuch. It cost him nothing and kept evangelicals in his pocket. I am beyond dismayed by the recent Trump apologist activities of Franklin Graham. I have zero respect for the likes of Huckabee, Jeffress, and Falwell, but I love Samaritan’s Purse and Operation Christmas Child and Graham’s excuses for Trump’s rhetoric and behavior is incredibly disheartening. Donald Trump and his evangelical sycophants are pulling the American church into the toilet. I have no idea if Trump’s policies are going to reduce the number of abortions, but whatever babies are being born… Read more »