Do you really want to reduce Abortions?

I came across some amazing statistics regarding one of the hottest buttons in politics and religion – Abortion. 

We, as followers of Christ, will have the tendency to dismiss the following information and focus our attention on the government and lawmakers for legalizing the act of abortion.  When in reality, it’s our lack of cross-generational discipleship that is adding to and perhaps fueling this horrific reality. 

Women identifying themselves as Protestants obtain 37.4% of all abortions in the U.S.; Catholic women account for 31.3%, Jewish women account for 1.3%, and women with no religious affiliation obtain 23.7% of all abortions. 18% of all abortions are performed on women who identify themselves as "Born-again/Evangelical".

© Copyright 1998, The Alan Guttmacher Institute. (www.agi-usa.org)

These statistics suggest that women who are walking into abortion clinics have done so after they have walked out of our Churches.  Our own daughters and grand daughters, those that have been exposed to church and Christianity, are accounting for 55.4% of all abortions!  Our natural response to this information will be to dismiss the fact that these women are professing to be protestant or evangelical, but we can’t afford to dismiss what seems to be the truth.  After reading this information I was forced to ask myself, as a pastor, “WHY, why are our own daughters doing what we so vehemently stand against?” After some serious prayer and honest self assessment of my ministry I have come to face these facts of which may answer the question, “Why?”

1.    We are quicker to say NO than why not.

2.    We are quicker to judge than to help.

3.    When we are vehemently preaching/teaching about the wrongs of premarital sex we don’t consider whether or not there is a women in our pews that may be pregnant.

4.    The fear of being persecuted by the church for carrying a baby out of wedlock steers women into a socially acceptable solution.

5.    Our lack of compassion for those that feel they need to have an abortion pushes them towards that very act.

6.    We are always ready to talk seldom ready to listen.

Whatever the reasons, we are failing to communicate compassion and a willingness to help those that are struggling with responsibility of raising a child.  Changing the laws or winning the war on abortion does not change the fact that over 50% of abortions are attributed to our constituency.  Let’s wake up and start discipling those in our pews and classrooms.  Let’s start encouraging and providing avenues for discipleship in the home.  Let’s make a change in our Churches, homes, and families which will create change in our Country.

Measurement of Effective Church Discipleship

During a recent conversation, the question was raised, “How we can accurately measure effective discipleship in the local church?”  A complex question indeed, but I feel that a measurement tool can be created and be relatively accurate.  The ultimate ruler is the example that Christ gave to us as He discipled ordinary people into true heroes of the faith.  Those disciples then replicated the model as the first century church changed the face of the world forever.  In order to truly measure contemporary discipleship, we have to study the model Christ taught the early church.  They did not strive to find success in programs or events.  They found success in relationships as they strategically trained, educated, equipped, and empowered.  They organized according to the needs within their community and worked to fulfill those needs as they continually led people to salvation and a life long journey with Christ. 

The following is a progressive list of what I look for in my own ministry, and the ministry of others, while evaluating discipleship efforts.  This list can be accomplished and found in a church of 30 or 3000 if it is indeed effectively discipling. 

A pastor/church that is effectively discipling should reflect the following in progression:

1.     The pastor is gaining trust as he develops relationships with his board and ministry leaders.

2.     The pastor decreases his daily responsibilities in routine church ministries as he delegates and trains his leaders.  This is to say he is able to concentrate more on the big picture as he equips others to focus on the details.

3.     The church body becomes more involved in personal outreach efforts.  Guests are now attending via personal invitations as well as random decisions to attend a service. 

4.     The number of salvations and assimilations are increasing yearly. 

5.     The church is now growing through new converts and not only through transitional growth.

6.     The pastor is recognizing leadership qualities within his church and is purposefully and personally active in developing those leaders.

7.     New leaders are being placed within the church as new ministries are being birthed or revitalized.

8.     New ministry efforts are being put into place as members are being trained and empowered.  Leaders are envisioning, developing, and running new ministries within the church.

9.     Members are accepting the call to ministry as well as embarking into fulltime ministry.

10. The pastor has a proven track record of reproducing three categories. 

a.     New converts are being assimilated into the congregation.

b.     New leaders are being trained for ministry.

c.      New ministers are being sent into the ministry.

I hope this causes us to think about our own ministries as well as encourages us to assist others in discipleship. 

Do You Really Understand Discipleship?

You can teach and preach on the topic of Discipleship, but unless you are producing new ministers than you can not possibly understand Discipleship. 
The word "Discipleship" has become a huge buzzword in church ministries this past decade.  People are trying to brand or trademark Discipleship as if they came up with the concept.  Unfortunately, our churches have so neglected Discipleship that it seems as if it really is a new concept.  Truthfully, Discipleship is nothing more than passionately pursuing Christ while passionately leading people to Christ.  The method you choose to Disciple can vary from small group ministries to having an open door policy at the church office.  The measure of whether your efforts are effective or not is the production of new ministers.  I'm not talking about new ministry leaders within your church.  That is not an effective measurement.  Convincing someone to volunteer in a class is not Discipleship.  I am talking about producing ministers that create new ministries within your church or branch off your church and start new ministries people that answer the call to become pastors, evangelists, worship pastors, and missionaries.  These are the people have truly been discipled.  Ask yourself this question - If you are truly being disicpled how could you not answer the call to ministry?  The rote response to this question is - Aren't we all called to ministry?  The answer to that is an absolute yes.  However, if Christ is our most precious example of Discipleship than why do we water down the fact that all His disciples were called into full time ministry?  Are we kidding ourselves when we say we are Discipling when we are not producing ministers?