The Timothy Group

The Church and The Center

An Uneasy Marriage

As a former pastor, seminary graduate, short-term overseas missionary, and long-time Church man I believe I understand and appreciate the God-given mission of the church. I am active in a local church that I have attended since 1986. I love my Pastor and appreciate our local, regional, national, and international outreach. I want to make it clear I am deeply committed to the Church. May I also say the principals we are about to discuss really do work, as my church supports our local Pregnancy Resource Center.

I said all that to say this.........when it comes to the outreach of PRC's around the nation, why doesn't the church get it? Why is the marriage such an uneasy one? The missions (church and PRC's) are very compatible and should work together. Many churches in America and Canada where we have been serving for the past 20 years have no interest, understanding, and in some instances, appreciation for the pro-life movement and the ongoing ministries of PRC's. Please allow me to shed some potential light on the situation and see if we can discuss a strategy to initiate change.

SELL THE CHURCH

As we interviewed church leaders in my city a few years ago, we discovered they did not know how many abortions took place in their city or state. For many, they were unaware of how many took place in their neighborhood. One church was less than two blocks away from an abortion clinic doing 90-125 procedures each week and they had no idea what was going on in their neighborhood. In all fairness, it's often not a lack of interest, but a lack of education. Please......Please do not assume that local pastors get and read your newsletters or direct mail. Many pastors work 60+ hour weeks to make it happen in their own ministries and sometimes you (PRC's) are just not on their radar screen. Try this, once a week. Visit with a Pastor in your area and share the needs and facts about unplanned pregnancies and their impact on lives in your city. Make it a brief 30 minute meeting, take along a fact sheet, and practice the 3 B's. Be good, Be short, and Be gone. Fine tune your presentation to be good and short, time is a precious commodity to most pastors.

A place to start is with the pastors of your board members' churches. It is likely your board members can set up that meeting and assist you in the process. The first meeting is merely educational, its not about money........that may come later. Build a case for the need for your center and highlight how you have made an impact in the past months and years. One child saved would make it worthwhile, but all of you have many other exciting stories to share. Sell the pastor, he/she needs to be aware of the need and your plan to address that need. Educate and, yes, in many instances do a little selling of your mission, vision, and the core values that are the essence of your center. All of that in 30 minutes, whew....... it's a big task, but you can do it!

BE A MISSION AGENCY...............in your presentation to the church. World Vision saves lives in third world countries; PRC's save lives right here in the USA and right in their city and neighborhood. MasterCard has a great ad that shares some information then asks the price of an experience. The by line is "IT'S PRICELESS." Could we all agree a baby saved, to be adopted and loved by a childless couple is priceless. A baby saved to grow up in a loving, caring family, to make an impact on our world and society is also priceless. Be mission-driven in your education and discussion with the local church.

I love the mission/purpose statement of the U.S. Coast Guard "THIS WE DO THAT OTHERS MAY LIVE." They rescue people from certain death and bodily harm on the high seas. Is that not also the essence and purpose statement of your center? Share that mission with local churches in your area and ask how they can help you do even more.

Partners in Ministry..........A Marriage

The best marriages are those based upon mutual love, respect, and shared values. I believe your best opportunity for a marriage with local churches will be based upon similar issues. PRC's need to be a ministry partner, an outreach arm of the local churches in your area. Often churches cannot be on the front line in meeting every need they may want to address. You, as a center, can be their outreach arm to meet the pro-life needs in your city, town, or village. Just like the church, you need resources to function and certainly to grow and move forward. You need human (volunteers) and financial (dollars) resources to exist. Educate, motivate, stimulate, activate, and invite the churches in your area to allow you to be their outreach arm in your community. Keep them informed, communicate, communicate, and the communicate some more. Let them know you are representing them well and their key ministry partner in providing resources for those with an unplanned pregnancy.

In conclusion, these principals are not "quick fixes," but two things are evident: "you need the church and the church needs you". Use some or all of these principals to impact church involvement in your PRC. Do it right and build a long, happy and effective marriage with the churches in you area.

Share your important mission and purpose with the church, "This we do that others may live."