The first time Jesus reveals he is the Messiah to His disciples was at Caesarea Philippi. We can only speculate why this particular site was chosen perhaps because it was a beautiful area or maybe there was a deeper meaning. Caesarea Philippi was a site with an ancient spring where pagens worshipped the god Pan. Many detestable acts took place in this location, including child sacrifice. The mouth of a cave where the spring bubbled up was infamously known as the gates of hell. After Jesus’s revelation to His disciples he says in Matthew 16:18 “I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”
Those in the pro-life movement agree that what happens at abortion clinics are detestable yet avoidable acts. A survey done with over 2.4 million women across several states revealed that the overwhelming majority, 96.7% of abortions, were done for social or economic reasons. Source
Although, abortion is never medically necessary and there are other options a mother may choose that does not include taking an innocent life, this data shows that the hard cases many pro-choice supporters use against us are incredibly rare. Rather, abortions are being committed due to the child being labeled as an inconvenient situation.
On Planned Parenthood’s site reasons for abortions are given with the majority put simply, because the mother doesn’t want to parent her child. Read why women have abortions. Mother Teresa was quoted saying “It’s the greatest poverty to decide that a child must die so that you may live as you wish”. It may seem extreme to label something some see as women’s healthcare as child sacrifice but when the culture of today is focused on living their so-called best life by causing the death of an innocent person, what shall we call it? The culture of death is still operating in abortion clinics across our country. Normally, where you find an abortion clinic there will be a crisis pregnancy center nearby. This is because we, as Christians are not to sit by idly and watch the destruction of God’s most innocent but rather storm the gates of hell.
From a Biblical perspective, Jesus absolutely belongs at crisis pregnancy centers.
From a pro-choice perspective, crisis pregnancy centers are dangerous. They claim that they are “fake clinics” more worried about pushing a religious agenda than women’s safety. First of all, does anybody really believe this? It is ridiculous because at any moment, any person that goes to a crisis pregnancy center can leave. They are also able to call the center or visit their website beforehand to find out if abortion services are offered. Centers may state that abortion information is given but the procedure is never offered or referred. This information is not hidden and women are not tricked into entering the center. On the contrary, abortion clinics do not have the same reputation.
NPR recently released audio of a woman during an abortion procedure. Moments before the abortion she was saying “I can’t do this” where the abortion staff member was encouraging or maybe even coercing her “Yes, you can”. The NPR reporter compared the abortion staff member as having the same role as a labor and delivery nurse during the birth of a child. A staff member at a crisis pregnancy center will encourage a mother that she can deliver her child and if she chooses to parent or adoption the staff member will lead her to those resources. If the information does not appeal to her she can simply leave and walk over to the abortion clinic, it’s her choice. However, if a woman chooses to go to the abortion clinic first she is often given one option and that’s abortion. Once the procedure is started there is no stopping it, unless it’s the abortion pill method but you’ll get no help from the abortion clinic, you’ll have to contact a crisis pregnancy center for a reversal.
Despite the propaganda the abortion industry and its supporters are pushing, crisis pregnancy centers are focused on women’s safety first. They are not profit-focused but rather focused on helping women in a holistic way. Read more about the holistic approach of pregnancy centers. Whereas, at abortion clinics many women report feeling treated as a product and moved through an assembly line type process in order to complete the procedure. Live Action, a pro-life media organization has done remarkable investigation work inside abortion clinics. In the investigations covering up of sex crimes and medical malpractice were some of the issues found. Read more about Live Action’s investigative work here.
It is clear that crisis pregnancy centers value the lives of mothers and their babies far more than the abortion industry does.
How do crisis pregnancy centers have a Christ-focused center without pushing a religious agenda? It’s simple and we can pull our example from Jesus himself. Throughout His ministry, Jesus performed miracles to many different types of people to show His goodness. Through humble acts of service we can show God’s glory to others.
The abortion industry wants to attack Christ-focused crisis pregnancy centers for pushing a religious agenda yet the most efficient way to get unbelievers to turn to Jesus in a time of need is to not push a religious agenda. It is to rather show love through individualized and attentive care. This is exactly what crisis pregnancy centers do and will continue to do.
How can you help? Download our AppforLife for IOS or click here for Android and pray for the mothers who call our helpline so that they may turn to Jesus and they may choose life for their children. You can also make a donation that goes to help crisis pregnancy centers reach women before they go to abortion clinics. Our call responders are crisis trained in order to be well equipped to advice women who are often facing more than just an unplanned pregnancy.