From 11 Alive News:
METRO ATLANTA, Ga. -- Last weekend an Atlanta pastor made a promise that stunned his congregation and most of the people who heard it.
In a speech that discussed abortion, the President, and the sanctity of life, the most provocative statement from Pastor Vic Pentz of Peachtree Presbyterian Church came towards sermon's end:
"I make a promise to you now and I don't want you to keep this a secret," the pastor pronounced, "the Peachtree Presbyterian Church will care for any newborn baby you bring to this church.
"We will be the family to find a home for that child, and there's no limit on this. You can tell your friends, you can tell your family, you can tell the whole world ..."
Reflected Pentz a week later, "I seem to have touched a nerve by saying that to the congregation."
It's a speech he repeated this past Sunday, and it can be found on the church's web site under the sermon title, "Ethics of Life".
(HT: Blog.Worship.com)
13 comments:
I wish this could become a trend and that we would start hearing more pastors/ churches announce this to their communities.
I'm thinking about the radical sacrifices that would have to be made, among elders, staff, and the larger congregation, in order to actually fulfill this pastor's promise. Is it possible? With God, it must be.
If more pastors did indeed announce such things to their church communities, and the communities followed through, it could become a game-changer in the abortion debate. No longer could any pro-choice person say that women go to clinics and get abortions because they have nowhere else to turn.
Oh how I wish this were the norm! We currently live in Ukraine where each woman has on average 6-8 abortions in her lifetime. Families also legally abandon babies at hospitals, but because they don't sign away the parental rights, the children are forced to grow up in orphanages with no chance of adoption.
How wonderful would it be that if a young mother found herself unable to, or simply not wanting to, take care of her infant, she could know that a family would be found to raise her child. Not an institution.
What an encouragement to hear! Praise God!
Wow...just wow...this is pretty amazing. While I've been against preaching political issues from the pulpit, I have to admit that I'm impressed by the willingness of this pastor to follow it up with ACTION! So awesome!
Interesting and gutsy idea. If a good number of churches did this, Planned Parenthood would not be happy.
I HAVE heard a number of church pastors say this in the uk - and many more who've said that we need to work towards this if we take a stand against abortion.
St Aldates in Oxford was one of 3 major churches that took a stand against the bishop of it's area being a practising homosexual. As a direct result of this stand it set up a ministry for positively supporting gay christians in living a celibate lifestyle and praying for God's involvement in every area of their lives.
When we preach on any area of ethics there is always a cost that has to be paid and it has to be paid by us - we shouldn't be surprised at this - look who we're trying to follow!
Back in 1994, Mother Teresa spoke at the Whitehouse Prayer breakfast. In front of Bill and Hillary Clinton, she stated:
"I am willing to accept any child who would be aborted and to give that child to a married couple who will love the child and be loved by the child. From our children's home in Calcutta alone, we have saved over 3000 children from abortion."
@Dan: Caring for a child saved from death is not a "political issue."
Amen and Go God! As the adoptive mom to 7 hard to place kids (including three from Atlanta)I can say that there is a huge need for more of us to jump into adoption in this whole hearted, crazy looking, sacrificial way.
mom to 10 so far.....
What sacrifice are you willing to make to save a child from death? Sadly, I doubt my church would ever do something like this. I know my pastor would but the idea would quickly get knocked down by the "church board."
I wish it could be true for our church. Sign me up!
I found this both encouraging and challenging. Thanks!
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