Pro-Life Protesters outside the Planned Parenthood facility in Fairview Heights, IL.
It’s hard to imagine a time when more people were confused about the value of human life than today. With one breath, some will call for compassion for those in need. With the next, they protect the deaths of millions of babies. Their opinion changes as they see fit.
As Christians, we have a unique opportunity to give a voice to the vulnerable among us—the unborn, infirm, impoverished, and aged—and show Christ’s love to those who are hurting. To speak the truth in a compassionate way to those around us. To appeal to our political representatives for change. To show practical
care to women who have had or are considering an abortion, loving the elderly, and assisting the needy.
In order to do that effectively we need to know what God’s Word says about the value of human life. We
know that all humans are made in the image and likeness of God, unique among all created beings. We know that God forms each of us uniquely in our mother’s womb, and deeply cares for the most vulnerable among us. This information may not be new, but God has given it to us to change our hearts, challenge our assumptions, and give us compassion for those who are suffering or at risk.
In 1973, the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision was made. This landmark decision allowed women to abort their unborn children without legal repercussions. One year later, in 1974, Baptist Children’s Home and Family Services began providing young mothers with loving alternatives to abortion. Since then, thousands of lives have been saved through the work of our ministry. However, it’s simply not enough.
In 2017, a total of 39,329 pregnancies were terminated in Illinois. Of that number, 5,528 came from out of the state to have the procedure done. According to these numbers, 107 babies are murdered every day in our state. This number is only expected to increase as a new 18,000 square-foot Planned Parenthood building
finished construction in Fairview Heights, Illinois in October.
In Illinois, lawmakers have expanded abortion access and loosened restrictions. Earlier this year, lawmakers in Springfield passed the “Reproductive Health Act” which establishes access to abortion as a fundamental right.
Because of the new laws making abortion more easily accessible paired with one of the largest Planned Parenthood buildings in the country, Illinois has been branded “The Abortion Capital of the Midwest.” Recent figures estimate that since 2017, the number of women coming from other states to have their abortion in Illinois has doubled.
It is our duty and our calling as Christians to fight back. It is our duty and calling to fight for life. says, “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you,
for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.”
BCHFS was founded on the principle that all life is valuable. Now, in our 101st year of helping children and families find hope, we are using our voice for those who cannot speak for themselves. We will not move to the whims of human will and how humanity devalues life. We are going to stand our ground in our belief that all life
has value and the value is determined by the creator, not the created.
The next year for BCHFS will be monumental as we open our new pregnancy resource clinic in Mt. Vernon which will be a Pro-Life establishment offering women and men information, counseling and resources when faced with an unplanned pregnancy. In addition, our adoption ministry will be operating under the new name of
Faith Adoption Ministry to help those seeking adoption find the help they need quickly and easily. Our residential care program, Baptist Children’s Home, will continue to be a place of peace and family for teens facing troubled times. Angels’ Cove will be set apart from the adoption portion of our ministry to allow staff to refocus efforts into helping mothers and their babies create successful and strong relationships with each other. Our Pathways Counseling ministry will continue to serve people throughout the entire state of Illinois and
offer Christian based counseling to those of all ages.
We pray that God will continue to use BCHFS as a vessel of hope and a light in the darkness of our world. We invite you to pray for us as well.