1) To join a national prayer chain that seeks God's grace, mercy, and forgiveness. "If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray... [2Chron.7:14]." The 9/11 attacks and continuing threats on America are surely linked to the catastrophe of legalized abortion, as the innocent blood of America's youngest citizens-victims of unspeakable terrorism themselves-cries out for mercy and justice. If God used a horrendous civil war to end institutional slavery in America, what might He use to end legalized abortion, which threatens our nation far more severely than all foreign terrorists combined? America, currently, is one of the earth's most violent nations and will continue to be so until we the Church confess our denial and humbly defend "those led away to slaughter."
2) To better understand the impact that legalized abortion is having on our country and why the Church must unite to end it. The first and primary purpose of Life Chain is to minister to its own participants. We the Church can end legalized abortion and defeat its spiritual allies-homosexuality, pornography, cohabitation, addictions, divorce, sexual disease, etc.-in any year we commit to do so. We must move beyond abortion as "an issue" and truly value unborn children at risk. The Church's prevailing indifference to their deaths grieves God, who assured Jeremiah that He would "make" Judea captive of Babylon because "They do not plead the case of the fatherless to win it [Jeremiah5:28]."
3) To move the Church, under pastoral leadership, from the pews to the "city gates" and "market place." For decades, we have remained in our sanctuaries and either relied on rhetoric or surrendered to silence and apathy. Thus the essentiality of pastoral exhortation and guidance. Wrote Afro-American pastor Clenard Childress, Jr. in No Shepherds Cry: "The pew cannot do what the pulpit is suppose to do."
4) To both receive ministry and to minister, empowered by the Holy Spirit. If, through the Life Chain, the Church accepts the ministry God intends for His followers, He will empower us His Church to witness truth to the public with conviction, humility, and compassion.
5) To honor the many millions of preborn citizens who have perished. They have endured their brutal deaths most often alone and within earshot of church bells and pulpits. Does not their blood cry out unceasingly? Does not bloodguilt pursue us who call Christ our Lord?
6) To help build a bold and committed army of Christians who seek to be Prolife in word and deed. Let us engage the enemy until the curse of legalized abortion is vanquished from our land and America is once again a "land of the free" for preborn citizens.
7) To provide God a witness to anoint and use to save lives and change hearts in our local area. God wants to work through willing vessels, who will defend and honor His Little Ones. Let us rediscover the cardinal virtues mercy and justice-which are far greater defenders of our homeland than are our most powerful military weapons.
Coordinators: Use this as a handout, for posters, to extract quotes, or for media purposes. Canadian Coordinators will want to edit appropriately for their nation.
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