We are very proud of Kristina Massa, who presented to 2000 people at the National Pro-Life Summit on January 21. Kristina did a beautiful job helping the audience see some of the essentials of good dialogue through stories of her conversations on campus. I had the privilege of joining her on the platform to model good dialogue for the audience. You can watch the presentation above or click this link for SFLA’s video post.
The Impact of a Single Conversation
Recently I was at Wichita State University (WSU) for outreach when two young men approached my colleague Tammy Cook and me at our poll table. Tammy asked, “Do either of you have any thoughts on abortion?” One student shared that he is pro-life. The other (whom I’ll call “Dillon”) said something that surprised Tammy and me:
Bella (right, gray sweatshirt) and Kristina (left, seated) talk to students during JFA’s February 2022 outreach event at Wichita State University (WSU).
“I used to be pro-choice, but I had a three-hour conversation about abortion with someone last school year. She pulverized all of my arguments. When I realized I couldn’t respond to anything she said even in my head, I knew I had to change my mind.”
Bella O’Neill (seated) discusses abortion with a student during JFA’s outreach event at the University of Texas at San Antonio in February 2022.
The “someone” he was referring to was my former colleague, Bella O’Neill. Their conversation had taken place six months earlier (February 2022). What began as a simple one-on-one survey with questions related to human rights turned into a comprehensive discourse with five other pro-choice advocates challenging her pro-life position. What’s fascinating is that Dillon showed no sign of shifting his view throughout the duration of their discussion. If he had never come back, we wouldn’t have known that he had re-evaluated his stance.
“You changed your mind after that one conversation?” Tammy asked.
Tammy Cook listens to a student at Wichita State University (WSU) in February 2022.
Kristina interacts with a WSU student in February 2022 in front of JFA’s “Where Do You Draw the Line?” Kiosk and Free Speech Board.
“Yeah, she had a really good response to everything I said. If this was a debate, she definitely won.”
Dillon kept reiterating how well Bella had made her case.
“Did you know that…more babies are killed by abortion than there were victims of the Holocaust?” Dillon asked.
The rawness of his question caught me off guard. Not only was he suggesting that abortion is an injustice; he was implying that it’s a genocide.
After his newfound pro-life conviction had proven itself authentic, I decided to challenge him with a more sophisticated pro-choice argument—an argument from bodily autonomy. Within a matter of seconds, he started breaking it down to explain why it wouldn’t justify abortion.
Dillon’s story is an important reminder that the impact of a single conversation is often hidden. It can be discouraging when we don’t get to witness the fruits of our labor, but God occasionally rewards us with follow-up conversations like this one to affirm that, by His grace, our efforts are not in vain. With each conversation, we must persistently pray that He will continue the conversation in their minds after we “leave them with a pebble in their shoe” (as apologist Greg Koukl says).
Dillon’s story also demonstrates the critical need for all pro-life people to prayerfully work up the courage to talk about abortion. So many of our peers are eagerly searching for truth. They desire an honest conversation that challenges the assumptions behind their current beliefs. Unfortunately, many of them have never had the chance to discuss their beliefs in a healthy way. Their opportunity to get closer to truth may begin with you.
If you would like to learn the conversation skills that Bella used with Dillon, please consider signing up for Love3, JFA’s online interactive workshop series. We will teach you how to respond to common pro-choice arguments all in the context of being a loving ambassador for Christ. You can get more information and register for free at www.jfaweb.org/love3.
Bella’s courage to talk about abortion gave Dillon an opportunity to encounter truth. And because of Dillon’s desire to seek truth, he concluded that abortion is not merely a choice—it’s the destruction of a person with rights. Please join me in prayerful thanksgiving for Bella saying “Yes!” to God’s invitation to talk to Dillon, as well as Dillon’s “Yes!” to humbly allowing the conversation to change his mind.
– Kristina Massa, for the JFA Team
Note: Kristina originally sent this story to supporters in September 2022.
JFA Intern Kristina Massa Speaking at the National Pro-Life Summit
We’re honored to announce that our intern Kristina Massa will be speaking at this year’s National Pro-Life Summit in Washington D.C. on January 21st! Those attending will be equipped and empowered to change hearts and minds about abortion by learning effective dialogue skills that balance truth and love. Kristina will share some vivid stories from her own experiences in conversations that will provide guidance in navigating the abortion issue with those in our culture
Click here for more info and to register/attend. View the free live stream for this event at this link (Kristina speaks at about 10:45 AM Eastern).
Three Tips for Helping Volunteers Stay Active for the Long-Term
1. Clarify What and Why.
2. Keep the Goal in View, but Be Satisfied to Do Your Part.
3. Be Relational, then Be Intellectual.
More Helpful Links:
Illuminations
I absolutely loved our outreach event at Oklahoma State University on October 4 and 5. I had so many great conversations. I’m delighted to share three of my favorite stories.
Chance
Chance is an exchange student from China. After he listened to me explain that an unborn baby is biologically human like us, he agreed it is human, but said that is not a person. I asked him, “What is the same about all of the people on this campus?” He said we have the ability to think. I asked if all of us have an equal ability to think. He paused and said, “No.” I said, “I believe that the thing that is the same about all of us is that we’re all human beings. And since the unborn baby is biologically human like us, doesn’t it deserve to be protected the same as a born human?” He smiled and said, “Yes.”
He expressed concern about abortion in the case of rape. I commended him for his empathy and agreed that rape is a very tough situation. I spent several minutes expressing compassion for rape victims. I then showed him two identical pictures of a seven-week human embryo. I said, “One was conceived in love and one was conceived from rape. Is there any biological difference between those two human embryos?” He said, “No.” I said, “Even though rape is horrific, the manner in which a baby is conceived doesn’t change the fact that it’s a human being, right?” Before he left he said, “I see what you’re saying. That’s really helpful. I’m very thankful for this conversation.”
Alicia
Alicia described herself as pro-choice. She said that women should have a right to abortion. I agreed that women’s rights are extremely important, and we discussed that in more depth.
Our discussion turned to the humanity of an unborn baby, and she pointed to the four-week embryo on our display saying, “I don’t think that’s a human.” I asked, “When does it become a human?” She said, “When it can survive on its own.” I then shared, “When the sperm and egg meet, did you know that a new unique human organism with its own DNA is created? All that it needs for continued growth before birth is adequate nutrition and a proper environment. And all that we need after birth are those same two things. There is nothing injected during the nine months of pregnancy that suddenly makes it a human. If it has two human parents, can it be anything other than human?” She said, “That’s interesting.”
I said, “I’d like to share an imaginary story. Many toddlers go through a challenging stage called The Terrible Twos. It can be unbearable for parents. Imagine a parent that is at her wits’ end and can’t take it anymore. So she takes her two-year-old to a nearby clinic that euthanizes the child and alleviates her misery. Would this be wrong?” Alicia had a look of shock on her face and said, “Absolutely! That’s a child! I have a one-year-old nephew, and I can’t imagine him being killed like that.” I agreed and said, “That’s how we should view an unborn baby. It’s just a less-developed two-year-old.” We went through the JFA brochure, and I could see that the graphic pictures also impacted her. Then out of the blue she exclaimed, “You switched me!” It was such a gift to witness her “aha” moment.
Landon
Landon was reading comments on our free speech board. When I asked if he had an opinion on abortion, he said, “No, not really. I don’t think this is an important topic to me … each person should be able to decide on their own.” I asked a few more questions and found common ground with him about freedom and choice.
I gave a brief description of human biology and explained that the unborn baby is human like us. His eyes lit up. He said, “Hmm, I think I’m against abortion.”
Tammy with Landon
I shared the same imaginary story of The Terrible Twos that I used with Alicia. Then I asked, “Do you think that our society would be outraged if we were killing two-year-olds in real life?” I could see the shock and horror on his face and he exclaimed, “Absolutely! Sadly, we don’t see the unborn baby in the same way as the two-year-old, and that’s part of the problem.” Wow. In a manner of minutes he went from having no view to being pro-life. Before he turned to walk away, he said, “Thank you so much for this conversation – I had never thought of it this way before now.”
Final Thoughts
It was pure bliss for me to witness the changed hearts of Chance, Alicia and Landon. They believed many lies when it came to abortion. Thankfully, they chose to allow light (truth) into their heart. This illumination revealed truth that they had not previously considered.
This was originally sent to supporters in November 2022.
One Person at a Time
In this Impact Report, we share the names and pictures of some of the people with whom our team interacted in 2022. Please join us in praying that God will take the seeds we planted and change the world, one person at a time. Pray each person would love and protect the children in their care. Pray for healing from past hurts, and pray each heart would become open to God.
Would you join us in committing to pray for each of these people in the coming months?
You can use the images below (7 total) to pray through the list from your phone or other device with us this year?
Pray with Us for...
To view more pictures and read recent stories of conversations, see other recent posts on the JFA blog.
There’s still time to give a year-end gift to help Justice For All train many Christians to reach one person at a time in 2023. Thank you for supporting our team and for praying along with us.
Recent Events and Pictures
Deeper Questions
Most of my conversations on campus tend to focus specifically on abortion, the rights of unborn human beings, and how we can balance those rights with protecting and respecting a woman’s right to her body.
Rebekah speaks to a student at Texas State University in October 2022
In the midst of discussing these topics, there is often a natural segue to discuss the deeper worldview questions of why humans matter all and whether we can really know if anything is morally right or wrong. I talked to a young man I’ll call “Ethan” at Wichita State University in September, and our conversation quickly turned to these deeper questions.
He told me early in the conversation that even if abortion is killing a human being, it wouldn’t matter. I sensed this statement was coming from a complicated and maybe even painful place within him so I asked him if he thought human beings in general mattered. I asked him if he thought his life mattered. I speak with many people on campus who don’t think their life matters. If they cannot understand their own worth and value, it’s going to be even more difficult to help them understand the value and dignity of another human being they cannot see.
Ethan and I found a place to sit down, and we began talking about how we can know what is right and wrong. We discussed moral relativism, the existence of God, why humans matter, and the gospel of Jesus Christ.
He shared with me that he was gay, had many bad experiences in the church, and was bullied a lot in school. As we talked, I was able to tell him that his life does matter, and I was able to encourage him to read the gospels and get to know Jesus, the only one who can heal all our brokenness and set us free from our sin. A couple of hours later, Ethan came back as we were getting ready to leave campus, and he wanted to know if I had anything else I had wanted to share. So we sat down again, and I encouraged him a second time to seek Jesus and read His word.
Rebekah had a similar conversation with this young man Texas State University in October 2022
When Ethan came back, it reminded me of how deep the desire is in the human spirit to truly understand why we are here. Human beings matter and should be equally protected from violence and harm because they have intrinsic worth given from the Creator. Abortion is such a monumental issue in our country and around the world because people have forsaken God. They have rejected his call on their lives, and how they ought to love and treat others. When they live according to their own rules, human beings suffer. Violence and injustice become defended virtues.
When Jesus healed a demon-possessed man from the Gerasenes, he told the man to go back to his hometown and tell them how much God had done for him. (Luke 8:39) Our freedom in Christ and the healing we have received from Jesus is meant to be shared. May we always be willing and ready to go and tell people how much God has done for us.
Picture: How Two Minds Changed
November 2022 Impact Report
Before they step foot on campus, our interns and volunteers are trained to be faithful to God as his ambassadors, to leave the results of each conversation to him, and to be ready to not always see impact. Still, we hope their first experience can include some glimpses of change in the way people think, feel, and act regarding abortion. To support them, our veteran team members make it their highest priority to serve as mentors at our outreach events. In this Impact Report, JFA intern Hannah Cook shares the story of her first outreach day in August. Along the way, you’ll see the important role JFA trainers Mary and Tammy played in helping Hannah experience success. Thank you for praying for and supporting the work of our trainers, volunteers, and interns. God is changing the world through them, one conversation at a time. (See the JFA Blog for other recent stories of impact.) - Steve Wagner, Executive Director
I wanted to run away.
We had just about finished setting up our outreach displays at Wichita State University (WSU) when a girl gestured to our “Should Abortion Remain Legal?” poll table and said, “What are you guys doing here? I thought we already voted on this.” She was referring to the “Value Them Both” Amendment that had been soundly defeated in the Kansas Primary Election four weeks earlier. My foggy brain immediately snapped to attention as I sensed the edge in her voice. She was clearly irritated. I couldn’t tell if her condescending smile was a half-hearted attempt at cordiality or simply a way of insulting us further. In any case, I could tell that she was ready for a fight. One wrong word from us, and she would pounce. I felt adrenaline rush through my body as my heart began pounding. I looked to Mary Biegler who was standing next to me, hoping she would know what to say. I was thankful that she did.
Hannah (right) discusses the images in the JFA brochure with a student at Oklahoma State University in October 2022.
As Mary calmly began explaining that we were aiming to have productive conversations about abortion, I relaxed a little, hoping that the girl would have an open heart and mind. She did not. She questioned and challenged Mary at every turn, refusing to give an inch. At this point a guy walked up and joined the conversation. He listened for a few minutes, echoed the girl’s sentiments, and added his own challenges. We talked about bodily rights, the question of rape, and the central question, “What is the unborn?” No matter what we said, though, it was like trying to reason with brick walls. Nothing was getting through. Our arguments were cast aside and rejected. A mix of frustration, discouragement, and hopelessness swirled through me as I tried to keep up with the onslaught of objections being hurled at us. This was nothing like the life-changing encounters I had been reading about all week from other JFA interns and trainers. What happened to the nice open-minded discussions that left me feeling warm and fuzzy inside? At that moment, I wanted to flee the scene, drive the 19 hours back to my peaceful hometown in Idaho, and never talk to another pro-choice person again.
Well, it turned out that I was able to escape – not back to Idaho but at least out of that conversation. Someone asked for directions, and I stepped away to help her. A little while later, I noticed three guys standing nearby listening to a conversation at the outreach. They seemed interested in the topic, so I asked if they had any thoughts about abortion. They told me that they were from Zimbabwe and that abortion really isn’t talked about there. Their names were Chimdi, Denzel, and Bryan.
Denzel and Bryan said they were personally pro-life but that abortion should still be legal. Chimdi didn’t think it should be legal. When I asked Denzel and Bryan if they thought there should be any restrictions on abortion, Bryan told me that he thought the cut-off should be five months gestation. “Why did you pick that specific point?” I asked. He replied, “Because by then they have arms and legs and everything.”
When I heard this, I knew that he needed to see pictures of fetal development because the features he was describing appear so much earlier than five months. When I showed Bryan and the others that arms and legs are clearly present at seven weeks post-fertilization, they were all shocked. Immediately Bryan switched his cut-off point to three months gestation. I was amazed at such quick progress. It showed me the power of pictures. We talked some more, and I trotted out the toddler to help us focus on the question, “What is the unborn?” Even so, they still held pretty firmly to the belief that a woman should have a right to choose. Meanwhile, Tammy Cook had come up and was listening to our conversation. She later told me that she was there to be a support, and she wasn’t planning to say anything unless I asked her.
The conversation had been productive so far, but I wasn’t sure how to proceed. I turned to Tammy and asked what she thought. She asked all of us to imagine two buckets filled with different choices. The first bucket contains personal preferences like which foods you eat, what college you attend, and with whom you choose to spend time. The second bucket contains choices that harm people – choices like rape, child abuse, and murder. She noted that there should be legal restrictions on the second bucket of choices because those particular choices harm other human beings. She then asked which bucket abortion belonged in. They all said that it belonged in the second bucket. I was amazed and delighted – even more progress! (For more about the “Two Buckets” analogy, see www.jfaweb.org/two-buckets.)
Tammy’s “Two Buckets” analogy had definitely put us on the right track, but Bryan was still resistant. He said that the reason people don’t care about abortion in the same way that they would care about a toddler being killed is because they can’t see abortion. He almost said it in a way that justified his own position about abortion – suggesting that he too thought it was okay because he couldn’t see it. I suddenly knew what I needed to say. I asked the three of them if they had heard about Emmett Till, the black boy who was murdered for allegedly “whistling at a white woman” in the South in the 1950’s. I was a little surprised when they nodded and said that yes, they knew of him. (For a good introduction to the story, watch the trailer of the newly-released movie, Till.) After briefly recapping the story, I was able to explain that when Emmett’s mother physically opened the casket of her maimed and disfigured son, she metaphorically opened the casket on racism, and the whole world saw racism for the evil and horrific thing that it was. No longer was racism hidden from public view – it was on full display and could not so easily be denied or minimized. Then I said, “I actually have some pictures of the results of abortion with me. Are you willing to look at them?” Denzel was the first to view the brochure, followed by Chimdi. Bryan refused to look, but the connection between Emmett Till and abortion was sinking in.
The next thing I knew they were all agreeing that abortion should not be legal at any point. I was overjoyed. One conversation had resulted in a complete change of heart and mind for these students. Regardless of whether people change their mind, it’s still worthwhile to have conversations with them, but it is such a gift when we do get to see change take place. It was a great encouragement as I continued having conversations with other students who were not so quick to change.
I also realize that if I had chosen to run away after that initial conversation, I never would have received the blessing of witnessing such a profound transformation of heart and mind in Denzel and Bryan. I thank God for helping me to continue to be faithful even in the midst of discouragement.
– Hannah Cook, for the JFA Team
Make Your Own Impact by Giving a Year-End Gift
As you consider your year-end giving, please consider giving generously to JFA to help us train more Christians to change more hearts and minds about abortion in 2023. With various state ballot initiatives strengthening abortion rights following the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision, it’s especially important that we continue our work of changing hearts and minds, one person at a time. Even in the states where unborn children now have legal protection, we see hearts and minds wavering, especially when no one has come alongside to help each person think things through. We’re encouraged, though, because we know that one person can change the world. Each person we train and each person we engage in dialogue can change the world for an unborn child, and each child allowed to live can in turn change the world for others. Above all these, we believe God is the one who really changes minds, heals hearts, and changes the world. Please partner with us as we seek to humbly serve our great God in this work in 2023. You can give online or send a check using the information on our “Mail a Gift” page. Learn more about JFA’s vision and needs for 2023 at our “Invest in JFA” page. Or, call me directly at 316-683-6426 to discuss! - Steve Wagner, Executive Director
The Profound Impact of Asking Questions
Tony, a student at Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado, approached our poll table which displayed the
following question: “Should abortion remain legal?” On both sides of the table there were signs that read, “Yes,”
and “No” giving students opportunities to express their views.
Tony immediately started the conversation by announcing, “I don’t think the unborn is a human being, and I don’t think we will ever know if the unborn is a human being.”
Andrea at UTSA Feb. 2022
I inquired: “If I share with you my understanding of the basic biology, would that be helpful?” “Yes,” he responded. “I would like that!”
He seemed very open-minded. I prayed for the Lord to guide our conversation. Here is how it went.
Andrea: If the unborn is growing, would you say that it’s alive?
Tony: Yes.
Andrea: If the unborn has human parents, isn’t a human?
Tony: Of course.
Andrea: Generally, living things produce after their own kind. Dogs produce dogs, cats produce cats, so it would make sense to conclude that humans produce human offspring. So, if the unborn is a living human being like a 2-year-old or like you and me, then would you agree that we should protect the unborn?
Tony: Yes. I see what you are saying.
Andrea: Do you think we as human beings deserve equal rights at least in the basic right to life?
Tony: Of course.
Andrea: I agree. If you look around at everyone here on campus, I believe that each student deserves equal rights, at least in the basic right to life. There are many differences among each student: height, hair color, intellect, abilities, and so forth. Even with these differences there is something that is the same about us, something that gives us that equal right. So, let me ask you: what do you think is the thing that is the same about us?
Tony: It’s that we are human.
Andrea: Exactly! Since we just discussed the fact that the unborn are living human beings, would you agree that we should extend those rights to the unborn at least in the basic right to life?”
Tony: [enthusiastically] Yes! You would have to. I can understand both sides of the issue. My grandma became pregnant with my mom at the age of seventeen. I am glad my grandma had my mom even at a young age. I am thankful she did not decide to get an abortion. Otherwise, I would not be here. However, I grew up very pro-choice. My mom worked for an abortion clinic.
Wow! I knew that if Tony grasped that the unborn is a human being, he would have to come to terms with the fact that his mom had been participating in killing innocent human lives. That would be a hard pill to swallow.
Later in the conversation I asked Tony if he would be willing to look at images of an abortion, since he had never seen them before. He agreed. As he looked at the pictures, I could tell by his demeanor that he was impacted by them. I also shared with him how a third trimester abortion is performed. It was then he realized the travesty of what takes place in an abortion.
After giving him a minute to look at the images, I asked, “Tony, would you say that abortion is a medical procedure, or is abortion taking a life?”
Tony looked at me and responded, “I would have to say that abortion is taking a life.”
Our conversation continued for another thirty minutes. After we discussed abortion, we launched into a conversation about our spiritual beliefs. Tony shared with me what he believed, and then I had the opportunity to talk extensively about the gospel. I shared with him that our sin is what separates us from God. God is holy, and He cannot let sin into heaven. Since no one is perfect, we will all be guilty before God. However, God in His mercy sent His Son to take the punishment for our sins by dying on a cross. He listened intently as I continued to share the Good News with him. Tony was quite receptive to the gospel, and I could tell that he realized his need for a Savior.
I then thanked Tony for taking the time to discuss these two heavy topics. He replied, “Oh, I like having deep conversations. I enjoyed this discussion. I will definitely be thinking about our conversation and everything that we talked about!”
I left the conversation thanking the Lord for the opportunity to talk to Tony. It is important to ask questions not only to understand the other person’s view, but also to gently challenge their perspective. There is power in asking questions. They can be a means by which we plant seeds of truth.
As we near the end of the year, I want to thank each of you who have contributed to my work with JFA over this past year. Your prayers and support have been such a huge blessing in making it possible to reach people like Tony. I am excited to continue to serve the Lord with JFA.
No Regrets
Impact Report - October 2022
For most people, talking about moral or spiritual matters with other people is daunting when we have no knowledge of how they might respond. But what about when people have shown us that their views definitely conflict with ours? Even worse, what if someone has demonstrated he or she is close-minded or has even made mocking comments about the pro-life position or Christianity or people who believe in Jesus? We don’t want to “cast our pearls before swine” so should we step into the conversation even if we have reasons to believe it won’t be fruitful? In this Impact Report, JFA dialogue artist Andrea Thenhaus describes a recent conversation that illustrates why our answer to this question is usually “Yes!” She learned that we can have misconceptions about people and that conversations can go far better than we predicted. -Steve Wagner, Executive Director
Towards the end of the second day of our Texas State University outreach this month, a group of four people started looking at the free speech board. I stood nearby for a few minutes listening. They were making inappropriate and crass remarks about the comments they were reading.
Andrea (right) interacts with a student at Fort Lewis College in Durango, CO in April 2022.
At first, I did not want to talk with these students. What if they decided to direct their rude comments toward me? I had several excellent conversations that day, and I did not want to end on a discouraging note.
Then I decided I wanted to finish the day having no regrets. If they did not want to engage, or if the conversation did not go well, at least I would know I had done my part by trying to dialogue with them.
I asked them if they had any thoughts on the issue of abortion. They started by saying that they are pro-choice and then began sharing with me why they thought abortion should be legal. Christy, a member of the Students For Life club on campus, asked if she could join the conversation. Our conversation went something like this:
Sophia: I have seen so much suffering in this world. I just want to prevent kids from having to experience suffering. I think abortion should be legal for that reason. It would be more compassionate to end the life of the unborn when they are not conscious or aware of what is going on.
Jessica: There are many children suffering in foster care. We need to change the foster care system if abortion is going to be illegal.
Christy: Can I ask you a question? Imagine that there is a group of kids in the foster care system. Would it be okay to kill them to help relieve the suffering they are experiencing?
They agreed that would not be right, but then they noted differences between these kids and the unborn:
Jessica: At that point they are already in this world.
Sophia: The unborn is different, and I just want to prevent the child from experiencing pain and suffering.
Jessica: I have two siblings who have been in the foster care system. It was very hard on them. In that moment, I sensed that they had a story to share. I realized that I needed to just listen.
Sophia: I have had a hard life. Many people in my life have died. Yesterday, my friend told me that her mom recently passed away after she had been missing. I also attended a school where we were frequently on lockdowns due to shootings. At first it was terrifying to attend school every day knowing that I might get shot. I eventually stopped fearing death and accepted that I could die. As the conversation continued, both of these young women expressed that they don’t have hope.
Andrea: Thank you for sharing. Everyone has a story, and it is important to listen to one another. I want people to know that I care about them. You never know what someone is going through or has gone through in their life.
Sophia: I can tell that you care. She started to tear up, and I reaffirmed my concern for her. After a few minutes, it seemed helpful to note why we were on campus and how that related to listening to individual stories.
Andrea: JFA is a pro-life organization. The heart behind our outreach is to create healthy and productive dialogue about abortion. That means it’s important to hear where each person is coming from.
Sophia: I agree that it is important to talk about this issue. We can bring both sides to the table and listen to each other.
Andrea: This is the way I look at it: If the unborn are living human beings like you and me, then abortion is taking a life. I think we need to protect the unborn. If the unborn are not human beings, then it does not matter if someone gets an abortion. You mentioned earlier that abortion is a choice. I think choice is good as long as it does not harm another human being. This is why I am pro-life, but I think that pro-life should not end at birth.
They looked at each other and then Sophia exclaimed,
Sophia: I can’t believe you just said that! You are the first person I have heard say that pro-life should not end at birth. Wow! This has been a groundbreaking conversation.
As we continued talking, my heart ached for them and their lack of hope. I felt prompted to share the gospel because I know that true hope is only found in Jesus Christ. I asked a question to begin: “What gives you hope?”
We then launched into a conversation in which I was able to share in detail what Christ has done for us. Finally I said, “I share all this with you because I care about you. There is not much hope in this world, but I find my hope in Jesus. I am confident that one day I’ll go to heaven, and that gives me hope!”
Throughout our conversation, and especially during our discussion of spiritual things, Sophia and Jessica were exceptionally receptive and appreciative.
As the conversation came to a close, I thanked them for taking the time to talk. They replied, “No. Thank you. We greatly appreciated this conversation and all that you shared. So thank you!”
I thank God for allowing me to see a window into His work in their hearts. I did leave this conversation with no regrets, and I was grateful for their remarkable shift in attitude. I am reminded that not all our interactions will go like this one. Often, we do not get to see the fruit of our labor. No matter the outcome, we can focus on being faithful to plant seeds and let God do the rest. I pray that you take the opportunities God gives you in the coming weeks so you also can say, “I have no regrets” and give thanks to Him for whatever results He brings.
Does the Bible Say Anything about Abortion?
Years ago, I received this email from a friend*:
“My secretary is a very wonderful Christian sister. Her daughter is 37 and pregnant and she is considering having an abortion. Unfortunately her daughter talked with an uninformed person who said the Bible doesn't address the topic of abortion.” [Identifying details have been removed.]
I fired off the following response without much editing and found out the next day that this simple Biblical defense against abortion, along with accurate pictures of abortion and the mother’s persistent expression of concern, persuaded the 37 year-old not to abort her child.
The Bible does address abortion as directly as it addresses the killing of toddlers. Neither is specifically mentioned, but it is clear from the following passages that human beings are made with a special dignity as part of their nature.
Gen. 1:26-28 *
“Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." (v. 27) God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. God blessed them; and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth."
Gen. 9:6-7
‘Whoever sheds man's blood,
By man his blood shall be shed,
For in the image of God
He made man.
‘As for you, be fruitful and multiply;
Populate the earth abundantly and multiply in it.’ ”
James 3:8-10
“But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God; from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way.”
And if our dignity is part of our nature, we have that dignity from the moment we begin to exist. And because it is clear scientifically that there is no essential change in the human organism from conception to natural death, the unborn must also have the same dignity we ourselves have.
So, Scripture does directly deal with abortion in the sense that abortion kills an innocent human being (if anyone questions whether abortion kills, they should consult abortion photos at www.abort73.com) and killing an innocent human being is seriously wrong no matter the stage of development, degree of dependency, or appearance of the child. Because the unborn is a human being (see “No One Knows When Life Begins” (Chapter 3) for a simple defense of the humanity of the unborn), all of the verses in the Old and New Testaments condemning the shedding of innocent blood and commanding us to protect the weak apply also to the unborn:
Ex. 20:13
“You shall not murder.”
Ex. 23:7
“You shall not pervert the justice due to your needy brother in his dispute.
“Keep far from a false charge, and do not kill the innocent or the righteous, for I will not acquit the guilty.
“You shall not take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the clear-sighted and subverts the cause of the just.”
Deut. 19:10-13
“Do this so that innocent blood will not be shed in your land, which the LORD your God is giving you as your inheritance, and so that you will not be guilty of bloodshed. But if a man hates his neighbor and lies in wait for him, assaults and kills him, and then flees to one of these cities, the elders of his town shall send for him, bring him back from the city, and hand him over to the avenger of blood to die. Show him no pity. You must purge from Israel the guilt of shedding innocent blood, so that it may go well with you.”
Prov. 24:10-12
“If you are slack in the day of distress, Your strength is limited. Deliver those who are being taken away to death, And those who are staggering to slaughter, Oh hold them back. If you say, "See, we did not know this," Does He not consider it who weighs the hearts? And does He not know it who keeps your soul? And will He not render to man according to his work?”
Prov. 6:16-19
“There are six things which the LORD hates, Yes, seven which are an abomination to Him: Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, And hands that shed innocent blood, A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that run rapidly to evil, A false witness who utters lies, And one who spreads strife among brothers.”
Prov. 31:8-9
“Open your mouth for the mute, For the rights of all the unfortunate. Open your mouth, judge righteously, And defend the rights of the afflicted and needy.”
Matt. 19:16-19
“And someone came to Him and said, "Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may obtain eternal life?" And He said to him, "Why are you asking Me about what is good? There is only One who is good; but if you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments." Then he said to Him, "Which ones?" And Jesus said, "You shall not commit murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; Honor your father and mother; and You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
Matt. 28:19-20
“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Sometimes abortion advocates point to Exodus 21:22, saying it directly supports abortion. To see why the verse is actually a defense of the pro-life position, see Greg Koukl’s excellent article, “What Exodus 21:22 Says About Abortion” (linked below). See also Scott Klusendorf’s “Dead Silence: Must the Bible Say Abortion is Wrong Before We Can Know that It’s Wrong?” for an incisive treatment of the Exodus passage as well as a response to the argument from Biblical silence on abortion.
(Note: I wrote the above years ago. Recently, through a World Magazine article by Leah Savas, I’ve become aware of another Biblical passage people are citing to justify abortion: Numbers 5:27. Alan Shlemon’s response is helpful: “Did God Ordain Abortion as Punishment for Infidelity?”)
* Note: All References: New American Standard Bible (Lockman Foundation: La Habra, CA 1995). Emphasis added.
An earlier version of this article appeared at Stand to Reason under the title, “Does the Bible Have Anything to Say About Abortion?”
Resources to Help:
Steve Wagner, “Does the Bible Say Anything about Abortion?” (Printable version of this post)
Greg Koukl “What Exodus 21:22 Says About Abortion”
Scott Klusendorf “Dead Silence: Must the Bible Say Abortion is Wrong Before We Can Know that It’s Wrong?”
Alan Shlemon: “Did God Ordain Abortion as Punishment for Infidelity?”
Which Kind of "Wrong" Is "Right"?
With Dobbs returning abortion policy back to the states and consequently back to the people, pro-life advocates need to actively engage others in dialogue, perhaps now more than ever. In a “Classic Reprint” of a 2012 letter we sent to supporters this month, Joanna Bai illustrates how to listen to understand, make careful distinctions, and challenge people in a gentle way that helps them think more clearly. She also models the humble spirit we at JFA aim to bring to all of our work, being willing to say, “I was mistaken.” It can’t be overstated how important this is to help people feel free to adopt that same humble spirit. “Humble” is one of ten character qualities described in the Ambassador’s Creed from Stand to Reason. Our team reviews this excellent list every year as a reminder, and we heartily recommend it. - Steve Wagner, Executive Director
A large group was forming around JFA volunteer Lori Navrodtzke as she spoke with a student named “Julie” at our University of Kansas (KU) outreach last month [September 2012]. Intrigued, I also listened in.
Julie seemed opposed to our attempts to change people’s views about the morality of abortion because she believed that morals are relative. She explained that society sets moral standards based on what it thinks is beneficial for people. I requested permission to ask a clarifying question.
Joanna: From the little I’ve heard of your conversation, it sounds to me like you’ve asserted that we [at JFA] are wrong to impose our standard of morality on others. Is that correct?
Julie: Yes. That is what I meant.
Joanna: If you make that assertion, isn’t that action [of asserting that JFA is wrong] imposing your standard of morality on us? Your view does not seem to line up with itself.
In other words, her claim seemed to be self-refuting. She then agreed there was a problem in her claim, but only as I had presented it.
As she clarified her position, I saw that I had equivocated on her use of the term “wrong.” Perhaps she didn’t mean that it is unjust (morally wrong) to make a moral claim about abortion. Perhaps she really meant that we were mistaken (logically wrong) in claiming that there is any such thing as objective moral truth.
“Maybe she isn’t making a moral claim at all,” I thought. What she said next confirmed this:
Julie: You can say whatever you want about your beliefs, but those beliefs don’t make it bad for someone else to do something contrary to them.
Sensing that I had been missing her intent, I asked another clarifying question.
Joanna: Do you reject the idea of objective truth in general, or do you only reject the idea of objective moral truth specifically?
Julie: I only reject the idea of objective moral truth.
Clarifying this was extremely helpful to our conversation. In doing so, I realized she actually believed in truth and falsehood – just not truth and falsehood regarding moral claims. She believed there are such things as false beliefs, and she believed that one of my false beliefs was that there are objective moral wrongs (such as abortion). In other words, she believed there is an objective truth that morality is subjective.
She continued to clarify her thoughts.
Julie: I do believe in objective truth. Truth is that which can be proven empirically.
Now we were getting somewhere. She believed that truth is only that which is empirically proven (observed using the five senses). While my concern about self-refutation missed the mark with her previous statement, it was clearly appropriate now. I attempted to help her see the problem.
Joanna: Julie, can you empirically prove the statement you just made?
(In other words, “Can your statement hold to its own standard?”) Her statement about empirical proof would have to be proved by philosophical means, not empirical – but the statement itself didn’t leave room for any philosophical statements to be taken seriously!
This conversation clarified a number of things for me. First, while the denial of objective truth is self-refuting, the denial of moral truth is not necessarily self-refuting. Sure, if Julie had meant, “It is morally wrong to say any action is morally wrong,” that claim would have been self-refuting because the act of making the claim would violate the meaning of the claim itself. But Julie didn’t make that claim. By using the word “wrong,” she made it possible for me to confuse her meaning. She had actually meant that we were “mistaken” rather than morally wrong.
“We need to be careful to try to understand what people mean before we accuse them of holding contradictory points of view.”
As it turned out, Julie did have a view that was self-refuting – the very common claim that truth is only that which can be empirically proven. That’s a claim that can’t live by its own rules. So, unlike the claim, “You’re wrong (incorrect) to think there are moral rules,” (which is false for other reasons), this claim, “Truth is only that which can be proven empirically,” actually is self-refuting because one can’t know that the statement itself is true through empirical means. If the statement is true, then it is also false. Now, that’s a problem!
In talking with Julie, I experienced the importance of “listening to reflect,” rather than “listening simply to refute.” We need to be careful to try to understand what people mean before we accuse them of holding contradictory points of view. When I asserted that Julie’s initial claim was self-refuting, I was assuming I understood what she meant by “wrong.” When I stepped back and listened more carefully, it became clear I had misunderstood her. This further listening proved to be providential. By listening to understand her view clearly, I was able to ask better questions, which put us on the path of finding truth together.
Joanna Bai served as a JFA trainer from 2012-2022. This story was originally published in Joanna Bai’s October 2012 newsletter (“Which Kind of ‘Wrong’ Is ‘Right’ - How a Conversation at KU Taught Me to Listen”). See also Joanna’s “One Central Question Helps Change a Mind” which we featured in March of this year. Read many other excellent letters by Joanna and other alumni trainers JFA has had the privilege to employ over the years at the link below.
Featured Image (Steve Wagner): Walkway near the Governor’s Palace at Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia.
Melody's Story
Melody was not supposed to live very long according to what most doctors predicted. However, she is now 9 1/2 years old and thriving!
My sister was born with Trisomy 18.
Trisomy 18 is a genetic condition in which an individual has a third copy of chromosome 18. The statistics my parents were given when Melody was born were grim. They were told that babies with Trisomy 18 only make it out of the womb alive 10% of the time, and If the babies survive delivery, 50% don’t survive the first week. Of those, only 5-10% make it to a year.
Melody not only made it to a year, she has lived for close to a decade! She is a healthy and happy little girl. Tragically, when babies in the womb have a positive screening test for Trisomy 18, they are labeled “incompatible with life”, and the pressure to abort is overwhelming.
Melody is certainly not “incompatible with life.” She is equally human like the rest of us and full of vitality.
Go to melodysstory.com to read more about her incredible story. (I drew liberally from Melody’s website which is written by my mom, Jennifer Thenhaus.)
Raw from the Fallout of Dobbs?
Towards the end of a recent Love3 online workshop, one participant I’ll call “Sabrina” startled me with these words: “Now I have to find a new place to live.”
Sabrina’s roommate had seen her support for the Dobbs decision on social media and said, “We need to talk.” She made it clear she no longer felt comfortable living with Sabrina, so Sabrina needed to move out.
My heart ached for Sabrina. What an unfortunate result of her reasonable rejoicing over a good Supreme Court decision! For those of us who share Sabrina’s support of Dobbs and strong opposition to legal abortion, it’s perhaps easy to sympathize with her pain of loss. This situation causes me also, though, to sympathize with Sabrina’s friend and others who are feeling so raw from the Dobbs decision that they’d be willing to lose friends over it. Many see abortion as a fundamental right and when it becomes clear that this “right” is not only no longer recognized by the Supreme Court but also not even recognized by those thought to be friends, it can be especially painful.
How should we respond to pro-life and pro-choice people in our acquaintance as they experience fallouts from the Dobbs opinion? One strategy some Christians are following is to simply avoid the topic of unwanted pregnancy and abortion altogether. If we follow this avoidance strategy, we aren’t really serving anyone – not the unborn, not the women and men struggling with past abortions who need to heal, not friends who need more conversation about spiritual topics, and not the Christians who have a special opportunity to make a difference right now.
Dobbs has provided perhaps the best opportunity of the past few decades to discuss unwanted pregnancy, abortion, and the intrinsic value of every human being. As our team embarks on a busy fall with a number of outreach events, I am looking forward to discovering if my hunch about Dobbs is correct. I suspect that the Supreme Court’s decision to return the abortion question to the states will motivate great numbers of people to engage in discussion for the first time.
Sure, if I’m right and people are ready to talk, and if I’m also right that many are sad, angry, and otherwise “raw” from the Dobbs opinion, the conversations will be difficult. But I’d much rather have a difficult conversation than no conversation at all. Getting meaningful conversations started with the millions of people who have been too apathetic to engage has been one of our chief struggles. If it’s true that they will now engage, we must not waste this moment when they are ready.
Think of the unborn children who have been getting the “raw end of the deal” for decades under the Roe and Casey regimes (and still under Dobbs in many, many states) when they are killed by abortion. Whether this reality leaves our emotions “raw” or not, how should we respond?
Instead of glibly flaunting the Dobbs opinion with a smug sense of victory, with no goal of dialogue, we should indeed start conversations, and we should begin with concern for the feelings of those who disagree. Then we should fearlessly offer reasons that compel any person who cares about human rights to include unborn children in their circle of concern. Instead of shrinking back, fearful of making a mistake, we should prepare our minds and hearts, then spend time praying for God’s help. With that foundation, we trust God to use each encounter, however complicated by emotions, for the good of each person and for the purposes of God’s kingdom.
We invite you to join us during our Love3 Workshops beginning September 15 (or at other events in your area – see below) to get equipped for this important task ahead of each of us.
Thank you for praying for us and partnering with us as we train Christians and other pro-life advocates to infuse these dark conversation spaces with the light of love and the light of truth.
Image by Andraz Lazic on Unsplash
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