Protecting unborn lives is a major focus for many Alabama Baptists, and their efforts are helping reduce the number of abortions performed statewide and nationwide, according to Joe Bob Mizzell.
“The statistics show the number of abortions is coming down each year in Alabama and the United States,” said Mizzell, director of Christian ethics for the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions.
“I think it’s because evangelicals are preaching that this is wrong — that in that woman is a person not a blob of tissue.”
Mizzell’s role in the battle to stop every abortion possible is to monitor current trends concerning abortion and other moral matters and provide information to state Baptist pastors.
He speaks regularly to pastors about the sanctity of human life and gives them data on abortions that occur in the state as well as updates on any actions occurring during the legislative session that deal with this subject.
“I hope they take this information back and use it in sermons that they deliver to their congregations,” Mizzell said.
“I tell them they don’t have to wait [until] Sanctity of Human Life Sunday to talk about saving lives … and pastors are doing this (not waiting).”
Bill Morgan, director of missions for Autauga Baptist Association, has seen expanded anti-abortion efforts positively affect his area. In 1991, First Baptist Church, Prattville, in Autauga Association established a pregnancy resource center that is supported by many area churches and pastors.
“I think the fact that we have a vibrant alternative to abortion in our area makes a huge difference in the number of unborn lives that are saved,” Morgan said.
The center, Grace Place Pregnancy Center, is directed by Cheryl McLain, a member of First, Prattville.
She said the ministry is changing its name to River Region Pregnancy Center “to appeal to more abortion-minded women who might not consider coming to a place that sounds like a church.”
McLain said the center was established after some church members felt a need for pregnancy resources in the area. After several name changes, the center “went medical” in 2006, when it won an ultrasound machine at a Focus on the Family conference. Area church members volunteered to help expand the facility to house the new technology, and they haven’t stopped assisting in the work since.
“We are supported by churches in the area through monthly (donations), special offerings; some small churches will have a shower for us for our boutique — baby supplies, office supplies,” McLain said.
“Some of them give material goods. Sometimes people will come and do a deep cleaning day. … Some people teach Earn While You Learn classes. Some people only want to be receptionists. We have a lady who has volunteered to make copies for us. … We have volunteers from a lot of different churches, different religions, (but) mostly Baptist. We try to encourage people that it’s not just a Baptist thing. It’s a Christian thing.”
She added that local Baptist churches allow the center to use their facilities for banquets and volunteer training.
“Not all churches and pastors will stand up and say that abortion is wrong when 25 percent of the women sitting in their congregations have had an abortion,” McLain said. “Most of the Baptist churches do. They are committed to (being) pro-life.”
So are the Baptist churches in Etowah Baptist Association, where Director of Missions Gary Cardwell said congregations and church members are very involved with the Etowah Pregnancy Testing Center (EPTC) both financially and on a volunteer basis.
“As a result of last year’s (fundraising) banquet, the majority of the funds were collected from an anonymous donor to build a new two-story facility in Rainbow City and it is totally debt-free,” he said.
According to Cardwell, who is vice chairman of the board for EPTC, volunteers provide various services and resources to expectant mothers including counseling, spiritual support and much needed baby items.
The center also offers free ultrasounds through its relationship with a local hospital.
“We want to save the lives of babies,” Cardwell said.
“That is our main concern there. … It (EPTC) has been very effective just in the number of moms that choose not to abort their babies … and we registered a number of professions of faith last year.”
Alabama Baptist congregations across the state support similar pregnancy resource centers through fundraising walks, annual banquets, baby showers, clothing and resource donations and much more.
Mizzell encourages churches not currently involved in anti-abortion activities to join the battle.
“Anything that saves lives, we want the churches to do it,” he said.
“We are all in the same fight to do away with abortion.”
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