As they minister to hurting families, equip adoptive and foster families, place vulnerable children into forever families and walk with women through unexpected pregnancies, Lifeline Children’s Services, based in Birmingham, offers a variety of resources and counseling services for women facing difficult situations by reminding them of their value and worth. Specifically, that they are not forgotten and there are people willing to come alongside and embrace them with the love of Christ.
One of the new programs at Lifeline is a mentoring ministry and biblical study called “Worthy,” which connects to the local church women who have experienced unplanned pregnancy or who are post-abortive.
Finding Christian community
“As a church-led program, Worthy is implemented by local churches that are trained by Lifeline,” noted Sterling Cannady, Worthy program coordinator. “Mentoring relationships are guided by a 10-week study that explores topics like identity, grief, value and the need for Christian community.
“Participating churches match women referred to them by local pregnancy centers, and even women within their own congregations, with mentors for one-on-one, deeper relationships,” Cannady said. “An overarching goal of Worthy is to connect vulnerable women with local churches, where they can encounter the healing love of Christ and receive ongoing discipleship.”
Cannady noted 17 churches across eight states currently offer Worthy as a mentorship ministry.
“While mentorship is one-on-one, some churches elect to host cohorts made up of multiple women and their mentors, who walk through the study together,” Cannady said. “Either way, numbers of women can be reached with the gospel through this simple, relational tool.”
Cannady noted each church partner has a “Worthy coordinator” who handles ministry logistics, such as mentor recruitment and mentee referrals, matching mentors and mentees. The mentor then is trained through resources provided by Lifeline.
Restoration for the vulnerable
The testimonies they receive from churches are indicators of God’s power at work to bring restoration for vulnerable women, Cannady said.
Cannady noted Indian Springs First Baptist Church Indian Springs Village and Life Church Huntsville are the first two congregations in Alabama offering Worthy in their communities.
“Our prayer is that through Worthy, women can get plugged into local churches for rich relationships and gospel-centered community,” Cannady said. “Please pray that the Lord would raise up more churches throughout Alabama and the U.S. to love and engage with women who have walked through unexpected pregnancy and abortion. Ask Him that, through these encounters, women who don’t yet know Jesus as Lord would come to a saving faith in Him.”
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