By John Unthank
Today, as outreach leader in our local church in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, I facilitated a training seminar for pastors, ladies ministries leaders, youth pastors, senior adult leaders, and teachers on Post Abortion Healing. Experts from Tennessee Right to Life, Choices. Hope Resource Center and Catholic Charities brought to us the latest information on the rising trend of women and men who have decided to be “silent no more” concerning their past abortion experiences.
During the seminar they told of dealing with shame, guilt and rejection…largely from the church…but finally when they were able to open up how they found true healing in Christ. Their true life stories revealed the need for pastors and church leaders to understand the pain of those….which latest statistics show are 1 out of every 4 women in any of our congregations….who have had abortions and never been really healed and restored. Our leaders were extremely challenged to change these trends and to outreach to those in these needs in their areas of ministries.
One thing that caught my attention was this…that everyone who gave their personal post abortion life story mentioned that their journey into abortion and the subsequent pain began in college. They told the story so real as it happens today. Apart from the personal accounts we heard today were the abundant supply of stories that reflected the same emphasis on the college experience being the place for their downfall…
It reminded me how important our ministry concentration is on our students on the college campuses….how important to be there for them and to do our best to educate, rescue and spiritually guide them away from any situations that would end in the choice for abortion.
Another side point of interest….Right to Life nationwide. recently conducted a survey of thousands of ministerial candidates from graduate schools and seminaries across the nation being specifically trained in pastoral ministry with the results that only a very small percentage had been educated or trained to know the very basics of how to explain the early formation of the human fetus and how to be able to share real facts to help someone make a choice for life.
Campus ministry and the training of our rising leaders in “real life” issues is crucial and must progress to more and more campuses. We have the answers and the love to help a generation avoid some of the greatest tragedies of their lives.
John Unthank, Field Coordinator
Alpha Omega Church of God Campus Ministries