Wednesday, April 21, 2010

How to Begin to Witness at a Killing Place

First, establish when abortions are committed:
You’ll need to call the killing place posing as someone who is interested in having an abortion. Get the earliest & latest possible abortion appointment times on the day that you would like to minister.

Here is a script you can use when calling the abortuary: 
http://www.forerunner.com/impact/behind-the-scenes-part-3-call-the-abortion-center-for-information Arrive 45 minutes early & if possible, plan to stay at least 30 minutes after the last abortion time. Arriving early will allow you to get situated, pray & then engage every abortion-bound mom & their companions. This will often allow you to engage the abortuary workers as well.

Procrastination, a big problem:
Don't put it off -- get out there and spy out the land. Figure out where to park, where to stand, etc, etc. If possible it’s best to try and stop everyone who is arriving as they pull into the parking lot, and offer them your ministry packet. Of course a lot depends on the set up of the clinic itself. Hopefully you’ll have good access to the mothers. There may be other pro-lifers out there & they can show you the lay of the land.

Crisis Pregnancy Centers
:
Before you go to the killing place, I'd highly recommend that you make an appointment and have a sit down talk with the director of the local cpc’s. (Crisis pregnancy centers can be located by looking under Abortion Alternatives in the yellow pages). Let them give you a tour of the center and look through their ministry materials. Get their hours of operation and establish whether they do ultrasound on abortion-minded women. See if you can get them to give you as many brochures for pregnant and abortion-minded women as you can so that you can have these on hand or even include them in your ministry packet. Be sure to get the ones FOR pregnant women and NOT the ones they give to raise support from the church.

Ask the director about the ministry. Be sure to inquire about whether they are faithful to use scriptures & to share a biblical gospel message. Ask her: "Exactly what do you say to a woman who says she is going to have an abortion?" Just to let you know, CPC counselors rarely, if ever, speak of God or use the words "wrong", "murder", "sin", "judgment", "wrath" or "hell" & "repentance". Almost half of women who abort today will already have murdered at least ONE child or MORE before you meet them at the killing place. Ask the director what they say to a woman who admits to having already had one or more abortions. The call to repentance is often left out of counseling, or at least is compromised by many other humanistic, non-directive/non-judgmental types of counseling, as it often is in the churches. Take time to give the women's center director a CD copy of the biblical evangelism teaching Hell’s Best Kept Secret (see below for how to find it) and explain how vital the Law and the call to repentance is in reaching the lost. It would be good to give her a copy of True and False Conversion message on CD as well. These gospel tools may revolutionize the life and ministry of that women's center, bring many women to the saving knowledge of Christ and SAVE the lives of countless children. Another thing, if the center has brochures, it ideal for them to have a map on them, showing exactly where the cpc is located & for it to have the hours of operation clearly printed.

While I appreciate these cpcs they often have a "build it and they'll come" philosophy (a lot like churches do). Studies have shown that 85% of the business of women's centers is NOT in preventing abortion. (Unless they are located next to or across from a killing place.) The vast majority of women they serve are seeking pregnancy tests (for women who want their babies as well as women who don't), giving out diapers, baby clothes, pregnancy clothes, car seats ... in other words, FREEBIES. Women come for the free stuff. This is not BAD in and of itself. It's just that it is a fact that women's centers don't serve to save the lives of many infants. All of this changes dramatically when the women's center purposely locates itself NEXT to or ACROSS from a killing place and/or the counselors themselves GO to the abortion clinic to call out to the women. (I've seen this first hand and it is amazing pro-active pro-life missionary labor!) There is nothing that takes the place of Jesus' example of going to the lost.

If you go directly to an abortuary during abortion times you WILL be involved in a direct- intervention ministry & will meet ALL of the aborting women (and men) head on.

Good Resource Book:
I highly recommend that you get the book 'Pro-Life Answers to Pro-Choice Arguments' by Randy Alcorn. This comprehensive book is full of thought-provoking answers to the justification of child-killing that are bound to arise. It's awesome!

ADOPTION:
Another good thing to do ahead of time is to look under ADOPTION in the yellow pages or google & find Christian adoption agencies, if possible. Go visit the director there as well. Find out how much they are willing to help pregnant women, get their brochures for birth moms, & share Hell’s Best Kept Secret and True & False Conversion with them too. They will help you get educated about how adoption works. Remember, though, you do not have to become an expert on adoption. God has provided professionals to provide adoption counseling. Direct the women you counsel to the adoption agency. Be sure to ask about the process of open adoption. It’s a wonderful way for the abortion-minded mom to be pro-active in personally selecting the right couple for her baby and also keeping communication open to continue to know how her child is doing.

Tracts:
You can get powerfully compelling brochures for abortion-minded women from Cherish California at http://cherishca.com/brochure.html They are willing to provide them FREE to those who are willing to put them directly into the hands of abortion-bound moms. I also highly recommend that you use the ‘Did you know?’ tract that you can purchase from Hayes Publishing. See it halfway down on this page: http://hayespub.tripod.com/NewCatalog.html#brochure Another very good tract to use is 'Innocent Blood': http://tractleague.com/tracts/innocent-blood-302?PHPSESSID=0e0504fd26fce668da6d4eca3aeaf66b

Lynn Copeland has written a wonderful insert for our ministry packets. It's "What God's Word says about Abortion". Here is the text: http://www.christiananswers.net/q-comfort/abortion-bible.html  I can send you this insert as an attachment in an e mail. Just contact me at pattesmith@gmail.com & I'll send it to you.

Biblical Gospel, how to share the way of salvation:

It is important that you learn to share a biblical gospel, if you don't know how to do this already. Listen to the teachings called Hell’s Best Kept Secret: http://www.livingwaters.com/learn/hellsbestkeptsecret.htm
and True and False Conversion http://www.livingwaters.com/learn/trueandfalse.htm
at least two times each. There is a Christian television program called The Way of the Master (www.wayofthemaster.com) that teaches you step by step how to use God’s law to address the conscience of a lost person. I highly recommend that you watch the program on tv or order every season of the DVD for WOTM. You can go to http://wayofthemaster.com/watchepisodes.shtml to see how to view particular episodes. This amazing method of evangelism will teach to how to engage the lost at the killing place. You will not need to learn how to give the entire “Good Person Test” taught on WOTM but you will need to familiarize yourself with the scriptures about murder and fornication by searching the Bible.

Biblical Gospel tract for abortion-bound women & men:
We have published a new tract. You can view it & read it & it is available for you to purchase here:
http://seedshakers.weebly.com/abortion-prolife-gospel-tract.html
If you would like to purchase smaller quantities, you may order them from us for $20 for 100 (free shipping).
Contact me at: pattesmith@gmail.com


Initial approach to aborting moms & dads:
Here’s how you might begin to reach out to the people you meet at the killing place. We commonly use the Good Samaritan model to start with. Smile and wave the car over and say; “Hi, my name is ___________ and I have a special ministry packet for you.” If they draw near or roll down their window to receive your ministry materials, introduce yourself and ask the woman and her companions; "What is the biggest reason (or #1 reason) why you feel like you just can't have this baby right now?" From there offer her practical, emotional and spiritual help through her pregnancy. Be genuine. Give her scriptures such as Jeremiah 1:5 ("Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you.") & Psalm 127:3 ("Children are a gift from the Lord.") Help her to see that her baby is designed, created & sustained by God, just as she is. It is important that you are willing to LISTEN & to give of your time, talent & treasure to love the individual mothers that you meet, as God gives you the grace. Naturally, you can hand her information about the nearest women's pregnancy help/resource center - especially if she is looking for a free pregnancy test. It's almost always good to bring up adoption as a wonderful option as well. Bring the adoption brochures (from a local Christian adoption agency if possible) with you and consider placing them right in your ministry packet as well. We like to point abortion-bound women to the websites: www.birthmother.com & www.parentprofiles.com because many of them are able to peruse these sites from their phones, even while inside the waiting room of the abortuary. As the Lord (and time) allows progress from the natural to the spiritual. Go straight to the Law, focusing on the Sixth Commandment. (No need to do the Good Person test because it is already established that the woman or man is murdering their baby. Very few people deny that abortion is "wrong", "murder" and most readily admit that it is "sin" and that God does not want them to do it.) Since sexual immorality is such a serious & damnable sin, we often seek the leading of the Lord & explain that fornication is also forbidden by God. Avoid presenting murdering the baby as one of three "options". God does not allow for murder of an innocent person, so we shouldn't either. Let the mother (& her companions) know that God forbids the shedding of innocent blood, so that is not a "choice" she is permitted to choose. We do not give the grace part of the message unless or until a person is humble & stops justifying their sin. Depending on the set-up, you may have some good opportunities to open air preach in front of the killing place as well. We're able to do it here and it is POWERFUL!

POST-abortion:
At least half (maybe more) of the mothers and fathers you will meet at the abortuary have already murdered at least one infant. It's important that you have a good biblical understanding of genuine repentance. Because of Proverbs 28:17 we don't recommend post-abortion ministries or retreats. (http://bible.cc/proverbs/28-17.htm gives you many versions of this scripture, cross references for other verses & excellent commentaries on this scripture.)

Our gospel tract should provide all abortion-bound sinners with the truth as it is in Jesus. whether they are post-abortive or killing for the first time, the gospel is the power of God unto salvation. It is enough.

For Life & Eternity: video tips for abortuary ministry
:
We've created 10 episodes so far. Here is the first episode:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7m7_VXwrIk

You can watch a video showing us witnessing at an abortion clinic at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHs1T-Q5Kek

More Resources:
We think it is a good idea to put abortionNO.org on the back of all your materials. (Our tracts come pre-printed with these websites on them. If you are able to, download Choice Blues on to your phone: http://abortionno.org/Resources/audiovideo.html  You can show it to willing women & men.
(NOTE:The clip on abortionNo.org is a portion of Choice Blues.)

Take time to look through the pages of abort73.com  It's got a wealth of great materials.

Purchase the beautiful video of live prenatal development in the womb called The Biology of Prenatal Development at: www.ehd.org (You can also program this page into your I-Phone for witnessing.)

Here is another excellent website for equipping yourself to stand against the shedding of innocent blood: http://abolishhumanabortion.com/  Become an abolitionist!

Visual aids:
When we first started we arrived on the sidewalk outside the killing place as Jesus commanded His disciples when He sent them out to preach the Kingdom. In Luke 22:35 the Master asks; “When I sent you without money bag, knapsack, sandals, did you lack anything?” (See Matthew 10; Mark 6; Luke 9 & 10) We took nothing but ourselves, our love of Christ & His gospel & our perishing neighbors. We saw the Lord use us to save babies from abortion. He used us to love their mothers through their pregnancy & to share the truth as it is in Jesus with her. As the years have gone by we have supplemented our witness with many wonderful visual tools. Fetal models of babies through the gestation period, great signs (graphic abortion signs & beautiful images of babies in the womb, adoptive families, scriptures, etc). We who are reaching out to counsel the women do not carry a sign, as we have our hands full with ministry materials & fetal models. But, a few of the Christians who join us to pray & to witness DO carry signs, including the graphic abortion sign from The Center for Bio-Ethical Reform (Go to www.cbrinfo.org ) We believe that these graphic images of aborted babies are the Law of God (“You shall not murder”) in picture form & as we all know, a picture is worth a thousand words. We believe that the Law of God is perfect, converting the soul, because that is what the Word of God declares. We believe that the Law brings the knowledge of sin, because the Bible tells us so. We believe that the Law of God is a tutor that points us to Christ, because the scriptures plainly teach it. So, we are unapologetic about using them right where we minister, & we keep them close at hand, but, we keep them a short distance from us as we give the aborting mothers our earnest gospel plea. We also use our internet –access cell phones to go to websites that show photos, give adoptive couple profiles & tell real stories, like Baby Rowan: www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfnNzIzvT-k

Set these sites on your phone favorites for easy access:
www.parentprofiles.com
www.abortionNO.org
Suction Curettage Abortion: www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBOAPleF1t0
D & E (Dilitation & Evacuation) www.youtube.com/watch?v=us_y9GP_-DA
Prostaglandin abortion (induction of labor, delivery of baby) www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDj12ffvpgY
Hard Truth www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVbkgO-GUhY

Priests for Life sells a wonderful medical illustration of abortion which you can show to aborting moms:
http://www.priestsforlife.org/resources/medical/suctionweb.jpg
Laminating it will keep it fresh.

One of our most important suggestions is: DON'T WAIT! Go out to the killing place asap. The enemy does not want you to reach out to women there ... & he will do everything in his power to fill you with fear & discourage you. We have seen flat tires, sickness, family troubles, haunting dreams, and a serious amping up of the world and the flesh come against those who plan to engage the lost at killing places. Your abortion-bound neighbors might appear to be giants, but the Lord is able to give you courage and confidence and His anointing and authority. Just GO! Grab a friend, if you can. It's always better to go out to the lost in twos.

We are so happy to hear that you are going to be providing a ministry of presence at the killing place in your area. As the years have gone by we are more & more convinced that being where children are being led to slaughter is a mission field that should be part of every Christian's life in one way or another. It is true that people don't care what you know until they know that you care. If Christians don't care enough to go where the babies are sacrificed, it tells aborting moms, dads and certainly the abortionist and clinic workers that Christians just like to SAY that they care that infants are murdered by abortion but they obviously don't really care or their love would be a verb. Missionary David Livingstone said: "Sympathy is no substitute for action." The lost are not impressed or reached or impacted by feelings or words or even prayers of ‘intention’. (As a friend of mine likes to say: "You don’t get points for intention".) Our love for those who are perishing must have feet to be carried to engage & intervene on behalf of Christ & the children He has created & the lost mothers who are slaves to sin & under the judgment of God.

You might enlist friends at church by explaining that there is room for every kind of spiritual and natural gifting outside killing places. We need prayer warriors, evangelists, mercy-gifted women to walk through pregnancy with the moms, men who will befriend the fathers, folks who will offer practical help (like fixing cars, home repairs, financial planning/budgeting, help with babysitting, housekeeping tips, etc) people who can design ministry materials, benefactors who will "adopt" a woman through her pregnancy to help with financial needs, people to organize church groups to pray (I called it Adopt-a-Clinic) people to videotape ministry times, and the list goes on and on.

MINISTRY PACKET samples for FREE
:
Please contact me if you are starting out at an abortuary or if you are interested in seeing our ministry packet. We'd like to provide you with some materials to share. pattesmith@gmail.com

When a mom doesn't kill & chooses LIFE:

When a mother changes her mind & does not abort her baby, in addition to asking her to write down all of her contact info so we can follow up (name, address, phone, e mail) we like to give her a little gift bag right away, to take home with her.
Here is what we put into the pretty bag:
*Pre-natal vitamins (inexpensive grocery store brand is only about $5 & I picked up a big stock whenever they are on sale, like buy one get one free!)
* Gospel of John (get 30 free every month by going to www.pocketpower.org
* A thorough gospel tract called:“Are you good enough to get to heaven?” :
http://www.livingwaters.com/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=92&category_id=8&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=199
* a lovely bookmark: http://lifecyclebooks.com/usa/product_category_results.asp?MAINCAT=Pro%20Life&SUBCAT=Bookmarks
* Pregnancy book (such as “What to Expect When you are Expecting”. I buy these in good used condition at yard sales & thrift stores)
* Special women’s devotionals, mostly scripture, since most of the moms are not Christians. There is a nice one called Daily Devotions for Mothers: http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?item_no=94521&kw=94521&en=froogle&p=1013824#curr
* Handmade beaded bracelets for the mom to choose to remember our divine encounter
* Something cute for baby: knit beanie, little security square (blanket), booties, onesie, socks, etc.

A BOLD SUGGESTION:
I suggest that you prayerfully consider going to meet with the abortion clinic STAFF. It would be cool if you or someone on your team would call the mill ahead of time and ask to speak with an administrator. Or, ask for an appointment with the administrator. Say that you are organizing a help/support team for women in crisis pregnancies and thought she would know more about them than anyone else. Ask her “What is the number one need of women who are aborting?” Ask her how many women change their minds about aborting every week and why. Ask her what she thinks would be the most helpful, practical resource to provide for women who are pregnant. Ask her how she thinks you can best help pregnant teens. Ask her what adoption agencies or adoption attorneys she recommends. Educate her with what you know about adoption and the resources of local cpcs. Ask whatever else you can think of. See how much she will tell you about the "procedures". Share the gospel! Offer your own ministry as a support for women who just can't go through with the procedure. Jesus could use your bold and compassionate witness to the clinic worker to bring him or her to Christ! It has happened! Give clinic workers gospel tracts and pass along these two websites: www.clinicworker.com and www.turnstatesevidence.com .

God bless you as you serve Christ & your neighbor with the glorious gospel of grace. Please let me know if you do begin to minister. I would love to hear how the Lord uses you.

For Life & Eternity,
Patte Smith
Sanctuary Ministries
www.sanctuaryministries.blogspot.com

5 comments:

allura said...

Great info here for newbies, as well as a reminder for those of us who've done this for many years! Thanks so much for posting!

Patte said...

So glad that you are getting some good information from this article. I have to remember that I have it here. I receive requests from people wanting to reach out to the women & men at abortuaries but they don't know where to begin. If you have any other ideas or suggestions, please post them here.

JP Prichard said...

Just bookmarked this article! What a great resource, Patte!

Marci Ferrell said...

Thank you for this very helpful and informative post. I linked to your from www.startaprolifeministry.com. A newbie here and I am just in the gathering information stage so much to pray about but eager to get started too! Thankful for the reminder to give the gospel to crisis center and adoption agencies too!

Lori said...

Patte,
Thank you for your service to God, the unborn, to mothers and to His people who desire to reach out as you do!
I praise God for you! You're the "real deal" by God's grace!
The Lord continually bless you and encamp His angel arround you!
Righteousness, peace and joy,
Lori