Bowling Green Covenant Church

“Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting
yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about
Christ…Don’t be intimidated at all by your enemies.”
-Philippians 1.27a, 28a [NLT]

The numbers stagger the mind’s ability to think in numbers
so large: 40 million! That is the number of babies estimated
to have been aborted since Roe v. Wade legalized abortion on
demand in 1973. To put that number in perspective, the
population of Canada is roughly 32 million people. According
to a 2004 census the population of California is almost 36
million and the entire population of the six New England
states (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire,
Rhode Island and Vermont) is just over 14 million. There
are other numbers that could be used for comparison, other
statistics to give perspective but the point is clear. Forty
million deaths is forty million too many.

For us as Pro-life people, living as citizens of heaven
means reaching out to women in a crisis pregnancy. The
appropriate response to women in such situations is
compassion and truth. If we are to conduct ourselves in a
manner worthy of the Good News, we are wise to pattern our
behavior after that of Jesus rather than the Pharisees.

The history of Bowling Green Covenant Church is one of
positive activism in this area. If you visit our website,
www.bgcovenant.org you will find a link to the Bowling Green
Pregnancy Center. Go to the BGPC site, click on the history
link and there you will read the following synopsis provided
by Nancy Hollister, a former BGPC Board Member:

“…in the fall of 1985 the First Hope Pregnancy
Center was opened in its present location…A Board of
Directors was formed from some members of the research
committee and other concerned citizens…Financial support
came largely from the monthly donations of individuals,
churches and a few local businesses. Volunteers went through
a training seminar and our doors opened in October 1985.
“Since that time we have helped over 10,000 clients.
The center has seen many changes along the way including
changing the name to Bowling Green Pregnancy Center and the
addition of support groups to the original services offered.
At the same time, some things have remained the same such as
the need for our services and the support of the local
community.”

To take such a courageous stand is not an easy thing to do
in a culture that exalts personal choice over personal
responsibility, but the founders, supporters, and staff of
BGPC chose (and continue to choose) not to be intimidated by
their opponents. On the contrary they continue to live as
citizens of heaven by extending the Good News of Jesus
Christ to women facing one of the most, if not the most,
personal and difficult choices of their lives.

This Sunday, January 22, we will recall with sad hearts a
momentous decision that continues to divide our culture
while taking life away from the most vulnerable. Thus, I
encourage us all to continue to support the BGPC with our
prayers, our finances, and even our time. It is a good work.
It is a hard work. It is a work to be done as part of our
responsibility to conduct ourselves like citizens of heaven.

You think about that.

MMalanga-
Pastor of BGCC & BGPC Board Member