“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I
appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” — Jeremiah 1:5 (NIV)
Jeremiah 1:5 Sunday, held on August 30, encouraged Black churches nationwide to speak out about the sanctity of human life and increase their support for women facing unexpected pregnancies. The initiative could create more opportunities for pregnancy centers to build relationships with local churches, leading to more referrals, volunteers and ongoing compassionate care for women and families.
The Jeremiah 1:5 Project, an initiative of the Douglass Leadership Institute, aims to raise awareness about abortion’s impact on the Black community and reduce the number of abortions by encouraging greater involvement among pastors and churches.
East Mount Zion Baptist Church in Cleveland, Ohio, on its website, said Jeremiah 1:5 Sunday is about recognizing the sacred value of every human life and answering God’s call for the Church to lead with unconditional love and practical support: “Every mother facing an uncertain future deserves a community that wraps around her. Every child deserves the chance to live out their God-given calling. This Sunday, we’re coming together as one Church to stand for life and love.”
Lauren Canterberry of WORLD Magazine recently reported that churches in Georgia, North Carolina, Mississippi, Michigan, Ohio, Virginia and Texas participated in Jeremiah 1:5 Sunday, addressing the disproportionately high abortion rate among Black women. The initiative, she wrote, could strengthen pregnancy centers by encouraging pastors to build relationships with local centers, connect expectant mothers with available resources and mobilize congregations to provide ongoing support for Black families.
In an earlier article, WORLD covered a prayer breakfast at a predominantly Black church in Richmond, Virginia, where approximately 50 people gathered to discuss a proposed constitutional amendment concerning abortion. Organizers sought to educate attendees about the November Right to Reproductive Freedom Amendment and expressed concern that it would remove existing abortion restrictions and safeguards.
“Many people have just put [abortion] aside as a political issue,” Bishop Garland Hunt, president of the Douglass Leadership Institute, told WORLD. “But it is vitally important to the Lord.”
In a June interview with Religion News Service, Hunt explained why the institute considers abortion a religious issue rather than a partisan one.
“This is not a Republican-Democrat issue, it’s a God issue, and we do want to keep the judgment of God away from our nation,” said Hunt. “We thought we had a little bit of reprieve when Roe v. Wade was overturned, but seemingly, state after state after state is enshrining abortion as part of their constitution by amendment.”
Prayerfully, the connection between Jeremiah 1:5 and abundant life in Christ will yield precious fruit in the Kingdom of God and lead to fewer abortions and more support for those facing pregnancy decisions in African American communities.
Collaboration between churches and pregnancy centers is an essential part of Care Net’s Pro Abundant Life mission, which is based on the words of Jesus in John 10:10: “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”
This verse inspires Care Net’s work to not only save babies from abortion but also ensure that children and their parents experience abundant life.
Pregnancy centers play a vital role in supporting women and men facing pregnancy decisions, but churches can provide the ongoing care, community and discipleship that families need long after a pregnancy decision has been made.
In his book, The Alternative to Abortion: Why We Must Be Pro Abundant Life, Care Net President and CEO Roland Warren emphasizes the church’s responsibility: “The church is the place designed for ongoing discipleship; it is the seat of discipleship. We need the church to fill this role.”
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