It’s a question that I’ve heard fairly often from pro-lifers.

They are concerned that their church is not doing more to protect life from the moment of conception, and they want to know how to change that.

Some of the best answers that I have heard come from the Rev. Frank Pavone of Priests for Life. He hosted a seminar last summer about how churches in pro-life denominations can be more fruitful.

Let me share with you his three-step advice for churches:

First step – Your denomination may be pro-life, but that doesn’t mean everyone in your congregation is. People tend to have very strong feelings about abortion, and those who think abortion should be legal can be put off by the pro-life message. They may see pro-lifers as extremists who don’t care about women. Our job is to neutralize the hostile opinions by starting friendly conversations about the issue, finding common ground (such as our desire to help women and their families), and helping them to see that there really is some truth to the pro-life argument.

Second step – There may be other people in your church who say that while they would never have an abortion themselves, they don’t believe it’s right to stop someone else from making that decision. Our job is to explain why abortion is wrong not just for us personally but for everyone: because abortion destroys a life.

Third step – The most important step toward protecting the sanctity of life in church is to help stop abortions among believers. Our job is to offer compassion, support, and resources to women facing a crisis pregnancy, as well as to women who have had abortions. From there, we can actively continue to teach about the issue, maybe by doing a Bible study on the topic or examining the denomination’s pro-life statement. We also can encourage prayer for women considering abortion, their babies, the fathers, pregnancy counselors, lawmakers, and ministers.

Finally, the Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation has developed some practical suggestions for churches that want to become more actively involved. Click here for the list.

A side note: The protection of every human’s right to life is a compassionate cause that attracts many religious people. However, it is not simply a religious viewpoint. The right to life from the moment of conception is a truth supported by both science and logic. Read more here.