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Local Pregnancy
Centre reaching the Poor for Christ
By Rev. Bill Davenport ('91)
Surprised by Grace
Isn’t it amazing how God causes all things to work for good
… even things like sexual abuse, and “failure?” God has
redeemed all the “mess” of my past and placed me in a
position of ministry that is absolutely perfect for me. This
ministry allows me to help others out of an understanding of
where they are and that God can and does transform what
seems to be the worst of situations into something amazing.
I would be the last person to have expected me to end up as
the Executive Director of
The Valley Care Pregnancy Centre
Christian Outreach Ministries. But after five
years of pastoring I spent the next seven years in business
while serving on the Board of the Valley Care Pregnancy
Centre. Circumstances changed for me and I found myself
looking for a place to serve in ministry, but no doors were
opening. No one was asking me to do something for them … so
it occurred to me that I should invest my life into
something I was already involved in. I was already doing all
I could at my local church … so it occurred to me … what
about the pregnancy centre?! They really need help in
development and promotion! I’ll step off the Board and help
in that area and maybe work myself into a paid position!
Within three months, the Exec. Director had to step down for
health reasons … and the Board looked at me and said …
“Well?!” That was six years ago and I’ve never dreamed of
such a perfect position for me. It redeems all the mess I
had made of my life and transforms those things into
opportunities to serve others in similar situations. 28
years ago I dedicated my life to “helping the poor” and God
has placed me in a position where I can do that in so many
ways.
In John 17, Jesus says that knowing God is what it means to
have eternal life. But what does it mean to know God? In
Jeremiah 22.16 it says that to “plead the case of the poor
and needy” is what it means to know God. As we come to faith
in Jesus, He develops within us a heart like His Father’s –
a heart for pleading the case of the poor and needy. Through
the ministries of the local pregnancy centre, local churches
are pleading the case of the poor and needy in their local
communities.
Through Pregnancy Centres, Christians plead the case of
the unborn … those so poor they have no face seen in
public, but a beating heart all the same. Yet this cause is
pleaded gently, not judgmentally or harshly, but with
compassion and full of grace and truth.
Through Pregnancy Centres, Christians plead the case of
the unexpectedly pregnant. These face a huge poverty in
that the only “choice” often offered today is abortion.
Where else will they find loving support for any other
option than abortion? Where else do they not have the
ultrasound monitor turned away or the volume turned down or
given full, accurate information about procedures or fetal
development? Where else will they find long term support?
Where else can they be assured of the material support they
will need – or the affirmation available through a local
church’s Mom’s group?
Through Pregnancy Centres, members of local churches
plead the case of those facing the deep poverty of already
having had an abortion and who suffer deeply, but
silently. The information given to them at the hospital
often says there are no long term emotional complications.
Where can people go if they find themselves experiencing
“complications?” Both men and women are able to come and
find hope and help and healing - all in Jesus’ name … and
then be introduced to a local church’s loving long-term
support.
Through Pregnancy Centres, Christians plead the case of
students facing the huge poverty of lacking moral
instruction. Through abstinence education, students in
local schools can hear a solid case not only for the awesome
nature of sex, but in saving sex for marriage, delaying
sexual debut and how also to build strong relationships
before, and in preparation for marriage. We use the program
called, “WAIT Training” which is a five to ten session
program that engages students in highly interactive lessons
that introduce them to concepts that can help them develop
stronger relationships and avoid much of the mess sex
outside marriage creates. This “pre-evangelistic” approach
where the “spiritual” aspect of relationships is mentioned
and emphasized, but not specifically defined, is an approach
that works with local schools and opens the doors for future
connection.
Through the local Pregnancy Centre, Christians plead the
cause of adoption and provide parenting resources.
Christians, of all people, love adoption … it’s how they
themselves have come to be part of God’s family! Many people
give lip service to adoption, but when it comes down to them
or their friend, adoption is seen as “torture” when compared
to abortion, which is often perceived as an eraser. Adoption
is promoted as a positive option, on par with parenting, if
one were to choose that option.
Through the local Pregnancy Centre, Christians plead the
cause of the fatherless by discipling and mentoring men
to know God as their Father. Men grow in learning how to
accept and depend upon God’s love which transforms their
hearts to grow into more loving and caring in their
relationships resulting in less abuse, less pressure to
abort and more acceptance and gentleness in the home.
These are the areas of ministry that we are developing at
the Valley Care Pregnancy Centre in Kentville. It’s “outside
the box” for sure and it is so amazing to see what God is
doing as those we minister to are growing and returning to
minister to others through the Centre.
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