LifeDate Spring 2026 – Stand Firm For Life
by Virginia J. Flo
“Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it” (1 Corinthians 12:27).
God has given us the wonderful gift as believers of being members of the body of Christ. Through Jesus’ suffering, death, and resurrection we are given membership. Being a member of this glorious body of Christ is a great reward, as through our Baptism we were given the great inheritance of life eternal, the ultimate promise fulfilled.
Belonging to something means we are not alone. God has chosen each and every one of us and claimed us as His own. He created us and He redeemed us after sin put us on a path to eternal death. It’s through Baptism He has called us into an eternal relationship in His care and keeping. We belong and are members of this great collection called the body of Christ.
God is a giver of great magnitude. Unless we turn our back and reject His promise, it is a free gift. There are other types of memberships, but the eternal gift is beyond anything we could choose (or imagine). The fact that we are members of our families is another gift from God. Our participation in that role varies by person, but it is a membership. We are also members of the church we belong to, and keeping up those memberships is an important part of growing our faith, serving our Lord, and being the good stewards God intends for us to be.
You may be members of other organizations both religious and secular as you have a personal interest in the purpose of those organizations. Lutherans For Life also has a membership program. Some may view that as purely financial. However, it is much more than that. Financial support is extremely important to the maintenance and survival of LFL’s life ministry. However, membership shows support and commitment to the ministry and keeps you informed. Participation breeds support, and that is extremely important. When you are involved, even if it is only through financial gifts, you become, through your action, a voice For Life—which is the mission of LFL. Your commitment to life ministry will hopefully garner your prayer support for LFL as it becomes near to your heart. You may become active in life ministry at your church or community, as that also fulfills the mission of LFL.
When LFL began in the late 1970s, Life Chapters were started to bring life ministry to the people around the country. State Federations were also developed to support the work being done in those Life Chapters. Later the position of Life Ministry Coordinator (now Life Advocate) was developed. And then the Life Team concept was added to provide several different levels of participation that best serve the needs of the participants and those being served. It was intended that each of these participants would immediately become members of LFL, so as the needs in the Frontlines expand, with more participation, the organization could keep up with the additional resources and life ministry support through the added memberships. And, of course, maintaining those memberships on an annual basis is essential. It may be time to remind everyone of the need to keep up those memberships so LFL can continue to support you through the LFL staff as they develop helpful resources in many forms.
You may be thinking, “I support my church and several other organizations to which I already belong. It’s difficult to also include Lutherans For Life in my commitments.” You are the only one that can make the determination of what you can afford and the appropriate priorities in your life. Please include this request of maintaining a membership with LFL in your prayers and ask the Lord to give you the guidance you need. It isn’t always the amount but the commitment.
Being a member of the body of Christ is a gift given by God focused on our salvation. Membership in other organizations is optional, although the work of Lutherans For Life is life ministry with a total focus on serving the Lord through the Gospel-motivated message For Life. I would strongly encourage you to be faithful in your support of the work of Lutherans For Life, as it is so very important as people are facing life issues daily and need to know God’s love for life through God’s Word.
Please consider renewing your membership or becoming an LFL member. Here is where you can act to do so right now: