by Pastor Michael Salemink
Give a man a fish, and he’ll eat for a day. But teach him to fish, and he’ll eat for a lifetime. Address the sanctity of life with laws, and we may change a neighbor’s behavior. This one may become an obedient citizen. But envelop the matter in the Gospel, and we will change the neighbor’s heart. That one becomes a brother or a sister in Christ. Why fling a few coins or a couple crumpled bills when you can break the bank and empty the treasury?
Lutherans bring a distinctive voice to conversations about life issues. We do not deny the suffering they sometimes involve. Surprise pregnancy or terminal diagnosis can leave people feeling afraid, abandoned, ashamed. Most who support abortion, endorse physician-assisted suicide, or engage in embryocidal biotechnologies do so in anxiety or anger. Legislation and elections apply a necessary triage to the immediate trauma. Protesting and closing clinics treat the symptoms.
But only God’s truth and Christ’s love cure the root condition of sinful selfishness. We come with a courage, a compassion, and a community that relieves and heals. We have hope and joy to give. No one needs to use death as a solution once they know the Lord creates, redeems, and calls every human life to be His own precious treasure from fertilization to final breath. (And beyond that, forever!) Whatever a person’s size or skills or circumstances, we can lead our culture to receive him, to receive her, to rejoice in every member of our race as a gift and a privilege.
Lutherans For Life delights to put this ministry into practice across the country.
- Our Owen’s Mission project leads chapel services and teaches classroom discussions.
- Our Y4Life initiative engages youth and networks students.
- Our Word of Hope hotline provides post-abortion and crisis care.
- Our Life Teams, Life Chapters, and State Federations connect volunteers in taking local action.
- Our professional staff prepare life-affirming articles and devotions, brochures and booklets, podcasts and social media posts, in-person education and online presentations.
- And we proudly partner with and represent LWML as recipients of a series of district awards along with a generous 2019-2021 national mission grant!
What can you do? Learn: Browse our home page or visit our YouTube channel and explore how Holy Scripture and Lutheran doctrine intersect life issues. Love: Involve yourself in the experiences and concerns of relatives and neighbors to affirm their worth and purpose. Serve: Invest your abilities and interests in the relationships and opportunities God gives you. Converse: Ask questions and listen when sanctity-of-life topics arise, and testify to how His grace makes up for all our failings. And celebrate: Invite others around you to enjoy marriage, family, health, and length of days as blessings from the Heavenly Father.
God bless your Gospel-motivated voice For Life!
Pastor Salemink has served as Executive Director of Lutherans For Life since 2015, after twelve years in parish ministry. He writes regularly and speaks nationwide, equipping Lutherans and their neighbors to be Gospel-motivated voices For Life. He lives in St. Louis with his wife, Heather, and their three sons. He enjoys music and sports.