Get Encouraged in the Gospel Enjoy this paraphrased quotation from C.S. Lewis as encouragement to reconnect with the gospel all day, each day. That is, refresh your accent to the good news that Jesus Christ lived, died, and rose again to pay your sin-penalty and open joyful relationship with God. “The challenge comes the very moment you wake up each morning. All your wishes and hopes for the day rush at you like wild animals. And the first job each morning consists simply in shoving them all back; in listening to God’s voice, taking His point of view, letting His larger, stronger, quieter life come flowing in. And so on, all day. Standing back from all your natural fussings and frettings; coming in out of the wind into the shelter of God’s embrace in the gospel.”1
Get Updated (News Highlights)
· New CFL Campaign to Strengthen and Connect Leaders. Alongside God’s sovereign work, leadership is a gigantic factor in nourishing churches as gospel-driven champions of life. So, CFL is developing a new leader-focused equipping plan. As part of this plan, we just launched two new tools for leaders. They both connect and equip Life Team Leaders across the St. Louis/St. Charles, MO Region: conference calls and a connection/contact sheet.
· More video on the way! It’s undeniable that video is a preeminent communications method in our culture today (think “YouTube”). That’s why we launched video training for Life Team leaders and members back in May. God recently provided CFL with the funds to buy a video camcorder and software which we will use to make videos to equip and encourage Life Teams, leaders, pastors, and entire churches as gospel-driven champions of life. So, literally “stay tuned” for new videos in the coming months from CFL.
· CFL in Scotland? Conversations have begun with a missionary couple going to Dundee, Scotland – a city with the highest abortion rate per capita in all of Europe. Two CFL Board members and Pastor Doug brain stormed, made connections, and set some near-term goals with these missionaries on how we can press a gospel-driven life-affirming worldview into Scotland by supporting them and their ministry partners.
· Life Teams are growing! CFL’s President, Pastor Doug, recently spent time talking with a bunch of Life Teams about their activities. The news is so encouraging. Many Teams are building trust and relationship with their pastoral leaders and congregation – the foundation of ongoing, honorable ministry. Many are grappling with the gospel as their motive for affirming life instead of anger, guilt, or politics. And many are initiating wonderful ideas to equip their churches as gospel-driven champions of life, such as: creating a 25-week life-affirming Sunday School curriculum, holding apologetics classes (e.g. Making Abortion Unthinkable), collecting diapers and baby items for local crisis pregnancy centers, creating Life Kits to equip overseas missionaries to champion life, organizing lunches to encourage adoptive couples, starting a bioethics book club, rallying their church to participate in ThriVe’s annual walk and run for life, praying or various life issues, and more.
Get Equipped
· Men of Valor Conference – to equip and encourage men (age teen+) in Christ-centered lives of virtue and valor, especially in relationships
· ThriVe helpline training – to help women help women in crisis pregnancies over the phone (9/11 & 18, registration required)
· Have a “how to” ministry question? See our articles to help you meet the challenges of life-affirming ministry.
Get Informed
· Local, State, National and International Statistics – Abortion (surgical) , Abortion (chemical) , Adoption, Orphans, and Foster Care , Embryonic Stem Cell Research , Euthanasia , Infertility, Reproductive Technology (e.g. In-Vitro Fertilization) , Pornography , Sexually-Transmitted Diseases , Statistics for Comparison Purposes
Get Involved
· Oak-Finish Baby Item Drop Box Now Available! This box enables your congregation to champion life by giving them an attractive, permanent point to give diapers and other baby items to moms and dads in crisis pregnancies, which in turn makes it easier for them to choose and nourish life.
· Contact Us – To discuss starting church on the journey of building a Life Team and growing as a gospel-driven champion of life – info@getintolife.org
· Become a CFL LifeGiver - God’s doing so much through CFL! If you believe in what God’s doing with us, please become a LifeGiver (a monthly electronic financial partner). Your monthly giving multiplies your Kingdom impact through CFL because it reduces administrative costs, allows effective planning, and liberates time and talent to focus on our mission: to nourish churches as gospel-driven champions of life. All gifts are tax deductible. Many thanks to those who already are CFL LifeGivers!
· Share CFL News - Do you know people in the life arena who might benefit from CFL News? With their permission, send us their email at info@getintolife.org so they can receive the benefits of CFL News just like you. Thanks.
1 Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis, Macmillan Publishing Company, New York, 1943, p. 169.