Since 1984, pro-life Christians and churches have sought to protect unborn lives by taking part of the annual Sanctity of Human Life (SOHL) Sunday emphasis each January.
Oklahoma Baptist pastors and church leaders received a resource guide, which will help easily and effectively defend unborn life and share the Gospel. Photo credit: oklahomabaptists.org
The 2021 SOHL Sunday is Jan. 17, and in the month of December, Oklahoma Baptists and Oklahoma Baptist Homes for Children (OBHC) recently teamed up to produce resources designed to help pastors, churches and associations promote the sanctity of human life.
In a joint email to Oklahoma Baptists, OBHC President Greg McNeece and Hance Dilbeck, Oklahoma Baptists’ executive director-treasurer, encouraged pastors and churches to make the day a priority.
“Christians can play a significant role in spreading a life-affirming message, offering help and hope to parents and working to save lives and end abortion,” the email read. “We know the truth, that abortion kills, but God is the Author of life and abundant life (John 10), as we are wonderfully made, each of us, from the moment of conception.
“The people of God need to be reminded of this urgent cause of standing for life. Therefore, we ask you to set aside Sanctity of Human Life Sunday, January 17, 2021, as a time to lead your church in standing for life by becoming informed, participating in opportunities to share life-affirming views with others and in joining the work Oklahoma Baptists are engaged with, in pregnancy resource centers and foster care ministry across our state.”
The resources made available included videos, printable bulletin inserts and a new preaching guide, all of which include prayer and action points.
Various Oklahoma Baptist pastors and leaders presented the following sermon outlines in the preaching guide:
- Jeremy Freeman, senior pastor of Newcastle, First, on “God’s Special Love for Children and Child-Like.”
- Blake Gideon, senior pastor of Edmond, First, on “The Heart of a Hebrew Midwife” (this sermon outline also was translated into Spanish)
- Tim Hare, lead pastor of Blackgum, First, on “Upholding Sanctity of Human Life Sunday”
- Hance Dilbeck, executive director-treasurer of Oklahoma Baptists, on “Why Sanctity of Life?”
- Walter Wilson, senior pastor of Lawton, Friendship and African American Ministry partner of Oklahoma Baptists, on “A Baby’s Cry that Was Never Heard”
In addition to providing SOHL Sunday resources, McNeece and Dilbeck encouraged pastors to take part in Rose Day on Wednesday, Feb. 3. To read more about the 2021 Rose Day, visit www.roseday.life.
For more information, or to access online SOHL Sunday resources, visit www.oklahomabaptists.org/life or www.obhc.org/hope.
