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.
The 2020 SOHL Sunday is set for Jan. 19, and in the month of December, Oklahoma Baptists and Oklahoma Baptist Homes for Children (OBHC) recently partnered in sending to all Oklahoma pastors, churches and associations in the state a resource packet to help observe SOHL Sunday.
In a joint letter, OBHC President Greg McNeece and Hance Dilbeck, Oklahoma Baptists’ executive director-treasurer, encouraged pastors and churches to make the day a priority.
“Educating families on the value of life has never been more critical than it is today,” they said. “Abortion in Oklahoma rose 12 percent in 2018 compared to 2017. This 12 percent increase led to a total of 5,014 children—more than all the children in the Ponca City school district—who were robbed of the opportunity to take their first breaths.”
The resources made available included videos, 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:
- 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”
- Heath Tucker, lead pastor of Skiatook, First, on “Valuing Life Like God Does”
- Nick Garland, senior pastor of Broken Arrow, First, on “What’s Wrong with Abortion”
- Brent Prentice, senior pastor of Stillwater, Eagle Heights, on “Be on Mission for the Unborn”
- Michael Taylor, pastor of Ponca City, First, on “The Voice of the Unborn”
- James Biesiadecki, senior pastor of Bartlesville, First, on “Every Life Matters to God”
In addition to providing SOHL Sunday resources, McNeece and Dilbeck also encouraged pastors to take part in the Rose Day Pro-Life Rally at the Oklahoma State Capitol on Wednesday, Feb. 5.
To take part in Rose Day, Oklahoma Baptists and others may come to the Capitol at 9:30 a.m., with red roses as a symbol for life, and deliver a life-affirming message to lawmakers.
At 11:30 a.m., in the House Chamber, an indoor rally takes place, where attendees will hear from former Planned Parenthood Clinic director now pro-life activist Abby Johnson, among others. For more, visit www.roseday.life.
For more information, or to access online SOHL Sunday resources, visit www.OklahomaBaptists.org/life.
