It’s easy to forget, but the early Church didn’t grow because it had the right building, the right programming, or the right Sunday experience. It grew because believers went. They crossed roads, borders, cultural lines, and personal comfort zones. They carried the gospel into homes, marketplaces, and public spaces because that’s where people already were.
Somewhere along the way, the Church learned how to gather exceptionally well. That’s not a bad thing. Gathering matters because it holds a natural space for worship and community. But gathering was never meant to replace going.
In today’s culture, many churches are deeply faithful and deeply active—and still feel disconnected from the women and families who need care the most. Not because the Church doesn’t care, but because the distance has quietly grown.
Women facing unplanned pregnancies often aren’t walking into church buildings. Not because they don’t need hope, but because they don’t know whether they’ll be met with safety, dignity, and understanding. Waiting for them to come to us assumes they already trust us. For many, that trust hasn’t been built yet.
Scripture reminds us that the gospel spreads through presence. Jesus didn’t stay put and wait for people to arrive with their questions neatly formed. He went to where people lived their actual lives. The Church was designed to do the same.
This doesn’t mean abandoning the building. It means expanding the mission. It means asking hard, faithful questions about how the Church can show up in visible, tangible ways beyond Sunday mornings.
When the Church moves toward people, it reflects the heart of Christ. When it stays still, even with good intentions, it risks missing the very people it’s called to serve. The concept of church and serving Christ is evolving and now is the time for churches to assess how and where they need to serve as the hands and feet of Jesus. The mission field of unplanned pregnancies is full of opportunities.
Start a conversation with your leadership team about where your church is present—and where it may need to move closer.
0 Comments