A conviction for life: The Center for Faith and Culture at Southeastern hosts Amber Lehman

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Amber Lehman, CEO of First Choice Pregnancy Solutions, came to Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary (SEBTS) to share her journey “From Pro-Life to Abolitionist.”

Lehman has a passion for life and a conviction to see abortion abolished. She comes from a place of grace and reminds listeners that, “there is no sin beyond the Cross.”

Just after her 16th birthday Lehman had an abortion. Eight years later she said, “The Lord snatched me up out of a wretched lifestyle and gave me His grace and healed me.” Her new faith gave her the ability to help women who are facing the same struggles that she did.

“I’ve gone from pro-life to the mindset of the abolitionist,” Lehman said. “Abortion is a direct assault on the glory of God. We should be undone by this.”

In one day worldwide 15,000 children will be human trafficked, 22,000 children will die by poverty related issues and 115,000 children will be aborted. In 2012, more black babies were aborted in New York City than born. “Abortion is a sin issue,” Lehman said. “[It] is the greatest human injustice in the history of mankind.”

Lehman expressed the desire of Satan to do anything He can do destroy image bearers before they can bring glory to God. She sees abortion as a basic human rights issue and
believes that as life is devalued in the womb, it will become devalued in other areas as well.

Up to 43 percent of women will have an abortion in the United States before the age of 45. “Do you realize what indictment is on the human heart after an abortion?” Lehman said. “It’s hard for a person to look at themselves honestly and say they are without sin and without need of a savior. Nobody had to convince me that I was a sinner.”

First Choice Pregnancy Solutions’ mission “is to communicate accurate and truthful information to those affected by an unplanned pregnancy and to provide them with physical, emotional and spiritual support.”

The organization seeks to engage women and men who are considering or planning to abort and encourage them to reverse their decision. Whatever obstacles are keeping the individual from choosing life, abortion, housing, finances, parenting, etc., the organization tries to remove those quickly.

The women and men at risk need daily support and encouragement. “She needs families, not another program,” Lehman emphasized. Eighty-one percent of women say they would not have an abortion if the man had been supportive.

A budget of $600,000 provides funding for nurses, 13 staff members, the main office location and a mobile clinic to reach areas in need.

Wake County currently has two standing abortion clinics. “It’s an industry,” said Lehman. “After watching the abortion clinics pursue women with scholarships to ensure that they abort. After seeing videos of an abortion procedure of children literally being pulled out of the womb in pieces I can’t do anything but devote my all to it.”

She related the deaths to the daily killing of a kindergarten class. “Twenty-one women walked through those abortion clinic doors and legally murdered their babies,” Lehman added. “We have to change this.”

Since Roe vs. Wade in the early 1970s, 56 million babies have been aborted in the United States. Lehman asks if the church is more awake today? She states that the church rarely addresses the topic and has little conviction for life. “Not all causes are equal,” Lehman said. “Twenty-five percent of church members have had an abortion or paid for one.”

Lehman warns as the church engages in the fight for life, “It will not be the path of least resistance.”

“To watch this and to know it’s in your backyard,” Lehman said. She called Christians to take responsibility, repent of apathy and indifference, to make abortion a top tier issue and correct those who do not speak on this issue. She asked people to minister and teach others to minister. Also, the need was stressed to support moms and change the way people view adoption and single parenting.

“I don’t believe that God’s going to end abortion through non-profit organizations, I believe He’s going to do it through His bride [the church],” Lehman said. “Just like slavery in America was ended, we can end this. I believe we can end this. And slavery was ended through evangelical Christians.”

Lehman joined First Choice Pregnancy Solutions in January 2006. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Biblical Studies from the College at Southeastern, a certification in Non-Profit Management from Duke University and is currently completing her Master of Christian Ethics at SEBTS.

To view photos from this event, please click here.

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