The pregnancy help center where I volunteer each week, Choices Pregnancy Resource Center in Chattanooga, Tenn., just received an award from our city for being the best place to volunteer. As much as our culture has done to denigrate pregnancy centers this small victory seems important for our city and for other organizations promoting life.
There are many things we do well that merit this award but if there’s one thing that really sets us apart it’s our men’s services. Our approach to this is nothing special but it is vitally important for a couple of reasons.
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We live in a culture constantly vilifying men.
Men are far too familiar with tirades about toxic masculinity or shouts of “my body, my choice” and “stay out of our wombs” from pro-abortionists. For many men, the first time they are encouraged to have a voice in their own child’s life is when they sit with one of our consultants. We all know about the multitudes of men rejecting paternity and how this impacts women facing unexpected pregnancy. When men are empowered to choose life they can have a real life-saving influence on an unplanned pregnancy.
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We welcome men.
Pregnancy help centers can be a heavily female dominated space. When I first felt called to serve the pro-life cause I reached out to a local ministry with a desire to donate and volunteer. Within moments it was clear that this ministry was closed off to outside, male support. I realize why these attitudes and approaches may be in place given the type of ministry but all I can tell you is the next place I called welcomed me with open arms. I’ve served and donated to that place for over a year.
We encourage Gospel conversations with men.
There’s a tendency at some centers to shy away from a faith focus. I imagine this has to do with skittishness about scaring non-Christian clients away. I know these conversations need to be handled with care, but because they are an opportunity to save a life and a soul, we cannot afford to miss it. I’ve personally led more people to the Lord at my pregnancy center in one year than I have in the last five years of full-time ministry. Male clients are especially open to these conversations in my experience, and they play a pivotal role in a decision for life.
We mentor men.
It’s an unfortunate reality but we are serving men in a culture that has the highest single parent rate in the world. According to Pew, 23% children in the U.S. under the age of 18 live with one parent which is three times the rate of children around the world (7%). The likelihood that a male client did not have a father in his life is very high. When we take men in, they are often scared and hopeless. By the time they leave we have done our best to support them financially, spiritually, and practically. All of that begins with a relationship between a man and one of our male mentors.
There’s probably much more to add to this list and even more technical advice for handling situations where the paternity in a pregnancy is in question or where there is a negative male influence in a woman’s life. All of these are legitimate concerns but should never undermine God’s pre-ordained vision for the family.
The greatest gift we can give a baby is life. The second-best gift is an intact family walking after God. The pregnancy help centers pursuing that for women, children, and men are destined to be known in their community for the good work that they do - and in the Lord’s eyes for the same.
Editor's note: Reed Uberman works with the men’s ministry at Choices Pregnancy Resource Center in Chattanooga, Tenn., and is founder and host of the Indie Thinker podcast.
