Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Birth Control


I’ve never heard a sermon on birth control…until today. My blog reading directed me to the teaching of Mark Driscroll. His church is in Seattle, in my mind the capital of “progressive culture” (in the U.S.), and a congregation of young progressive Christians. Had I read a manuscript of his teaching to my congregation on a Sunday morning I would have likely been fired (you’ll have to listen to know what I mean) but it’s a teaching I wish every Christian young adult and late teenager would learn.

His teaching was one hour and eleven minutes long! I’m not going to describe the whole talk but one section grabbed my attention. To combat the notion that birth control is sinful (a notion a good many of Christian have), birth control can be a matter of stewardship. Four examples are…

• A victim of rape, who already has a child, needs time to get help and work out her traumatic experience. Would it be alright to delay her fertility in order to heal emotionally?

• A man marries a woman with rebellious teenage kids. Before having children of his own, he feels that it best to pour Christ’s love into his stepchildren before they leave the home. Would it be alright to delay his fertility to better connect with the children already in his home?

• A father, the sole provider of his family, wakes up with a disabling disease and now the stay-at-home mom needs to work in order to provide for the family. Would it be alright to prevent his fertility so she can provide for the family?

• During the delivery of her bay, a woman tore so badly that her organs were falling out of her body. Would it be alright for her to delay her fertility until she has healed?

In regard to these situations, Discroll (as well as myself) agree that these are God honoring ways to use birth control. These examples are not about being selfish or even related to sin…its about being good stewards of what God has already given.

If you want to listen to the whole teaching then go to the religious and spiritually section of iTunes/podcast and download it or watch it HERE (I’m sure it will not be posted for very long but if you catch it in time go to 01.06.08 Religious Saves #9.) I would love to know what you think.

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