COMMENTARY | Having watched the videos depicting the barbarism of taxpayer-funded abortion in America, my stomach churned as I watched a scene that belongs in an MA-rated horror movie.

A full-grown human hand approaches a glass dish from the right side of the frame, tweezers positioned between the fingers where chopsticks would go. The tweezers pinch a pink fleshy limb, captured clearly by the camera. It is a hand, a wrist and an arm; no shoulder is attached. In the dish below the tiny arm, I see a leg. Eyeballs and lungs are among the other baby parts identified in the video.

Horrifyingly, some admit they watched these videos but remain unfazed. More than once, Scripture refers to this as people who have “eyes to see but do not see, ears to hear but do not hear” (Ezekiel 12:2).

You and I elected to Congress many with these unseeing eyes. On Aug. 3, when the members of the Senate had a chance to pass a game-changing, life-saving bill to defund Planned Parenthood, they didn’t.

Be assured, however, this spiritual-physical battle is not over. As long as you and I are breathing, we must fight for those whose first breath is under siege — for the boy who cannot scream from within the womb when a metal instrument approaches to dismember him and for the girl who cannot run from her med-school-trained attacker.

Until we have made abortion unimaginable for every sane American, we follow the apostle Paul’s directions: “… let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:9). We don’t have the option of apathy or making excuses, of which there have been plenty: “I’m not political.” “I’m busy.” “The videos are gross.” “It’s not my business.”

Oh, but it is your business. Humans must not let other humans do this to each other.

So, while those with power, money and influence line up against us like a fifth-year senior linebacker set in his stance across from a string-bean freshman with porcelain bones, we press on.

“What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” we read in Romans 8:31. And one thing is certain: If God is for us, we dare not be against ourselves. Do not acquiesce to the temptation of putting a trendy spin on this “issue” for the sake of, well, anything at all. It may be cool in your circle to be self-deprecating and to apologize for everything under the sun in order to appear relatable.

But please, don’t apologize for me. This “issue” is zero percent about the thought process of those who find abortion acceptable. It is 100 percent about saving the lives of the babies who will be aborted today. And tomorrow. And this weekend.

Ponder this: If someone pointed a gun barrel to your forehead, would you take the time to tell the person that you empathize with what may have led them to think about killing you? Would you apologize for not understanding where they’re coming from?

I wouldn’t. I’d be crying, hyperventilating and sweating from every pore in my skin. Frantically, I’d beg for my life. And my begging wouldn’t necessarily convey anger, but desperation. Perhaps later I would be angry, and I bet you’d be willing to understand that. After all, it was unjust that someone held a gun to my forehead, causing me to be rightly angry.

There is such a thing: “Be angry, and do not sin” (Ephesians 4:26). By no means is this an easy task, but children’s lives are certainly worth our trudging through the muck and maneuvering this tight rope to defend them.

I implore you: Beg in desperation for these lives as fervently as you would your own life. Philippians 2 tells us to think of others as better than ourselves and to look out for the needs of others before our own. This is one way we live out that passage.

This is not merely an “issue of our times,” a platform on which to campaign, a hot-button blog topic or a re-tweetable hashtag.

This is laying down our lives for our unborn brothers and sisters — something Christ did perfectly when He died on the cross for me and for you. When any of us turn from our wicked ways, Christ will redeem us (1 John 1:9).

We have a duty to fight for the earthly lives of the unborn and the eternal lives of those who are convinced that the choice of one should trump the chance of another. “Open your mouth for the speechless, in the cause of all who are appointed to die,” we read in Psalm 31:8-9. “Open your mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy.”

Resolve that we will be the generation that roars, “No!”

No, we will not let you kill innocent life. We won’t pay for it with our money, and we will push back with everything on the line. You may call us names, say we’re ignorant, blast our reputation or threaten us to pieces, but we will stand firm. We will stand for life. We won’t passively allow this to continue in our nation while we go on with the comforts of life, stick our heads in the sand and make weekend plans.

We, the servants of the Lord, will not stand down until our commander calls us home.

Sharayah Colter is a newswriter for the Southern Baptist TEXAN, newsjournal of the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention.

HEARTLAND | Meredith Flynn

Having spent the last 39 weeks awaiting the birth of our first child, the news stories about recently released Planned Parenthood videos hit close to home. I haven’t really watched the videos—which detail conversations about the sale of body parts from aborted babies—very closely, mostly because I was scared of what I would hear.

The fallout is plenty frightening, especially how many government leaders and media professionals have defended Planned Parenthood’s practices. The apathetic reaction causes me to ask: Is this how far we’ve come?

In a blog post following the release of the first video, Southern Seminary President Albert Mohler noted the tepid reaction of most mainstream media and abortion supporters wasn’t surprising. One magazine writer said she had watched the video and her response was “to yawn,” Mohler wrote.

Is this where we are now as a nation, as a culture? How on earth did we get this far from a merely human view of the sanctity of life? We are all, after all, people. Surely we can understand that life isn’t to be haggled over during a lunch meeting.

But the videos tell a different story.

How did we get here? A quick first reaction is to decry the videos as one more piece of evidence that society is in a downward spiral. The Planned Parenthood videos show a twisting away from God’s plan and purpose for life, and we can do nothing but throw up our hands—or wash our hands of all of it.

The problem with that reaction is that it takes the responsibility off of the church. And while many Christians have long stood up for the sanctity of human life, there obviously is much left to be done.

“We must pray that this video will mark an important turning point in our nation’s conscience,” Mohler wrote. And in our own. How can we respond when plainly bone-chilling conversations are shrugged off as normal?

Russell Moore, president of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, summed it up in a dozen words: “It is time for the reborn to stand up for the unborn.” In our churches, in our conversations at work, with our families, with people who disagree.

“A nation that will allow this, will allow anything,” Mohler said.

That’s why it’s a fight we have to fight.

THE BRIEFING | More than 600 attendees gathered last week in Nashville to learn about the models of political engagement evangelical Christians could adopt in current American culture.

“The Gospel and Politics,” a national conference sponsored by the Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission took place Aug. 5.

It is a new day for evangelicals and other religious conservatives in the United States, conference presenters said. The “illusion of a Christian majority is now gone,” said ERLC President Russell Moore.

It is fair to say conservative Christians “have lost the debate basically” about sexuality, said Ross Douthat, columnist for The New York Times. Religious conservatives “have become a sort of cultural or sociological minority whose view of sex is regarded at best as antique and at worst as potentially noxious,” he said. Read the full report at BPnews.net.

Black pastors demand bust of PP founder Margaret Sanger from Smithsonian exhibit

Black pastors are calling on the Smithsonian Institution to remove a bust of Planned Parenthood founder Margaret Sanger from the National Portrait Gallery’s “Struggle for Justice Exhibit” in Washington, D.C.

The Smithsonian has fallen victim to the propaganda of abortion supporters, according to the group of black pastors who assert that while pro-choice activists praise Sanger as a hero, she was instead a woman who spoke at KKK rallies, advocated for “black eugenics” and wanted to “eliminate black births.”

Target removes gender based signage

Target has become the next corporate power, after Amazon, to rid themselves of all gender designations and labels for children’s toys and bedding. Grant Castleberry writes how the company missed the target.

“As guests have pointed out, in some departments like toys, home or entertainment, suggesting products by gender is unnecessary,” reads a statement from Target. “We heard you, and we agree. Right now, our teams are working across the store to identify areas where we can phase out gender-based signage to help strike a better balance.”

After miscarriage, couple has no regrets about YouTube pregnancy announcement

Posted on Aug. 5, “HUSBAND SHOCKS WIFE WITH PREGNANCY ANNOUNCEMENT!” has received more than 11 million hits on YouTube. The same night they posted the video, Sam said, his wife had a miscarriage at six weeks. The couple announced her miscarriage on Aug. 8 in a video titled, “Our Baby Had a Heartbeat” that has nearly a million views.

“God’s ready to use us in a big way,” Sam said as the video starts. The couple highlights their faith, describing themselves and their children as “a small family of four pointing to a big God and vlogging it all… daily.”

Creditors approve plan to keep Family Christian stores open

Family Christian Stores (FCS) entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy earlier this year with more than $100 million in debt. After several failed attempts to get court-approval for a quick buyout, FCS submitted a plan to its creditors for their approval. Under the plan, a sister company called FC Acquisition will buy the company for between $52.4 and $57.5 million.

NEWS | Morgan Jackson

With only one day remaining before the kickoff of the 2015 SEND North America Conference, a completely sold-out event, Esther Fasolino had only a single word to say in explanation of why she was attending, “Missions!”

Fasolino is a member of Immanuel Baptist Church in Toronto and was enthusiastic about this highly anticipated conference. “We’ve come to learn,” she said. “The breakout topics are fantastic.” Her friend, Ivonne Anlar, chimed in, “We want to share the experience with as many people as we can.”

This two-day gathering in North America aims to see a movement of people from within the church, across the entire country, living out the mission of God in every aspect of their everyday lives.

SEND 2015 was hosted this year at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena August 3-4 and was sponsored by the North American Mission Board and the International Mission Board. Between participants and volunteers, almost 14,000 were in attendance.

At a Sunday briefing, SEND Conference executive director Aaron Coe reminded event volunteers that just five short years ago, a mission gathering like this was only a dream. Coe said approximately 280 pastors were registered and bringing some 8,200 members from their congregations.

“This conference is about aligning our lives behind God’s plan to advance His kingdom,” Coe said. “We want to change the conversation and help people understand they are ministers. God wants us to use each of these people to share the Gospel with their neighbors and friends. I can’t wait to see what God will do.”

Carmen Halsey, IBSA’s Director of Women’s Ministry and Church Missions, said the “two-day program was packed with quality speakers, timely breakout topics, premiere worship leaders, cutting edge technology, and hundreds of volunteers prepared to greet and host us.”

Halsey expressed that both NAMB and IMB leadership were well-represented, and anybody who walked away doubting whether or not the two agencies are working more aligned than ever in their vision, strategy, and fellowship… might have gone to the wrong conference.

Rex Alexander, Director of Men’s Ministry and Missions Mobilization for IBSA, said the worship and times of preaching were a blessing but that new IMB president, David Platt, was particularly inspiring. “I just love his passion. Every time he speaks it’s a great encouragement to me to keep doing what I’m doing here in Illinois with missions and helping our people move towards the ends of the earth.”

SEND 2015 drew church members and leaders from all 50 states and four Canadian provinces. And the event’s missional focus permeated everything. Three stations were even set up throughout the venues where participants could respond to missions callings. A six-week, next steps Bible study was also launched through the Send North American Network on Monday, August 10.

Member of IBSA’s Church Planting Team, Charles Campbell, said the two days brought a great atmosphere. “The main voice that I heard was this: every life needs to be lived on mission. Don’t waste the opportunity, and use the gifts God has given you to make an impact for him.”

• Reporting from Baptist Press and IB Staff

Worship was led over the course of the 2 days by various bands and artists such as David Crowder, Casting Crowns, Shane and Shane, and the Passion worship band.

Chicago’s Transplant crew was ready for the first session of SEND Conference 2015 to start.

Russell Moore, Albert Mohler, Kevin Ezell, and Danny Akin talking about the benefits of the Southern Baptist Convention family.

Current SBC President Ronnie Floyd and 16 past presidents released a joint statement June 17 at the Southern Baptist Convention in Columbus, Ohio, stating their commitment to the biblical definition of marriage.

The presidents—all current or retired pastors—stated, “We stake our lives upon the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus.”

The statement also included a notice to the country and the sitting Supreme Court justices that they “will not recognize same-sex ‘marriages,’ our churches will not host same-sex ceremonies, and we will not perform such ceremonies.”

Later this month, the Supreme Court will release its decision on a case which could potentially make same-sex marriage legal in all 50 states.

At the press conference, James Merritt, pastor of Cross Pointe Church in Duluth, Ga., paraphrased the words of Martin Luther: “Here we stand, and we can do no other. God help us.”

The presidents also stressed the need for churches to be prepared by having clear bylaws and constitutions that say what it means to be married in their churches.

Paige Patterson, president, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, urged Christian colleges, universities, and seminaries to do the same. He said he could see a time forthcoming where accrediting bodies may not provide accreditation to Christian educational institutions that do not approve of same-sex marriage or transgenderism.

What he said concerns him most are the medium and small churches “that have never thought through their bylaws and constitutions. Challenges will probably come to those small churches that are ill-prepared.”

Floyd said the issue is a matter of preparation and encouragement. “It’s not about anything more than helping our churches and being clear and compassionate.”

They also offered encouragement to church members whose religious liberties are threatened in the workplace to prepare and stand firm. Jack Graham, pastor of Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, Texas, said, “We want to challenge pastors and church members. This is coming and it’s coming now. The trajectory is on breakneck speed…We encourage Christian leaders everywhere to make some noise and to be a voice.”

Floyd encouraged Christians who face hostility for their biblical views on same-sex marriage and other such issues. “I think we engage by showing compassion…it’s about love and truth. You can’t preach the gospel without preaching the grace of God and the love of God.

The press conference ended with a word from Floyd reaffirming the stance of the Convention. “The Southern Baptist Convention has not moved, the culture has moved. We stand on the Word of God that abides forever, always, has been, and will forever be.”

The press statement was signed by every living past president of the SBC. Nine total presidents were attended the press conference.

Visit the Baptist Press website to read the statement and to hear audio of the press conference.