House of Refuge Statement

House of Refuge Statement

The House of Refuge Statement

Riverside Calvary Chapel is a House of refuge; This applies to everyone in this church or people you know that need a place of refuge.

Here is what we believe:

If you find yourself in an unplanned pregnancy, please know that being pregnant is not a sin, and the child you carry is not a punishment; it is a blessing. God is knitting this child in your womb. You may have made a sinful decision that led to this pregnancy, or you may have even been sinned against, but we want you to know that you are loved, and we will do whatever it takes to help you carry and care for this precious child before and after birth.

We can never support or encourage the decision for a woman to have an abortion, because the child you carry is made in the image of God and is intrinsically valuable and loved by God. You need to know how we will respond.

Here’s what we won’t do:

This church family will not gossip about you, shame you, or abandon you. This is a House of Refuge, and we will not allow for the family of God to harm one another with words or actions contrary to the love of God as revealed in His word.

Here is what we will do:

We will do everything in our power to remove whatever obstacles may stand in the way of you having this child. There are people in this church ready to mentor you, throw you a baby shower, and to connect you with resources both inside and outside of our church. Resources such as local pregnancy care centres, and if required, adoption agencies. 

We will also hold men accountable for living out their calling to provide and protect women and children.

Finally:

If you have ever had an abortion in your past, we want you to know that abortion is not an unforgivable sin. Whoever confesses and forsakes their sins finds both forgiveness and mercy. If you have never gone through a post abortion Bible study, we will be happy to connect you to one so that you can walk in complete healing and freedom and find the RESTORED life in Jesus Christ that is promised in His word.