Raising Ministry Support While Reducing Abortions!!

Written By: Mike Long for Focus on the Family HeartLink Magazine.

What percentage of abortion vulnerable women and teens do you reach in your community? If you are frustrated at times because the problem is so large and your resources are so small, then let me tell you about a new and innovative approach to reducing unplanned pregnancies and abortions while increasing donations from your supporters!

It is the Directive approach to teaching abstinence education that is creating a new excitement across the country. Abstinence education in itself is not a new concept. It has been taught many ways for many years. But when educators and parents alike learn the directive approach to teaching abstinence, it sparks a renewed interest and outpouring of support.

Since 1985, it has been my privilege to train over 40,000 educators and youth leaders in 46 states how to effectively teach abstinence education in the directive style. The impact these trainings have had on the way abstinence education is taught has been overwhelming. Teachers now have the confidence to teach abstinence effectively to teens resulting in fewer unplanned pregnancies and abortions - the goal of every Pregnancy Resource Center.

That is why this new and innovative approach needs to be featured at your next PRC fundraising banquet. Its positive, refreshing message creates compelling reasons for supporters to reach deeper into their pocketbooks. Why? The directive approach to teaching abstinence education not only PREVENTS unplanned pregnancies, STDs, abortions, and emotional trauma; it PROMOTES happier, healthier, and more fulfilling lives. The prevention angle is the key message that unlocks a renewed outpouring of support from your banquet donors.

The Directive Approach: Directive teaching is the means to which teachers and parents successfully direct teenagers to the conclusion that sexual abstinence until marriage is the wisest, most healthy choice for me (the teenager) to make. Directive teaching builds the very traits in our kids that all administrators, teachers, and parents want - character, responsibility, maturity, discipline, and respect. In short, directive teaching sells abstinence education.

How many times has this happened to you? You go to your school administrators. Your goal is to convince them that "abstinence education" is in the best interest of their students. You suggest you would be willing to bring in a professional trainer to provide an in-service for teachers. You say you will be willing to foot the bill for a speaker to conduct assemblies and parent conferences. But your administration balks and rehashes tired, old myths, "Abstinence education is an unrealistic approach," they say. "It's just say NO or preaching to kids. It'll never work." You feel like you're talking to a brick wall!

So, let's rewind. If their problem is the approach, then let's begin by solving their problem: "We have discovered a new approach called "directive teaching" which has been found to be very effective in helping teens make wise lifestyle choices about sex. We're not going to lecture teens to just say NO! We're not going to preach to them. We're going to show parents and teachers how to get on a teenager's level, so they direct teenagers to the conclusion that sexual abstinence until marriage is the wisest most healthy choice for me the teenager to make. At the same time we are going to build in our teens character, responsibility, maturity, discipline, and respect."

By addressing the approach first, you defined how one teaches abstinence education effectively and you explained it in a way most administrators will respond, "Well, come on in!" Why? Because you just offered your school system something every principal, school board member, administrator, teacher, health professional, parent, etc. wants for ALL of our teenagers: character, responsibility, maturity, discipline, respect. You removed the "brick wall," you dispelled the myths, and you opened the doors for your schools to bring in a speaker, a trainer, a program that achieves our goals of preventing unplanned pregnancies and abortions in your community!

The PRC Response: I am so encouraged by the number of PRCs that are beginning to highlight this unique approach at their banquets. The response of executive directors who showcase this message speaks for itself as to why the directive approach in teaching abstinence education compels supporters to respond in such a positive way. Jim Elmore of Eastern Pregnancy Care Center in New Bern, NC may have summed it up best when he said,

"As an executive director of a pregnancy care center, I believe that abstinence and character education are paramount to all other aspects of our ministry. Why? When churches, schools, pregnancy resource centers, and we parents alike begin to teach abstinence coupled with character education then we will have fewer pregnancies. Logically, we will have fewer abortions. There is no better way to prevent abortion. Furthermore, as we place a greater emphasis upon abstinence and character education, the abortion rate will drastically drop as will school dropouts and Juvenile delinquency. This should in turn curtail domestic violence. To highlight our own ministry's abstinence program we invited Mike Long to be our keynote speaker at our annual fundraising banquet. Despite the fact Mike was not as well known as other speakers we've had, the banquet was our most successful fundraiser ever!"

You too can have one of the most successful fundraisers ever. Once supporters understand the vital role abstinence education plays in our goal of preventing unplanned pregnancies and abortions, they are more inclined to invest in a ministry that is on the cutting edge of achieving that goal. And once they see your new vision of taking this life-changing message to thousands of young people in your schools, they are more compelled to support your center's efforts in achieving that vision.

If you're looking for a new, timely, innovative program for your next fundraising banquet, showcase abstinence education taught in the directive style to your supporters. As Phyllis Schlafly shared with me after speaking at her annual Eagle Council banquet, "Your material was so informative and just exactly what we needed. I know that our Eagles will put your excellent information to good use in order to spread the truth."

If you do not have a banquet, consider having one or plan a community wide parent/teen rally for abstinence and sexual purity. Bring together local churches and faith based organizations. It is up to us to boldly proclaim the Biblical mandate on the #1 issue facing teens today….SEX! And we must act now if we want our teens, living in a sex-crazed culture; to make responsible, healthy decisions based on God's Word.

Remember, when we help our supporters understand how abstinence equals prevention, their response is usually record breaking investments in ministries that are dedicated to prevent unplanned pregnancies and abortions. And when we emphasize the directive teaching approach to administrators, the school doors open wider for more abstinence education programs that help our teens lead happier, healthier, and more fulfilling lives!

Written By: Mike Long for Focus on the Family HeartLink Magazine.

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