On June 15, 2024, Focus on the Family hosted its fifth annual SeeLife event.
The live in-person evening at the Colorado Springs campus was completely sold out, while thousands of viewers watched online.
Designed to inspire and equip the pro-life community and the Church to actively promote life in our culture, this year’s theme was “See life the way God sees it!”
Focus on the Family believes that when we see life the way God sees it, we take action.
Danny Gokey, three-time Grammy Nominee and American Idol semi-finalist, opened the night with his hit song “Hope in Front of Me.”
Encouraging attendees to thank God that this is a day of hope for the pro-life movement, Gokey also prayed for the endurance of the pro-life movement to keep fighting the good fight of faith for the sanctity of human life, families, marriages, women and their children.
Keynote speaker Benjamin Watson, who achieved professional success after playing in the NFL for 16 years, and his wife, Kirsten, had a powerful message for the pro-life community:
Bring your talent and let God multiply it.
Benjamin and Kirsten are podcasters, movie producers, authors, speakers and parents to seven children, and as a family, they have boldly used their platform to champion the sanctity of human life.
Benjamin now works as the VP of Strategic Relationships at Human Coalition, a pro-life organization.
At SeeLife24, Benjamin and Kirsten encouraged participants to be informed, embrace compassion and to take action to make a difference for life. They called it an appeal to our heads, hearts and hands.
First, the Watsons believe we must be informed about the abortion landscape in America today because statistics help inform our decisions.
Benjamin cited statistics from a Wall Street Journal article saying that abortion support is at its highest levels in the United States since the 1970s. According to Watson, 55% of Americans support abortion.
Because some states are moving to protect life, others have become abortion destinations. He cited that, in Colorado, 20% of the abortions are performed on people from Texas. The abortion industry recognizes the popularity of abortion tourism and is investing millions of dollars into North Carolina political races because it is the abortion destination of the South.
Watson contends that these numbers demonstrate that there is still much more work to do to change people’s hearts and minds on the issue of abortion. He told the audience that we must understand what we are up against, and it is vital that we support the people on the front lines.
Second, the Watsons believe the pro-life community must embrace compassion.
Kirsten read the story of Jesus feeding the 5,000 from Matthew 14. She explained that the disciples understood the statistics. It was late, they were in a remote place, and there were a lot of people, but Jesus saw something different.
Jesus saw a crowd of people and had compassion for them, and he invited the disciplines to feel compassion for them, too. He wanted the disciples to help them, not send them away.
In the same way, Kirsten explained, the statistics on abortion seem daunting, but we must remember that the statistics are real people, image bearers of God, and we should be moved by compassion to do something to help them.
Benjamin cited statistics from the Human Coalition, which suggest that 76% of abortion-minded women would prefer to parent their children if circumstances were different.
He contends that we have to put ourselves into their shoes with the mindset of alleviating their pain. According to Watson, the typical abortion-minded woman is in her late 20s, already has a child, has completed high school and maybe some college, and is partially employed or under-employed. He says we must see the situation through her eyes and help her if we want to make abortion unthinkable.
Finally, the Watsons believe pro-life advocates must obediently use their resources to change hearts and minds on abortion.
Referring back to the story of Jesus feeding the 5,000, Benjamin said in the Watson family, they have a saying:
Five plus two equals everything when you encounter an almighty God!
The disciples only collected five loaves and two fish, but when Jesus gave thanks, a miracle happened. Jesus took what seemed like a little and made it not just enough but more than enough.
The Watsons encouraged the audience:
When we give our talents and resources to God, He does the multiplying, not us.
This is a new time and a new day for the pro-life movement.
Over 2,700 pregnancy resource centers are on the front lines for life and need our help.
Benjamin encouraged the attendees to actively participate in the pro-life movement, saying:
We need volunteers. We need professionals. We need people to advocate in the public square. People to serve women and children. Pastors to preach from the pulpit on this issue. We need families to bind together. We need people to be conduits of their financial blessing. We need people praying.
So, what are you doing with your time, talent, and treasure?
What is the role for you in the new fight for life?
What resource has God uniquely equipped YOU to provide?
We must all do something. Life is in the balance.
If you missed the event and would like to view it in its entirety, you can do that here.
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