We use these words as the backbone of a life spent defending something. You use them as a punchline.

I recently read a challenging piece about the role of a pastor in the pro-life effort. His thesis is a response to the question, "What does a pro-life pastor looks like?"

In summary ...

“The pro-life pastor commits himself to four essential tasks. First, he preaches a biblical view of human value and applies that view to abortion, embryonic stem cell research, and cloning. Second, he equips his people to engage the culture with a persuasive defense of the pro-life view. Third, he restores lost passion for ministry with cross-centered preaching. Fourth, he confronts his own fears about preaching inconvenient truth.”

This came at a time wherein I've been asking a similar question, "What does a pro-life Christian look like?"

There's much talk about a 3rd party candidate because of fears the GOP might nominate a pro-choice candidate (namely, Rudy Guiliani). So, being pro-life is a topic of conversation once again, but this is normal leading up to an election.

Many are in fact self-described as "single issue voters," using a candidate's stance on abortion as the litmus test of whether or not to support him/her. This is particularly important with regard to the president, since it is the president who appoints judges and it is ultimately in the (Supreme) court where this battle will be won or lost.

But ... other than voting pro-life (i.e., voting for a candidate who purports to be pro-life), what do these people DO?

What does, or better yet, what should a pro-life Christian look like?

Is it more than just casting a vote every 4 years? I think so, especially since in many places the vote actually accomplishes nothing.

For example, someone who lives in Texas will (effectively) make no difference because the state will be a "Red State" and the pro-life Christian who cast such a vote actually accomplished nothing for the cause.

Now, that may sound harsh and I know about the "categorical imperative," but everybody doesn't think that way, so it doesn't negate the reality.

Let me state my point more directly: I think it ironic at best and pathetic at worst that so many make such a big deal about being pro-life (i.e., with regard to being anti-abortion) but actually DO nothing more than cast a vote.

It's easy to make fun of those who claim to be Christian but only actually go to church one or two times a year, right? But aren't the VAST MAJORITY of "pro-life Christians" only really so during an election?

What should a Christian do in keeping with his/her conviction of being pro-life? What should he/she not do?

We want to temper our zeal, for I'm not advocating doing violence or blowing up buildings, but there seems to me more than can/should be done than just clamoring for a pro-life candidate and then voting accordingly.

If you call yourself pro-life, what have you done to further the cause?