Sidewalk counseling is exactly what the name implies—standing on the sidewalk outside an abortion clinic, counseling women and couples on their way inside. It is a last attempt to turn their hearts away from abortion and offer real help.
Thousands of children are alive today because the Pro-Life Action League was there at the moment of crisis. We care about the women being exploited by the abortion industry as well as the innocent babies being killed. That’s why we’re there on the sidewalk outside abortion facilities.
Facing the Tragedy of Abortion
The main motivation for sidewalk counseling is concern for the woman facing a problem pregnancy and her unborn child. But this ministry is also about confronting the reality of abortion—not as a philosophical concern but as a real human tragedy taking place today.
When one stands in front of an abortion clinic and watches a real woman walk inside to pay an abortionist to kill the baby living and growing inside her, the issue is no longer philosophical. Those who witness this recurring scene at an abortion facility cannot help but recommit themselves to the task of trying to save lives.
Taking a compassionate approach
When sidewalk counseling, it’s of utmost importance to use a compassionate approach that meets mothers seeking abortion where they are. Taking inspiration from the words of Jesus in the gospel of John, Pro-Life Action League executive director Eric Scheidler lays out this approach in the video below (Note: Though these thoughts are rooted in the gospel, the video will benefit those who are not religious as well):
Counselors and Prayer Intercessors Needed
Our goal is for every abortion facility in the country to have a pro-life presence during all hours of operation. This will only happen if committed pro-lifers put their beliefs into action outside the clinics.
Also needed are prayer intercessors, to pray for the women and going into the clinics and the clinic staff, and to provide spiritual support for the counselors. Anyone can participate in this peaceful vigil outside abortion facilities. Sidewalk counselors usually come from their ranks.
Additionally, the Pro-Life Action League is available to run training sessions in your area; contact us for more information.
Additional Resources
To sidewalk counsel well takes training. The best ways to approach abortion-bound women are not always the ones that seem most obvious to us. Here are some additional resources to help you learn the best practices pro-lifers have developed from decades of experience:
- Sidewalk Counseling Training Session conducted by Pro-Life Action League co-founder Ann Scheidler
- Contact the Pro-Life Action League to bring a sidewalk counseling training seminar to your community
- Sidewalk Advocates for Life, a sidewalk counseling training organization
- Sidewalk couseling training from the Equal Rights Institute
- Audio recording of a sidewalk counseling training seminar by veteran counselor Karen Black
- No Greater Joy, the Pro-Life Action League’s video on the importance of sidewalk counseling
