Is Birth Control / Family Planning Wrong?

That's a big question Voddie Baucham brings to the table in the first chapter of his new book – "Family Driven Faith".

After Bridget became pregnant with our son, the pressure was on. Countless well-meaning people were whispering in Bridget's ear. Some warned, "Girl, you'd better not get stuck with a bunch of kids." Others tried to be more diplomatic and simply pointed out how much the cost of college tuition had risen, or the price of groceries. Unfortunately, the voices in our ear trumped the voice of God. When Trey was born, we hired a doctor to speak to God on our behalf. He took his scalpel and sutures and told God, "The Bauchams hereby declare that they no longer trust, nor welcome you in this area of their lives."

Several years later my wife knelt before me with tears in her eyes and asked me two things. First, she asked if I would forgive her for closing her womb. Second, she asked me if it would be alright if we had the procedure reversed. I was floored. I couldn't hold back the tears as I told her how wrong I was to sit back and let it happen and how happy I would be to make it right.

We went to a specialist the next week. Unfortunately, we discovered that what the doctors had done could not be reversed. I wanted to crawl under a rock. I wanted to go back in time and grab my twenty-three year old self by the collar and say, "Don't you dare let this happen!" It was at that moment that we decided to extend our family through adoption." – Family Driven Faith pg. 25

Those are tough paragraphs to read. Very thought provoking and challenging as well! Is God the creator of life or are we? Does God determine what is best for us or do we?

This is an issue in almost every Christian marriage and almost every Christian home in America. Yet I have never heard a sermon on it. Not one. So the question begs to be asked, if this is an issue almost everyone faces, why are we not talking about it as a church?

• Should Christian women take the birth control pill? Only in certain circumstances? What would those circumstances be?
  
• Should Christian women have their tubes tied? Only in certain circumstances? What would those circumstances be?
  
• Should Christian men have vasectomies? Only in certain circumstances? What would those circumstances be?

What are the Biblical parameters surrounding this issue? What is your "theology" of life creation so to speak? How do you view children? How do you view conception? The paragraphs above certainly will force you to think about it. And that is the issue we'll explore on the blog this week. I'll try to unpack what I believe the Bible has to say about it. Stay tuned, it should be a fun week!