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Contenders: A Church-Wide Strategy to Unmask Abortion, Defeat Its Advocates, Empower Christians, and Change the World
How did intentionally killing human beings in the womb become “health care”? When did sacrificing the innocent become the path to “freedom”? Planned Parenthood and their allies are normalizing abortion and selling a lie. In Contenders, Dr. Marc Newman shows you the spiritual underpinnings of the abortion industry and how its advocates “argue in retreat.” With every shift in the conversation, you will learn how to winsomely respond to abortion-choice supporters and help them to see that their view of the unborn is not only scientifically insupportable, but morally disfiguring, placing all human beings at risk.Drawing on decades as a nationally-recognized pro-life communication trainer, apologist, professor, and director of intercollegiate speech and debate, Newman equips readers the mask off of abortionUnderstand why the church has remained so silentRecognize and defeat abortion advocate’s Five Big ShiftsGive you confidence to speak up for the unbornBecome powerfully persuasive while remaining winsomeCombat a culture of death by creating tangible, life-affirming alternativesEmpower Christians to change the world
Kindle Edition
Published July 14, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
February 3, 2022
This is a MUST read for any Christian serious about becoming a "Contender" in the arena of life & abortion in this country. Given this book by the director of a local PHC (pregnancy help center) some time ago, I decided it was time to read the contents. Boy was I ever glad to read it!
Every Christian would be helped by reading this book. However, every Christian leader would benefit greatly. Why? Because the author equips the reader with tools to effectively speak out in support of life and against the culture of death that pervades our society when it comes to abortion. Although most Christian leaders I know are against abortion (and can prove it with Bible verses), very few I know (including myself) have a good grasp on how to address & speak directly to those on the other side of the issue with well-planned, thought out arguments.
Newman divides the book into three sections: 1) he lays out what we (those who support life) are up against, 2) he gives excellent counsel on how to speak to and overcome any of the objections to life from those for abortion, and 3) he speaks to the church, its leaders, and Christians all over on how to become a "contender" for life by speaking up, rescuing, and changing the world.
In the first section, Newman includes a stark, abhorrent description of child sacrifice that was often practiced in Old Testament times. This child sacrifice was to the false god Molech. What brought me chills was how deftly he then turned and showed how we here in the United States are doing the same thing - we just do it under the cloak of "abortion."
Newman includes helpful information in the abortion debate in the second section. Information such as: 1) early on in its history, Planned Parenthood described life beginning in the womb; and 2) how to first respond to the argument of allowance of abortion for rape/incest victims. He also shows the best questions to ask when debating or defending the value of life at all times in the abortion debate. Many of these are questions I would have never thought of or considered.
Toward the end of the book, Newman sets forth the argument that our churches/ministries (Christian schools, etc) should be a place of grace for those who have sinned by engaging in sexual activity outside of marriage thereby becoming pregnant. He correctly (IMO) encourages ministries to uphold holiness while wrapping our arms around those who have sinned. In his research, far too many Christian ministries basically send the "sinner" away with no support, no help, and no path for repentance/restoration. He gives some good Biblical principles to consider when formulating these policies.
I highly recommend this book!
Every Christian would be helped by reading this book. However, every Christian leader would benefit greatly. Why? Because the author equips the reader with tools to effectively speak out in support of life and against the culture of death that pervades our society when it comes to abortion. Although most Christian leaders I know are against abortion (and can prove it with Bible verses), very few I know (including myself) have a good grasp on how to address & speak directly to those on the other side of the issue with well-planned, thought out arguments.
Newman divides the book into three sections: 1) he lays out what we (those who support life) are up against, 2) he gives excellent counsel on how to speak to and overcome any of the objections to life from those for abortion, and 3) he speaks to the church, its leaders, and Christians all over on how to become a "contender" for life by speaking up, rescuing, and changing the world.
In the first section, Newman includes a stark, abhorrent description of child sacrifice that was often practiced in Old Testament times. This child sacrifice was to the false god Molech. What brought me chills was how deftly he then turned and showed how we here in the United States are doing the same thing - we just do it under the cloak of "abortion."
Newman includes helpful information in the abortion debate in the second section. Information such as: 1) early on in its history, Planned Parenthood described life beginning in the womb; and 2) how to first respond to the argument of allowance of abortion for rape/incest victims. He also shows the best questions to ask when debating or defending the value of life at all times in the abortion debate. Many of these are questions I would have never thought of or considered.
Toward the end of the book, Newman sets forth the argument that our churches/ministries (Christian schools, etc) should be a place of grace for those who have sinned by engaging in sexual activity outside of marriage thereby becoming pregnant. He correctly (IMO) encourages ministries to uphold holiness while wrapping our arms around those who have sinned. In his research, far too many Christian ministries basically send the "sinner" away with no support, no help, and no path for repentance/restoration. He gives some good Biblical principles to consider when formulating these policies.
I highly recommend this book!
February 9, 2021
(Special thanks to Marc Newman for the book.)
Marlon Brando famously uttered the line "I coulda been a contender!" in the film On the Waterfront. Brando played Terry Malloy, a boxer with a promising future who was asked to throw a fight so that a mob boss could win money by betting against him. Because of that thrown fight, Terry was left wondering what could have been -- he could have been somebody if not for that thrown fight. The abortion discussion can often feel like a losing battle. We have the media against us, we have the culture against us, and we have churches against us either in open support or tacit support by keeping quiet about children made in God's image being led to the slaughter. But Marc Newman has written a book which not only goes over how to respond to the various arguments you're likely to hear from pro-choice advocates, but also how pro-life people can equip themselves depending on their calling to make a greater impact for life.
Marc is a nationally-recognized communicator and trainer of speakers. He draws on his numerous years of education and training in the process of this book. He outlines the problem that pro-life people face when we decide to speak out about abortion but he also provides solutions. He provides a way forward for people who are new to the movement as well as long-time veterans. I'll briefly cover the contents of the book but I don't want to give too much away. It's very readable, written in a conversational style and peppered with personal stories. And most importantly, very few typos. Compared to some of the books I've read and reviewed recently, the typos were almost non-existent.
The book is laid out in a logical progression with each chapter flowing seamlessly into the next. Part One of the book is called What We're Up Against and consists of four chapters. The most helpful part of the first chapter is in drawing parallels between abortion and worship of the pagan god Molech. Ancient pagans would sacrifice their children to the god Molech for the promise of a better life and that's what abortion providers promise today. Modern abortion providers are the priests of Molech, who will kill your children for a fee so you can have the life you want to have. The next two chapters deal with reasons Christians don't speak up against abortion and then systematically dismantles each reason. Especially helpful is the discussion on why pastors don't preach on abortion from the pulpit. Avoiding the topic can feel like an act of love, but in reality it harms the very souls that the pastor or priest is called to minister to. Part One finishes with some warnings about what to expect when you do start to speak out against abortion.
Part Two deals with the various arguments you are likely to encounter in your discussions and the tactics taken by pro-choice people to attempt to save their pro-abortion stance when you refute their arguments. Marc talks about bodily rights and personhood arguments, as well as the easier to answer arguments that pro-choice people throw at you in an attempt to get you to stop defending the unborn. The arguments Marc expounds are those most often defended by the average pro-choice advocate. It's especially important to understand the mindset and tactics of your interlocutor, so the discussion on how pro-choice people move from argument to argument and how to keep them from returning to refuted arguments will help your persuasiveness when addressing these arguments.
Part Three is where Marc offers helpful suggestions to improve persuasiveness. The first two parts of the book would be good enough to help pro-life advocates who are shy about getting into arguments improve their confidence. But this last part goes even further. He provides helpful guidelines for how to put a pro-life presentation together, depending on how long you have to speak. He even provides helpful advice to pastors on how to address abortion from the pulpit and how to partner with Pregnancy Care Centers (PCCs) to ensure that women and men who have been hurt by abortion find the maximal amount of healing they can from their shepherd (the pastor).
As far as who to recommend this book to, I'm sure non-religious pro-life people can get something out of this book, especially regarding the discussions on pro-choice arguments and how to respond to them. But this is a book primarily aimed at a Christian audience and no matter what your calling, whether it be to engage intellectually, to preach to a congregation, to speak to a crowd, or to run a PCC, this book has something for you. This is a book that every Christian pro-life advocate should have on his bookshelf. With this book in your arsenal, you no longer have to lament what could have been, like Terry Malloy. With this book, you can be a contender.
Marlon Brando famously uttered the line "I coulda been a contender!" in the film On the Waterfront. Brando played Terry Malloy, a boxer with a promising future who was asked to throw a fight so that a mob boss could win money by betting against him. Because of that thrown fight, Terry was left wondering what could have been -- he could have been somebody if not for that thrown fight. The abortion discussion can often feel like a losing battle. We have the media against us, we have the culture against us, and we have churches against us either in open support or tacit support by keeping quiet about children made in God's image being led to the slaughter. But Marc Newman has written a book which not only goes over how to respond to the various arguments you're likely to hear from pro-choice advocates, but also how pro-life people can equip themselves depending on their calling to make a greater impact for life.
Marc is a nationally-recognized communicator and trainer of speakers. He draws on his numerous years of education and training in the process of this book. He outlines the problem that pro-life people face when we decide to speak out about abortion but he also provides solutions. He provides a way forward for people who are new to the movement as well as long-time veterans. I'll briefly cover the contents of the book but I don't want to give too much away. It's very readable, written in a conversational style and peppered with personal stories. And most importantly, very few typos. Compared to some of the books I've read and reviewed recently, the typos were almost non-existent.
The book is laid out in a logical progression with each chapter flowing seamlessly into the next. Part One of the book is called What We're Up Against and consists of four chapters. The most helpful part of the first chapter is in drawing parallels between abortion and worship of the pagan god Molech. Ancient pagans would sacrifice their children to the god Molech for the promise of a better life and that's what abortion providers promise today. Modern abortion providers are the priests of Molech, who will kill your children for a fee so you can have the life you want to have. The next two chapters deal with reasons Christians don't speak up against abortion and then systematically dismantles each reason. Especially helpful is the discussion on why pastors don't preach on abortion from the pulpit. Avoiding the topic can feel like an act of love, but in reality it harms the very souls that the pastor or priest is called to minister to. Part One finishes with some warnings about what to expect when you do start to speak out against abortion.
Part Two deals with the various arguments you are likely to encounter in your discussions and the tactics taken by pro-choice people to attempt to save their pro-abortion stance when you refute their arguments. Marc talks about bodily rights and personhood arguments, as well as the easier to answer arguments that pro-choice people throw at you in an attempt to get you to stop defending the unborn. The arguments Marc expounds are those most often defended by the average pro-choice advocate. It's especially important to understand the mindset and tactics of your interlocutor, so the discussion on how pro-choice people move from argument to argument and how to keep them from returning to refuted arguments will help your persuasiveness when addressing these arguments.
Part Three is where Marc offers helpful suggestions to improve persuasiveness. The first two parts of the book would be good enough to help pro-life advocates who are shy about getting into arguments improve their confidence. But this last part goes even further. He provides helpful guidelines for how to put a pro-life presentation together, depending on how long you have to speak. He even provides helpful advice to pastors on how to address abortion from the pulpit and how to partner with Pregnancy Care Centers (PCCs) to ensure that women and men who have been hurt by abortion find the maximal amount of healing they can from their shepherd (the pastor).
As far as who to recommend this book to, I'm sure non-religious pro-life people can get something out of this book, especially regarding the discussions on pro-choice arguments and how to respond to them. But this is a book primarily aimed at a Christian audience and no matter what your calling, whether it be to engage intellectually, to preach to a congregation, to speak to a crowd, or to run a PCC, this book has something for you. This is a book that every Christian pro-life advocate should have on his bookshelf. With this book in your arsenal, you no longer have to lament what could have been, like Terry Malloy. With this book, you can be a contender.
April 10, 2023
One of the biggest debates for the past half decade and why it's not OK for anyone to sit quietly in the stands. Contenders is Marc Newman's letter to the church, its pastors and the attendees sitting in the pews. It is a direct strategy on how to address the issue, how to present, and what is needed for the church to begin saving lives.
This isn't a Pro-Life 101 book, (although it does give some details and arguments it doesn't go into the depths other books do) it is a direct call for Christians to get involved, make their voices heard and begin helping others.
Well written, an easy read which flows nicely from page to page. Newman's passion and dedication is evident in his writing and you can feel his eagerness to get everyone to join along in the fight.
If you're not a Christian, or you don't have prior knowledge of the Pro-Life argument, this probably isn't the book for you at this time.
But if you want an understanding of Why you should care and why you should make your voice heard, this is a must read.
This isn't a Pro-Life 101 book, (although it does give some details and arguments it doesn't go into the depths other books do) it is a direct call for Christians to get involved, make their voices heard and begin helping others.
Well written, an easy read which flows nicely from page to page. Newman's passion and dedication is evident in his writing and you can feel his eagerness to get everyone to join along in the fight.
If you're not a Christian, or you don't have prior knowledge of the Pro-Life argument, this probably isn't the book for you at this time.
But if you want an understanding of Why you should care and why you should make your voice heard, this is a must read.
November 24, 2022
Advocating for Life
Dr. Newman advocates for the lives of unborn humans in such a way that pro-lifers can be confident in speaking out against abortion. He also informs about the work of pregnancy health centers and their mission to show grace and mercy to everyone who needs support and help during their pregnancy.
Dr. Newman advocates for the lives of unborn humans in such a way that pro-lifers can be confident in speaking out against abortion. He also informs about the work of pregnancy health centers and their mission to show grace and mercy to everyone who needs support and help during their pregnancy.
August 21, 2025
HER body HER choice
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews