October 1, 2026
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention has released a new church guide on the topic of assisted reproductive technologies in the Church and Christian ministry.
The guide, titled, “Desiring Children: A Practical Guide to Addressing Assisted Reproductive Technologies in the Church,” offers a theological and ethical framework to help churches engage these realities with truth, love, and grace. The guide also provides practical scenarios with principles on how to think ethically and morally about their use.
RaShan Frost, ERLC director of research and senior fellow for human dignity, editor of the project, and author of the guide’s foreword, said the guide was produced to assist Southern Baptist churches in navigating this complex and emotionally fraught issue from an explicitly Christian, pro-life framework.
“Children are a gift from God,” Frost wrote in the foreword. “The desire to have children of one’s own is a good and natural desire that recognizes the gift sons and daughters are to our families and our societies. Infertility and the desire for children are intensely personal and emotional topics. The view that ARTs can be a gift to solve the pain of infertility is one that many people, Christians included, have taken and acted upon to fulfill the dream of having children. However, while these technologies are available, the ethical implications of ARTs raise many concerns that we ought to evaluate before utilizing or recommending them to others. Even though the desire to have children is a good that comes from God, the question that ARTs present for us as Christians is: Are we to pursue having children by whatever means possible? Just because we can do something does not necessarily mean that we should.”
Jason Thacker, ERLC’s senior fellow for life and other bioethical issues, was a primary author of the guide.
“Often pastors and ministry leaders feel ill-equipped to walk alongside couples facing the pains of infertility with biblically grounded and compassionate counsel. Many couples do not know where to turn after meeting with medical professionals and need wise counsel as they make decisions about growing their families. These issues can be immensely complex and emotionally challenging even for the most seasoned leader. While many church leaders are initially exposed to these topics in seminary or other ministry training, it can be difficult to keep up with the fast pace of technological development as well as apply a rich biblical framework to these emerging technologies. Our hope with this guide is to equip local church leaders with the necessary tools and insights on key questions of assisted reproductive technologies and bioethics as they provide counsel and care for those struggling in our midst.”
Evan Lenow, a research fellow for the ERLC, was also a primary author of the guide and said he hopes the guide will help us honor God as we navigate the complexities of this issue.
“This church guide is offered as a pastoral resource to help us think biblically about an issue that is deeply personal for many families. Conversations surrounding the reproductive process often carry profound hopes, questions, and even heartache. It is my hope that this guide will ground us in God’s Word, encourage thoughtful and faithful discernment, and help us honor God in every step as we navigate our role in the reproductive process.”
The ERLC produces church guides to provide Christians with theologically grounded and practical resources to assist churches in being salt and light in their communities. More information about the ERLC ARTs church guide can be found online.
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