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4,500 people took to Adelaide’s streets in the highly successful fifth annual Walk for Life. An astonishing address and personal story by Brian Ottinger of his post-abortion healing brought hope for real change for men, women and children.

Warm, sunny skies greeted around 4,500 people who gathered in support of the right to life for the unborn.

This was a slight increase in attendance from last year. But more significant was the increase in the number of politicians – seven in attendance, and five apologies. The previous year saw only two politicians join in support.

In addition, state leaders Premier Peter Malinauskus and Opposition Leader David Speirs sent their best wishes.

Another positive trend saw many people from churches who had never previously been represented attend for the first time. Love Australia has created a growing, grace-filled movement that is overseeing real change among churches.

The 2024 Walk for Life had a “beautiful, family atmosphere”, according to event organisers. Kids enjoyed bubbles and balloons amidst a sea of white shirts and pink and blue signs promoting the message, “Love them both.”

Brian Ottinger’s Message of Real Change

Highlighting the ability for real change was special guest speaker Pastor Brian Ottinger, from Love Life in the USA.

“This is not my first time coming to Australia,” Brian began. As a 20-year-old in the US Navy, his purpose in coming down under was to “seek to gratify my own sinful desires”. Whether that be through relationships, gambling or alcohol.

Brian continued on this path for 12 more years. He sought sexual relationships, drugs, alcohol and adult entertainment. But “none of it satisfied. None of it was able to fulfil me.”

Beneath the surface, he was “seeking for purpose, seeking for true love.”

Brian’s Life-changing Turn-Around

In 2010, at age 32, Brian described his life-changing moment. “I had a friend who cared enough about me to tell me there was a Saviour in heaven who could redeem me from my sin.”

“That God Himself in the flesh came to this earth to live the perfect life I could not live, to die the death that I deserved.”

Brian readily accepted that offer – and the results cascaded from there.

“And God took me from being a boy to a man, because in that moment, I understood who the Father was. I was now in a relationship with my Heavenly Father.”

“I now had purpose. I now had fulfilment. I no longer suffered from suicidal thoughts. I no longer suffered from seeking to gratify my flesh, but I sought to put others before myself” (Phil 2:3).

These changes led to the most significant relationship transformation. Brian recounts, “And by God’s grace, I ended up getting married to my girlfriend, who I was actually living in sin with.”

“And God has since given us five children!”

Post-Abortion Healing

In 2016, Brian was invited to a prayer walk outside an abortion centre.

While at the prayer walk, someone stood on a stage and delivered a message that would alter his life forever. The speaker said, “If you have abortion in your past, I want you to know that abortion is not an unforgivable sin.”

“Yes, abortion is the murder of an image-bearer of God. It’s heinous. It’s a sin. But God wants to heal you and set you free from that.”

Brian’s 12-year-old son, Jake, was with him at that prayer walk. Jake looked at him and said, “Dad, do you have abortion in your past?”

Internally, it was a crisis moment.

“I couldn’t even respond with words. All I could do was start crying and weeping.”

“And then he grabbed me, and he started weeping with me.”

Love Life – the organisation Brian now helps lead – offered him restoration counselling. It was an opportunity offered to both men and women, which Brian took with both hands.

He observes, “There are a lot of Christians I know that carry the weight and shame of their past abortion who have never been set free.”

Brian was one of those Christians. But no longer.

He now helps others receive the healing that first restored him. “If you’re forgiven by Christ, you need to be restored through Him by post-abortive counselling.”

“Abortion is not just a woman’s issue. It’s also a man’s issue. It takes two people to make a child. For every post-abortive mum, there’s a post-abortive father.”

Advocating for men and fathers and activating them is key to Brian’s calling. He believes men are vitally important in the pro-life movement. And that more need to become involved.

He puts forth the challenge this way.

“I want to ask all the men who are here today to consider how God might be calling you to be activated deeper. Because women need a husband and children need a father. Abortion is also a man’s issue.”

The Church’s Mission

Brian points out that the Church’s mission “is not primarily to save babies. By God’s grace, we get to save babies.”

“But our primary mission… is to make disciples. Jesus in the Great Commission didn’t say, “Go and save babies”. He said, “Go and make disciples.” (Matt 28:19–20)

“And we believe that as disciples are being made, and being discipled into the redemptive story of life, they will no longer choose abortion.”

And on this point, Brian knows from experience just what is possible. He sees the possible become actual through the work of Love Life.

In America, since 2016, Love Life has seen 5,500 babies saved. Babies whose mother or father had an abortion scheduled for them. But then who changed their minds.

Love Life now partners with 1,100 churches and has seen around 300 sign up to be ‘houses of refuge’ for those considering, and who have already had, an abortion. 180,000 prayer walkers have attended their events. There have been 750 professions of faith in Christ. 60 abortion workers have left the industry.

Brian recounts, “We are seeing a culture shift in America as the Church is now redemptively speaking about this issue of life from the pulpits. As churches are seeing their pastors, declare with fervency and passion, with love and compassion, that God loves life.”

Believing for Change

Love Life is now partnering with Love Australia to train churches in the House of Refuge program.

The House of Refuge ministry aims to transform churches into redemptive centres. In such places, life is cherished and celebrated, unplanned pregnancies find a place of safety and support, and those in need of forgiveness discover its liberating power.

Based on the real-world example of Love Life in the USA, Brian then put the challenge squarely at the feet of the 4,500-strong crowd.

“My question to you today is: Do you believe that can happen here in Australia?”

“Do you believe that churches all across Australia can be mobilised toward this number one greatest moral issue of our day – the issue of life?”

Brian knows there are a great many vital social issues that require careful attention and care. But he places the right to life at the very top.

“Without the right to life,” he forthrightly declares, “there are no other issues.”

“We want to unite the church here in Australia.” We want everyone to say, “We can work together for this issue of life.”

“We’re asking Christians to be Christians. We’re asking churches to do what Jesus has asked us to do.”

Brian’s question before us, then, remains: Do we believe that can happen here in Australia?

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Photo by Love Adelaide.