Abortion Is Murder': Texas Pastor's Bold Sermon, Including a Message of Grace for the 'Murderers Among Us

Texas megachurch pastor Matt Chandler is getting a lot of attention for a bold sermon tackling an issue many preachers tend to avoid for fear of offending their church members: abortion.

Chandler -- of the Village Church in Flower Mound, Texas -- told parishioners during a January 25 sermon that he believes "abortion is murder" and that he doesn't think it's a political issue, instead, calling it a "scientific ... and a deeply theological issue." But while he was stern in his definition, he reminded the congregation that there is grace for the "murderers among us."

Chandler held little back in making his stance clear to the congregation.

"I need to — with all the boldness that the holy spirit will grant to me — tell everyone in this room that abortion is murder. It is the murder of a human being," he said. "I'm going to have to say it, I'm going to show it to you in the word, I want to prove it to you with science. ... It's a holocaust like the world has yet to see."

Chandler noted that while Joseph Stalin killed 40 million of his countrymen and Adolf Hitler murdered 20 million, abortions in America have far exceeded those numbers.

"The United States since Roe vs. Wade … has blown past both of those brothers and have made them look angelic as we have slaughtered, wholesale, 55 million little boys and little girls," he said.

But rather than convict and condemn, Chandler was quick to note that the Christian gospel does not preclude anyone — even murderers — from receiving God's grace. He cited Saul of Tarsus, the biblical figure who persecuted Christians before converting to the faith and penning a fair amount of the New Testament, in making his point.

"I am no fool: There are murderers among us. And so at the same time that I prophetically, and boldly, and courageously say 'abortion is murder' I also need to step into this space knowing that we are guilty of it — many of us are guilty of it," he said. "And maybe we weren't the ones that had the abortion, but maybe we coerced and pressed somebody to have the abortion, or just paid for the abortion."

Regardless of these facts, Chandler said that all hope isn't lost, as God is forgiving.

"I need to say to you, listen to me: Where the volume of sin increases, the volume of grace always abounds much more" he said, adding his belief that murder is not a "disqualifying sin" when it comes to discovering God's forgiveness. "The grace and mercy of God covers sin."

Chandler encouraged parishioners to look past the shame that the human heart often feels when grappling with guilt over this issue.

Watch his comments below: