Randy Ellis recently gave the following information about births by unwed mothers in Oklahoma: 1
35 years ago    less than 10% (out of wedlock births)
1976     12%
1986     18.6%
1996     31.1%
2006     40.9%
Much of the article by Ellis had to do with the financial stress faced by unwed mothers, and the financial strain those family patterns were placing on The Department of Human Services. It is good that caring hearts are seeking to share aid and other assistances to help meet the needs of unwed mothers. They do frequently face struggles and strain in their family responsibilities. The church also needs to-and has-quite often given time, funds, and prayers for these mounting areas of need.
For a moment, let’s take a deeper look. These good deeds are too often like putting a band-aide on a melanoma cancer! The core cause is not being met! The primary problem is not financial or physical. The explosive increase from 12%(1976) to 41%(2006) of births to unwed mothers is couched in carnal conduct and immorality! Sex is more sought than Scriptural standards!
Wake up, world! The divinely ordained order of family conduct is the marriage of a male and female, sex, and then parenthood--not sex, an unwed mother, and a displaced (or dodging) dad, who may, or may not, see fit to then add marriage! See Genesis 1:27,28. You shatter the biblical structure for the home, and you will have formed a social sinkhole of stress, sorrow and shame! The Holy Spirit was quite clear that God is not mocked, and those who “sow to the flesh from the flesh reap corruption” (Gal.6:7f, emphasis mine-dk).
If these words seem hard, harsh and heavy to some father’s son or some mother’s daughter, I plead with you to better explain to me what that passage--and others like I Thessalonians 4:3-8; Proverbs 5:15-23; 6:20-35: 7;6-27, etc.--really mean!! It does not do to doubt, dodge or deny Deity!
Thank God for His grace and mercy, so that when we stray from God’s Word physically, morally or spiritually, He and His people will seek to redeem, restore, and save (Heb.4:14-16;Eph.5:15-18,Gal.6:1f). With a heart of caring concern, this is just a pleading cry to our young people--or any older--to grasp God’s divinely stated plan so that love can lead to marriage, that will honor His precepts in sexual, social, and spiritual patterns as you move toward parenthood!

1 “Single Moms Adding Strain For DHS,” The Oklahoman, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, December 5, 2007, p.1A