open doors

Another great short but sweet post by Melinda at Stand to Reason. This one on the open door policy some churches have had toward other religions ...

Recently, there were news stories about some Christian churches offering their facilities to Muslims to hold their worship services. These churches, apparently, see it as a form of outreach and neighborliness, but I think it's very misguided to facilitate and encourage the practice of other religions. This isn't classical religious pluralism, but more like inclusivism. The message being communicated likely isn't just one of friendship, but of approval that their religion is just as valid as Christianity.

Christianity Today asked several Christian leaders "Should churches lend worship space to other religions?" I thought these two answers were most helpful in making the distinction between outreach and misguided accommodation of a false religion.

Dan Kimball, pastor of Vintage Faith Church - "Other faiths have used our church's coffeehouse for casual meetings, as that is public missional space. But we don't rent our space for formal meetings of other faiths in our sanctuary."

Ed Stetzer, president of Lifeway Research - "Christians need to be stalwart advocates for religious freedom while not succumbing to the temptation of religious pluralism. People should be free to worship according to their convictions, but it's necessary to recognize that Christianity is not the same as other religions."