Monday, 21 July 2008
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Food For Thought: Members of Other Religions At Your Church
In a recent blog entry, HeartOfPandora, who is a Wiccan, shared about attending Christian church for its "atmosphere of so many people pulling together to show their love and appreciation for Him" and the service's music.
We've blogged before about non-Christians attending church, but several responses were directed toward the concept of finding deliverance or searching for God. According to her post, HeartOfPandora isn't there for either of those things, but rather, to revel in the experience and community.How would you react to a member of another religion regularly attending your church simply to enjoy the atmosphere and service?
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Comments (50)
well... it's essentially the same deal... love them, invite them, open the door and open our arms... then tell them about Jesus... because it's really about Him anyways....
just, they cannot teach... nor should they instruct... why? Because the beliefs of someone who doesn't embrace Jesus is in all respect diametrically opposed to the basic fundamental ideals of the Bible... there's no point in believing, accepting, embracing, or trusting it... because of the Biblical opposition...
I would love to see them there....It would be great!
@leadworshipper82 - Exactly. I know my church welcomes anyone with open arms. The seeking especially. We don't judge and we don't discriminate and I love it. =D
I've been to churches before where I felt glad to be social around people. I wasn't much for the service itself, but talking with people before and after, and stuff like random sports games or smaller sunday school groups, were pretty freaking awesome.
If there was a church I knew like that around my area, particularly if I wasn't pressured to believe (or attend worship service), I'd definitely attend church events.
that's a great idea
although I think it is important that the church as a whole needs to prioritize the communication of the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ... all have sinned, all need a savior, His name is Jesus, so embrace what He's done for you and find salvation and grace and mercy and love and avoid justice, and wrath, and pure righteousness and holiness exhibited...
if we stray from that message... it's not Christian nor is it church anymore... which will get scary...
Great! Come on! I know God is at my church, and no matter why someone is attending, they will have an opportunity to experience Him. Also, I like forming friendships with people who have different beliefs from mine. All people are welcome.
I do agree that no one of another faith would be allowed to teach or hold a position of authority. Also, if they started trying to mess up services or something, they would be asked to leave. Otherwise, our doors are wide open.
i believe that sense of love and community that heartofpandora speaks of is really what church is. she hasn't missed a beat at all. it isn't in a human being's power to convert anyone. all we are called to do is to love... and actions truly do speak louder than words...
I would welcome them with open arms.
I wouldn't care.
I would probably treat them exactly the same way I do everyone else at church. I really wouldn't care and I doubt anyone else at the church I attend would care either.
This hits close to home. Before I was saved, I myself was a Wiccan and regularly attended the church that I am going to now. No one cared much that I was coming. But now, looking back, I feel like it was rude of me. After all, we go to church every Sunday to praise God and when someone is there who is going just to go... it's insulting.
That's my humble opinion anyway.
Peace&love,
Brooke.
What does the Bible say?
The fellowship is for believers. Politics and apologetics aside, that was the original intention. If the immoral were to be expelled from fellowship, that would definitely also apply to unbelievers, who may also be immoral.
@Koolou@xanga - What you are saying violates what we are told in 1 Corinthians 5. We are specifically told that we do not judge those in the world. We judge those who openly violate God's standards (not man's standards) and call themselves brother/sister. We are told that God judges the world.
1 Corinthians 5:9-12;
9 I wrote you in my letter not to associate with immoral people;
10 I did not at all mean with the immoral people of this world, or with the covetous and swindlers, or with idolaters, for then you would have to go out of the world.
11 But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler--not even to eat with such a one.
12 For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within the church?
There may be certain meeting that you want to restrict to members, but the vast majority of churches have open worship services. The teaching may well be intended for those who are Christians, but no where in the Bible are we told not to allow people in our midst, from outside.
HeartofPandora, you would be most welcome in our midst where I go to church.
Since there is nothing we can do to save someone, if they want to attend church for another reason so be it !
How then shall they call upon Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? Romans 10:14
@Koolou@xanga - @Such_Were_You@xanga - I am not known for my political correctness, but with that said: "The fellowship is for believers. "
I will say this-worship was not designed to be "seeker sensitive" but to equip the saints and yes the service is designed for the saints to glorify God.
The only righteousness any of us have is Christ's, not out own. A mighty fortress is our God, not our church. Our churches are not a fortress to keep the world out.
The gates of hell shall not prevail against the church. In other words hell can be invaded with the authority of Christ and its gates cant keep Christ or His followers out from bring the gospel.
The immoral people we need to avoid is those who profess Christ and remain non-repentant. The non believer who exposes themselves to light is why we invite non-believers to worship with us.
It is not rude to have them feel left out when we partake at the table, it is a time for God to minister to them and possibly convince them of their need for salvation.
@ProvokingThought - Dear me, I've been leaving parts out in so many of my comments lately. I would certainly not disagree with what you say. Where I go to church the leaders make it clear, before we have communion, that communion is only for believers. Unbelievers are asked to abstain from taking communion, and our services are certainly not "seeker sensitive". If non-believers are offended by exclusion during communion...well, that's too bad.
@Such_Were_You@xanga - I was agreeing with the first two sentences of the second paragraph of Koolou, and disagreeing with the later part with explanation. (as there is always a good chance people are talking past one another)
I was agreeing with you about one of the meetings one may one to guard is communion.
(I used to be the guard the table nazi in fact.UNtil I saw where it used to be the center of the service and some used it evangelistically as a call to repentence, as it is a means of grace and it is a visual means as well as a spirutal one. Now I am more open to what the churches tradition is)
The service is for the believer, not the non-believer andif the worship offends them, hopefully it will lead them to repentence.
I think we should most definitely let the person in with open arms! Let the Holy Spirit work on the person - not us. It's not like God isn't already working on the person. He's using the church as her community to be an example of what following Him is about (hopefully they're not misrepresenting Christ), and He is sharing His truth to the person as that person attends the service. We are to love the person and be what the person wants - a community. And if God arises an opportunity to speak with the person, then so be it.
I would welcome them, and I would hope that they would become Christians eventually.
All are welcome
I would embrace them, and let them know that they're welcome at my church anytime. :)
in my humble opinion, i don't think it's offensive, rude, or insulting for a non-christian to attend a christian church for the atmosphere and community. the church i went to as a child encouraged people of other faiths to attend the services because they were of the common belief that God does not dwell within the church, because it was just one of many places to gather and worship, and worshiping him could take place without even attending the church itself if one wanted to praise God in their living room instead. rather, he dwelled within the hearts and minds of man, and that anyone who came into our church void of harmful intent would be welcomed. of course, i'm not saying that my fellow church members wouldn't try to convert them. after all, at such a young age i too wanted to help "save" them too. but as i grew older, i realized that people find their own way to being saved, because across the wide spectrum of beliefs and religions, much of the core ideals and beliefs are the same, just interpreted and practiced differently.
Part of being a Christian is sharing Christ... not welcoming someone to church wouldn't be doing a very good job of that.
I agree with the comments on communion, but other than that, who are we to exclude anyone?
If I believe in the Holy Spirit, then I believe that He has an influence. When a pagan person comes into a Christian Church, then the are giving permission for the Holy Spirit to have an influence in them. The same for Christian attending their services. It appears to me that is exactly what they were 'feeling' when they said they enjoyed the atmosphere.