I'm not a "Fox News Junkie," and I don't "Watch it all I can." In fact, I seldom watch it (or go to their website foxnews.com). I guess you could say I stand to the right of Fox News!* (See Joseph Farah's article: Is Fox News Really Different?). Well, as I sat down this morning to eat breakfast I decided to click on foxnews.com just to catch the headlines. And I came across a really neat article I wanted to share:
Seven Ways for Christians to Love Their Neighbors Even When We Disagree
Here is an excerpt from this great article:
"Welcome everyone to your church… The same Bible that talks
about sin is equally clear about love. The church I serve as pastor
includes people who are practicing homosexuals, as well as others who
are struggling with same sex attraction to varying degrees. They sit in service next to single people cohabiting, people who
watch porn, adulterers -- and the self-righteous religious people who
look down on all of them. We all start in a bad place."
-----------------
The Bible says:
"Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived, neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you..." - 1 Corinthians 6:9,10
A Registered Nurse I used to work with many years ago shared with me a story about her experience with church. Her and her boyfriend attended a a very conservative Reformed church for the first - and most likely the last - time. After the service one of the elders came over to "welcome" them. But rather than making them feel welcome, he got right down to business.
He started asking about their personal lives. And once he found out they were not married - but in fact, were living together - well, he did his duty to make sure they knew they were horrible sinners and that living together before marriage was a terrible sin and they needed to repent and on and on and on.
And I remember talking with an elder of another church one time who told of a young woman who came to his church asking for help - her infant son needed diapers. His church turned her away - but not before giving her some advice on how she could tear up some old tea shirts and make diapers out of them!
Our Lord Jesus is clear: The Gate is straight and the road is narrow that leads to life (Matthew 7:13,14). And I'm not suggesting that church offices (elder, deacon, minister) or church membership or even holy communion be opened up and offered to anyone who walks into your church.
But visitors should be treated with kindness and respect and made to feel that they are genuinely welcomed into your church. If your minister is faithfully preaching the Word of God (such as Pastor Kevin Swanson in Why Persecution is Coming to the Church in America) this will be enough to discourage visitors who are just looking for a social club to be a part of, while opening the door for God's Holy Spirit to convert those sinners who came to your church "by divine appointment!"
-----------------------
*I do like Austin Cunningham's video: The Girls on Fox News!
Recommended reading and listening:
Why Should You Welcome a Same Sex Couple to Your Church? (my post)
No Tips for Gays, by Priscilla Del Aguila
Russell Brand Hosts the Westboro Baptist Church
