Texas Pastor Working Outside of the Box in Multifaith Dialogue With Muslims and Jews

Teresa Neumann : Feb 3, 2010
Lillian Kwon - Christian Post

Pastor Roberts did not hesitate to declare the Gospel and preached the cross and resurrection unapologetically as Jews and Muslims sat together in his church. "Truth is truth...it is not relative. If I'm going to be a committed Christian I can't pick and choose which part of the Bible I would believe."

(Keller, Texas)—The Christian Post reports that last Sunday was an "unusual" worship time at Northwood Church where Christians, Muslims and Jews sat together in the megacurch to hear an evangelical pastor preach about Jesus.

Senior Pastor Bob Roberts told reporter Lillian Kwon that the three religious groups are making an attempt to get to know one another, understand the different teachings and worldviews, and become friends without sacrificing or watering down any of their individual beliefs. In fact, Roberts told Kwon, he wants all three faith groups to be honest about their differences and hold to their core convictions.

The report notes that the multifaith (not interfaith) event is the brainchild of Roberts who has observed a growing diversity of faiths in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. According to a report in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram the number of mosques in the area has grown from two some thirty years ago to 40.

Of the importance of multifaith interaction, Roberts said: "The old conversation of interfaith basically said if we all agree on everything then we can get along. So what we need to do is minimize our differences ... and only talk about what we do agree upon. But there's a problem with that. That's great if you're liberal, if you're a liberal Muslim or liberal Christian or liberal Jew, that's fine."

"But Imam Zia made it very clear yesterday that Muhammad was the prophet for his age. So if you're going to be a Muslim or go to the next life you have to accept the teaching and the position of the Prophet Muhammad," he continued. "As a Christian I also believe the verse where Jesus said 'I am the way, the truth and the life. No man comes to the Father but by me.' So if I'm going to be a committed Christian I can't pick and choose which part of the Bible I would believe."

"Because truth is truth. Truth is not relative," Roberts said. "Multifaith says 'we have differences.' What multifaith says is 'I don't want to try to be politically correct; I want to be honest about what I believe; I want to hold true to my truth; ...I want to build relationship on honesty."

Click on the link provided to read more of Pastor Roberts' convictions on multifaith dialogue.