Instead of being closed off to other denominations of Christianity, Thabiti Anyabwile, leader of the Reformed African-American Network, attempts to be critically appreciative, acknowledging that his faith can be deepened by exposing himself to beliefs and practices of others.
“I want to be appreciative and I want to be discerning, I want to have those appreciations expressed while the Bible is open.”
Even if he doesn’t see things the same way as other brothers and sisters in Christ do, there is still much that can be learned from other denominations.
“There’s grace in their lives, the Holy Spirit is at work in their lives, the fact that we see things differently, particularly if we aren’t talking about cardinal doctrine, it shouldn’t hinder our appreciation and our fellowship with fellow believers.”
We should still be able to have conversations were we sharpen each other and benefit from one another even if we don’t completely agree with each other.
Is there a brother or sister in Christ that you have been avoiding or rejecting because of their unusual beliefs and practices? Thabiti calls all Christians to put aside their differences, focusing on Christ and appreciating the diverse nature of the body of Christ.
