With respect to the pastor... this is " a new revelation of inclusiveness". Which is not a good thing. Years ago, a preacher said this: "The church is getting worldly and the world is getting churchy". The "revelation of inclusiveness" seems to be a modern day trend that has no basis in the Word of God. The Scriptures tell us over and over again and in many different ways to "Come out from among them... and be ye separate". God has separated His church unto Himself and from among the worlds religions. As one writer proclaimed we are a "chosen generation, a royal priesthood". Paul warned the Galations of being "entangled" with the things we have been freed from.
I'm all for unity. Spiritual unity that comes through and by the Holy Ghost. But this move to "blend" in with our counterparts, to soften our stand for what we know to be right... its troubling to say the least. I won't say this pastors efforts are a compromise. I won't make that judgement. But I will say it is unecessary. The Gospel of repentance, baptism in the name of Jesus Christ, and the infilling of the Holy Ghost as set forth by Jesus, and as carried out by Peter and the Apostles is clear and unmistakable. The effort, however sincere, to "clean up" the Gospel, to make it more acceptable to the masses is an attempt to improve upon God's Plan. King Saul heard God's unmistakable command to destroy the enemy, but he took it upon himself to alter, to improve God's command. And, because he failed to obey, the very enemy he was commanded to destroy ultimately contributed to his own demise.
By all means, knock down the barriers. Yes, God's word calls for unity. We have a mandate to keep the unity of the faith... However, we can't change God's Word to do it. God's design is for the church to remain pristine... washed in His Blood. Why risk contamination for the sake of social acceptance? Once social acceptance becomes the goal... we have lost our vision. We've lost the purity of the Word. At what price?
Here is the question I would pose to anyone who has "a revelation of inclusiveness" or who is tempted to make his or her message more "socially acceptable":
Mat 16:26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
Is it worth it?