Muslims and Christians Worship Together at New Jersey Church

While the debate about the New York City mosque near Ground Zero rages on and some people try to burn the Koran, just a short train ride away in Newark, N.J., Muslims and Christians are worshiping together.

At the Bethel Family and Youth Resource Center, Pastor Reginald Osborne welcomes Christians and Muslims to worship together every Sunday. It is a fellowship that is built around the idea that people of all faiths have trials and tribulations and that religion shouldn't matter when someone is in need.

"I may say Jesus, and the Muslims say Allah, but it's a coming together. Not everyone is happy about what I'm doing. A lot of Muslim elders and pastors think I'm nuts. I've had people say I'm a traitor to the faith and how can I embrace Islam," said Osborne.

But his faith is never in question.

"I'm a Christian. I believe Jesus Christ is the son of God and that he died for my sins. He rose three days later, but everyone doesn't think like me," said Osborne. "There are so many faiths that are divided in the community and it breaks my heart. That's why for years I have been in the street teaching the gospel of unity."

It all started seven years ago, when Osborne started an intensive life-skills program licensed by the state of New Jersey that sent people out in to the streets to help those addicted to alcohol and drugs. The counselors ran in to people of all faiths who were struggling with addictions. Soon Christians, Muslims and Jehovah Witnesses were getting help and some started showing up at Osborne's church.

"All of a sudden, I started seeing kufis in church," Osborne said. "People of all backgrounds were getting help getting clean and they just started coming to church. People told me they still went to the masjid and the Kingdom Hall, but that we all came together in love at my church."

During sermons, the Christians say: "Praise Jesus" and Muslims say "Allah." Muslims and Christians have gotten to know one another. Muslim members of the church have taught some Christians Arabic. The goal is togetherness.

"To me, Hallelujah and Allahu Akbar mean the same thing: God is the greatest. A lot of people are not prepared to see this type of unity, because unity means strength," said Osborne.

Abdul Shabazz, 43, of Newark, says he felt the strength in that unity during a time when he needed it most.

Shabazz, who is originally from South Carolina, had just been released from an eight-year-stretch in prison because of his addiction to heroin. Since he was in his twenties, Shabazz said his life consisted of "drugging" and going in and out of jail along the East Coast, "from Miami to New York."

Even though he had just gotten out of prison, Shabazz felt the lure of his drug of choice, heroin, calling him again. This time, he realized he was on the same path that had led him to prison in the past:

"I had a friend up here in Newark, and he said if you want to change, come here," Shabazz said of Osborne's church. "When I arrived, I knew I was in the right place, because of the embrace. I had no family here. I was a Muslim among Christians, and you normally don't get a warm welcome."

Now Shabazz has been clean for 13 months, and he is studying to become a licensed drug counselor.

"To be honest, I got more help from the Christians than the Muslims. I told myself that no matter what I would stay here because nothing but good can come out of good," said Shabazz.

Instead of fighting among one another, this is precisely the message that Muslims and Christians should be pushing, said Shabazz.

"You being a Christian is not and should not stop me from reaching out and aiding and abetting you. Part of the problem is that Muslims and Christians are hiding in the building and not going in the fields. We have beautiful churches and masjids, but if Christians and Muslims unite, we don't need police," Shabazz said. "Instead, Muslims and Christians are fighting, and [people] are selling dope in front of the masjid and selling dope in front of the church."

That's why the recent controversy surrounding the mosque in lower Manhattan upsets Osborne:

"This is the United States of America. There are people that died in the World Trade Center who are Muslims and Christians, so there shouldn't even be a debate. If the imam has the money and heart and wants to build a place of prayer, he has the right," Osborne said.

"This is not a debate. Let's love one another," Osborne added.