Evangelical Christian musician and worship pastor Brandon Lake has said he hopes “the doors were open” to those exploring Christianity from outside its traditional boundaries, after a Rolling Stone magazine journalist asked whether there was room in the church for someone who identified as a “Christian Buddhist.” The exchange took place during the 1 April episode of the a Rolling Stone podcast Nashville Now, sparking widespread discussion among evangelical Christians in the United States.
Rolling Stone editor Joseph Hudak broached the topic in reference to the late Vietnamese Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh and his popular book Living Buddha, Living Christ (Penguin Putnam 1995). Hudak said that after reading Nhat Hanh he had come to identify “as a Christian Buddhist in some way.” He asked Lake directly: “I’m not asking for your judgment of me, but I’m just asking, in terms of Christianity and the church, is there room for that?” (The Christian Post)
Lake responded by emphasizing welcome over exclusion. “I would so hope that you felt like the doors were open,” he said. “I think Jesus would love to sit down with you, would love to have this conversation with you, and you can. I would also hope the church would be that open. Why would you not have a place here? Even if we disagree on something, why would you not have a place here?” (The Christian Post)
The exchange was notable for highlighting the opportunity for further interfaith dialogue between Buddhists and evangelical Christians, and for what it revealed about the enduring nature of Thich Nhat Hanh’s global impact. The Vietnamese monk, who died in 2022, was among the most important Buddhist voices in modern inter-religious dialogue. In Living Buddha, Living Christ, he invited Buddhists and Christians to see points of resonance between the two traditions while remaining grounded in their own practices and commitments.
Lake, who serves as worship pastor at Seacoast Church in South Carolina and is known for his commercially successful contemporary worship songs, continued in that spirit of openness. Referring to Jesus’ conduct in the Gospels, he said: “I can believe what I can believe, and still be able to sit down and share a meal . . . we might not align on these things, but like, doesn’t God call me to love you and to listen? . . . I think there’s something we can all learn from one another.” (Crosswalk)
Lake added that he would be “heartbroken” if Hudak were turned away from a church: “I don’t think that’s what the church is called to do.” (Church Leaders)
“If you actually go read the Gospels, Jesus is often just sharing a meal and having a conversation,” Lake reflected. “And Jesus told stories to get people thinking. He wasn’t shoving it down people’s throats. He was like, ‘Man, consider this’. . . . Let’s have a conversation and see what God does with it.” (The Christian Post)
The discussion comes at a time when questions of hospitality, doctrinal identity, and public accessibility remain active points of debate in Christian communities, especially in the US. Lake has already drawn criticism from some Christians for suggesting that worship music can alienate newcomers if it relies too heavily on insider language. In contrast, hymn writer Keith Getty warned in 2019 that many modern worship songs were becoming too shaped by cultural relevance and were “de-Christianizing” the Church. (The Christian Post)
The conversation also highlighted the continuing relevance of Buddhist-Christian dialogue in the West—exchanges that have been shaped over decades by teachers, scholars, and practitioners interested in contemplative practice, ethics, and mutual understanding rather than conversion alone. The exchange also raised the possibility of similar conversations across contemporary Buddhism in the US, where younger seekers and practitioners may be attracted to interfaith openness.
While “Christian Buddhist” remains an uneasy label for many in both traditions, the exchange suggests that Thich Nhat Hanh’s invitation to deep listening and shared reflection continues to resonate in unexpected places—including popular Christian media.
See more
Brandon Lake says ‘doors were open’ to ‘Christian Buddhist’ question in Rolling Stones interview (The Christian Post)
Keith Getty warned in 2019 that many modern worship songs were becoming too shaped by cultural relevance and were “de-Christianizing” the Church (The Christian Post)
Brandon Lake is Bringing His Faith to Country Music | Rolling Stone Nashville Now (YouTube)
Brandon Lake Answers Rolling Stones Question About ‘Christian Buddhist’ (Crosswalk)
A ‘Christian Buddhist’ Asks Brandon Lake If There Is Room for Non-Christians in Christianity. This Was Lake’s Response (Church Leaders)
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