Want to stop churches becoming mosques? Go worship in them

Reform UK has pledged to stop churches being turned into mosques. But this isn’t a hostile takeover, says Andy Kind. If we want church buildings to remain places of Christian worship, we just need to make sure Christians go to them

There’s a new mosque near me. It used to be St Peter’s Methodist Church, and I used to go to nursery there. There’s still part of a chipped front tooth lodged deep in a flower bed, perhaps.

I would have much preferred for it to remain a church. I do not say: “I’m just glad the building is being used” or: “Well, as long as somebody is worshipping their God there, that’s the main thing.” I believe that Christianity is true, and the only story of genuine hope for human beings. I long to see people operating within that story.

But on the other hand…