Street Preaching
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So tell me what type of open air preaching do you do? Do you follow Ray Comforts style and go for this teaching/preaching approach? Or do you follow the more traditional approach and just openly and boldly proclaim the gospel? Both styles have their advantages. I am uncomfortable with those that bait people to listen to them with money, but I will say it can easily get you an audience. I was street preaching last night and most just keep on walking and gave me little attention. Well I did have one person that I spoke with after he heard me, and I did have 1 heckler, so people are listening.
John
John
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Christ will judge each man’s service so I cannot make a wholesale judgment on the matter since there is no clear prohibition or command to communicate the gospel in this manner.
However, as for me and my conscience before the Lord, I do not practice it because of a number of principles I believe it fails to meet with regard to the nature of our engagement in our current culture. However, if I ever found myself in a cultural context in which this form of communication was recognized and practiced within the normative cultural range, I would be more than willing to do so.
However, as for me and my conscience before the Lord, I do not practice it because of a number of principles I believe it fails to meet with regard to the nature of our engagement in our current culture. However, if I ever found myself in a cultural context in which this form of communication was recognized and practiced within the normative cultural range, I would be more than willing to do so.
[Alex Guggenheim] Christ will judge each man’s service so I cannot make a wholesale judgment on the matter since there is no clear prohibition or command to communicate the gospel in this manner.There is a command and that is found in Mark 16 where the text says to go out into all the world and preach the gospel. This can take the form of open air preaching. Also why be so concerned about the norms of the culture? Follow the culture, and that will lead you to the Purpose Driven Church and market driven movement. We need to follow the Bible. Mark & Acts are loaded with examples of open air preaching.
However, as for me and my conscience before the Lord, I do not practice it because of a number of principles I believe it fails to meet with regard to the nature of our engagement in our current culture. However, if I ever found myself in a cultural context in which this form of communication was recognized and practiced within the normative cultural range, I would be more than willing to do so.
John
The command to preach does not prescribe the style or method of proclamation. It can take the form of street preaching but as I said, street preaching itself is neither commanded or prohibited. As to the norms of the culture, it is not the norms with respect to their values to which I refer but the norms by which they receive the spoken word, those normal contexts. And the examples of Mark and Acts of the preaching were rather normative. Public proclamations were common and the social structure for such gatherings was less formal that today, for example, and in fact was for the first century and well into this century until the last hundred years or so.
[Alex Guggenheim] The command to preach does not prescribe the style or method of proclamation. It can take the form of street preaching but as I said, street preaching itself is neither commanded or prohibited. As to the norms of the culture, it is not the norms with respect to their values to which I refer but the norms by which they receive the spoken word, those normal contexts. And the examples of Mark and Acts of the preaching were rather normative. Public proclamations were common and the social structure for such gatherings was less formal that today, for example, and in fact was for the first century and well into this century until the last hundred years or so.Hmm I did not know this. Its like the house church movement I guess that thinks that they should still meet in houses because thats the way they did it in the NT. But THERE was a reason why they met in houses, and this was because of persecution from the Romans.
John
While this board is low on traffic, the academic quality is high.
[jwolf6589] While this board is low on traffic, the academic quality is high.“Cause we got …. “
jwolf,
I have to agree with Alex. I have never found street preaching very effective. I believe it is more honoring and glorifying to God to meet lost people and give the Gospel. I think it is better to give the Gosepl to those whom we know. I have been doing this for a while, and now am finally seeing God bless this greatly.
There are many who will talk to strangers about the Gospel but have no interest in talking to people they know, or worse, they don’t take time to meet lost people.
I have to agree with Alex. I have never found street preaching very effective. I believe it is more honoring and glorifying to God to meet lost people and give the Gospel. I think it is better to give the Gosepl to those whom we know. I have been doing this for a while, and now am finally seeing God bless this greatly.
There are many who will talk to strangers about the Gospel but have no interest in talking to people they know, or worse, they don’t take time to meet lost people.
Roger Carlson, Pastor Berean Baptist Church
[rogercarlson] jwolf,I give the gospel to people in the city that I do not know. Street preaching is one tool that I use, but only on occasion. Regardless if its effective is not my call. There are many that use that argument against tracts. Tracts are not effective and therefore we should not use them. But remember Acts 13:48 and its God who does the increase. Also remember that it takes someone some 15 times to hear the gospel before they get saved. Refer to this book (http://www.amazon.com/One-Thing-You-Cant-Heaven/dp/0964366584/ref=cm_cr…) which is one of the best on evangelism.
I have to agree with Alex. I have never found street preaching very effective. I believe it is more honoring and glorifying to God to meet lost people and give the Gospel. I think it is better to give the Gosepl to those whom we know. I have been doing this for a while, and now am finally seeing God bless this greatly.
There are many who will talk to strangers about the Gospel but have no interest in talking to people they know, or worse, they don’t take time to meet lost people.
John
I have no problem giving the Gospel to people I don’t know, and I do it all the time too. But couple of points. First the Gospel is offensive- telling someone they are a totally lost sinner who has no hope on their own but their only hope is turning and trusting a holy Savior is offensive. But we don’t have to be offensive in how we give it not should we be. If most people in our culture are turned off by street preaching (and in my experience they are) then find a way to give them the Gospel individually. I use tracts often with strangers. I engage them in conversations and turn it to the Gospel.
Secondly, you seemed to completely ignore my other point. I do witness to strangers, but many in our circles don’t engage witht the lost for the Gospel sake. I knew a pastor who knocked on 500 doors a year in his small town and did not know his neighbors. He never did anything to try to get to know them for the sake of the Gospel….He knew no one in town. IMHO, that is wicked, and therefore dishonors God.
Secondly, you seemed to completely ignore my other point. I do witness to strangers, but many in our circles don’t engage witht the lost for the Gospel sake. I knew a pastor who knocked on 500 doors a year in his small town and did not know his neighbors. He never did anything to try to get to know them for the sake of the Gospel….He knew no one in town. IMHO, that is wicked, and therefore dishonors God.
Roger Carlson, Pastor Berean Baptist Church
[rogercarlson] I have no problem giving the Gospel to people I don’t know, and I do it all the time too. But couple of points. First the Gospel is offensive- telling someone they are a totally lost sinner who has no hope on their own but their only hope is turning and trusting a holy Savior is offensive. But we don’t have to be offensive in how we give it not should we be. If most people in our culture are turned off by street preaching (and in my experience they are) then find a way to give them the Gospel individually. I use tracts often with strangers. I engage them in conversations and turn it to the Gospel.Did he live in Anderson, SC? I worked with a IFB church once that had that kind of philosophy. Knock on all the doors, but dont bother getting to know anyone.
Secondly, you seemed to completely ignore my other point. I do witness to strangers, but many in our circles don’t engage witht the lost for the Gospel sake. I knew a pastor who knocked on 500 doors a year in his small town and did not know his neighbors. He never did anything to try to get to know them for the sake of the Gospel….He knew no one in town. IMHO, that is wicked, and therefore dishonors God.
Nope, he didnt live in Anderson. That is actually pretty common among those who do door to door. When a pastor friend of mine led his church away from Door to Door and more towards the approach that I am advocating, it raised concerns. One man in the church said he believed the church was no longer involved in evangelism. When the pastor said he wanted them to get involved in their community. The man responded, “pastor, I don’t even know my neighbors.” Sad commentary
Roger Carlson, Pastor Berean Baptist Church
And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth (Rev 11:3, NIV). The verse speaks it all. In the future God will use his two witnesses who will preach non stop for 1260 days and the whole world will hear them. They wont be doing Q&A or passing out money to get people to listen to them. They will just boldly preach the gospel, and preach in a confrontational style. This is not a eschatology website, so I am not sure if I have stepped on toes here by my pre-trib, pre-millennial views. But regardless I love to see that God himself in the coming future will use street preachers! Amen! John
Question for John
Firstly: I’m pre-mill, pre-trib so we are on the same page. I believe that these two witnesses will prophecy in the tribulation period.
Now the question: What do you mean by “God ordains street preaching”?
Firstly: I’m pre-mill, pre-trib so we are on the same page. I believe that these two witnesses will prophecy in the tribulation period.
Now the question: What do you mean by “God ordains street preaching”?
[jwolf6589] Also why be so concerned about the norms of the culture? Follow the culture, and that will lead you to the Purpose Driven Church and market driven movement. We need to follow the Bible.As long as cultural norms don’t violate clear Biblical principle, I don’t see how considering culture is a bad thing. For instance, a missionary friend told me that in PNG, men and women are segregated in church, and if a man holds his wife’s hand or puts his arm around her in public, he is showing that he does not trust her. A missionary who does not observe these cultural norms is going to do himself (and his poor wife) a great disservice. There is no Scriptural mandate for husbands and wives to sit together in church or to display their affection publicly. It would be foolish to say “That culture is stupid” and ignore it completely.
In America, we should also be very discerning as to how we engage and interact with our own culture. How things were done in Scripture can be descriptive or prescriptive, and if we don’t take care as to how and where and when we apply those examples, we can make glaring fools of ourselves. Jesus and the apostles may have preached outdoors, but they were not obnoxious, offensive, disdainful, or hateful in their speech or interaction with the folks. The only people that Jesus rebuked forcefully were the religious leaders of the day- and He could read their hearts and knew that they were not seeking knowledge, but plotting against Him. We do not have that level if discernment, so we should not be approaching everyone as if they were closet Pharisees and it’s our job to blast them out into the open with our version of Bible dynamite.
I’ve seen some great examples of street preaching and witnessing, and those who were most humble and kind in their manner were the ones who pulled people in, and even drew a crowd. The pious blowhards just drive people away… of course, this is supposed to be ‘evidence’ that they are ‘doing it right’… oy vey.
What thing I really dislike about others is how they stereotype, use straw-men, and charactures on street preachers. They see a bad example by a KJVO extremist who holds up signs, condemns homosexuals, and others in public, and after that experience they stereotype all street preachers as the same. I get stereo typed time and time again. I had it done to me last week, and the person making the accusation just lumped me in with the KJVO extremists from a week earlier who always get all the attention. This person was unable to tell me or quote any of my words of me doing the same. She said herself that she was not paying attention to me closely, but just dismissed me, because I was street preaching.
If anyone can show me something I said in a sermon were I acted like an extremist please do so I can correct it the next time I go out.
Here are all of my recorded street preaching sermons.
http://www.cerm.info/sermons/audio/ten_commandments_audio.WMA
http://www.cerm.info/sermons/audio/kings_invitation.WMA
http://www.cerm.info/sermons/video/street_preaching.mp4
http://www.cerm.info/sermons/video/ten_commandments.mp4
http://www.cerm.info/sermons/audio/steet_preaching.WMA
http://www.cerm.info/sermons/audio/steet_preaching2.WMA
Thank you for your help. I would like to know of times if I am a bit extreme and remind folks of King James Version only extremists.
John
If anyone can show me something I said in a sermon were I acted like an extremist please do so I can correct it the next time I go out.
Here are all of my recorded street preaching sermons.
http://www.cerm.info/sermons/audio/ten_commandments_audio.WMA
http://www.cerm.info/sermons/audio/kings_invitation.WMA
http://www.cerm.info/sermons/video/street_preaching.mp4
http://www.cerm.info/sermons/video/ten_commandments.mp4
http://www.cerm.info/sermons/audio/steet_preaching.WMA
http://www.cerm.info/sermons/audio/steet_preaching2.WMA
Thank you for your help. I would like to know of times if I am a bit extreme and remind folks of King James Version only extremists.
John
I have done a little street preaching in Africa ,Mexico,and in Guatemala. I found different effects in each place. I have not done any in the U.S. I will say this If the Lord leads you to street preach then go for it . We are just to be servants of the Lord and leave the results to him. I mean if someone hears your and the are persuaded to seek the Lord then thats what it is about. I dont believe in craming Church doctrine into a lost persons mind. If you are preaching Jesus and Him crusified then have at it
[PastorJohn] I have done a little street preaching in Africa ,Mexico,and in Guatemala. I found different effects in each place. I have not done any in the U.S. I will say this If the Lord leads you to street preach then go for it . We are just to be servants of the Lord and leave the results to him. I mean if someone hears your and the are persuaded to seek the Lord then thats what it is about. I dont believe in craming Church doctrine into a lost persons mind. If you are preaching Jesus and Him crusified then have at itPastor John check out my sermons on the 10 commandments. Thats what I preach these days. I preach the law.
I have seen the efect of one being saved thru street preaching. I was a friend to this Pastor who was driving down the rode when the impression came to him to stop the car get out and start preaching to a corn field. Now this is his stoty and not mine. However he passed the place and the conviction got deeper to the point it was almost hard to drive. He turned around wentback. Although he thuoght this was almost absurd he preach to this corn field. Now this is first hand I new the man who one Sunday came into Church stopped the service and thanked God that the Pastor stopped to preach to the corn. Because he was in the field heard the Gospel and got saved. Although some may not think it is effective I wish this man was still alive to ask him. Keep up the good work
[PastorJohn] I have seen the efect of one being saved thru street preaching. I was a friend to this Pastor who was driving down the rode when the impression came to him to stop the car get out and start preaching to a corn field. Now this is his stoty and not mine. However he passed the place and the conviction got deeper to the point it was almost hard to drive. He turned around wentback. Although he thuoght this was almost absurd he preach to this corn field. Now this is first hand I new the man who one Sunday came into Church stopped the service and thanked God that the Pastor stopped to preach to the corn. Because he was in the field heard the Gospel and got saved. Although some may not think it is effective I wish this man was still alive to ask him. Keep up the good workThank you.
Also remember Billy Sunday (the great evangelist) who was converted after hearing a street preacher. In those days street preaching was common. In our day people question it because they want something that works, and they do not trust in God. I preach and trust in God. Jeremiah did not see a single convert and neither did Noah during their preaching years. Pragmatism runs the church these days, and people are so obsessed about if it works.
John
I have seen the effects good and bad on both sides. If you will become friends with a person then they are more likely to hear I in the past have used both and have seen the good from both sides. I have seen an entire village come a listen in Africa with many new converts after in Guatemala almost the same results In Mexico it was different I find in the U.S. the people turn more to get to know them then witness when available . One thing I cant do and to many people are trying to is tell someone else how to preach or evangelize. What ever works then go for it .I guess it is a matter of circumstance and how the Lord leads you to do his work. AND I MEAN HIS WORK not ours
[PastorJohn] I have seen the effects good and bad on both sides. If you will become friends with a person then they are more likely to hear I in the past have used both and have seen the good from both sides. I have seen an entire village come a listen in Africa with many new converts after in Guatemala almost the same results In Mexico it was different I find in the U.S. the people turn more to get to know them then witness when available . One thing I cant do and to many people are trying to is tell someone else how to preach or evangelize. What ever works then go for it .I guess it is a matter of circumstance and how the Lord leads you to do his work. AND I MEAN HIS WORK not oursWhy are people so obsessed with whatever works? Why is Pragmatism always in the equation? I am obsessed with what the Bible teaches and I let God do the rest.
I didn’t mean in the way you took it. Im not saying what works in the since of bringing lost in. I guess satisfied with is better. If you are satisfied that the Lord is pleased with what you are doing then thats what matters. I will not be your Judge Jesus will.
Praise the Lord the street preacher that converted Billy Sunday did not think this way. praise the Lord Billy Sunday ddi not as well. Praise the Lord so many others (including George Whitefield, John Wesley, Spurgeon, and Bunyan did not follow the spirit of the age, but followed the Bibles commands to PREACH THE WORD.
John
John
AMEN TO THAT IF CARRY THE GOSPEL FAR AND WIDE im trying to uplift you and put you down I hope you can see that
Street Preaching is one of those things that be done properly or wrongly. I have seen it both ways.
The issue is not to be taken pragmatically, but Scripturally. Personally, I wouldn’t consider what George Whitefield did as “street preaching,” because thousands of people flocked to see him. He would announce his intentions, or it would become known that he was in the area, and the demand from the people to hear him preach would come.
I believe in street preaching. It is a great method to plow up the hardened ground in lost peoples’ hearts, if done properly. It is a great method to plant the seed of the word of God in someone’s heart, if done properly.
I think too many preachers have made their little kingdom a little “god” and they spend too much time administrating rather than preaching. There are many preachers who could draw a crowd in a downtown area, or on a college campus if they would just get out there and do it. I think Acts 6 makes it clear that the deacons were to take up all the menial tasks so that the preacher could do what God called him to do - preach!
I also think that too many preachers are repulsed by the idea because of the reproach it brings. We have become too cultured and vain in our own opinions of ourselves. Street Preaching gives you a front row view of what the world REALLY thinks about Jesus Christ and the Bible. (Hint: their opinion is NOT very high!) When they are confronted with the gospel on THEIR turf, their attitude and reception is a little less than warm, to say the least.
Preacher get so accustomed to being in an atmosphere where everyone supports them (i.e. in church), that they lose the perspective of how bad things really are. STreet preaching puts you right there smack dab in the middle of the lost world’s territory, and the REAL attitude towards Christ and His Holy word is revealed. Preachers aren’t used to that anymore, and have forgotten what a reproach it is to name the name of Christ.
I think it was Spurgeon who said something like this: “If you are unwilling to preach the gospel out of doors without a pulpit, you are unworthy to preach it behind a pulpit.”
My 2 cents!
In Christ,
The issue is not to be taken pragmatically, but Scripturally. Personally, I wouldn’t consider what George Whitefield did as “street preaching,” because thousands of people flocked to see him. He would announce his intentions, or it would become known that he was in the area, and the demand from the people to hear him preach would come.
I believe in street preaching. It is a great method to plow up the hardened ground in lost peoples’ hearts, if done properly. It is a great method to plant the seed of the word of God in someone’s heart, if done properly.
I think too many preachers have made their little kingdom a little “god” and they spend too much time administrating rather than preaching. There are many preachers who could draw a crowd in a downtown area, or on a college campus if they would just get out there and do it. I think Acts 6 makes it clear that the deacons were to take up all the menial tasks so that the preacher could do what God called him to do - preach!
I also think that too many preachers are repulsed by the idea because of the reproach it brings. We have become too cultured and vain in our own opinions of ourselves. Street Preaching gives you a front row view of what the world REALLY thinks about Jesus Christ and the Bible. (Hint: their opinion is NOT very high!) When they are confronted with the gospel on THEIR turf, their attitude and reception is a little less than warm, to say the least.
Preacher get so accustomed to being in an atmosphere where everyone supports them (i.e. in church), that they lose the perspective of how bad things really are. STreet preaching puts you right there smack dab in the middle of the lost world’s territory, and the REAL attitude towards Christ and His Holy word is revealed. Preachers aren’t used to that anymore, and have forgotten what a reproach it is to name the name of Christ.
I think it was Spurgeon who said something like this: “If you are unwilling to preach the gospel out of doors without a pulpit, you are unworthy to preach it behind a pulpit.”
My 2 cents!
In Christ,
Pastor Steve Schwenke Liberty Baptist Church Amarillo, TX
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