Angry Street Preachers
Effective Witness?
The other day when I was out doing some chores, there was a street preacher wearing one of those sandwich signs that said “Turn or Burn.” Yes, you read correctly, that’s what it said. He was passing out tracts. I stayed clear but was mesmerized by what I saw. First, what an unbelievably ineffective witness. I saw people walk by grinning, some lowered their head and walked quickly by. I saw some take the tract and toss it in the first trashcan when they passed by. The street preacher was loud and obnoxious. I cringed as I watched him.
He may have felt he was doing God’s work but as I watched him, people were not stopping to listen to the Gospel message. The presentation was not inviting for anyone to stop and question. People were laughing or trying to pass this man with the sign as fast as they could. I saw a few people that were watching from afar as I did. Disgusted at the portrayal of Christianity that I witnessed, I left. I could not bear to watch anymore.
The night before the Rose Parade in California, I watched a car with a loud megaphone drive up and down the parade route with signs of fire and burning and a loud megaphone, “repent for the end is near.” Sure, we have to repent but as I watched the people, no one paid attention. It was ineffective.
Street preaching can be effective. I have often seen Jews for Jesus outside my office building. Their approach is vastly different than the yelling street preacher with that outrageous sign. As I head out for lunch, I have seen them work and have watched them them engaging people in conversation. They are sharing the Gospel with the people. The scriptures say that faith comes from hearing through the word of Christ.
So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. Romans 10:17 (ESV)
The word of Christ is the whole Gospel message and not merely one aspect of it. The street preacher that I saw the other day was using a shocking method and was not approachable. He came off as angry. No one heard the Gospel. They just heard an angry man yelling at them that they were going to hell. At least that is how he sounded to me. I wonder how he sounded to non Christians.
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A lot of people feel that the Gospel can be effectively presented through these methods: by yelling at passersby from a street-corner, carrying a huge billboard around with a Scripture verse splattered across it, or throwing some tracts in somebody’s face.
But this isn’t sharing the Gospel at all. As you pointed out – with the right approach, “street preaching” can be okay, and tracts can have their proper place; but more important than the “tracts” we hand out are the “tracks” that we leave. People pay attention to our actions, not just our words.
Standing on the street corner and raving like a lunatic is not going to make anyone take you seriously and you are going to do more harm to the Message you are trying to communicate than good.
Great post, thanks!
I must admit, I was really horrified at what I was watching. I wanted to give him a 2 x 4 so he could start wacking people over the head (kidding) – but it really was that bad. When I read his sandwich sign, it caused me to draw in my breath.
Tishrei,
This reminds me of a few years ago when I was in a cafe having lunch with a friend….. An elderly lady came to our table and demanded to know if we were Christians….. We said yes, that we’ve been Christians for years….. She retorted that we don’t go to the right church and cannot be saved….. She wanted to give us some tracts, but we declined, saying Christ is our Savior….. After she finally left our table, she went to another table and approached a family there….. It was not a pleasant lunch for them either.
I think these people think they are preaching the way Jesus and His disciples preached, but that obviously is not true….. It is interesting to note that the Bible tells us that the people went to Jesus to hear what He had to say….. They followed Him where ever He went because He spoke with authority….. He also spoke in the Temple, where He appropriately acquainted many with His teachings.
Somehow your experience also reminds me of the fortune-telling slave girl mentioned in Acts 16:16 who followed Paul crying out, “These men are bond-servants of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation.”….. Paul became annoyed after a few days and commanded the spirit to come out of her….. She was telling the truth, but the manner in which she did it was not a good witness, so she needed to be stopped.
All God’s children need to pray that we would be good witnesses to the salvation that is in Christ alone….. Thank you for sharing this.
Margaret
Margaret,
Wow! I was actually going to mention the slave girl from Acts 16 in my comment, too! I believe that some of these people are under a satanic influence.
When I was younger, I saw an older man come into a restaurant where I was eating and he was going on and on to everybody in the place about how he loved God and how everybody needed to be saved and so on. He was a little loud, but I think most of the people in the place felt he was relatively harmless and they just sort of laughed him off as eccentric.
He made eye contact with me a time or two, but never said a single word to me. I didn’t really think much of it. Before I left the restaurant, I went to the men’s room. A moment or two later, I heard the main door of the restroom open and I heard someone walk up to outside of the stall that I was in. In a low, almost growl the man began to use every profanity imaginable and proceeded to tell me, “You THINK that you are of God, but you’re not!”
I was just a teenager at the time, but I had been saved for several years. I just started praying silently in my head for God’s protection. I had no sooner prayed three words when the man yelled out, “You shut your [expletive] mouth! You shut your mouth right now!” And then he just left the room. I had not spoken a single audible word, but this individual was aware the moment I began praying!
There is a definite and unmistakable feeling I have learned since that only comes from being in the direct presence of the demonic. I felt it for the first time in the presence of this man who had come into that restaurant “preaching” about God.
This post reminded me of that experience and the passage from Acts. There is no doubt in my mind that some of these folks who “witness” in such destructive ways are under demonic influence just like the fortune-telling slave girl in Acts and just like the man I encountered in the restaurant.
In Christ,
Loren
Oh my Margaret! What an experience
— I really wish people that do that could see how they appear to others. It ends up doing more harm than good.
Yeah, I get embarrassed when I see guys making a fool out of themselves and Christians. I wouldn’t doubt for a fact that they could possibly be under the influence of the devil to make it look like most Christians were out to lunch, like in Loren’s story.
Yeah, or people just think they can bop someone over the head with a 2×4 into salvation.
Rev 21:8. But the fearful … and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
Why are you SO troubled & FEARFUL of a small sign with the WORD of GOD displayed.
Turn or Burn?
Jesus, Himself stated: Except YOU Repent, You shall likewise PERISH.
Demons? Be certain (very certain) … before you blaspheme the Holy Spirit.
Blessings1
Hi,
I have no fear of that sign. I am saved and it has no bearing on my life or my eternity. However, I find that sign VERY offensive for that is not the way the Lord preached the Good News. That method does nothing but make a mockery out of the Word of God and causes no one to want to hear the Good News. I prefer the methods as outlined in the Bible, the methods taught by Jesus and passed on down to the apostles. Now, that’s a method of evangelism that works
Okay Tishrei
Thank the Lord Jesus for Salvation. For Life & Eternity.
This Saviour is Good news to all who hear and repent and believe.
But that is one way He did and does preach it.
Mat 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent:
Mar 6:12 And they went out, and preached that men should repent.
Jesus own words. Luk 13:3 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye REPENT ye shall all likewise PERISH. (TURN or BURN)!
Remember, He is the same yesterday, today & forever.
Mar 1:15 Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the GOSPEL of the kingdom of God …And saying, … the kingdom of God is at hand: REPENT ye, and Believe the gospel.
NOTICE Order: Repent & Believe.
No offence needed.
Blessings
Hi,
Yes, thank the Lord for salvation.
The Good New as you pointed out is exactly that. It encompasses MUCH more than “turn and burn.” What does that tell someone that does not know the Gospel? Absolutely nothing — but makes a mockery of the Gospel and subjects it to ridicule. You should have seen the people laughing at that guy. I was embarrassed for him.
On the other hand, I have watched street preachers that are effective. At my office, often Jews for Jesus will show up and I see them engaging people in conversation. Go to their website and look at their stats — see the people that come to the Lord because of their methodology. They are using the methods that Jesus taught His disciples. The preach the Gospel, not stand on a street corner with a one liner “turn and burn.” That line teaches no one anything and that one line does not invite someone to approach that guy and hear the Good News.
I can guarantee you that engaging people in conversation and sharing the Good News is much more effective than standing on a street corner with a sign that says “turn and burn.”
Tishrei
First, let me say ‘Thank You’ for your inspiring & indepth blog.
Also, since this is YOUR blog, I must insist that you have the final word. But we appreciate your willingness to dialog.
You wrote: “Turn or Burn.”
What does that tell someone that does not know the Gospel? Absolutely nothing.
I could be mistaken, but it seems that the bibical mandate stated above tells the faithful & unfaithful, as well as the unbeliever “Turn or Burn”. Especially since; “He was passing out tracts.” as well as being; ” “The street preacher (who) was loud and obnoxious.”
Clearly from your own words he was telling much MORE of the GOSPEL message.
Remember, your first MUST till the soil before you plant the seed. THEN God gives the increase (salvation).
YES! Engaging people in conversation and sharing the Good News is very effective, ALSO.
I wonder how much of this (personal) engaging people in conversation and sharing the Good News effectively with people YOU are doing.
Could this episode be the Holy Spirit convicting you (I was mesmerized by what I saw) that there is more you should be doing for HIS kingdom? BOLDLY.?HUMBLY?
You do realise that YOUR wonderful blog is your SIGN to the world. Some may find it to offend and that you embarrass yourself with all those words. ‘Many Words, much Sin!”
Love ALL who procalim THE TRUTH. Do not be embarrassed for him or yourself. It takes much humility to give your all for Jesus Christ and be ridiculed like Jeremiah & apostle Paul.
Are you WILLING?
Blessings! Fare thee well.
Hi NoLongerFearful,
I don’t necessarily care about the last word. Let’s just leave it at if you feel that this is a good method of evangelism, then by all means use this method.
Have a blessed new year.