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  • #1

    Questions about Open-Air Preaching

    Suppose there is someone preaching in a public place such as a beach, park, or waterfront and that he is not using any amplification. He is preaching to a large crowd of people. Suppose someone tells him that he does not like what he is hearing and asks him to preach somewhere else. Should he preach in another location just because someone told him that he did not like what he was hearing? Can law enforcement officers tell the open-air preacher to preach in another location just because someone complained that he did not like what he was hearing?

    If the preacher is speaking too loudly, then requests to turn down the volume ought to be accepted. Agree?

    Suppose the preacher speaks calmly to a large crowd of people. He does not use any profanity or vulgarity. Suppose some people do not like what they are hearing and become violent and unruly. Can law enforcement officers legitimately make him stop preaching so that people are not violent and unruly? Should the preacher preach somewhere else? I was just wondering because some preachers would not stop preaching even if there were people in the crowd who became violent.

    I'm asking these questions because I do evangelism in public places and the people who go with me would like to do some open-air preaching.

    If I'm having a conversation about Christ with someone one-on-one in a public place and a stranger overhears us and asks us to talk about something else, then I don't have to comply with his request. If he does not like what two people are talking about, then he can always walk away from us or we can walk away from him. My conversation partner and I don't have to stop talking about Christ. Agree?
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  • #2
    Generally speaking, yes. If there is a threat of violence, the police can shut it down for safety reasons but in most cases this won't apply.

    When I was in college, some street preachers showed up in the middle of campus with some very provocative signs (they said something like "No homos in heaven") and predictably, gathered up an angry crowd of onlookers. The police did not stop them.

    Also consider that Westboro Baptist Church has had a public presence for years, aided by free speech. Since I'm assuming that you and your friends' preaching is going to be less controversial than these two examples, you would no doubt be in the clear. Of course, you can't always account for an individual police officer or force who doesn't know the law but I don't think that would be very likely.
    "I am not angered that the Moral Majority boys campaign against abortion. I am angry when the same men who say, "Save OUR children" bellow "Build more and bigger bombers." That's right! Blast the children in other nations into eternity, or limbless misery as they lay crippled from "OUR" bombers! This does not jell." - Leonard Ravenhill

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    • #3
      Originally posted by KingsGambit View Post
      Generally speaking, yes. If there is a threat of violence, the police can shut it down for safety reasons but in most cases this won't apply.

      When I was in college, some street preachers showed up in the middle of campus with some very provocative signs (they said something like "No homos in heaven") and predictably, gathered up an angry crowd of onlookers. The police did not stop them.

      Also consider that Westboro Baptist Church has had a public presence for years, aided by free speech. Since I'm assuming that you and your friends' preaching is going to be less controversial than these two examples, you would no doubt be in the clear. Of course, you can't always account for an individual police officer or force who doesn't know the law but I don't think that would be very likely.
      That's true. The police can stop the preaching if there is a threat of violence.

      I've heard of Westboro Baptist Church. The members of that church are so hateful. Moreover, many other street preachers are hateful and some even use vulgarity. I wish these street preachers would say something like, "No one deserves to go to heaven including me." If they did, they would not seem so self-righteous.

      My friends and I don't have any provocative signs. We are kind and gracious to others. We are not there just to provoke violence.
      Last edited by Jaxb; 07-16-2016, 11:38 PM.

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      • #4
        Sometimes, I think "open air preaching" can be "all about me" -- proof that somebody is bold enough about the Gospel that they can take the abuse.

        Evangelism, however, needs to be effective, not just controversial. Sometimes, effective evangelism is, indeed, controversial, but often there are much more productive ways to tell people about Jesus.

        I just can't see the Holy Spirit inspiring me*, for example, to stand on a street corner yelling "All you perverts are going to Hell - Jesus is the only way!"




        *of course, He can if He wants to, but I just don't see it happening.
        The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.

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        • #5
          One of my concerns is that street preaching tends to lack a follow up. We are not called to create conversions, but disciples, and discipleship happens over time.
          "I am not angered that the Moral Majority boys campaign against abortion. I am angry when the same men who say, "Save OUR children" bellow "Build more and bigger bombers." That's right! Blast the children in other nations into eternity, or limbless misery as they lay crippled from "OUR" bombers! This does not jell." - Leonard Ravenhill

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          • #6
            Originally posted by KingsGambit View Post
            One of my concerns is that street preaching tends to lack a follow up. We are not called to create conversions, but disciples, and discipleship happens over time.
            Well, yeah, but there's the "plant the seed" "some water" "some harvest" principle.
            The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.

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            • #7
              Originally posted by Cow Poke View Post
              Sometimes, I think "open air preaching" can be "all about me" -- proof that somebody is bold enough about the Gospel that they can take the abuse.

              Evangelism, however, needs to be effective, not just controversial. Sometimes, effective evangelism is, indeed, controversial, but often there are much more productive ways to tell people about Jesus.

              I just can't see the Holy Spirit inspiring me*, for example, to stand on a street corner yelling "All you perverts are going to Hell - Jesus is the only way!"




              *of course, He can if He wants to, but I just don't see it happening.
              I'm just wondering about something. If those angry street preachers really believe that they deserve to go to hell and that God was gracious to them by saving them from their sin, then I don't see how they can be so self-righteous and arrogant. Why can't they talk about how much they appreciate God's love for saving hell-deserving people?

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              • #8
                Originally posted by Cow Poke View Post
                Sometimes, I think "open air preaching" can be "all about me" -- proof that somebody is bold enough about the Gospel that they can take the abuse.

                Evangelism, however, needs to be effective, not just controversial. Sometimes, effective evangelism is, indeed, controversial, but often there are much more productive ways to tell people about Jesus.

                I just can't see the Holy Spirit inspiring me*, for example, to stand on a street corner yelling "All you perverts are going to Hell - Jesus is the only way!"




                *of course, He can if He wants to, but I just don't see it happening.
                same here. I usually cringe when I see those guys with their little speaker boxes or megaphones standing in an intersection sometimes. It is good to declare Jesus is Lord and not be afraid to let the world know it. But when all you are doing is making people avoid you, you are just hurting your own mission.


                Also for Jax: I think many places have laws against public speaking to a "captive audience" - meaning at a place where people can't get away from you, like at a bus stop, or train station, airport boarding areas, and so on.

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                • #9
                  Originally posted by Sparko View Post
                  same here. I usually cringe when I see those guys with their little speaker boxes or megaphones standing in an intersection sometimes. It is good to declare Jesus is Lord and not be afraid to let the world know it. But when all you are doing is making people avoid you, you are just hurting your own mission.


                  Also for Jax: I think many places have laws against public speaking to a "captive audience" - meaning at a place where people can't get away from you, like at a bus stop, or train station, airport boarding areas, and so on.
                  Some street preachers insult people and call them names. It is true that John the Baptist called the Pharisees a brood of vipers, but that does not necessarily mean we should do the same as well. 2 Timothy 2:24 teaches that we should not be quarrelsome and we should be kind to people.

                  I think those angry street preachers should say that everyone deserves to go to hell including themselves so that they don't come across as self-righteous.

                  Both the judgment of God and the love of God must be preached. Neglecting one of those things results in lopsided preaching.
                  Last edited by Jaxb; 07-19-2016, 05:02 PM.

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