Whatever Happened to the Street Preacher?

[Scott Hutchinson]

Originally Posted by Trouvere

I love Saturday outreach. I love street preaching but not those who stand by the side of the road hollering to the oncoming cars that they are going to hell. I experienced this in
Pensacola, Fl. There is a group who go to a Baptist Bible College who are required to do this. I hated it. It turns people off.

That is folks from Peter Ruckman's school isn't it ?

[pelathais]

Also, a lot of my own preaching back then provoked an angry reaction. My old pastor remarked over the holidays how that a younger DKB had "rebuked your T.U.L.I.P. doctrine..." and that my "over emphasis of grace" was unbalanced, and so forth.

Fact of the matter is, DKB and I debated the "Trinitarian Controversy of the Fourth Century" and didn't even discuss any other topic. It's amazing to me how people's memories will invent things to suit their own desires.

I had folks from the "core" group within that church stand up or call out during a service to interrupt me while I preaching or even once when I was asked just to testify - "BROTHER so-and-so DOESN'T PREACH THAT..."

I constantly had to put up with stuff like that. The pastor actually enjoyed it and thought it was "just part of the show." But I preached the same message then as I'm preaching now. I was invited to preach at camps, conferences other churches and retreats throughout the UPC fellowship - but at "home" I was actually despised. This also put a lot of strain on my marriage as my wife's family were the primary constituents of that "core."

The last sermon I preached in the UPC was a message titled The Sovereignty of God. Folks in our church danced and ran the aisles. "My" approach was a real breath of fresh air for them. Others, within the "core" just stewed in their bitter juices and tried to preach everybody into hell all the time.

I wasn't always "pure in motive." I remember once I had this sermon all prepared to really tear into those that hated me. LOL. I had the whole thing printed out in outline form - a huge list of scriptures to bolster my attack... but when I got into the pulpit I just couldn't pull the trigger. Instead I preached another "happy" sermon about faith, healing and God's mercies. That was the only thing that really seemed to be able to come out of my mouth back then.

I had to watch people actually die before I became the cynic that I am today and as outspoken about the things I've seen.

[Falla39]

Originally Posted by Aquila

I believe it's far more in line with the NT than preaching behind a pulpit. LOL

Luke 14:23

And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.

Falla39

[Aquila]

Originally Posted by Falla39

Luke 14:23

And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.

Falla39

Falla,

God's "house" is the church, citizens of the Kingdom of God... not a building. We are precious living stones that comprise God's house. You will not find Christians gathering in a church building anywhere in the NT. In fact, you'll see them preaching from upper rooms, in the living room of a Centurian, the kitchen of a jailor, and in houses of fellow believers. Even Paul rented a house and preached the Kingdom of God to all who would listen, right there in his living room.

The church doesn't have walls.... the Kingdom doesn't have walls. We are to compell them to enter into the Kingdom of God not a building. We're not trying to add members... it's not about numbers. We are to minister to the hurting, suffering, sick, and the dying of this world... not get them guiltily committed to our Sunday theatrical productions.

[Falla39]

Originally Posted by Aquila

Falla,

God's "house" is the church, citizens of the Kingdom of God... not a building. We are precious living stones that comprise God's house. You will not find Christians gathering in a church building anywhere in the NT. In fact, you'll see them preaching from upper rooms, in the living room of a Centurian, the kitchen of a jailor, and in houses of fellow believers. Even Paul rented a house and preached the Kingdom of God to all who would listen, right there in his living room.

The church doesn't have walls.... the Kingdom doesn't have walls. We are to compell them to enter into the Kingdom of God not a building. We're not trying to add members... it's not about numbers. We are to minister to the hurting, suffering, sick, and the dying of this world... not get them guiltily committed to our Sunday theatrical productions.

Bro. Aquila,
Our family is in the church today because of an old white-haired preacher
who was preaching on the street corner. This led to them coming to the
outdoor revival that followed. This led to cottage prayer meetings, which led
to the founding of a church where they could worship year round. That all
began in 1933. A church was built. My father and mother met in this church.

They married and began a family. In Sept 1950, God led them to a small town
closer to the new job HE had provided for my father. Family alter continued to
be a nightly event!

In 1958, they moved the family alter to a small storefront building just off the
main street of their small town. Today there is a thriving church, sitting on just
under six acres of land, where many more familes have joined us.

A place was being prepared in the Spirit for us back then and those who would
come afterward. So that where HE IS, we could be also. Where is HE! HE is IN
HIS Church worldwide.

Each generation comes out of the one preceding it. Out of the third generation
of my husband and my family, is coming the sixth generation since the first of
our family came out of darkness, (highways, byways) into HIS Marvelous light,
which were not a people, BUT are now a people of GOD!!

Our first little GREAT-grandchild due anytime, will be the first of the sixth
generation. HIS TRUTH IS MARCHING ON!

For our family, it began on a STREET corner in a small north central Texas
town in 1933! Despise not the days of small things.

Bro. Aquila, not sure we were on the same page this time!

Hugs,

Falla39

[Aquila]

Falla, my point is that we often try to convert the masses to our church and not to the Lord. Nothing specific toward you. Luv ya.

[Falla39]

Bro. Aquila,

My dear old grandmother heard the Plan of Salvation preached on a street corner. It
stirred her up because it did not agree with what she had previously heard in the church
where she had been a member for 21 yrs. Her mother had been a charter member for 48
yrs. My dad. who was 14 yrs old at the time had planned to be a Methodist because his
mother and grandmother were Methodist. But when she heard this strange message on
the street corner, she was stirred. In the Word it speaks of those who heard the Word,
was STIRRED! Grandma Lizzie would possibly have never darkened another church door.
She, like so many others might have said, "I have MY church", when invited elsewhere.
But when open-hearted people HEAR THE WORD, it stirs their hearts.

My father, then very young, had been stirred in the Methodist church, because he had
some things in his life he was concerned about. He said the sinner's prayer, was as sin-
cere as he was later when he obeyed the Apostolic plan of salvation. But just repeating
the sinner's prayer didn't do what he needed done. He was so concerned that his mother
took him privately to the minister for counsel. Dad explained that although he had come
forward and accepted Christ as his savior, he still cursed and had a terrible temper. He
said he just didn't feel saved. The minister told Grandma that the boy could not live with-
out sin and that he would just have to accept it by faith. To which she replied, "Then
what did Jesus Christ die for"! The Word says He died to save us from our sins, NOT in
them"! Dad said he was very proud of his mother. I believe God was preparing them for
what would come later. The message of Apostoic truth, found in God's Word. When they
heard the Word in 1933, they searched it out and obeyed it! It took care of the cursing
and the terrible temper. It took of the SIN problem. THey lived victorious lives over sin
as long as they lived. They taught it to their family and anyone else who would hear it.

It is still the message that will stir those that are hungering and thirsting for righteous-
ness. They SHALL be filled. The message may stir up an argument first in people. BUT if
we have stayed in the Word and allowed the Spirit to lead and guide us, we can provide
the answers and it should bring conviction.

This has been my experience also. Show them in the Word where they can see it in the
black and white!! Once a person hears and sees it, they can never be the same. They may
fight or reject it, But they can never remain the same. People need to be stirred out of their
comfort zone. Our attitude and the way we present it must be right. Not in an argumentive
manner.

Blessings,

Falla39

[U376977]

I have wanted to do some street ministry of a long time, BUT on the order of what a friend of mine did.
He rolled into times square with a "media bus." The doors under the bus roll up to reveal widescreen TV's and he is playing gospel media. He said any kind of music would draw a crowd, he then would talk with the youth that would gather, pray, heal the sick, pass out tracks, bibles, ect. Set up was less than 10 minuets and he was out 30 min. later. Did not have a problem with the police.

[Aquila]

There are so many ways to perform street ministry. Typically if you're giving something or providing some service with a spirit of humility, meekness, openness, and forgiveness it goes over well. I think the "Turn or Burn" street preacher has given street ministry a bad name.

[Aquila]

Originally Posted by Falla39

Bro. Aquila,

My dear old grandmother heard the Plan of Salvation preached on a street corner. It
stirred her up because it did not agree with what she had previously heard in the church
where she had been a member for 21 yrs. Her mother had been a charter member for 48
yrs. My dad. who was 14 yrs old at the time had planned to be a Methodist because his
mother and grandmother were Methodist. But when she heard this strange message on
the street corner, she was stirred. In the Word it speaks of those who heard the Word,
was STIRRED! Grandma Lizzie would possibly have never darkened another church door.
She, like so many others might have said, "I have MY church", when invited elsewhere.
But when open-hearted people HEAR THE WORD, it stirs their hearts.

My father, then very young, had been stirred in the Methodist church, because he had
some things in his life he was concerned about. He said the sinner's prayer, was as sin-
cere as he was later when he obeyed the Apostolic plan of salvation. But just repeating
the sinner's prayer didn't do what he needed done. He was so concerned that his mother
took him privately to the minister for counsel. Dad explained that although he had come
forward and accepted Christ as his savior, he still cursed and had a terrible temper. He
said he just didn't feel saved. The minister told Grandma that the boy could not live with-
out sin and that he would just have to accept it by faith. To which she replied, "Then
what did Jesus Christ die for"! The Word says He died to save us from our sins, NOT in
them"! Dad said he was very proud of his mother. I believe God was preparing them for
what would come later. The message of Apostoic truth, found in God's Word. When they
heard the Word in 1933, they searched it out and obeyed it! It took care of the cursing
and the terrible temper. It took of the SIN problem. THey lived victorious lives over sin
as long as they lived. They taught it to their family and anyone else who would hear it.

It is still the message that will stir those that are hungering and thirsting for righteous-
ness. They SHALL be filled. The message may stir up an argument first in people. BUT if
we have stayed in the Word and allowed the Spirit to lead and guide us, we can provide
the answers and it should bring conviction.

This has been my experience also. Show them in the Word where they can see it in the
black and white!! Once a person hears and sees it, they can never be the same. They may
fight or reject it, But they can never remain the same. People need to be stirred out of their
comfort zone. Our attitude and the way we present it must be right. Not in an argumentive
manner.

Blessings,

Falla39

Beautiful recollections Falla. I think street preaching is a forgotten realm. I think we get so comfortable in our padded pews we fear getting outside of the four walls.