Personal Thoughts

My recent excursion to the WWE RAW wrestling event at the XL center in Hartford caused me to consider something:  street preaching is "raw" Christianity.
Granted--American Christians know nothing of things like the persecutions suffered by Christians of the past, or Christians in oppressed countries even now.  But allow me to muse within the realm of American Christianity.

Street preaching brings you face to face with people--often for an extended period of time.  This is not like the situation where you can hand a tract to someone at a cash register and scurry away quickly thereafter.  These people have opportunity to react to what you are saying.
 That being said, reactions run the gamut.  I have received everything from people chanting "Satan, Satan, Satan...," to "shut the ---- up," to "can you help me?" to "thank you for being out here and doing this."  A street preacher cannot be harried, distracted or caught off guard by comments or questions thrown his way.  For example, I was handed a phone by a very fidgety man who was talking to his therapist.  Over the phone she asked me if I was a man of God, and could I calm her client down.  THAT was weird!  But it gave me opportunity to talk to the man about the gospel.

Besides different reactions, there are the range of different religions, cults and philosophies to deal with.  Fifteen years ago I would have had no idea how to deal with a Jehovah's Witness, Muslim, Mormon, atheist, homosexual, Pentecostal, etc.--and, believe me,  I'm still learning.  But it was the constant exposure on the streets to people of these persuasions that sharpened me more than if I had just sat in church, let my "little light" shine in lifestyle evangelism, pass out a tract once in a while and hoped no one stopped me to talk.

Then there is the ridicule--so what.  It is a displeasure to the flesh, but so is anything righteous.  Can I deal with the insults, the profanity, the blasphemy, the threats without reacting in the flesh?  I will have to if I am to have any impact on those people.  They watch how you react.  I pray each time I go out that the Holy Spirit would have control (as he should always), and guide my thoughts, words, and countenance.  I have had several instances where someone reacted harshly or rudely just to see what I would do, and then afterward received a tract and a gospel witness because I responded appropriately.

Jesus Christ was accused of receiving sinners and eating with them.  Street preaching will, quite honestly, bring you into contact (sometimes quite literally) with all types of what many would consider unsavory people.  Convicts, panhandlers, prostitutes, drug addicts, drunks, sodomites, blasphemers, the mentally disturbed, and the homeless are just some of the people we minister to.  If I withdraw myself from ministering to these people because of their condition, I have missed my purpose.

You cannot minister to crowds of indifferent people for long before it grieves you at your heart to see so many people reject the gospel, either through outright refusal or just plain apathetic neglect.  Imagine how the perfect, holy Lamb of God who could read people's hearts must have felt as he saw time after time people refuse to believe on him
This is one thing I've been asked:  "Why do you keep going out when no one wants to hear?"  Reception does not drive evangelism--the commandment of God, the love of Christ, and the need does.  Lord willing, I will be going out "until the cities be wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land be utterly desolate," Isaiah 6:11

Preach on the streets, and you will see just what this world thinks about your Saviour.  Preach on the streets, and you will see just how blinded the god of this world has made people.  Preach on the streets, and you will have your faith and beliefs challenged.  Preach on the streets, and you will have your heart broken for men and women.  Preach on the streets--and you will experience raw Christianity.