Can you tell me your street preaching experience?

LoricaLady

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I am female, but even if I weren't in today's atmosphere I would not do street witnessing, unless I absolutely felt led to do so by the Holy Spirit. The Bible tells us to be discrete in evil times, in Proverbs.

It doesn't matter that much what some Church or Church folk tell you to do. What matters is, what is the Holy Spirit telling you to do, personally? He may or may not even feel you are ready for any such task. He may want you to spend your time in another way that serves Him.

As for my own experience, I have felt led to witness on You Tube. I have done this literally thousands of times, mostly on the topic of creationism vs. evolutionism. Now I was getting tired of all the arguing and all those alerts of incoming posts to respond to, often with lots of cussing and fussing. I prayed to write a post, which I could repeat to different people, that would discourage readers from responding. Actually, I got several of them from Him over a fairly short period of time!

The responses dropped very dramatically. I would post and they would say nothing about 1 out of 20 times. Previously I almost always got a response.

An example is below. I think the big difference is that I started telling people they were loved by the Father, not just trying to talk to them about science vs. pseudoscience. Also the Father told me that if I just pasted the posts, but did not pray each time for Him to help the people see the truth and get to Heaven, that I was just being "religious." Here is an example post:


Those who support evolutionism and/or atheism too often try to paint a stereotype of creationists as being low I.Q. science illiterates. Such people are smugly sure that THEY ain't religious. (Like me in the past when I called myself an atheist.) But they are. Profoundly so. Why? Because they have great...faith...in what is never seen and is even what is impossible. Yet they flatter themselves that they are way smart, and all about science, while feeling sure that creationists have nothing but an Imaginary Friend.
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Let's look at just a few of the imaginary friends and myths from evolutionism and atheism.
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First there is the belief in the imaginary time fairy friend. Evolutionists promote the idea that life can come from inorganic matter. (And don't say they do not. It's easily found all over Google and on YT. Who came up with the mythical primal pond theory? Creationists?) When it is pointed out that life only comes from life and life of the same kind they respond "Well, with enough tiiiiime, anything can happen. We have...faith...therefore, that things happened differently in the conveniently unverifiable past."
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They have faith, too, in their imaginary crystal ball friend that sees into the unverifiable past. For ex. they will pick up a fossil from a rock and tell you what happened to its invisible and evidenceless descendants for over 100 million Darwin years. They also talk about "missing" links, more of their imaginary friends. Don't bother to ask how you tell missing links from never existed links. They have...faith...that they are just "missing."
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Next we see the imaginary Geologic Column friend that "supports" evolution. The real evidence shows the fossils are jumbled. Giant shark fossils are found with dino fossils in Montana, for ex. Whales' fossils are found in wildly improbable places like the Andes mountains, the Sahara and a desert in Chili. Deep sea "Cambrian" fossils are found at every level on the planet, including on most mountain tops, as with the world's highest, the Himalayans.
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Take a look. trilobites on mountain tops - Bing images . Those are the fossils of extinct, ocean bottom dwelling, trilobites. They, and other marine fossils found with them, are often in stunningly well preserved, and beautifully detailed, condition. We are told "plate tectonics" moved those deep sea creatures, for a millions of years trek, all over the world, in unbroken, vast sheets of concrete in the billions onto the world's mountain heights in such great shape. That's fine.... If you don't believe in erosion and admit you believe in miracles!
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"Cambrian" fossils, like those trilobites, are found in the hills of mid America and countless other places on the planet, high and far, inland. Now why do we see evidence of sea life all over the planet at every level? And, how did all that sea water get everywhere? 90% of fossils on land are marine, too. Hmmmm....
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Next, there is the imaginary Family changing fairy friend. Put a Species of any Genus of fish, bird, lizard, tree, bacteria, whatever, under your Darwinian pillow. Voila! Over an evolutionary "night" it will change into the next step up in the Animal or Plant Kingdom, i.e. a different Family. However, in the real world of trillions of life forms, and throughout recorded history, eagles stay eagles, bullfrogs stay bullfrogs, tulips stay tulips, eboli bacteria stay eboli bacteria, chimps stay chimps, fish stay fish, and of course people stay people, no matter how much they change.
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We never, ever, see any evidence of a life form transitioning from one Family to another. Since all the evidence shows that never happens all around us with life forms, you just have to have... faith ... that it somehow happened differently in the unverifiable realm of the ancient and conveniently invisible past. With no evidence of any Family transitioning to be another kind of Family, there is no evidence for evolution. (Not to mention never seeing any transitions from any Order, Class, Phylum or Kingdom.) It's just that simple.
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Then there is the supremely imaginary god-friend of nothingness. Richard Dawkins and others tell us that everything came from nothing. This defies the laws of thermodynamics and physics, not to mention common sense. But their imaginary friend, the nothingness god, sells big time to those who want to believe they can be their own, puny, little gods.
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Are you willing to take a serious and open minded look outside the box? If nothing else you can hear what the creationists are really saying, not the spin about what they are saying. . On this webpage you can see Nobel Prize winning scientists, other secular scientists - including some world famous evolutionists - admitting there is no evidence for evolution. You can see them calling evolution a kind of religion, something that leads to "anti knowledge", etc. Notice how many of these secular scientists acknowledge evidence for a Creator. These Quotes Reveal The Credulity Of Evolutionists .
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Are you aware that more and more blood cells, blood vessels and soft stretchy materials are being found in dino bones? Forensic science and common sense tell us such things could not last for more than a few thousand years. Go to Genesispark to see ancient art depictions of dinos from around the world. My fave is the stegosaurus carved on a 1,000 year old Cambodian temple. That site has lots of info on soft tissues and blood cells being found in dino bones, and historical reports of dino type creatures, including some from the famous historian Herodotus and from Alexander the Great. All information is gleaned from secular sources. Ancient Dinosaur Depictions | Genesis Park .
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See Don Patton's The Fossil Record and many others. In this link he uses the fossil record to place evolutionary and creation predictions side by side. You can see for yourself what the real record of the rocks shows: .
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Thomas Kindell's vids are great, especially Thermodynamic Evidence For Creation where in the first 10 min. you hear quotes from well known evolutionists like "Evolution is unproven and unprovable. We believe it because the only alternative is special creation and that is unthinkable."
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Wazooloo vids, particularly The Mathematical Impossibility of Evolution and So Ya Think Yer A Chimp, and the DNA ones, are full of scientific fact presented in an often humorous way.
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Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed shows the politics of Neo Darwinism which harasses and expels those in academia and the media who even hint that there MIGHT be evidence for a Creator.
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.Physicist Dr. Russell Humphreys gives scientific evidences for why people believe in a young, yes young, earth. Check it out and see: Evidence For a Young World - Part 1 with Dr. Russell Humphreys - Origins Part 1 And regarding the speed of light "problem", there are many unproven assumptions about light. It was always assumed, for instance, that the speed of light was constant. Since last century, various secular scientists have been saying it seems to be slowing down. However, here is another perspective. We have found that space, as in outer space, is stretchy. Several times in the Bible we are told that the Almighty stretched out the Heavens. This would mean the light from stars got stretched out, too, thus creating a false impression of distant time for light travel.
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Answersingenesis.org covers just about everything . You are not a goo through the zoo ape update. You were created in the image and likeness of the Almighty Creator Who loves you. Why are you trading in those astounding truths of who you are for pseudoscience fairy tales and imaginary friends?

 
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St_Worm2

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Hi @DavidMil, years ago I remember a guy handing out little copies of the Gospel of John to passersby at school, and his only message to us was this, "you're going to Hell". I didn't become a Christian as a result of hearing that, in fact, I don't believe I ever opened the little copy of the Gospel he gave me, but I don't think I'll ever forget that presentation ;)

Like several have already mentioned in this thread, I think that you should be sure (or at least comfortable in your knowledge) that street preaching is something that the Lord would have you do.

Yours and His,
David
 
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I've done it a few times with an outfit located in New Orleans called RAVEN. (Restoring a Vision; Evangelizing Nations) We would go during the Mardi Gras season. Overall, I'm thankful for the opportunities I had to go. And while I don't knock that type of ministry, I know for me, that that season of ministry is done with and I've moved on.
 
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seeking.IAM

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I confess when I come upon a street preacher, I tend to think "nut job" and cross the street. I'm sorry, but it's true. I doubt its effectiveness as a form of ministry in this day and age and suspect it turns off more than it attracts. The other thing that both annoys and offends me is many street preachers seem to make judgments about those passing by before them, a perspective that assumes, "I'm saved and you wretches are not." That offends me as a Christian. I've also had the experience of revealing to a doorbell ringer that I, too, am Christian only to be told that I'm the wrong kind of Christian (i.e. not aligned with the doorbell ringer's group), an even more ineffective strategy and a complete waste of both of our times.

True, Christ talked to people along the way, but he did so with compassion; he harangued no one -- well except maybe his little tantrum throwing the money changers out of the temple.
 
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Kit Sigmon

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I am enjoying an evangelical church and I have been told they usually street preach.
Am I supposed to molest strangers on the street? (Like " do you have a minute for Jesus?")
Preaching is what I am afraid of (What if headhunters remember me? If I meet some university mate on street?).
How was your experience?

When you do witness, you don't put your hands on people as to restrain them, or try block them from walking past you and you don't talk to them like they aren't
of value.

The Lord will help you to do witnessing His way if you ask Him, He may have you witness to one person or have you witness to a whole city.

Many times our witness isn't all done out in the public square and it may not be all that vocal, it's seen in how one demonstrates agape to another person who is in need/can't find their way/lost; you help when someone doesn't have enough money to pay a bill, you have a spare car and you give it to someone who needs it; you go visit shut ins and minister to them in the hospital, nursing home or in their own home, you help keep the church clean, or you privately sponsor someone so
they can get a christian education/do mission work in another land etc.
 
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GirdYourLoins

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I have done street preaching and evangelism. While most people wont respond to you and you have to respect their right to do that, there will be a few who will respond. You have to ask yourself whether it is worth the reject for the few who accept what you are saying and the even fewer who wil accept Jesus with you there and then. For me if a thousand people mock and rebuke you and one gives their life to Jesus it is worth it. When someone accepts Jesus you can often see achange in them on the spot. There is something about that which really lifts the spirit and is one of the best experiences as a Christian.

You also have to preach the right message. I would never go out and preach to people that they are going to Hell. Its about bringing people in a relationship with the living God, not about trying to scare them into accepting Jesus.
 
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Citizen of the Kingdom

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Hi @DavidMil, years ago I remember a guy handing out little copies of the Gospel of John to passersby at school, and his only message to us was this, "you're going to Hell". I didn't become a Christian as a result of hearing that, in fact, I don't believe I ever opened the little copy of the Gospel he gave me, but I don't think I'll ever forget that presentation ;)

Like several have already mentioned in this thread, I think that you should be sure (or at least comfortable in your knowledge) that street preaching is something that the Lord would have you do.

Yours and His,
David
lol I remember doing that once but not on purpose and it led to the most exciting experience I can recall. I had a bunch of tracts in my pocket, all different. I saw a lady and her friend stopping to watch what was going on at the soapbox that day, so I walked over to her and took out a tract from my pocket and read it before handing it to her. I laughed when I read it and explained to her that I had numerous different ones in my pocket "and guess which one you get". on the outside it said something like what can change to end up in hell (or something like that) and on the inside it was blank. "I guess you don't have to change anything to get where that leads." I said, and she laughed too and seemed eager to talk. Anyway it turns out she was Jewish and her friend with her was a satanist. Quite a discussion ensued and a crowd was gathering around. The satanist was almost foaming at the mouth. Then from the corner of my eye I saw a big guy beelining for me and after a few minutes he shouted "It says in the bible that I'm going to be judged for everything that I do" It startled me but I blurted out "hey, you are going to be judged on every thought in your head" He said "I know. Do you think that's fair?" I said something about 'who doesn't
wake up in the morning feeling bad about a slip of the tongue that we wished we had never said' Then the satanist jumped in about he never makes mistakes and the guy just stood there observing then walked away. I still pray for him because I could tell that he got a clear vision that day of the spirits behind the things. And it was his longpast church training that allowed him to see it I'm sure.
Anyway, you would have to have been there to see that but it was quite an experience.
 
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St_Worm2

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That's a great story Cassia, thanks :) As far as street preaching goes, WOW, that sounds pretty productive. I've done door to door with a partner from church a few times in the past, but the most/best we normally got was a "no thanks" and a door slammed in our faces before we had the chance to say much more than hello.

You, on the other hand, got quite a few people engaged in a seed-planting discussion that I'm betting few of them will ever forget. Maybe you should try something like that again :oldthumbsup:

You know, with a little tweaking and a few more details, I think your story would make for an interesting blog too.

Yours and His,
David
 
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I am enjoying an evangelical church and I have been told they usually street preach.
Am I supposed to molest strangers on the street? (Like " do you have a minute for Jesus?")
Preaching is what I am afraid of (What if headhunters remember me? If I meet some university mate on street?).
How was your experience?

I wouldn't do it and I think I would be leery of a church who expected that of their members or did that in our community. I am pretty sure nobody has every received a good impression of the Christ by being told he/she is going to hell or by being approached on the street with a "Are you saved, Brother?" approach.

I do believe people have come to know God by the example of a Christian life lived or Christian love offered. Such people are often responsive to an invitation to Church or a neighborhood Bible study.
 
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Citizen of the Kingdom

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That's a great story Cassia, thanks :) As far as street preaching goes, WOW, that sounds pretty productive. I've done door to door with a partner from church a few times in the past, but the most/best we normally got was a "no thanks" and a door slammed in our faces before we'd had the chance to say much more than hello.

You, on the other hand, got quite a few people engaged in a seed-planting discussion that I'm betting few of them will ever forget. Maybe you should try something like that again :oldthumbsup:

You know, with a little tweaking and a few more details, I think your story would make for an interesting blog too.

Yours and His,
David
I never could do that door to door thing. I found it too invasive and most were too complacent for me to feel inspired to talk to them unfortunately.
What I've done on cf for the last 40,000 posts is about as much as I can handle ;). But maybe I should add that to my blog. Great idea, thanks.
 
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Citizen of the Kingdom

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I wouldn't do it and I think I would be leery of a church who expected that of their members or did that in our community. I am pretty sure nobody has every received a good impression of the Christ by being told he/she is going to hell or by being approached on the street with a "Are you saved, Brother?" approach.

I do believe people have come to know God by the example of a Christian life lived or Christian love offered. Such people are often responsive to an invitation to Church or a neighborhood Bible study.
Often just asking a person at a bustop what they think of Jesus can open up a good discussion. (not that I've ever done that, but it would be a good idea if one were to look for a way to evangelize)
 
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dqhall

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I am enjoying an evangelical church and I have been told they usually street preach.
Am I supposed to molest strangers on the street? (Like " do you have a minute for Jesus?")
Preaching is what I am afraid of (What if headhunters remember me? If I meet some university mate on street?).
How was your experience?
I used to take food to homeless people and after handing out food, told them Jesus loved them. I suppose I should have spent more time visiting, but I did not.

Some homeless shelters brought in guest speakers to talk to the homeless men after supper. One told them that some people were poor and homeless. They found Jesus and are no longer homeless, they have places in the community.

Another guest speaker told about a sea captain named John Newton who used to pilot a slave trading ship. Newton converted to Christianity, renounced slavery and sought to make slavery illegal in England. Newton became an evangelist and wrote the hymn, "Amazing Grace."

I remember there was a large tent pitched near the edge of a large city. They had a sign posted for "Revival." It was not street preaching, but an open air event that attracted people from the streets who had seen their sign. That was almost 30 years ago.
 
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DominicBaptiste

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I am enjoying an evangelical church and I have been told they usually street preach.
Am I supposed to molest strangers on the street? (Like " do you have a minute for Jesus?")
Preaching is what I am afraid of (What if headhunters remember me? If I meet some university mate on street?).
How was your experience?
I've seen street preachers with pamphlets at public events; sometimes they have a table set up, and they might invite you to church. I thought that was kosher. I've also seen middle aged men yelling at young people going into bars and yelling their confessions of sins at the bar goers. I kind of thought that was extreme, but you might give it a try if the spirit moves you. Good luck. :)
 
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Foxfyre

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Often just asking a person at a bustop what they think of Jesus can open up a good discussion. (not that I've ever done that, but it would be a good idea if one were to look for a way to evangelize)

I suppose anything is possible, but I would consider that inappropriate and uncomfortable, perhaps even sinister if a total stranger asked me that at a bus stop. And I would give as short a Christian answer as I could and almost certainly would distance myself from that person. Jesus didn't do that to people. I certainly in my ever lengthy life have never been prompted by the Spirit to do anything like that.

I think we Christians have to be both open to the leading of the Spirit and wise in how we respond. I don't think we can be arrogant and think that just because we are witnessing for Christ that we are okay when we offend or frighten or patronize somebody. And I just don't think forcing my religious beliefs on them uninvited or forcing a religious discussion uninvited is conducive to introducing Jesus to them in a way that is usually attractive. More likely it could reinforce or confirm what negative feelings they may already have about religion and Christians in general.

I have had many opportunities to witness to strangers but it is more often on the bus or the plane or just informally chatting with a stranger when the stranger himself/herself opens the door for that. When that happens you know it is the Spirit working and even though we might not ever know the final outcome of it, when we allow the Spirit to lead, we can hope with confidence that we were obedient and some good was done.
 
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Foxfyre

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I've seen street preachers with pamphlets at public events; sometimes they have a table set up, and they might invite you to church. I thought that was kosher. I've also seen middle aged men yelling at young people going into bars and yelling their confessions of sins at the bar goers. I kind of thought that was extreme, but you might give it a try if the spirit moves you. Good luck. :)

I don't have a problem with the table with pamphlets that people can approach if they choose to and ask questions or pick up information. I don't really have a problem with the door to door thing maybe inviting folks to a special concert or event at the church or something like that, but I also have seen so little response from such efforts I have to wonder if they do more harm than good by turning people off by making them feel pressured or awkward or just interrupted at whatever they would have preferred to be doing. I think we don't encourage people to know Christ or come to church by making them feel negative about it.

A pamphlet under the windshield wiper or stuck in the gate or door or signs posted around the neighborhood might be more effective if it is an invitation to something special. That doesn't require any kind of response, doesn't interrupt anything, is not awkward or uncomfortable for anybody, and involves the most minimal inconvenience of having to remove the pamphlet and perhaps glance to see what it is.

But I am one who strongly believes that God moves in mysterious ways and I am not going to question how the Spirit leads anybody unless it is very obvious that it isn't the Spirit doing the leading. :)
 
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Blade

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For me .. like Paul said.. there are those that .. do it wrong. Yet the word is getting preached. There are those that.. remind people of (forgive me Father) HELL. Many of them never seen allot come to Christ. Then there are those that .. simply love..help.. do everything to show how much Jesus loves them. That wow have had countless come to Christ.

And when ..and take this with a grain of salt. I saw a man standing out side of movie theater yelling at people..you know heaven and hell. So right there with my wife I asked the Father.. is this man of you? He said "if he is not against me he is for me". I knew in that.. it was not something Christ would do.. but.. the man was not against Him. As Paul said.. the word is being preached.
 
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2Timothy2:15

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For me .. like Paul said.. there are those that .. do it wrong. Yet the word is getting preached. There are those that.. remind people of (forgive me Father) HELL. Many of them never seen allot come to Christ. Then there are those that .. simply love..help.. do everything to show how much Jesus loves them. That wow have had countless come to Christ.

And when ..and take this with a grain of salt. I saw a man standing out side of movie theater yelling at people..you know heaven and hell. So right there with my wife I asked the Father.. is this man of you? He said "if he is not against me he is for me". I knew in that.. it was not something Christ would do.. but.. the man was not against Him. As Paul said.. the word is being preached.


Amen,

Mark 9

38“Teacher,” said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us.”

39“Do not stop him,” Jesus said. “For no one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, 40for whoever is not against us is for us. 41Truly I tell you, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to the Messiah will certainly not lose their reward.
 
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FutureAndAHope

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I am enjoying an evangelical church and I have been told they usually street preach.
Am I supposed to molest strangers on the street? (Like " do you have a minute for Jesus?")
Preaching is what I am afraid of (What if headhunters remember me? If I meet some university mate on street?).
How was your experience?

My experience of it is quite positive. It really depends on the attitude that you take to it. If you are warm and inviting then people pick it up and will listen. If you are bitter or afraid people will see that too.
 
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