What is your impression of street preachers, especially on college campuses?

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justme6272

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Do you think they're wasting their time? What things about the person would you quickly size up before deciding to stop and listen, assuming you didn't have a class to get to right away? Why campuses? 1) high foot traffic, and 2) you're getting them while they're young, before they've spent their entire adult lives outside the will of God.

I did a youtube search, and have listened to about 4 of them, not at all impressed. One leaned against a poll (not on a college campus, just a city street), stared down reading scripture the whole time with a "don't bother me" attitude. A news reporter tried to talk to him, and was put on ignore.

Another was constantly moving up and down the sidewalk, yelling and winging it with nonsensical random stuff, even with amplification equipment.

I personally witnessed the protesting of a liberal church by so-called street preachers, ON Easter Sunday, as people arrived for church and got out of their cars. I didn't see the point. The only people that their megaphone was reaching, were not going to change. Their leader videotaped it, uploaded it to youtube, but later took it down.

Another was addressing a small handful of students who were engaging him in back and forth random conversation that didn't look like anyone could possibly be saved.

Sometimes I think these guys just want to hear themselves talk, or thinking they're engaging in good works, even if they don't produce fruit. None sounded remotely similar to good pastors giving sermons in hopes that people would come back to hear more.

I'm thinking about doing it, focusing on college campuses, telling them what I think everyone needs to hear, using a prepared script that presents important Biblical concepts and God's plan for salvation, focusing on what it means to 'follow Jesus,' to be exclusively saved in a lost and dying world, and live godly lives, not worldly lives. I would quote scripture mixed in throughout.

The emphasis would be on getting people to read their Bible - 'at least try it,' (i.e. Genesis at a minimum), to know about the fall of man, God's wrath, the great flood, and the patriarchs, emphasizing the 'character and nature of God,' then skim across other books, quoting scripture along the way, letting God take over from there.

I'm not looking to be confrontational or single people out amongst the crowd as that would interrupt and distract from my message. I've already started typing out what I want to say, and hope to keep it no longer than 30 minutes so that anyone who stops to listen wouldn't have to be there that long. Attention spans are often short. The timing would likely be around lunch time or late afternoon, or both, when there's the most foot traffic due to morning or afternoon classes being finished, and students not having someplace they have to be in the next 10 minutes.

I'm not sure how far I'd travel to get to colleges, but would like to go out of state, and eventually be a non-profit in order to do fundraising to help with expenses, so if anyone has experience running a 501(c) and can guide me along, it could help. I wouldn't even begin spending time raising finances to cover costs like gasoline, without having done it for awhile and being able to give examples of my work being productive. I'd expect to have a youtube channel to make access to what's being done an open book for all prospective donors, and anyone else for that matter, to watch.

Based on viewership, I wouldn't expect many views of my uploads cause even the best of preachers, preaching excellent sermons, don't get that many channel subscribers and views, unfortunately. But they sure do a great job of fundraising for their churches and mission causes. So do the many professional praise teams making records, like Hillsong. They fill auditoriums with concert goers, and reach a lot of people worldwide. Frankly, I don't know why there aren't more preachers out in public air, instead of just focusing on who comes to church on Sunday, as they edify to souls that are already saved. Unless it's a very large church with an alter call and 'sinners prayer,' (i.e. "repeat after me.....), they often do 'invitations' without anyone accepting, cause the people there aren't hearing anything new.
I want people to hear something new, that most pastors are not preaching, even to their church-going flocks. But I don't want to waste time either.

So back to the original question....what do you think of street preachers? Do you know any who have successfully done it? What makes a good one? Could you see yourself doing it? Why or why not? I've toyed with the idea for years, and am more strongly motivated now due to misguided non-truth I'm hearing, in more and more stunning, unbelievable churches. If people don't hear the truth from somewhere, they may never hear it, and the Bible says that ideally, we aren't suppose to just think of heaven being for us, but to try and take some people with us. That's why I chose this category to post in, about following Jesus and discipleship. I'm looking forward to seeing people I knew on earth, once I get there. The more the merrier, especially if I had a hand in them being there when they may not have been otherwise. The fact that people's lives are made better by God before they die seems like icing on the cake.
 
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Paidiske

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Generally I think they're wasting their time. Even if their content was worth listening to (and it generally isn't), there's no point haranguing people without making any effort to build genuine relationship.
 
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Pioneer3mm

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I remember.. a street evangelist/preacher..
- when I was in college.
He came to campus mall..during the lunch time.
- & gave the Gospel message (Evangel).
---
*He carried a wooden cross..
Some people might remember.. 'Arthur Blissett'..
- the traveling preacher (walking) who is known for carrying a cross.
 
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Aaron112

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Do you think they're wasting their time?
I don't think about them.
I think everyone watching tv everywhere in the world is wasting time, I think about this, because I am guilty of this.
Learning to do other things, as a student of Jesus, a "disciple", is a lot more difficult than I thought it would be.
 
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seeking.IAM

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I think of street preachers as annoying noise pollution, generally haranguing passersby with threats of spending eternity in hell. . I don't think they are really effective beyond making the street preacher feel self-satisfied for having done something he/she perceives as good. However, if you are intent to do this, I recommend reconsidering script. A 30-minute sermon is going to be overkill for folks on their way to somewhere else.
 
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DragonFox91

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On my college campus they were bad. Preaching ‘fire & brimstone’ to passing students & passing out tracts.

But there’s good ones I listen to on YouTube. They engage in debate at a specified time & place w/ students. You have to work it out w/ the university to set it up. They do it outside so passing students w/ an interest are more likely to drop in for a listen. That’d be how I recommend to do it. Especially if you have a script. How do you plan on making it so you're not just talking to air?

I definitely agree w/ you why do we focus so much time on people who confess to be believers? Why is trying to save the lost in public like Jesus did so hard for us?
 
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Generally I think they're wasting their time. Even if their content was worth listening to (and it generally isn't), there's no point haranguing people without making any effort to build genuine relationship.
it's not a 'waste of time'
don't think the LORD cares "if their content is worth listening too"
 
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Lost Witness

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Look at all the people saying they have negative impressions of street preachers.
Doesn't matter,
All that matters is that we Obey The LEAD of the Holy Spirit :oldthumbsup:
 
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Paidiske

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it's not a 'waste of time'
don't think the LORD cares "if their content is worth listening too"
I remember one street preacher I saw, who was yelling at passers-by that they were all going to hell, punctuated by cries of "Hallelujah!"

Why would anyone want to listen to someone apparently celebrating their damnation? Where is the good news in that?

I do think that the Lord cares whether we're actually being effective in mission.
 
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Paidiske

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1 example doesn't equate to every street preacher. :oldthumbsup:
No, that's true. But I've never seen one I thought was actually being effective. Mostly, as I said in my first post, because what is needed is building genuine relationship, not just flinging a message at passers-by and hoping something sticks.

If you want to evangelise on a college campus, my advice would be, provide food, and opportunities to really talk over a shared meal.
 
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No, that's true. But I've never seen one I thought was actually being effective. Mostly, as I said in my first post, because what is needed is building genuine relationship, not just flinging a message at passers-by and hoping something sticks.

If you want to evangelise on a college campus, my advice would be, provide food, and opportunities to really talk over a shared meal.
how would one preach during a Global war?
Sitting in a college campus or on the streets in the midst of the Chaos?
 
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Paidiske

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how would one preach during a Global war?
Sitting in a college campus or on the streets in the midst of the Chaos?
I don't understand the relevance of your question.
 
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Aaron112

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And when the Lamb opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony they had upheld.

And they cried out in a loud voice, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You avenge our blood and judge those who dwell upon the earth?”

Then each of them was given a white robe and told to rest a little while longer, until the full number of their fellow servants, their brothers, were killed, just as they had been killed.…
Berean Standard Bible · Download

===============================================================

Threefold Hallelujah Over Babylon’s Fall​

19 After this I heard what sounded like the roar of a great multitude in heaven shouting:

“Hallelujah!
Salvation and glory and power belong to our God,
2 for true and just are his judgments.
He has condemned the great prostitute
who corrupted the earth by her adulteries.
He has avenged on her the blood of his servants.”
3 And again they shouted:

“Hallelujah!
The smoke from her goes up for ever and ever.”
4 The twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God, who was seated on the throne. And they cried:

“Amen, Hallelujah!”
 
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SamInNi

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God would have us witness for Christ with intentionality—in other words, we must be those who will share constructive truth with those around us who are spiritually dead. We prayerfully hope that God will draw people to Christ as they hear the living Word that leads to true faith and salvation.

Anyone “preaching” on the street should be sent out by spiritually mature leadership in a local fellowship. He must be rooted in Christ and firmly grounded in the fullness of Scripture.

These basic requirements considerably narrow down the effectiveness of so-called street preaching. There’s no doubt that many of those who are working the streets fall short. As a result they are largely ineffective and may do more harm than good.
 
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Aaron112

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There’s no doubt that many of those who are working the streets fall short. As a result they are largely ineffective and may do more harm than good.
Likewise even moreso those not working the streets.
 
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