Street Preaching

[Revelator]

Hey I used to be on here a lot back in the day not so much now. My name is Nate so good:type: to meet y'all. I head up street preaching at our church and I was wondering if there was anyone out there like me who has a hard time getting people out and if so what can be done to get them to come out?

Past that what about camp meetings? Anyone out there on BB have any experience getting one of those going?

 

[mandym]

Street preaching and camp meetings are a thing of the past. As time and context has changed those are poor tools to reach out.

 

[Revelator]

I wouldn't exactly say that the context has changed, people are still going to Hell and its still our job to warn them.
Why do you think its outdated?

 

[mandym]

I wouldn't exactly say that the context has changed, people are still going to Hell and its still our job to warn them.
Why do you think its outdated?

Because people see it as strange and that takes away credibility. When one does that we are nothing more than a telemarketer or a JW. The culture no longer sees it the same way.

Today building relationships individually is far more effective. Otherwise people will not trust you.

 

[Iconoclast]

Because people see it as strange and that takes away credibility. When one does that we are nothing more than a telemarketer or a JW. The culture no longer sees it the same way.

Today building relationships individually is far more effective. Otherwise people will not trust you.

:thumbs::thumbs:..many have gone out...but with no authority...

 

[Revelator]

Well I have gone out time and again and have stood on the corner and preached many times, not once was I ever misidentified as a JW or televangelist nor did I ever feel as though I had no authority.

If a person has never been involved with a public open air type preaching ministry they are missing out on probably one of the best blessings around. I know that its an odd sort of thing to see and I also know that its misused some nowadays but I also that it can be effective if done right. The best street preacher in the legacy of street preaching didn't ever worry about whether it was within context or time frame. He merely preached God's word with effectiveness and wisdom (again I know of MANY who don't) and this led to chances to build personal relationships with people.

 

[mandym]

Well I have gone out time and again and have stood on the corner and preached many times, not once was I ever misidentified as a JW or televangelist nor did I ever feel as though I had no authority.

You misunderstood what I said. It is not that they will necessarily think that is what you are, it is that you will be seen as being just like them. And how you feel about has nothing to do with it.

 

[Salty]

Well I have gone out time and again and have stood on the corner and preached many times, not once was I ever misidentified as a JW or televangelist nor did I ever feel as though I had no authority. ...

Reve - I tend to agree with mandym, especially when he said "building relationships individually is far more effective"

Just curious, you have said you have been street preaching often - to date what kind of results have you seen? - Please note I am not trying to be judgmental here, but is street preaching still effective in this day and age.

I would put street preaching and cold door knocking in the same general camp. For the past several months the Pastor and I have been out on cold visitation - to date no results - ie no one has attended our services. This is not to say that we will never do it again - but how can we best make contact with our neighbors and bring the Gospel to them.?

Reve, If the Lord had led you to street preach - then don't stop - but be sure it is thru His leading and not just "thats the way we have always done it"

 

[annsni]

Here in NY, I don't think street preaching works much at all. Instead, people need relationships. They need to know you care before they listen to you. So it's a tough ground around here but Oh, when you bring Jesus to someone and they respond, what a glorious day that is!

 

[Crabtownboy]

Hey I used to be on here a lot back in the day not so much now. My name is Nate so good:type: to meet y'all. I head up street preaching at our church and I was wondering if there was anyone out there like me who has a hard time getting people out and if so what can be done to get them to come out?

Past that what about camp meetings? Anyone out there on BB have any experience getting one of those going?

Blessings on you and your work.

It takes a special type of person to work the streets. There was a woman at the seminary in Prague who worked with the street walkers there. It was not soap box preaching, but sitting in a coffee bar or regular bar and simply talking to them, hearing their problems, telling them the good news and helping them when possible. Listen is often as if nor more important that preaching IMHO.

There was a young man at the same seminary who had a call to work with the homeless street people. Again, it was not so much preaching, but talking to, listening to them and helping them when possible.

I am not surprised that you have trouble getting people to go along ... as I said, it takes special people.

I agree with Ann. Building relationships will be more important and in the long run more effective ... again IMHO.

 

[Salty]

It takes a special type of person to work the streets. There was a woman at the seminary in Prague who worked with the street walkers there. It was not soap box preaching, but sitting in a coffee bar or regular bar and simply talking to them, hearing their problems, .

:thumbs: :saint: :jesus:

Listen is often as if nor more important that preaching IMHO. ... I agree with Ann. Building relationships will be more important and in the long run more effective ... again IMHO.

Crabby, IMHO you are absoutely right! :1_grouphug:

 

[HeirofSalvation]

Depending on where one lives... it can still be quite effective....it is a perfectly Biblical model...the Apostle Paul used it regularly it appears...I have seen it be effective where I live here in Central Fla. Moreover, its "effectiveness" is to be judged more by whether or not people in need of the gospel hear the gospel. If people needing the gospel hear the gospel faithfully preached...then it is successfull. I am dumb-founded as to why it appears that the Calvinists who are responding negatively towards street-preaching seem to be guaging its merits on some kind of sum-total of souls saved...What would that have to do with it? They will either be irresistibly drawn or not no?

As a preacher myself, I know exactly what you mean by feeling you had "authority". if you are preaching with authority you know it; if you are preaching without authority...you know it as well. It is quite easily felt.

 

[Salty]

Depending on where one lives... it can still be quite effective....it is a perfectly Biblical model....

Jesus and Paul also went into the Synagogues to preach.
Do you do that also as it is Biblical?
NO I do not think that we would not do that in this day and age.

Please realize I am not trying to say you are wrong in street preaching. You did mention that it is important that people do hear the Gospel. True - face to face they may be nice to your face, but after they depart - have you ever wondered what they say about your street preaching?

Another way to put it, if you lead 100 people a year to the Lord in street preaching for 10 years, 1,000 professions will have been made.

But if you build relationships - even at one per year, then at the end of the year, each of you lead and disciple one person each and that continues you would have:
Year
1-........2
2-........4
3-........8
4-.......16
5-.......32
6........64
7.......128
8.......256
9.......512
10...1,024
11...2,048
12...4,096
13...8,192
14.16,384
15.32,768

and at 1,000 per year for 15 years would be 15,000
and of 15,000 how many would still be faithful to the Lord.

Salty

ps, the answer to the last question could be answered by Anderson.

 

[ktn4eg]

[/FONT][/SIZE]
:thumbs: :saint: :jesus:

Crabby, IMHO you are absoutely right! :1_grouphug:

WHAT???!!! Salty actually agrees w/ CTB on something????

 

[Havensdad]

what can be done to get them to come out?

Regeneration.

I preach on the streets when I get a chance. I pastor a rural church.

 

[Havensdad]

Because people see it as strange and that takes away credibility. When one does that we are nothing more than a telemarketer or a JW. The culture no longer sees it the same way.

Sure they do. It wasn't accepted in the first century, either. They called Paul insane. They arrested him and stoned him....not exactly culturally acceptable.

And actually, Jehovah's Witnesses do not street preach. Nor do telemarketers. They DO try to use modern business models and "build relationships" with people.

Today building relationships individually is far more effective. Otherwise people will not trust you.

Hogwash. Paul did not try to get the Jews to "trust him." That goes against the Biblical model. In every single instance in the New Testament, the model was to give the gospel as quickly as possible to people. "Relationship evangelism" is not a biblical model. It denies the urgency of the cross.

Rom_1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who

 

[Revelator]

I know that there aren't very many visible results with street preaching. I have to say that if you look at the biblical model of street preaching a big part of it wasn't about the results, it was about the message. When Jonah went to Nineveh he went (reluctantly) to share a messagel...judgment was coming to Nineveh. It was the message that got results, not the man. Today its the same way. When I go out I don't go looking for only results or what not I go because my town needs to know A) that God hates sin B) that Christ died for sinners and C) they can recieve Christ and be free from sin. If that message isn't effective I don't know what is, as a matter of fact if its any other message than that message then biblically it is a cursed message. The method of street preaching is still effective as well. I'm not saying that crowds flock to hear me in the street preaching, but some of the folks that I preach around there are drug dealers/addicts, sex perverts, and drunks who would never hear the gospel, and on occasion some have come up to me and thanked me for doing it.

On the other hand its wrong for a person to get on the street corner and act like a jackleg for attention and smear my precious Saviours name with their own stupidity. I have read all of your comments and I get stuff from all of it. Thanks for feedback whether I necessarily agree with all of it or not.

Somone said somthing earlier about cold calls, cold calls make me more scared than preaching on the street. Please do NOT stop making cold calls. I live in one of the most poor counties in virginia our little church started making cold calls and now we're in a new sanctuary paying it down running 150 to 200 in Sunday school and probably 250 or better on Sunday morning. When our pastor took it over 9 years ago there was like 9 people there. The success of the church is due to God's goodness but we figure God blessed our effort making cold calls. It seemed for almost a year solid there was a soul saved a week. While on weekly cold call visits rarely or never was a person saved. Hang in there VICTORY AWAITS!

 

[mandym]

I know that there aren't very many visible results with street preaching. I have to say that if you look at the biblical model of street preaching a big part of it wasn't about the results, it was about the message. When Jonah went to Nineveh he went (reluctantly) to share a messagel...judgment was coming to Nineveh. It was the message that got results, not the man. Today its the same way. When I go out I don't go looking for only results or what not I go because my town needs to know A) that God hates sin B) that Christ died for sinners and C) they can recieve Christ and be free from sin. If that message isn't effective I don't know what is, as a matter of fact if its any other message than that message then biblically it is a cursed message. The method of street preaching is still effective as well. I'm not saying that crowds flock to hear me in the street preaching, but some of the folks that I preach around there are drug dealers/addicts, sex perverts, and drunks who would never hear the gospel, and on occasion some have come up to me and thanked me for doing it.

On the other hand its wrong for a person to get on the street corner and act like a jackleg for attention and smear my precious Saviours name with their own stupidity. I have read all of your comments and I get stuff from all of it. Thanks for feedback whether I necessarily agree with all of it or not.

Somone said somthing earlier about cold calls, cold calls make me more scared than preaching on the street. Please do NOT stop making cold calls. I live in one of the most poor counties in virginia our little church started making cold calls and now we're in a new sanctuary paying it down running 150 to 200 in Sunday school and probably 250 or better on Sunday morning. When our pastor took it over 9 years ago there was like 9 people there. The success of the church is due to God's goodness but we figure God blessed our effort making cold calls. It seemed for almost a year solid there was a soul saved a week. While on weekly cold call visits rarely or never was a person saved. Hang in there VICTORY AWAITS!

I pray the Lord uses you mightily.

 

[HeirofSalvation]

Jesus and Paul also went into the Synagogues to preach.
Do you do that also as it is Biblical?

Personally, as I am neither the Messiah...nor a Pharisee personally trained by Gamaliel...that is an opportunity heretofore not available to me.

NO I do not think that we would not do that in this day and age.

Why not? Given the opportunity, I would.

True - face to face they may be nice to your face,

Not always, some are quite rude...some very appreciative.

but after they depart - have you ever wondered what they say about your street preaching?

No, I usually know what they say about it. It is also none of my concern.

Another way to put it, if you lead 100 people a year to the Lord in street preaching for 10 years, 1,000 professions will have been made.

But if you build relationships - even at one per year, then at the end of the year, each of you lead and disciple one person each and that continues you would have:
Year
1-........2
2-........4
3-........8
4-.......16
5-.......32
6........64
7.......128
8.......256
9.......512
10...1,024
11...2,048
12...4,096
13...8,192
14.16,384
15.32,768

If only ONE of these people has a back-sliding, a falling away, or what-not this entire perfect-world formula collapses...We should of course Always be Discipling, and reaching others via personal relationships...but take just one person out of year 5 and re-run your numbers...then maybe calculate what would occur at year 10 if 2 people fail to successfully disciple one person...to continue this pyramid scheme...then again, it breaks down. I have heard sincere people teach this for 20 years or more...never quite seen it work that way. It never will either...(not likely) There is nothing wrong with focusing on the salvation and discipleship of 1 person...focusing a bulk of your energy towards that one person is not wrong...but we all have different gifts...Not everyone would make a great evangelist or street-preacher. Not everyone disciples as well as others.

and at 1,000 per year for 15 years would be 15,000
and of 15,000 how many would still be faithful to the Lord.

Then, again...I wouldn't claim that I've seen 1k make professions from any street-preaching I have done either..:jesus: People can also become unfaithful to the Lord regardless of what evangelistic method might have been used....I dunnit myself before.