When I go to the food charity in the city, just before they let the first people in line past the barrier at 10am they have a preacher on the back of the truck starting at around 9:45. It is usually heartfelt but unfocused, full of cliches and personal anecdotes that are sometimes strange. I can deal with that, just barely, though I do cringe a bit. I do wonder if it doesn't put more people off than it attracts. Especially people waiting for food, sometimes in bad weather.
What bothers me is the entire focus is usually a "saved or lost" soul-winning appeal, fifteen minute, out of context with anything. That isn't how Jesus preached, nor Paul, not Peter, as far as I can tell. Jesus covered a lot of topics, but his focus was on describing what God the Father is like, what living with a heaven-centered attitude is like, and hammering home to Jews that He was the authority they had heard about, had been waiting for, and should be listening to. There was nothing about inviting people into hearts. I am all for moments of choice and need for repentance, but the Jesus sermons seem to work those in in entirely different ways.
I've always thought of soul-winning as asking "Okay, what's the bare minimum someone has to do to get into heaven? Let's focus all our energy on that." I'm thinking if you asked Jesus what the bare minimum you had to do to be saved was, you might get a stern reply.
The year I was a hippie dropout eco-activist in Berserkeley, there was a red-headed street preacher- I believe his name was Humphrey- who spent time at the Sather Gate entrance to UC at Telegraph avenue. Three years later, I was gone from Berserkeley, but a friend from my freshman year had commenced graduate school at Berserkeley. He told me that Humphrey the street preacher was still there. "Sinner!"
ReplyDeleteSomething like, maybe, "You must clean up your act with bleach and Boraxo. EVERY DAY. Right now, you are not worth saving."
ReplyDeleteNot Humphrey, but Hubert.Bing Search: Hubert Lindsey Berkeley street preacher.
ReplyDeleteI've recently joined a full time street evangelist for a couple of his events. One during the summer at Hampton Beach and more recently in the Boston subway. He uses drawings, logic puzzles, magic, and anything else that get people talking with him to tell them the basics of the Gospel. Hell is never mentioned but sin is talked about as a problem we all have, even him.
ReplyDeleteWill this get everyone? Certainly no. Will it get even 50%? No. It's not about reaching everyone but reaching that person who is most in need of it at that moment. Perhaps we were able to talk with them at length, but maybe they went away with a tract and had to think about it awhile.
Here's another good example.
I understand the intent. I've seen it done many times. I don't think it's how Jesus preached and I don't see much evidence that it works.
ReplyDeleteIf it's the Boston subway guy who preaches about Lost or Saved with the Titanic as his starting point, that's exactly the guy I mean.
dozens of attempts. I've never read the bible. Lot's of opportunties. Not going to happen. I got churched young. It bounced. I'll be honest though, there was never even one time a bible preacher at that gate at UC berkeley. Oddly enough Christ and his minions were most noticable when I lived near there by their absence.
ReplyDeleteHoly Hubert. My wife remembers. He didn't convert her, but he wasn't able to prevent it either.
ReplyDeleteNo, not the titanic guy. These guys try to keep it jovial and fun. There aim is to attract a crowd, but not as a spectacle.
ReplyDeleteSo, you have a problem with people trying to effect conversion? Why? Because this guy does not fit your idea of appropriatness? Just what have you done to help bring saving grace to someone in dire need? It's easy to throw stones when you don't fight the fight only talk the talk. It appears it's all a manner of style to you. That your embarressed.
ReplyDeleteRethink that. I am in favor of conversion. What I am also in favor of is doing what Jesus and Peter and Paul did, not what became popular in one American culture.
ReplyDeleteYou are making accusations about my character for which you have no information. Whether I have done as Christ has asked is completely unknown to you. I think the shoe is on the other foot. You like a particular style, and think it leads to people following Jesus. I am questioning whether that is true in the contexts I have observed it. I don't see it bringing people forward, and I do see it irritating some others. This is live and in person, not in theory. I don't care what people responded to from 1850-1950, unless we can see that it still works.
What I do see people responding to at this particular food charity are pastors and other volunteers circulating among those waiting asking if anyone would like to pray.