So, my first question is this…is street preaching or street evangelism Biblical? What I mean by street preaching or evangelism is someone going to a center square in a city, in front of the entrance of a courthouse, or in front of a city hall and preaching the gospel as well as passing out evangelistic tracts? It has been done in the past in our nation but it has fallen out of favor as a way to communicate the Gospel to the lost. What I am looking for is a Biblical answer to the question. And keeping in mind if a person does do street evangelism or street preaching they are not obnoxiously loud, they do not block people from entering the building if they are in front of a public building, that they are on public property and not private property, and that they do not litter, (if people drop the tracts they need to be picked up).
Now, if someone is doing street evangelism or street preaching and they are ordered to stop doing so by the police what should the person who is preaching or evangelizing do? Keep in mind they are not breaking any law, they are not being slanderous or vicious in their preaching (attacking certain people, groups, or religions but are preaching what is the true Gospel of God). The officer orders the evangelist to stop because the police have received complaints about the fact that the preacher is preaching the Gospel. It is not the messenger or the means of sharing the message that has led to the complaints…it is the message and the message alone. Should the evangelist obey the officer or exercise his Constitutional right to freedom of speect? Again, the evangelist is not being obnoxious and is being loving and kind towards the police officer but the officer insists that the person stop or they will be arrested. What should the evangelist do at that point? And if the officer suggests moving a few feet away from where they are preaching at then I think is a no brainer. You move the few feet but if the preacher is ordered to stop under threat of arrest what is he to do Biblically?
What I am looking for are Scriptures or Scripture references that provide an answer to my questions.
I look forward to your responses.
Humbled by His Great Love,
Just a Pilgrim,
Harold
Philippians 1:21
If you wish to respond to me personally or desire prayer or ministry my email address is haroldcameron56@gmail.com and my phone number is (267) 357-1292. If your group or church would like me to come and speak please call me to discuss the particulars.
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I think the Bible warns against long public self-aggrandizing prayers. I hear them from time to time and they annoy me. I personally do not usually like crowds, but I think it is ethical to travel slowly through them and to look for the sort of people who may need an encouraging word. A great street preacher who is now the president of the SBC told me to never do it alone. It’s an interesting phenomenon and certainly a way to scatter seed especially if your one who does not mind the rocky soil.
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