Open-air preaching

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Street preacher in Covent Garden with an unusual style
Street preacher in Covent Garden with an unusual style

Open air preaching is the act of preaching to people in public places, primarily on the street corner where there is a crowd of people. It is also done on college campuses by students, and in parks and other public areas where there is a crowd. It is the most traditional way of preaching a religious or social message, and has been used by many cultures and religious traditions but is usually associated with Christian fundamentalism or evangelicalism.

It differs from the door-to-door evangelizing associated with Latter-day Saint (Mormons) and Jehovah's Witnesses as open-air preachers, though known to confront individuals on a one-on-one basis, do their preaching in public and open spaces.

Many street preachers, regardless of the topic, also hand out tracts or leaflets to passersby.

The famous Christian evangelist Charles Spurgeon often advocated and performed open air preaching.

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[edit] Open-Air Preaching within Christianity

An open-air preacher at Mardi Gras in New Orleans, Louisiana
An open-air preacher at Mardi Gras in New Orleans, Louisiana

One famous Biblical example of street preaching is that of Jonah, who reluctantly obeys the command of God to go to the city of Nineveh and preach "Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!" (Jonah 3:4 KJV) Others include is the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7 and Paul's speech to the Athenians in Acts 17.

The practice of open-air preaching remains controversial within many churches and denominations due to negative perceptions of belligerence of some open air preachers. An often cited verse by opponents of open-air preaching, from the discourse on ostentation in the Gospel of Matthew, is:

And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say unto you, they have their reward. But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. - Matthew 6:5-6

Defenders of open-air preaching counter typically respond with three arguments: 1) that Jesus was condemning those who sought to glorify themselves by their preaching, 2) that in fact Jesus was explicitly talking about prayer, and 3) that he made this statement while open air preaching himself. Many modern open-air preachers state that they expect ambivalence to hostility from much of their audience, and cite Luke 11:29-30 (in context, referring to Jesus' death and resurrection) in their defense, wherein Jesus states that only the sign of Jonah will be given in an "evil age." Some open-air preachers do employ a sense of drama or flamboyance to attract their audience - and occasionally to compete with other street preachers in the same area. These tactics are sometimes taken as self-glorification by opponents of street preaching, or even other street preachers who prefer to attempt to speak in a spirit of love.

Actor Kirk Cameron, as part of his "Way of the Master" ministry with evangelist Ray Comfort, often engages in open-air preaching. The related ministry of The Great News Network, headed by Darrel Rundus, trains members in evangelism and includes open air preaching.

[edit] Open-Air preaching as protest

Street preaching frequently takes on a form of political or social protest at public gatherings. Among today's best known practitioners of preaching-as-protest are Operation Rescue, Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kansas, and Bob Enyart. The tactics of these groups range from peaceful civil disobedience to flamboyant taunting of their opponents.

[edit] Open-Air preachers in Hollywood

The stereotypical street preacher of countless Hollywood films and television shows is usually depicted as male and carrying (or even wearing) a large sign with a message stating "REPENT! The end is near!", or words to that effect. They frequently appear in scenes of disaster as a gag or stock character.

[edit] The John 3:16 Guy

Even more frequently encountered as a Hollywood cliché is a person in the crowd at a sporting event holding a large sign that reads simply "John 3:16". In contrast to many, more somber and traditional open-air preachers, the "John 3:16 guy" is often portrayed wearing brightly coloured wigs, even full clown costumes. Many of the traits of the "John 3:16 guy" are based on Rollen Stewart, an eccentric American street preacher.

[edit] Roadside religious displays

Religious messages displayed can be displayed on signage ranging from roadside billboards to crude handmade signs to elaborate outsider art projects, including a replica of Noah's Ark. They can be encountered anywhere, but are often associated with the American South. Roadside messengers rarely turn to outright vandalism to distribute their message, though a simple spray painted "JESUS SAVES" was a common sight under bridges in the United States in the 1970s and 80s. See this NPR article for an overview of "roadside religion".

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

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